Non-hybrids miss EPA estimates too - GreenHybrid

ericbecky · #1 (**permalink**) 05-29-2004, 04:53 AM

I'm frustrated!

With all this discussion about whether or not hybrid cars are getting the mileage touted by the EPA estimates, has anyone bothered checking non-hybrid cars out?

Although not everyone is getting close the EPA esitmates in hybrid cars (for many reasons) I'm certain this happens all the time in non-hybrid cars!

Hot_Georgia_2004 · #2 (**permalink**) 05-29-2004, 07:50 AM

I believe my Grand Caravan was EPA rated at 21 and I get around 18.
My old car, a '94 Dodge Spirit was rated at 23 and I got 21 at best, 19 was normal.

Seems not much of a difference until you take into account the low MPG
to begin with. Not sure of the % I'm getting with these.
Steve

Stevo12886 · #3 (**permalink**) 05-29-2004, 09:29 AM

if i drive the corolla normally...it gets like 26, thats a 7% decrease from EPA.
Caravan is 14%
Spirit is 17%
looking at the averages from the database...Prius II, 48.3 is the average, and the combined cycle is 55 according to EPA. 12% diff.
insight is above EPA...but yall are freaks of nature driving them.
the HCH is right there at the EPA estimates...not that big of a deal.

jkash · #4 (**permalink**) 05-29-2004, 01:39 PM

My previous car was a 1995 Honda Civic VX. It was EPA rated at 44 mpg in the city and 51 mpg on the highway. I averaged 40 mpg for the life of the car. I very rarely ever got over 43 mpg, even on the highway. There was even a web page for quite a while called "Why not buy a Honda Civic VX." The car never had any trouble, but it sure didn't get close to the EPA mileage.

Jeff

ericbecky · #5 (**permalink**) 05-29-2004, 03:06 PM

What timing... I post this message about my frustration and the first question someone asked me today was whether I'm actually getting anywhere near the EPA estimates.
I told him that my current tank is about 72 mpg and that I was very pleased with the car. I asked him how his car did compared to EPA and he said he had no idea.

Rick Reece · #6 (**permalink**) 05-29-2004, 03:08 PM

Jeff,
I still have a 94 Civic VX which is closing in on a quarter million miles. The EPA rating was 56 HWY and 47 City (Just checked the sticker to make sure). I don't have a mileage log for the car except for the few tanks I have logged here but I would say the lifetime mpg was around 50 for me. My Insight on the other hand routinely exceeds the EPA estimate. I had the please of driving a turbo charged Insight today and even got slight better than EPA numbers although I was going faster than the speed limit. CBS put that guy (MO MILES) on the tube talking about how he is only getting 35 mpg when he believed he would get more. At least the printed article offered a range of values. After seeing the CBS segment one would think its just hybrids that have this problem and that they can't even get close to EPA values. I'm thinking about sending my newspaper an alternate view. Have fun, Rick

jkash · #7 (**permalink**) 05-29-2004, 03:46 PM

Rick,

You are correct about your car, but my car was built for California and the EPA results were less. I think the Calif. cars had more smog stuff on them and it reduced the gas mileage.

Jeff

Stevo12886 · #8 (**permalink**) 05-29-2004, 06:58 PM

Rick, you've driven the red rocket?!?! awsome....! (pm me w/ some inside story plz)

ericbecky · #9 (**permalink**) 05-30-2004, 09:20 AM

Clearly it was the CBS article that prompted the comment to me about EPA estimates. My wife mentioned she saw the teaser for the segment, but not the actual story. I have vistied "MO Miles" site before and read his tale of woe. Although I can understand his frustration, I wish there could have been other views presented as well. How about xcel's 1000+ mile tank of gas!

Jason · #10 (**permalink**) 05-30-2004, 09:22 AM

You know what this makes me think? Maybe I should create a new area on the site where owners submit their testimonials about their cars. The good, the bad, and the ugly.