TRDFantasy

Perhaps because it is rated by a standardized EPA testing method ?

Look, what people get on the street is really irrelevant in this case. People get "sick" real-world mileage in many other cars. The point is there are TOO MANY various factors and variables in the real world that makes it almost impossible to compare real-world mileage of one vehicle apples-to-apples to the real-world mileage of another vehicle.

IS-SV

Exactly, at least we have one standardized method for meaningful gas mileage comparisons of various vehicles.

joe80

I've never had more than EPA rating in any of my previous 8 cars. i've never had over 28 combined on my 2006 civic LX. never broke over 21 on my 08 santa fe. never had over 18mpg on my MDX. i tried everything on highway too. never had over 33 on my civic on highway cruise. my 03 accord. off by 3mpg. tried many many times.

usually people gets worse than the advertised rating. but people are posting either equal or better numbers including my friend who i trust. here is the autoblog's quote

We'd be remiss to not discuss fuel economy, as the Sonata's left a huge impression on us. As mentioned, the EPA rates the automatic models we were driving at 22 mpg city and 35 highway. In usual fashion, we typically take those EPA number and subtract a couple points to get "real world MPG," right? Well, it seems the 2011 Hyundai Sonata is also out to dispel that age-old calculation. In our "real world" driving up and down the hills surrounding San Diego, the on-board computer calculated 37.8 MPG during the morning trip... and we could have easily pushed 40 MPG had we attempted some hypermiling tricks.



i predict the rating will go up by EPA for 2012 sonata.

joe80

but my wife's 2008 elantra is only off by 1-2 mpg. about 27 doing 50/50. new sonata is more fuel efficient than my wife's elantra. dayum.

TRDFantasy

Maybe you didn't, but other people DID. Personal observation is completely irrelevant, it is NOT apples-to-apples.

Also no, the 2012 Sonata will NOT see increased EPA ratings, unless Hyundai makes actual changes to further improve economy.

You do understand the concept of a standardized test right?

joe80

yeah. like how last gen prius was supposedly rated almost 60mpg? and it gets downgraded to what, 48/45 mpg?

EPA ratings aren't always accurate. i thought new sonata would get 20/33 real world driving(usual EPA rating minus 2), but it gets way way more than that. i'm drawing this conclusion from my buddy's GLS, sonata owner's forum, and from autoblog. sure it's not a fact. but i have no reason to doubt them.

anyway, sonata getting a better mileage than my wife's elantra is a mind boggling achievement.

and i'm gonna LFMAO if sonata hybrid gets a better mpg than insight. lol insight is a joke.

LexFather

If I recall...EPA does NOt test every car, just some....for the most part they take the ratings from companies and use them.

The Prius did get its 50 MPG rating and in independent testing has done so.

It will be interesting in the next year or two to see if these new Hyundais are indeed as good with MPG as advertised. I applaud any efforts for higher MPG.

TRDFantasy

The Prius was rated 60 mpg under the OLD EPA standard, not the NEW one . Please check your facts. The EPA changed their standard testing methodology a few years ago.

Since you have a lot of trouble understanding what standard means, here is the dictionary definition:

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/standard

Your "buddys" GLS, Autoblog, and the Sonata owner's forum are NOT standards.

The EPA tests cars under the EXACT same conditions, which are strictly monitored and controlled.

In real world situations, conditions are ALWAYS different, there is NO control, and that is why it is virtually impossible to compare real-world fuel economy ratings.

The EPA ratings allow people to compare apples to apples, the fuel economy of different vehicles.

The ratings allow for a point of reference, and are a measure of comparison.

So some people in the real world are getting better than EPA mileage in their Hyundai models; that's nice. A lot of people also get better than EPA mileage in their Toyota, Lexus, GM, and Honda models. The problem is you cannot make accurate comparisons here in this case. There are too many unknown variables that constantly change.

SLegacy99

200 HP Sonata: 24/35 (6MT)
130 HP Corolla: 26/35 (5MT)


Dun dun dun.

I think you're the minority on that one. Speaking for myself, I've seen as high as 34 MPG in my Legacy GT and its rated for only 27 Hwy.

joe80

no i don't know what standard means. but what i know is that my buddy is getting better than advertised mpg and has a huge smile on his face right now.
but he said he can get 30mpg only if he drives like a grandpa. just talked to him again today. he already has over 1700miles and he only got 25mpg in his last tank because he claims he drove like a maniac with a heavy foot around ann arbor. and he lost a race to TSX badly. lol don't expect sonata to be blazing fast 0-60. because he is saying at best will run high 7's 0-60. he is a mechanical engineer at michigan, so i'm sure he knows what he is talking about.

anyway didn't think about the new EPA. all i ever remember was people complaining that they are getting only 45(which is still great) on prius. 61/50 to 48/45 is crazy. that's not a revision. that must be a totally different testing. and if not next year, sonata will improve the rating sooner or later. they improved the rating on almost every models on their refresh. almost every model. new azera got 2-3mpg bump just recently basically on a same car.

bottom line hyundai is obsessed about the MPG. this, i know for sure. they could careless if the new sonata loses 0-60 to accord or camry. their priority is the MPG. This is a known fact because i know many friends who work at hyundai/kia technology center in ann arbor. many engineering guys(koreans) i know at michigan ends up interning for them. they are saying MPG is the new 0-60. MPG is the new driving dynamics. at least that's the #1 priority for hyundai from my inside source.

joe80

oh by the way

mazda6 (272hp) 17/25
genesis v8 (385hp) 17/25

joe80

that's awesome! i wish i can get better mileage out of my cars. i always almost always come up short by 2mpg. that's why i always thought MPG rating is all bull#@

SLegacy99

Odd that the Sonata gets 2 MPG in the city with the 6MT, yet an MT is only offered on the base model...lazy Americans.

joe80

i don't really care about manual anymore. i hate driving stick in a chicago traffic. it's really bad for my lower back. i just want the turbo with 35mpg.

SLegacy99

I rest my case.