Reporting poor milage on "unaffected models"

[Han Solo]

Originally Posted by Nikmal

Han Solo,
I have a GDI 4 cylinder and I AM getting the mileage stated on the sticker when I bought it. 24-32 mpg. Just because you are not getting the stated mileage and no one agreed with you in this tread should show you that your case is atypical. Maybe your driving style should account for some of it if not all of it and I just know what you are going to say is that you drive like a granny and do not get the advertised mileage. This may be the case but unless you have something wrong with the engine it is the ONLY thing that would account for the lack of mileage.

Others here mentioned the 4 cylinder not being capable of moving this vehicle along at the stated mileage... please with all due respect, that argument is tiresome and even bothersome. I am so sick and tired of hearing the tripe about it not have the power and or ability to do what the 6 cylinder is capable of. Yet for some reason it does. It does not two as much but for the most part that is ALL it does not do.

It accelerates and climbs hills just fine. navigates and gets me to where I am going in adverse conditions.
Thanks!

First of all I am referring to the 2011 Sorento that KIA claims is "not in the misstated fuel economy dispute". My car was rated at 21 city and 29 highway. Not the 24-32 of the newer vehicles.

Just a few posts up there is another person claiming he only gets the 23 mpg highway that I have reported. I have read several others over time in other threads long before this latest EPA callout occurred that were unhappy with their mileage.

I never said I was dissatisfied with the performance of our 4cyl. It accelerates and climbs hills just fine. I understand horsepower and torque and this engine has enough of both to propel the vehicle and obtain the advertised fuel economy.

People have a right to expect to receive advertised results. I know full well how to drive and how to calculate mileage. If my vehicle got within 10% of the advertised rate I wouldn't care. 20% is a figure to be concerned about. I complained to the dealer several times and they not only said my car was okay but that that mileage was acceptable for the model. Their television and radio ads claimed the vehicle WOULD get 29 MPG highway. If I was getting 26 or 27 I'd say well okay.

It's okay to have different opinions. I am not discussing an opinion. I am talking about factual evidence that some owners are not getting the advertised fuel economy that the manufacturers and dealers advertised.

Until now I always thought the EPA was testing each model and providing the rates posted on the window stickers. Little did I know they were entrusting the manufacturers to derive at these figures. That is like letting the fox watch the hen house. It also removes the argument that the EPA is responsible. The manufacturers are clearly responsible for posting real world figures.

I don't get why people feel the need to post derogatory comments in a thread that doesn't affect them. I especially don't understand how people think it is okay to hijack a thread and start personal off topic conversations within it. Go snuggle up in a private room somewhere.

[Nikmal]

Han Solo.
You are misunderstanding. NO ONE is posting a derogatory comment to you at all. It is you that is not understanding. Tehy and I are commenting on our experience that "we" are having... or is that not ok to you? If you just want the people that have the bad experience then say so...
Meanwhile, if you post telling others to make a comment to the Kia dealers that is fine.. but this should be every single car manufacturer in general that does this. Kia and hyndai have stepped up and backed up their product due to a mistake in tallying the mpg of their cars and trucks. But it is not just Kia and Hyundai that are doing it. Trust me when I say others do it but it is Kia and Hyundai that are stepping up and owning to it. Your vehicle is not part of that program and for that I am sorry about it. But unfortunately that is how it goes. If you think 88 dollars a year would make you happy then keep up the writing campaign I guess if that is what turns your crank. Not sure if it is worth it to me to do so though.
As far as the analogy goes. The EPA did it that way for Kia to pay hundreds of millions of dollars to their consumers. I guess that is your idea of the fox guarding the chicken coop. Kia and Hyundai did this voluntarily... NOT because they were ordered to. If the EPA had done this then it would have been in the form of a fine and maybe the consumer sees nothing in the way of compensation. If you feel you deserve some compensation I might suggest writing Kia USA HQ and gripe to them.

Meanwhile sorry you are not getting the mpg that was claimed... but you need to find out why... like maybe take it to a mechanic that is not part of the Kia dealership chain and have THEM look at your vehicle as they are going to be impartial about it. Meanwhile. Your vehicle is an abnormality and not something that is going to get the claim you are seeking in my not so humble opinion but I wish you luck none the less


As far as the power comment from me about the 2.4 and or just the 4i is me commenting to the others in this thread and or forum in general that have a problem with the 2.4 and 4i in general and it just flumoxes me about the people that take bigger to mean better.

[GoGiants]

Well I can honestly say that the 6 cyl AWD gas mileage is less than what I expected it to be.. it is modestly better than my MDX was.

[cobra259]

Han solo,
The window sticker is just a estimate of your mileage, it's not a guarantee. Your milage will very. Every one has diff driving habits. Do you have a lot of people/extra weight in your Kia? Like someone has already stated, if you need that $88.00 a year to make you hole, than bye all means take your complants to the supreme court! Myself, I would think it's a waste of your time.

[conwelpic]

Han Solo check this out, it may help (by the way where are you located?)

Here's Why Real-World MPG Doesn't Match EPA Ratings - Edmunds.com

Just read a road test on a new Escape, the tester last words were "Proving, once again, it’s not the ratings but drivers themselves that make a huge difference when it comes to fuel economy."

EPA figures as cobra259 states, are simply an estimate not a guarantee, its states right on there you mileage could vary. It is just a way of comparing one vehicle with another that have been tested under the same ideal laboratory conditions, otherwise to do it in the real world would be laughable (hence the reason you get some many variations of reports of what mileage people are getting).

Get five people to drive the same vehicle over the same route and I bet you will get 5 different results.

here's the way they are tested on all vehicles

[MrBill]

I'm not sure how accurate this is, but I've been told that your mileage should improve once your vehicle is fully broken in – around 80,000 miles.

I don't get the kind of mileage that the sticker estimated, not even close actually, yet my Sorento apparently doesn't qualify for the rebate. Seems odd to me. I'm not overly angry as I know that there are many factors that contribute to real-world fuel economy.

Then again, if KIA was to offer me some sort of rebate, I'm game for that because the reality is, fuel economy was a consideration when choosing which vehicle to buy.

I never expected to actually get the estimated mileage, but I figured that it should at least be in the ballpark.

[cobra259]

Your engine will be FULLY "broken in" bye no more than 5 or 6,000 miles. If your over 6,000 miles, you are not going to be getting any better mileage than you are now. Sorry.

[conwelpic]

vehicles tested for the Canadian market, generally have at least 6,000 km on them, no vehicle are tested brand new.

Take note of the average speeds and time it took to get these and I bet if you drive that you will get the figures, but 99% of the driving public don't and then wonder why!

[Humble_Bear]

Owners of Chevy Equinox (I-4) are also reporting getting a lot worse than their sticker MPG(32 HWY). You are not along.

I'm getting about 21/27, about 1 mpg more than sticker now on my V6.

[BobBoston]

..not one of my cars gets the advertised sticker mileage....(yawn)