Fact #503: January 28, 2008
EPA Revamps Test Procedures and Raises the Bar for Fuel Efficiency Ratings on Light Duty Vehicles

Beginning with the 2008 Model Year, new vehicles are tested under the Environmental Protection Agency's revised test procedures. Responding to criticisms that the old test procedures were out of date and provided consumers with overly optimistic ratings, the new procedures account for higher speeds, air conditioner use and cold temperature starts. As a result most vehicles are rated about 15% lower than they were previously and hybrid fuel economy ratings tended to drop even more dramatically. The table below illustrates the impact of the change in test procedures. In the 2007 model year, there were 48 models with a combined city/highway fuel economy rating of 30 or above. In the 2008 model year, there are only 14.

Models Achieving 30 MPG or Greater, Model Year 2007 and 2008

	CAR LINE	COMBINED MPG
2008 Model Year
1	TOYOTA PRIUS	46
2	HONDA CIVIC HYBRID	42
3	CAMRY HYBRID	34
4	NISSAN ALTIMA HYBRID	34
5	TOYOTA YARIS MANUAL	32
6	MINI COOPER	32
7	MINI CLUBMAN	32
8	MERCURY MARINER HYBRID FWD	32
9	MAZDA TRIBUTE HYBRID 2WD	32
10	FORD ESCAPE HYBRID FWD	32
11	TOYOTA YARIS AUTOMATIC	31
12	TOYOTA COROLLA	31
13	HONDA FIT MANUAL	31
14	HONDA FIT AUTOMATIC	30
2007 Model Year
1	TOYOTA PRIUS	55
2	HONDA CIVIC HYBRID	50
3	TOYOTA CAMRY HYBRID	39
4	NISSAN ALTIMA HYBRID	39
5	TOYOTA YARIS MANUAL	37
6	TOYOTA COROLLA	36
7	TOYOTA YARIS AUTOMATIC	36
8	HONDA FIT MANUAL	35
9	MINI COOPER	35
10	FORD ESCAPE HYBRID FWD	34
11	HONDA FIT AUTOMATIC (L5)	34
12	PONTIAC VIBE	33
13	HONDA FIT AUTOMATIC (S5)	33
14	TOYOTA COROLLA	33
15	KIA RIO	33
16	HYUNDAI ACCENT MANUAL	33
17	HONDA CIVIC MANUAL	33
18	HONDA CIVIC AUTOMATIC	33
19	MINI COOPER	33
20	TOYOTA COROLLA MATRIX	32
21	NISSAN VERSA AUTOMATIC (AV)	32
22	NISSAN VERSA MANUAL (M6)	32
23	NISSAN SENTRA AUTOMATIC 2.0L	32
24	KIA RIO	32
25	HONDA CIVIC AUTOMATIC (CNG)	32
26	MINI COOPER S	32
27	MERCURY MARINER HYBRID 4WD	31
28	FORD ESCAPE HYBRID 4WD	31
29	FORD FOCUS STATION WAGON	31
30	TOYOTA COROLLA MATRIX	31
31	PONTIAC VIBE	31
32	NISSAN VERSA AUTOMATIC (L4)	31
33	HYUNDAI ELANTRA	31
34	HYUNDAI ELANTRA	31
35	HONDA ACCORD HYBRID	31
36	MAZDA 3	31
37	HYUNDAI ACCENT AUTOMATIC	31
38	FORD FOCUS FWD	31
39	SATURN AURA HYBRID	30
40	NISSAN SENTRA AUTOMATIC 2.5L	30
41	NISSAN SENTRA MANUAL 2.0L	30
42	NISSAN ALTIMA	30
43	MERCEDES-BENZ E320 BLUETEC	30
44	KIA SPECTRA	30
45	SATURN ION	30
46	MITSUBISHI LANCER	30
47	CHEVROLET AVEO	30
48	CHEVROLET AVEO 5	30
Source: U.S. Department of Energy and Environmental Protection Agency, 2007 and 2008 Fuel Economy Guides.

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