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If you purchased a Hyundai or Kia in the past three years, you may be involved in what is being dubbed “MPG Gate” – and may have a payment coming your way.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced Friday that the carmakers overstated the gas mileage on 900,000 vehicles, or 35% of its 2011-2013 model-year vehicles. The discovery could result in sanctions from the U.S. government and millions of dollars in payments to car owners.
If you remember, Hyundai was hit with a class action lawsuit this summer alleging its popular Hyundai Elantra only gets 29 mpg on the highway – far below its advertised “40 Miles Per Gallon” sales pitch that lured thousands of consumers.>
Hyundai defended the Elantra 40 mpg estimate by saying it was certified by the EPA, but now the agency is saying its found widespread discrepancies after auditing gas mileage tests performed at Hyundai and Kia’s joint testing operations in Korea.
Both automakers have made public apologies, calling the discrepancies “procedural errors,” and are in the process of establishing reimbursement programs that will refund consumers for the differences in fuel costs between the original and recalculated ratings.
The EPA found that about one-third of the 2011 through 2013 model year cars sold by the companies had overstated window sticker mileages.
“Consumers rely on the window sticker to help make informed choices about the cars they buy,” said Gina McCarthy, assistant administrator of the EPA’s air-quality office. “EPA’s investigation will help protect consumers and ensure a level playing field among automakers.”
The automakers will now have to take off between one and six miles per gallon from the vehicle stickers of most of their models. The Elantra will lose two, while the Hyundai Santa Fe will go from 33 mpg to 29. The 2013 Kia Soul will lose six from its highway figure, lowering it from 34 mpg to 28 mpg.
The EPA has not said if the companies will be fined or if a criminal investigation is launched. Hyundai and Kia are owned by the same Korean company and share factories and research.
Both companies will establish a program to reimburse customers for the difference between the mileage on the window stickers and the numbers from the EPA tests. Dealers will find out how many miles the cars have been driven and figure out how much extra owners paid due to the lower-than-advertised gas mileage.
For example, a customer whose car got 26 miles per gallon instead of 27 and drove 15,000 miles would wind up using 21.4 more gallons because of the inflated mileage. If the local gas price is $3.59 per gallon, the companies would pay the customer $76.83. Hyundai and Kia are adding a 15 percent premium for the inconvenience, so the customer would get about $88.
So far no U.S. consumer class action lawsuit has been launched against the companies. A class action lawsuit has been launched in Canada, however.
UPDATE 2: A group of breakaway Class Members filed an objection to the proposed Hyundai Kia class action lawsuit settlement, calling it “unreasonable” and “unfair” to consumers.
UPDATE 3: A settlement has been reached in a class action lawsuit alleging Hyundai Motor America and Hyundai Motor Company misrepresented the fuel economy of certain Hyundai vehicles. Consumers who purchased or leased certain Hyundai vehicles could be eligible for a cash payment or other benefits. Learn more at the Hyundai Fuel Economy Settlement.
UPDATE 4: As of Apr. 11, 2016, six different appeals have been filed concerning the Hyundai Fuel Economy Settlement. Until the Court resolves those appeals, the Claims Administrator is unable to mail out settlement funds.
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26 thoughts onHyundai & Kia “MPG Gate” Could Pay Out Millions to Car Owners
UPDATE 1: Hyundai and Kia reached a $400 million class action lawsuit settlement in February 2013, which was announced in December 2013.
I bought my 2012 Hyundai Elantra 09/2013, filed a claim in 11/2013 and received a call stating I could not file a claim because I purchased my car after 11/2012…. Such BS!! I traded in my 2007 Honda CRV for better gas miles!
I hope I get to file a claim in this class action lawsuit because it shouldn’t matter when you bought the car, it doesn’t change the fact that you don’t get the advertised gas miles!!!
My16 month old Elantra now has over 37,000 on the odo. My mileage since new is about 35mpg overall. The computer calculated MPG is generally within 1 MPG of the measured amount. My best trip was on I5 between Sacramento CA and Laguna Hills CA, just over 400 miles at 65 MPH with 2 “P’ stops achieved 42.2 MPG on the computer and 42.6 measured.
Early in 2012 Popular Mechanics tested the Elantra and the Ford Focus to see if either would achieve their advertised 40 MPG in real driving conditions. At 55MPH both cars got in the high 40’s. At 70 MPH both cars were over 38 MPG. They concluded the advertised MPG was fair and achievable. I agree.
I wonder if driver technique has anything to do with actual results.
I just recently bought a 2013 Optima EX, the gas mileage listed is a joke. I get less than 17 in the city and barely 22 on the highway (driving the speed limit). The listed AVERAGE was 24 in the city and 32 on the highway. I would like to know what they used to calculate that. I traded in a 2002 Buick Rendezvous that got 18 in the city and 22 on the highway. I would rather be driving that because it was PAID for then to be paying on a vehicle that gets the SAME gas mileage. That is why I wanted something newer. WHAT A JOKE!! I feel especially DUPED because of all the consumer reports that advertise what a “Great Buy for the price.” They must have been paid off. I think we should be able to trade it back or get thousands back based on our purchase. I have only had the vehicle a MONTH and I am disgusted. I won’t even mention about the disappointment of NOT having a spare….Who would think to look? I guess they saved $250 by doing that!! GRRRR…. Class action lawsuit? Count ME in!!!1
All, here is a central place that will calculate your mpg and see what others are getting.
http://www.fueleconomy.gov/mpg/MPG.do?action=browseList2&make=Kia&model=Sorento%202WD
I recorded recent mileage and purchases for my 2013 Sorrento I4 here. http://goo.gl/qmBJx
All travel was 90%+ highway. I note that I am well below the 30mpg that EPA measures. Contributing factors to the excess fuel use include my ski box, the fact that there were 2 adults and 3 kids, full trunk, and 65-75 mph speeds. I also note that the calculated mileage is consistently well below the dashboard readout, which has me suspect that Kia is continuing to mess with fuel economy.
My 2007 Santa Fe claimed gas milage of 19 city and 24 highway. I still have the original sticker that came with the vehicle. My MPG never changes city or highway it ALWAYS says 18.8
I bought 2011 kia optima because my 2008 cx9 was not good on gas but was paid for know my optima is not preforming like it should with the gas mileaged
I was promised 35 mpg on my 2011 Kia Forte. I sometimes get 25 mpg at best.
my 2011 kia optima got great gas mileage. but the 2013 optima is suspect. not good at all.