Hyundai and Kia overstate fuel economy figures
It would appear that Hyundai and Kia are back-pedaling on their stated estimated fuel economy on more than 900,000 U.S. vehicles, sold there over the past two years. It would appear that those estimates might’ve been just a bit overstated so the two companies are planning to compensate owners for the faulty claims.
This is not all though, in order to preempt any other issue in the future the South Korean partners will also lower their fuel-economy estimates for most of their 2012 and 2013 models, according to the Detroit News.
Now this acknowledgement did not come as part of some altruistic moment the two companies had, instead it came as result of the investigation lead by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which found some discrepancies between its own tests results and the figures offered by the companies.
On the other side, CEO of Hyundai Motor America said that the problems stem from a difference of testing between their methods and the EPA’s recommended approach, as source of these discrepancies.
Once the claims are retracted, the EPA’s records show estimated highway mileages of the 2013 Accent, Veloster and Elantra to fall to 37 or 38 mpg, from their company touted 40.
The combined average fuel economy of the models in question, from both Hyundai and Kia, will fall to 26 mph from 27 mpg for their 2012 model year.
It is mentioned that Hyundai and Kia dealers will check odometers in order to determine how much owners might’ve saved if they were to achieve the initially stated gas mileage, and then companies will add fifteen percent to that dollar total and send debit cards to owners.
Unsold Hyumdais and Kias will feature new window sticker with the adjusted fuel-economy figures.
Hyundai and Kia are owned by the same parent company and they share factories, research, platforms and powertrains, however they sell their models through separate dealership channels.
