The mice are roaring “buyer beware.”
The Motor City Mice are chuckling today over the latest issue of Consumer Reports that shows the expensive, optional EcoBoost twin-turbocharged V6 engine in the Ford F-Series pickup truck gets the same 15 mpg fuel economy as the 360 horsepower V8 in CR’s road test. CR reported 10 mpg city, 22 highway for both engines.
Worse, the F-Series V8 gas tank this year holds 10 gallons more than the V6’s giving it a distinct advantage in range. Ford engineers likely made this negative trade-off since they were wrestling with the weight that a complex dual turbocharging and direct injection system adds, which could have sent the EcoBoost into a higher EPA test weight class, thereby decreasing economy ratings and making apples-to-apples comparisons even worse against the other less expensive Ford engines.
Owners might not be as amused as we mice, given this elaborate gaming of the EPA system by Ford – especially if owners get similar results after paying at least another $1,750 compared to the base V6, or $750 more than the V8 option. And Ford is not alone. Virtually all automakers are gaming the system to obtain ratings that buyers may never experience.
For the record, the Ford F-150’s official 2011 EPA ratings certify that the 365-horsepower 3.5-liter EcoBoost twin-turbo engine and six-speed transmission achieve 16 mpg in the city and 22 mpg on the highway. The V8 is rated at 18/22 mpg. There are other reasons besides economy to buy an EcoBoost, such as its mid-range torque and responsiveness, as well as excellent towing and payload capacities, as well as the fact that the V8 isn’t particularly impressive. Whether these benefits offset potentially high long-term maintenance bills and the initial outlay for the option are some of the questions buyers face in the complex world of automotive marketing claims.
The fact remains that EPA sticker ratings have been adjusted several times since their inception because of justifiable customer complaints that they often overstate real world results. Ford might be setting itself up to hear from some unhappy owners here. In July, Ford sold 49,104 F-Series trucks. The EcoBoost V6 accounted for 40% of the mix, while the 3.7-liter took 16% of sales.This is the third consecutive month that V6s have outsold V8s in the F-Series. The last time the V6 outsold the V8 in America’s most popular truck was 1985.
Moreover, the mice are roaring “buyer beware” since other automakers are pushing optional, more expensive models that are more fuel efficient at least from a ratings standpoint.
Consider the Eco version of the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze, which appears to have been invented so GM could advertise more than 40 mpg after it became clear that fuel economy was increasingly important to buyers. Cruze inside GM was expected to deliver segment-leading 40 mpg highway fuel economy, but it didn’t make it. During 2011 model year only the new ‘ECO’ model, equipped with a 1.4-liter, four-cylinder, ‘Ecotec’ turbocharged engine and a six-speed manual transmission is rated at 42 mpg at a $2,000 increase in the price of the base models, which are rated at 36 or 35 mpg highway. To accomplish the bragging point, GM removed sound proofing and tweaked the engine calibration to earn the EPA rating. Whether customers will see this in the real world is open to debate. (The Hyundai Elantra offers a 40 mpg highway rating in all models, including the base.)
For 2012 Chevrolet playing catch-up says that (See Chevrolet Says 2012 Cruze Improves Fuel Economy 2 MPG) the Cruze Eco with an automatic transaxle will be rated at 39 mpg on the highway compared with 37 mpg for the current model. The most popular 1.4-liter turbo/six-speed automatic will get 38 mpg compared with 36 mpg for the current model. Cruze Eco with the standard six-speed manual transmission could become the most fuel-efficient gas-powered/non-hybrid vehicle in America, with an EPA-rated 42 mpg on the highway when all 2012 EPA ratings are in. But these are ratings only – your mileage may and likely will vary. (SeeChevrolet Says 2012 Cruze Improves Fuel Economy 2 MPG
Prices for the 2012 Cruze will average about $1,000 per model higher, but ultimately will be dependent on competitive actions and the production status of Japanese automakers this fall. Right now the 2011 Cruze is in the $17,000 -$24,000 range.
Then there are a pair of up coming 2012 Buick models – LaCrosse and Regal – with the so called E-Assist, a $2,000 option on the Regal base model (~$27,000 and 19 mpg city, 30 mpg highway for the 2011 model), powered with a 2.4-Liter Ecotec engine. This is a repackaging of the mild hybrid used with notable lack of acclaim at the now defunct Saturn division a few years back with an expensive battery added.
The Buick press release is as gushing as it is potentially misleading: Regal with E-Assist uses a variety of advanced technologies and body enhancements to deliver an EPA-rated 25 mpg in the city and 36 mpg on the highway (This is only a projection, and GM is notoriously optimistic. Let’s wait for he EPA), “the latter being unsurpassed by the higher-priced Lexus HS Hybrid and Lincoln MKZ Hybrid. With gas prices near $4 a gallon, the option on Regal should pay for itself in about 3.5 years.”
The fuel economy boost that Regal with E-Assist offers comes from use of the direct-injected 2.4-liter four-cylinder Ecotec engine with a lithium-ion battery system and electric motor-generator that enables regenerative braking capability. Buick did not predict what the other versions of the of the Regal will be rated at for 2012.
Real world economy of hybrids – particularly in urban commuting traffic and relatively flat terrain – has proven to increase – but this technology isn’t the traditional hybrid technology Toyota now has on the market. Buick uses a very expensive lithium ion battery to get to plug in status, which from a corporate point of view will provide badly needed CAFE credits under a rating system that has nothing to do with the EPA window sticker. Actual real world fuel economy numbers await independent testing.
However, the mice are cautious – your mileage number can be nibbled away in the real world and likely will vary.
