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I'm an analytical person, so of course I do. I also believe in gravity measurements too. That doesn't mean you or I will get it in real world driving since a lot has to do with driving characteristics. Edmunds got 40+ combined, heavy on the freeway speeding. Not bad. They also got 46 on the Prius, for reference, a car that's pretty easy to meet if not beat EPA estimate of 50 on. Or the gas 2.0T Fusion (22/31) they only managed 22 mpg on a heavy freeway test. Probably for the same reason, they felt like speeding.
I'd go diesel over hybrid to save money. (A) I'm a bit of a lead foot and (B) I do 95% suburban/freeway driving
Yeah, EPA fuel economy ratings are just like gravity, except that one is a constant and the other is, as we are finding out, highly variable and subject to manipulation.
I'd like to see where Edmunds got that sort of fuel economy -- can't find it on their website. If so, they're the first reviewers I've become aware of who were able to break the 40mpg barrier.
Yeah, EPA fuel economy ratings are just like gravity, except that one is a constant and the other is, as we are finding out, highly variable and subject to manipulation.
Good joke on gravity being constant. Gave me a chuckle
I voted "I don't know," but my decision to buy a hybrid would be motivated not so much by saving money but by using less oil and gas and being kinder to the environment by creating less air pollution.
That said, it's too soon to know whether disposing of used hybrid batteries will create environmental hazards that negate the other benefits.
Yeh right -- if you believe that 47mpg number. The problem is, nobody has been able to achieve anywhere close to the EPA figure in a Fusion hybrid in real-world driving, nor in the C-Max for that matter. Hyundai/Kia hybrids also underperform the numbers, though not as drastically. There is definitely something about the EPA test cycle that tends to overstate the fuel economy of hybrids, probably the ability of newer hybrids to run a good portion of the test cycle in electric-only mode. But those numbers aren't matching real-world usage very well.
What do you care if people aren't going to realize the EPA mileage rating in their Prius? They won't realize it in their conventional internal combustion car either. The comparison still holds.
What do you care if people aren't going to realize the EPA mileage rating in their Prius? They won't realize it in their conventional internal combustion car either. The comparison still holds.
Since the calculation and test method was re-done a few years ago, the EPA ratings for conventional gasoline-powered cars actually tend to reflect real-world results within an acceptable margin. I'm unaware of any example of a conventional gasoline-powered car where the official rating is a full 8 to 10mpg off the typical real-world result as is the case for the latest Ford hybrids; and at any rate the EPA numbers for conventional gasoline-powered cars do not chronically overstate the expected economy like they do for the newer hybrids.
Diesels are another story, with the opposite problem of hybrids: the EPA numbers tend to substantially understate their real-world fuel economy. It should be clear then that the current testing method is calibrated for conventional gasoline-only vehicles and that different testing methods are needed to provide more accurate or at least more comparable results across the different powertrain types. As it currently stands, it looks an awful lot like the car companies are learning how to straight-up game the system to boost the EPA ratings for their hybrids and thus their CAFE number. Not that I blame 'em...
I will have to check out the 200hp Camry. My biggest fear is that the Prius would be underpowered , especially out on the highway with steep grades. The go down the hill very well. :-)
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