Connect with us

Ford Downgrades Hybrid Models Fuel Economy Ratings

(Credit: © Ford)

Car Manufacturer News

Ford Downgrades Hybrid Models Fuel Economy Ratings

2014 Ford C-Max Hybrid

2014 Ford C-Max Hybrid (Credit: © Ford)

These days it seems that automakers are getting caught in little interesting scenarios which some might go so far as to call “lies.” Ford recently found itself in such a scenario as it worked alongside the United States EPA to revise the fuel economy claims made for its various hybrid models. It seems that the Blue Oval has been overstating just how fuel efficient those models are, something that has been a point critics have pointed out for a few years.

The problem with stating that the hybrid Ford models achieved better fuel economy than they actually did was chalked up to an internal “error” that resulted in inaccurate estimates. The official fuel economy ratings from the EPA for various Ford models have been downgraded after the true fuel economy ratings were calculated. Affected models are the 2013 to 2014 Ford Fusion Hybrid, C-Max Hybrid, C-Max Energi, Fusion Energi, and Lincoln MKZ Hybrid as well as some 2014 Ford Fiesta models.

The Fiestas that were affected by the action saw a fuel economy rating that dropped by about 1 to 2 mpg, which is almost negligible. The hybrid vehicles from Ford, on the other hand, were dealt a harsh blow. For example, the Fusion Hybrid’s combined fuel economy rating dropped by 6 mpg. The Lincoln MKZ Hybrid saw an 8 mpg drop across all of its fuel economy ratings.

The news is interesting, considering that for years Ford has bragged about how its hybrids outclass so many competitors when it comes to fuel efficiency. The error was blamed on faulty wind tunnel tests and engineering models. Owners of the affected vehicles will be receiving goodwill cash payments as a consolation. About 200,000 vehicles were sold under the erroneous fuel economy ratings.

Continue Reading
Click to comment

You must be logged in to post a comment Login

Leave a Reply

More in Car Manufacturer News

SPONSORED

Newsletter

Get Our StoriesIn Your Inbox

Subscribe for our latest news, reviews, and lists.

Popular Stories

Recent Posts

SPONSORED
To Top