C-Max Hybrid real world mpg falling short?

[brainhulk]

http://autos.yahoo.com/blogs/motora...wners-consumer-reports-mileage-212036096.html

The rumblings within the auto industry over the fuel economy of the new Ford C-Max Hybrid and the related Ford Fusion Hybrid broke into the open today when Consumer Reports announced both cars had fallen far short of the mileage promised by their window stickers -- with the C-Max some 10 mpg short of its 47 mpg rating and the Fusion Hybrid off 8 mpg. Ford has said everyone's mileage will vary, but the largest tracking of mileage by C-Max owners online backs up Consumer Reports.

damn, I was considering buying this

 

[Phobic9]

I take anything Consumer Reports with a grain of salt but it's interesting to see that owners are backing them up on those claims. 10 mpg is pretty big. I watched this video a while back and these guys do bring up an interesting take on the MPG ratings with the Cmax.

I wouldn't doubt there's some shady stuff going on. Sad if true.

 

[Raizinman]

MPG claims by the OEM are taken very serious. They know that people purchase cars on the basis of these high MPG claims. If the claims are false, that constitutes fraud. The consumer then has the option of returning the vehicle for a refund or renegotiating the price of the vehicle, since he did not get what he originally paid for. I'm guessing that there will be a class action shortly that you can get in on. If I was Ford, I would be offering these customers some sort of incentive to keep the cars.

 

[LTC8K6]

We covered this here:

http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2282410

 

[PhoKingGuy]

I had a Prius rental once, when I returned it the MPG counter said 24.7 mpg.

Its all how you drive the thing.

 

[LTC8K6]

I think that's probably the answer. The C-max actually has some power, and people are using it.

 

[Throckmorton]

How about the we stop letting manufacturers provide their own estimates and have the EPA do a test that actually replicates real world driving? No I don't mean drive at 50mph and then do some stupid calculation to "estimate" what mpg would be at 70mph. Are test engineers afraid to drive 70?

And while we're at it, let's crash test cars at real speeds. Oh so a car protects you in a 30mph collision? I don't care, that's bicycling speed. Tell me how well it protects at 70mph.

 

[ElFenix]

How about the we stop letting manufacturers provide their own estimates and have the EPA do a test that actually replicates real world driving? No I don't mean drive at 50mph and then do some stupid calculation to "estimate" what mpg would be at 70mph. Are test engineers afraid to drive 70?

here's the test:
http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/fe_test_schedules.shtml

what more would you like added?

 

[SearchMaster]

MPG claims by the OEM are taken very serious. They know that people purchase cars on the basis of these high MPG claims. If the claims are false, that constitutes fraud. The consumer then has the option of returning the vehicle for a refund or renegotiating the price of the vehicle, since he did not get what he originally paid for. I'm guessing that there will be a class action shortly that you can get in on. If I was Ford, I would be offering these customers some sort of incentive to keep the cars.

Just ask Hyundai...

 

[Dr. Detroit]

Fuelly will give you a good idea of real world - but YMMV - http://www.fuelly.com/car/ford/c-max

Saw a C-Max in SF last week decked out in cab attire - Glad to see them on livery duty.

 

[thedarkwolf]

As I pointed out in the other thread with the limited amount of people posting on fuelly so far is is pretty much even with the Prius V. The C-Max has 50 more HP so I'm happy to give up a 2-3mpg over the Prius for that.

 

[Throckmorton]

here's the test:
http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/fe_test_schedules.shtml

what more would you like added?

I think that's a lab test done on rollers. It means nothing because in the lab you can only adjust for aerodynamics

 

[ScottFern]

Glad I saw this as I've been considering looking at the Fusion Hybrid sometime in 2013, but if its realistically getting 40mpg vs advertised 47mpg that definitely changes things. I would go back to considering the Altima I4 and Camry hybrid.

Looking at fuelly.com the 2013 Fusion Hybrids aren't seeing anything above 43mpg.

 

[LTC8K6]

The Fusion is bigger and has a more powerful engine...

It makes sense that it's real world mpg would be lower.

 

[Dari]

The Fusion is bigger and has a more powerful engine...

It makes sense that it's real world mpg would be lower.

Not according to Ford...

 

[LTC8K6]

Not according to Ford...

Real world, not EPA test mileage.

The Fusion is much more of a driver's car.

As others have suggested, it's possible that people are just "driving" it.

 

[wirednuts]

And while we're at it, let's crash test cars at real speeds. Oh so a car protects you in a 30mph collision? I don't care, that's bicycling speed. Tell me how well it protects at 70mph.

um, no rollcage, helmet. or hans device. at 70mph, there is a direct formula thats easy to compute. direct hit = death.

 

[thescreensavers]

^ Plus unless the person behind the wheel is unconscious they are going to hit the brakes

 

[brainhulk]

So if more power is culprit behind the lower mpg, wouldn't this be easily solved by installing a button that would limit throttle input when you want to save gas. One could easily turn of the limiter of they need to pass.

 

[unokitty]

EPA reviewing Ford's gas mileage claims

Uno

 

[thedarkwolf]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0Wo2W-OcvY
Nice review on the c-max.

 

[fr]

http://www.latimes.com/business/autos/la-fi-ford-mpg-20130816,0,4286253.story

 

[LTC8K6]

Ahhhh...didn't know the EPA allowed car mfgs to just carry over mpg numbers if the drivetrain was the same.

That would explain the C-Max complaints.

Hopefully the software updates will fix the Fusion complaints.

 

[rancherlee]

Kinda opposite of my recent ford vehicles. Both beat the window stickers by a large margin. Then again I haven't talked to a Hybrid owner yet that gets the "sticker mileage" unless they REALLY "hyper mileage" the thing. Hybrids of every brand seem to "over shoot" on EPA mileage, the these new Fords are the worst. My 10' Fusion 2.5L stickers at 33mpg Highway and pulls 34-37 @ 70-75mph and will go over 40mpg @ 60mph. My 12' 5.0L 4x4 supercab F150 stickers 19mph highway and gets 20-23 @ 70-75 and 23-25mpg @ 60mph.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Kinda opposite of my recent ford vehicles. Both beat the window stickers by a large margin. Then again I haven't talked to a Hybrid owner yet that gets the "sticker mileage" unless they REALLY "hyper mileage" the thing. Hybrids of every brand seem to "over shoot" on EPA mileage, the these new Fords are the worst. My 10' Fusion 2.5L stickers at 33mpg Highway and pulls 34-37 @ 70-75mph and will go over 40mpg @ 60mph. My 12' 5.0L 4x4 supercab F150 stickers 19mph highway and gets 20-23 @ 70-75 and 23-25mpg @ 60mph.

Actually, it is pretty easy to match the claimed mileage with my 2012 Toyota Camry Hybrid XLE. Driving back from Palm Springs yesterday I averaged 39mpg, nearly all of it was freeway and I was going around 75mph almost the entire time. If I drove slower I probably could have gotten a little better. Around town I can get 41-42mpg.

I've put nearly 10,000 miles on it since I bought it in March.