Ford Hybrids’ Fuel Economy Failing To Live Up To EPA Ratings?

It appears that two new hybrid cars from Ford-the 2013 C-Max Hybrid hatchback and the 2013 Fusion Hybrid sedan-may not deliver real-world gas mileage that’s anywhere near their 47-mpg EPA ratings.

Automotive journalists have been quietly discussing this for a few weeks, since Ford began releasing C-Max and 2013 Fusion vehicles into media test fleets.

C-Max Hybrid: stretching to hit 40 mpg?

It’s still early yet, and it’s possible that gas mileage may improve slightly in the cars once several thousand miles have accumulated on each one.

But Green Car Reports has tested the C-Max twice, once at Ford’s media drive and once over a quick weekend route.

In the first case, the C-Max delivered 37 mpg over 50 miles of mixed freeway and urban driving. Over our weekend route, we got 40 mpg over 240 miles, mostly at freeway speeds.

And other outlets had similar results.

Most awkwardly for Ford, Larry Vellequette of Automotive News has documented his struggles to achieve anything close to 47 mpg in the C-Max Hybrid he bought for family use.

His average gas mileage was 37 mpg "

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