Hyundai, Kia overstated gas mileage, EPA finds

http://www.chron.com/business/energy/article/Hyundai-Kia-overstated-gas-mileage-EPA-finds-4002514.php

TOM KRISHER, AP Auto Writer | November 2, 2012 | Updated: November 2, 2012 6:02pm

DETROIT (AP) — Hyundai and Kia overstated the gas mileage on 900,000 vehicles in the past three years, a discovery that could result in sanctions from the U.S. government and millions of dollars in payments to car owners.

The inflated figures were uncovered by the Environmental Protection Agency in an audit of gas mileage tests by the two South Korean automakers. The agency, which monitors fuel economy, said Friday that it's investigating how the companies came up with their numbers.


In this Thursday, Oct. 4, 2012, photo, a Hyundai Elantra is seen inside of a Hyundai car dealership in Des Planines, Ill. Major automakers are reporting Thursday, Nov. 1, 2012, that sales increased for October despite losing three days of business to the punishing rain and wind from superstorm Sandy. Photo: Nam Y. Huh / AP


The EPA found inflated gas mileage on 13 models from the 2011 through 2013 model years, including Hyundai's Elantra and Tucson, and Kia's Sportage and Rio. The window sticker mileages were overstated on about one-third of the cars sold by the companies during the three years.

As a result, Hyundai and Kia will have to knock one or two miles per gallon off the vehicle stickers of most of their models. Some models will lose three or four miles per gallon. The Kia Soul, a funky-looking boxy small SUV, will lose six from its highway figure, lowering it from 34 mpg to 28 mpg.

FULL story at link.