Honda Accord Hybrid Falls Short of 47 MPG Rating: Consumer Reports

Stephen Elmer
by Stephen Elmer

Fuel economy labels on new cars have a history of being misleading, and now Consumer Reports has found another culprit.

The 2014 Honda Accord Hybrid is officially rated by the EPA at 45 mpg in the city, 50 mpg on the highway and 47 mpg combined. Despite its EPA label, Consumer Reports only managed to achieve 40 mpg combined in mixed city and highway driving.

“We’ve found that the EPA tests often exaggerate the fuel economy of hybrids,” said Jake Fisher, director of automotive testing for Consumer Reports. The hybrid model of the Accord also scored lower than the four-cylinder gasoline model due to its ride comfort, emergency handling and interior noise. However, the review agency says that the Accord Hybrid is a “comfortable, roomy sedan that’s nice to drive and easy to live with.”

SEE ALSO: Ford C-Max Downgraded to 43 MPG

In the past, both the Ford Fusion Hybrid and C-Max Hybrid fell short of their EPA ratings during Consumer Reports testing, which sparked a conflict that eventually led to Ford downgrading the fuel economy rating of the C-Max. Hyundai and Kia have also revised fuel economy numbers over discrepancies with the EPA ratings, and yet the EPA testing procedures remain the same.

[Source: Consumer Reports]

Discuss this story at our Honda Accord Forum

Stephen Elmer
Stephen Elmer

Stephen covers all of the day-to-day events of the industry as the News Editor at AutoGuide, along with being the AG truck expert. His truck knowledge comes from working long days on the woodlot with pickups and driving straight trucks professionally. When not at his desk, Steve can be found playing his bass or riding his snowmobile or Sea-Doo. Find Stephen on <A title="@Selmer07 on Twitter" href="http://www.twitter.com/selmer07">Twitter</A> and <A title="Stephen on Google+" href="http://plus.google.com/117833131531784822251?rel=author">Google+</A>

More by Stephen Elmer

Comments
Join the conversation
 1 comment
  • Brian Brian on May 30, 2014

    not only does the Accord fall short- the whole company falls way short in providing alternative environmentally sound powered products. Doesn't anyone ever wonder why a company as large as Honda that produces so many lawn mowers, and motorcycles can't use their engineering to produce pollution free alternatives ? think of all the motorcycles, small lawn mowers, leaf blowers etc. that Honda sells- and all of them without any emission control devices. Now this oops in calculating the MPG of one of their best selling cars. Unforgiveable !

Next