How the Company Cars estimate the MPG?

Question

I have a 2006 equinox wich estimate or states that give 19 MPG ON THE CITY AND 25 MPG ON HIGHWAY, BUY MY EQUINOX GIVE ME ONLY 10 MPG WITH A 16 GALLON THANK NO MATTER WHAT SPEED I DRIVE , I HAD ALREADY TAKE THE SUV TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAY NOTHINGH WRONG WITH MY SUV, I CHECK THE TIRE PREASSURE EVERY TWO WEEK 35 PSI I EVEN TRY 38 BUT STILL THE SAME I CHANGE THE OIL EVERY 3000 MILES 5W-30 MOBIL 1 Y CHANGE EVERY 6000 THE AIR FILTER INTSTEAD OF WAITING TO THE 50,000 MILES THAT THE MANUAL STATE TO DO IT. Q. ON WHAT SPEED THEY ESTIMATE THE MPG 25MPH??? SOME ONE HAVE AND ANSWER FOR ME PLEASE ???

Answer 1

Because todays gas SUCKS.

Answer 2

This is a fantastic question. The first thing you need to understand is the car manufacturers do not come up with that estimate. The EPA is responsibile for it and until September of this year will be using the same 2 tests they've used for over 20 years to determine "estimated" gas mileage.

This is basically a computer model that simulates driving conditions, an operator inputs a number of variables about the vehicle and then runs the simulation. The problem is (was) the platform was designed on 1980's technology.

A short time ago...not sure when I heard about it, the EPA agreed to change the way mileage was estimated because of people such as yourself...all of us really. The new calcs are supposed to include stop and go traffic, heavy acceleration, etc. Supposedly this is going to drop the estimated mileage of most vehicles, some a ridiculous percentage.

Your case sounds a bit fishy though, the equinox should certainly get better than 10mpg. You appear to be doing everything correct....either a calculation is off (maybe you're using the on board computer data?) or you do have some sort of problem. Check for heavy carbon in the exhaust and check for the smell of unburnt gas (leave vehicle running, stand at tailpipe). If you have a teenager and you let them drive it you probably are getting 10mpg!!!! :)

Answer 3

Car manufacturers use EPA estimate to calculate MPG.

But the way EPA test vehicles is unrealistic. On city driving, they would put the vehicle on a roller at constant speed at 40mph and at highway, 60mph.

This is not how most vehicles are driven. There are stop and go traffic, accelerate up and decelerate down.

So to get realistic MPG of your vehicle, do some research on the Web and compare MPG from owners to see if your gasonline consumption is within the ball park.

So don't rely on EPA MPG on commercials anymore. Car companies use it to sell you cars.

Answer 4

Those a called estimates for a reason. The automakers use the specifics of the vehicles sometimes estimates and throw them in an equation to get a even less accurate estimate. No actual driving is being done.

Answer 5

Those numbers are figured by automakers in accordance with an EPA formula. They are for comparison purposes only. The formula has been proved to be flawed.

Go here:

http://www.epa.gov/fueleconomy/label.htm