EPA Issues "More Realistic" Mileage Ratings

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has posted new fuel economy ratings for vehicles from the 2007 model year and earlier using new calculations it says are more realistic and reflect real-world mileage.

As anticipated, many larger vehicles, such as the Hummer H3, as well as gas-electric hybrid vehicles, are seeing mileage declines under the new system. The 2007 H3 four-wheel-drive model with an automatic transmission gets new numbers of 14 mpg in the city and 18 mpg on the highway versus 15 mpg in the city and 19 mpg on the highway under the old system. Toyota's Prius hybrid saw a dramatic decline, too. Under the new system, the 2007 Prius gets 48 mpg in city driving and 45 mpg on the highway. Previously, the EPA said the Prius returned 60 mpg in city driving and 51 mpg on the highway. Toyota noted that mileage ratings for competing vehicles will drop, too.

Tables that list the new ratings compared with those for previous years can be found at www.fueleconomy.gov. Window stickers reflecting the new fuel economy tests will be required on 2008 models.

The EPA explains that its new system — the first change since 1984 — factors in such variables as higher speed and greater use of air-conditioning.

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