Car and Driver: Ford Maverick Hybrid Misses Its MPG Estimates, but We're Not Surprised

[New2AZ]

https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a39539233/ford-maverick-hybrid-fuel-economy-tested/

I've done mostly highway drives over the 800 miles I've put on. Seeing consistently 38-40 mpgs. City driving has been outstanding. Even if they missed the EPA estimate by a few miles, still seems like they're pretty disappointed. Guess Ford didn't throw them the $ they wanted for a more positive headline.

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[YOBY]

Ford Maverick Hybrid Misses Its MPG Estimates, but We're Not Surprised (msn.com)

 

[DryHeat]

I'm not surprised either. Their test is a 200 mile loop at a constant 75 mph. Not the best conditions for getting good mileage out of a hybrid. Car and Driver says it uses this testing method because it gives a more accurate real-world figure.

But it doesn't match my own driving experience very well. On the highways here in Arizona I can seldom keep a constant speed, much less one of 75 mph. There's quite a bit of slowing down and speeding up going on. Maybe that's why my highway mileage is closer to 40 than 30.

 

[projectvortex]

I'm not surprised either. Their test is a 200 mile loop at a constant 75 mph. Not the best conditions for getting good mileage out of a hybrid. Car and Driver says it uses this testing method because it gives a more accurate real-world figure.

But it doesn't match my own driving experience very well. On the highways here in Arizona I can seldom keep a constant speed, much less one of 75 mph. There's quite a bit of slowing down and speeding up going on. Maybe that's why my highway mileage is closer to 40 than 30.

Agree. I guess this magazine is advocating exceeding most speed limits in their effort to prove that speeding nets you lower gas mileage? How shocking! Using cruise set at 73-74 on a recent 400 mile trip I got 34-35, and that was in coolish weather still. The next 6 months should be better once weather warms and winter has is gone for sure.

 

[clavicus]

https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a39539233/ford-maverick-hybrid-fuel-economy-tested/

I've done mostly highway drives over the 800 miles I've put on. Seeing consistently 38-40 mpgs. City driving has been outstanding. Even if they missed the EPA estimate by a few miles, still seems like they're pretty disappointed. Guess Ford didn't throw them the $ they wanted for a more positive headline.

Yeah I find those results stange, definitely in the lower end of the curve compared to anecdotes I’ve seen from users so far, and from my own experience so far. I see highway and mixed highway miles as my best mpg results (e.g driving from one end of the NC Triangle to another) so far. My daily commute is super short and bad for mpgs on a cold engine so I always notice the much better results on my drives out of town to do something. Many times going on NC 540 toll road that’s 75 mph (aka 85mph). I seem to always get upper 30’s / lower 40’s

 

[Nightowl]

Returning 30mpg while driving 200 miles at 75mph sounds great to me. And plausible though I still don't a Maverick yet so my opinion carries little weight. Car and Driver almost always report lower mpg numbers than the EPA because their testing methods are different. As stated in the article:

"Missing EPA estimated fuel-economy ratings isn't rare. Car and Driver's testing procedure differs from the EPA's purposely to reflect a more accurate real-world figure... The EPA's process is that of a climate-controlled laboratory that has a much lower average speed."

 

[zenithflyer]

On my 900 mile drive from SC to NY i got 43.5 MPG.

 

[YOBY]

I'm not surprised either. Their test is a 200 mile loop at a constant 75 mph. Not the best conditions for getting good mileage out of a hybrid. Car and Driver says it uses this testing method because it gives a more accurate real-world figure.

But it doesn't match my own driving experience very well. On the highways here in Arizona I can seldom keep a constant speed, much less one of 75 mph. There's quite a bit of slowing down and speeding up going on. Maybe that's why my highway mileage is closer to 40 than 30.

There is no real testing standard for vehicles across the board because Grandma drives differently from her Grandson. I just posted the article because it was out there. I judge products on my own experience, unless I see trending posts showing a defined issue.

 

[mamboman777]

Yeah...a bit silly. Areodynamically limited. A box has to burn a certain amount of gas to go 75, regardless of the engine type. I know it's their job to compare, but their comparisons are a bit silly. There is only one other vehicle in this class and I think the 30mpg is probably going to kill it.

Another thing, they don't make mention of drive modes. Eco changes the amount of charge used. Would it have been different in Eco?

In any case, not changing my mind.

 

[Euby]

I love when they say that it missed the mark, when they don't use the same testing parameters.

 

[Ricstar]

Not surprised. I did a test and at highway speeds with constant speed, mostly flat I got 28mpg at 85mph, 32mpg at 70 mph and 36mpg at 60 mph, normal for me is about 40% rural 40% highway and 20% intown and at the 2k mark my average is 38.5mpg. Very happy
I can get 50+ easy in town. The Mav and hybrids in general get better MPG in town than the open road. That said I still get 28 here in Texas, way better than the 17mpg my Tundra gets (Great Truck BTW)

 

[DesertSweat]

The difference in 65-75mph is huge. An approximate 33% increase in aerodynamic drag.

Not sure what EPA tests at. But every vehicle I've owned I've been able to do about 10-20% better then then EPA estimates. I drive 65mph on highways and coast a lot.

 

[huunvubu]

The difference in 65-75mph is huge. An approximate 33% increase in aerodynamic drag.

Not sure what EPA tests at. But every vehicle I've owned I've been able to do about 10-20% better than the EPA estimates. I drive 65mph on highways and coast a lot.

My one highway drive was 62.5 miles each way at speeds of 73 and 78 MPH over 95 of those miles. Of the remaining 30 miles 10 were are 68 MPH and the remaining 20 were city driving 35-45 MPH.

I got 35 MPG going and 33 MPG coming back which averaged the 34 MPG EPA number exactly.

 

[Bikeric]

Were they driving 75mph up Pike's Peak?? 30mpg is a ridicules low number for the Maverick Hybrid. Mine gets over 34mpg's going 80mph..... My mostly highway commute gets me nearly 55mpg's.

 

[James L. Harrison]

Not surprised. I did a test and at highway speeds with constant speed, mostly flat I got 28mpg at 85mph, 32mpg at 70 mph and 36mpg at 60 mph, normal for me is about 40% rural 40% highway and 20% intown and at the 2k mark my average is 38.5mpg. Very happy
I can get 50+ easy in town. The Mav and hybrids in general get better MPG in town than the open road. That said I still get 28 here in Texas, way better than the 17mpg my Tundra gets (Great Truck BTW)

IMHO that sounds more reasonable...

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