Consumer Reports:
Lowering people's expectations for years...

The Ford Escape Hybrid can get better fuel economy than 95% of all sedans out there, and an experienced FEH driver can out perform an average PRIUS.

*Don't believe everything you see/read in the media.

-John

 

If the A/C is on Max (due to hot humid weather) I would believe 22 mpg city.

 

Maybe, I have never tried driving in the city with max a/c. I can get by keeping it in the recirc mode most of the time. I have seen a 1-2 mpg hit when I use the a/c a lot.

My problem with the articles that are written (and the numerous consumer advocate reports on the local news programs) is that they are so blatantly biased against hybrid vehicles right from the get-go.

I recently traded emails with a local consumer advocate reporter who did a "buyer beware" type report telling how hybrids don't get the mileage the manufacturers claimed. I pointed out that (a) the numbers on the stickers are EPA ratings and that is all the dealer is allowed to give out and (b) that if anyone tracked mileage in any car they would probably be below the EPA numbers. Her report was based on two people - a FEH owner who was getting 27 mpg and a Lexus owner who was getting 22 (IIRC).

I also sent her a copy of my personal milage spreadsheet for both FEH as well as directed her to this site so that she could see that there are many people doing EPA (or better) numbers and that there are also many happy hybrid owners.

Her well thought out response was "We stand by our reporting".

Did I mention it was winter sweeps period when they broke this story?

 

What the vast majority of the population don't know is that the driver has more control of their mileage in a hybrid. I drive an Explorer. Increasing my mileage is limited to accelerating more moderately, lowering my highway speed, etc. Beyond that I'm living with an 8 cylinder, 4000 pound vehicle.

With my hybrid I can ease a little off the gas and run for a while with the ICE off. I can pulse and glide when appropriate. When people report on the "low" fuel economy of the hybrids they're driving them as they've driven cars for years without doing anything to take advantage of a hybrid's capabilities.

 

I find that 22 MPG city hard to believe. My wife, who drives our FEH as she would any other car (she doesn't try to max the EV-mode at all), and who currently drives with MAX AC on all the time, still manages 25-26 MPG in city driving. I, with a minimum of effort in eeking out EV-mode and the use of the L gear, manage 28-29 MPG in the city easily. And this is on a brand new FEH, with only 1200 miles, so it is still in the break-in period.

 

Consumer reports manages to butcher the FE on all vehicles, and has managed to do so for years. Case in point, next months issue(Aug): Toyota Camry hybrid, EPA 40/38, Consumer Reports: 28/41, Overall: 34; Toyota Camry 4cyl, EPA 24/33, CR: 16/36, Overall: 24; Honda Accord 6cyl, EPA 20/29, CR: 16/32, Overall: 23. The list goes on and on. So even though I keep CR in decent regard, I don't put much credability in their FE stats...other than comparing cars side by side.

What I am upset about is that they don't even put EPA estimates on there. Worse, a causual reader who just glances at a copy at the bookstore will see car X only getting XX mpg and won't consider that model--w/o knowing the whole CR story.


I thought their article on hybrids and how they didn't get the advertised mileage was total crap. #1- By their estimate ALL vehicles get worse than EPA mileage, #2-Their payback chart was atrocious. How the heck did they get a worse depreciation for a hybrid vs. regular model. How the heck was their more maintinence cost on a hybrid(assuming the battery lasted)...case in point, FEH with a CVT, Oil Change interval 10k vs 5k, and brakes/tires that last longer than a conventional escape. Hmmmm...

I also find they are a little biased towards foreign makes....but that is just MHO.

So I guess my point is...keep the 26mpg in perspective.

Nate

 

I was wondering the same thing. Considering that most hybrids have not been out that long there is not much history there. They spouted numbers as if they were facts. If you look at the Prius with its long track record you see that its depreciation is very low.

 

Fuel Economy numbers can ONLY be used as relative measures, and then only when they come from the same source with the same testing methods.

We shouldn't be up in arms about the 26 mpg they got in their testing. We should compare it to what other vehicles got in their tests.

I've certainly gotten both lower and higher numbers at different times, and it really depends on usage. The only thing that needs to be noted is the usage. Perhaps they did, I haven't seen the article.