Top-3 Teaser: MPG Mumbo-Jumbo
With the sudden increase in gas prices, automakers are scrambling for ways to pitch old products with timely new claims about fuel-efficiency. Are they being honest about it? Are you kidding?! They're doing what companies do -- trying to make their wares look as attractive as possible for the buying public, reality notwithstanding. Tune in later today for our Weekly Top 3
, in which we'll highlight three sneaky tactics designed to impress consumers with MPGs while keeping some uncomfortable facts under wraps.
Josh Sadlier, Associate Editor, Edmunds.com
- Posted by
- Josh Sadlier August 1, 2008, 5:30 AM
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- Auto Leasing, Car Buying, Fuel Economy, Used Cars
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- Weekly Top 3
one I've seen is advertising the MPG thats at the top of the EPA rating.
another is saying how many miles you can get per tank... which is meaningless, if the tank is 40gallons, its almost impossible not to go futher then on a 10 gallon tank
Yeah, there's GM and their claims of range on a fillup - conveniently ignoring that the large gas tank is going to cost more to fill than a smaller tank.
By the way, that's the same tactic they were using in advertising back in the 70's during both gas crises. It just plays on the fact that American cars always come with larger tanks than imports.
If were picking on companies. I love toyotas tundra ad's... esspically radio.
"Toyota is one of the most fuel efficent companies... so you know the Tundra wont hurt at the gas pump".
Yet they never mention how much gas the tundra does burn.
I used to be annoyed by a local Kia dealer that advertised the Rio at 38mpg. The EPA (and Kia) give it a 35mpg highway rating. It turned out they were advertising the high end of the highway range.
It recently got a lot worse. I don't know how, but they're currently advertising the Rio at 43mpg. I'm baffled as to how they justify that.