U.S. Department of Energy - Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

Vehicle Technologies Program

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 Responding to criticisms that the old test procedures were out of date and provided consumers with overly optimistic ratings, the new procedures account for higher speeds, air conditioner use and cold temperature starts.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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