Consumer reports says the fuel economy is overestimated on all
veh's. Some get as much as 40 pct. less mpg.
On every new vehicle, manufacturers are required to list how many miles you can expect to get per gallon of gas. Carmakers are allowed to make these claims based on a government test at the Environmental Protection Agency in which vehicles are put on a treadmill-like device called a dynamometer. The tester watches a computer screen to determine how much to accelerate and when to brake so each vehicle is tested in exactly the same way.
But just how accurately does a test on a dynamometer reflect the mileage you get on the road? Not very, says David Champion, Senior Director of the Auto Test Department at Consumer Reports. According to Champion, manufacturers optimize their cars in order to get the best results they can on EPA tests. "That isn't always what you're going to get in real life," says Champion.