Topic: Hyundai Fudges Fuel Economy Numbers For New Sonata Before Release

[Autos_Editor]

Marketing materials given to Korean media misstated fuel figures for redesigned model

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[mmret]

eh, kinda weak on this one. Could have been something as simple as "up to 6% better fuel economy" or "we're aiming for up to 6% better etc."

It seems Hyundai is up to their old tricks with regards to fuel economy figures.

Oh come on. I'm not a Hyundai apologist by any means but this is pretty thin. Then again, journos.

[sailor723]

eh, kinda weak on this one. Could have been something as simple as "up to 6% better fuel economy" or "we're aiming for up to 6% better etc."

It seems Hyundai is up to their old tricks with regards to fuel economy figures.

Oh come on. I'm not a Hyundai apologist by any means but this is pretty thin. Then again, journos.

I don't know...they never seem to make mistakes and understate their fuel economy numbers. 

[pi314]

eh, kinda weak on this one. Could have been something as simple as "up to 6% better fuel economy" or "we're aiming for up to 6% better etc."

It seems Hyundai is up to their old tricks with regards to fuel economy figures.

Oh come on. I'm not a Hyundai apologist by any means but this is pretty thin. Then again, journos.

I don't know...they never seem to make mistakes and understate their fuel economy numbers. 

But this is a car that hasn't even been released... pretty thin "news"

[Ex-airbalancer]

How many people knew they first released said 6% 
Not me

[sailor723]

How many people knew they first released said 6% 
Not me

Me neither. I think it's only remotely news because of their history of mistating specs.

[SKYMTL]

eh, kinda weak on this one. Could have been something as simple as "up to 6% better fuel economy" or "we're aiming for up to 6% better etc."

It seems Hyundai is up to their old tricks with regards to fuel economy figures.

Oh come on. I'm not a Hyundai apologist by any means but this is pretty thin. Then again, journos.

Well, Hyundai HAS been dinged quit heavily in the past regarding their fuel efficiency numbers:  http://www.cbc.ca/news/hyundai-kia-fuel-efficiency-class-action-settlements-total-70m-1.2513465

[MarkStevenson]

How many people knew they first released said 6% 
Not me

Me neither. I think it's only remotely news because of their history of mistating specs.

I didn't know about the six percent thing initially either because, well, I am not a Korean automotive journalist. The information was released by Hyundai in their home market, not here or the US.

Fuel economy numbers aren't the only thing Hyundai has been guilty of misrepresenting. I remember years back when they were lying about horsepower figures as well.

[sailor723]

How many people knew they first released said 6% 
Not me

Me neither. I think it's only remotely news because of their history of mistating specs.

I didn't know about the six percent thing initially either because, well, I am not a Korean automotive journalist. The information was released by Hyundai in their home market, not here or the US.

Fuel economy numbers aren't the only thing Hyundai has been guilty of misrepresenting. I remember years back when they were lying about horsepower figures as well.

I was referring to both the FE and the HP issues in my post above. When you've been caught out twice before people are going to watch more closely.

[PJ]

Hyundai is just foolish to admit it.  They should just do what all the other car companies do and blame the drivers who will in turn blame the government testing standards. 

[Noto]

It's not huge news, but I'd rather a manufacturer simply engineer better than pretend to and throw out press releases saying they have achieved greatness.

As someone who reviewed and approved/revised press releases for a large corporation for a few years, I can certainly say that those who write them try to flower up accomplishments and it's the job of the gatekeeper to ensure the accuracy of information prior to release.

Given the cost of a press release and the ramifications there from, it amazes me that 'oops' releases still get published.

[MarkStevenson]

It's not huge news, but I'd rather a manufacturer simply engineer better than pretend to and throw out press releases saying they have achieved greatness.

As someone who reviewed and approved/revised press releases for a large corporation for a few years, I can certainly say that those who write them try to flower up accomplishments and it's the job of the gatekeeper to ensure the accuracy of information prior to release.

Given the cost of a press release and the ramifications there from, it amazes me that 'oops' releases still get published.

In this case, it wasn't a matter of it being an 'oops' from the gatekeeper, as you so eloquently stated. It seems to be the people doing the testing achieved a fuel economy number that didn't jive with a government test providing a different number.

[Noto]

I was just trying to be nice - Hyundai's just going to have another press release saying "oops, there was an error in our calculation" like they did before

[Sir Osis of Liver]

[libraman]

Lot of that going on in the industry. They are just getting caught. Ecoboost anyone?

[fstrdr]

This is news because they've done it before, however, how many people buy cars from ALL manufacturers without actually knowing "real world" fuel consumption.  What Transport Canada and EPA tells us a car consumes isn't even close to real world consumption.  If consumers would do their homework, they'd read articles written by auto jurnos, who keeps cars for a few weeks or months and put them through their paces, and then you'll see "real world" consumption figures which aren't even close to what is stated.  Most of the time the average is HIGHER than the city consumption figure, which is real sad at this day and age.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

My Crosstrek is rated by the EPA at 9.4 city, 7.1 highway. It's currently sitting at 9.6, and that's all short trips in the city in what has been a brutally cold winter. Last summer we went on a road trip to Cypress hills and averaged 6.6L for the trip.
The numbers seem pretty representative to me.

[fstrdr]

My Crosstrek is rated by the EPA at 9.4 city, 7.1 highway. It's currently sitting at 9.6, and that's all short trips in the city in what has been a brutally cold winter. Last summer we went on a road trip to Cypress hills and averaged 6.6L for the trip.
The numbers seem pretty representative to me.

Let's just see what you get in "real world" conditions, i.e. every day driving, not in the winter.  Highway driving isn't every day driving for most people, stop and go on the highway and the city yes.  We'll chat then.

[dkaz]

My Crosstrek is rated by the EPA at 9.4 city, 7.1 highway. It's currently sitting at 9.6, and that's all short trips in the city in what has been a brutally cold winter. Last summer we went on a road trip to Cypress hills and averaged 6.6L for the trip.
The numbers seem pretty representative to me.

Let's just see what you get in "real world" conditions, i.e. every day driving, not in the winter.  Highway driving isn't every day driving for most people, stop and go on the highway and the city yes.  We'll chat then.

Short trips in the city in the winter is about as bad as driving conditions can get, how is that not real world?

[fstrdr]

My Crosstrek is rated by the EPA at 9.4 city, 7.1 highway. It's currently sitting at 9.6, and that's all short trips in the city in what has been a brutally cold winter. Last summer we went on a road trip to Cypress hills and averaged 6.6L for the trip.
The numbers seem pretty representative to me.

Let's just see what you get in "real world" conditions, i.e. every day driving, not in the winter.  Highway driving isn't every day driving for most people, stop and go on the highway and the city yes.  We'll chat then.

Short trips in the city in the winter is about as bad as driving conditions can get, how is that not real world?

Okkkkk ... then, if your 9.6 is "real world", for an average, it is abysmal.   Subaru lied just like the other manufacturers.  A good average would be right in the middle between 7.1 and 9.4.  You are nowhere near.  Like I said, most manufacturers lie and MOST average "real world" consumption in North America is usually WORSE than the city number offered by manufacturers, which makes them B.I.G. liers, and very deceitful sale practices our government tolerates.