It/’s looking more and more like Ford Motor Company will go to trial over claims that it allegedly inflated fuel-economy figures for its Fusion and C-Max Hybrid vehicles, Bloomberg News reports. A federal judge in New York said earlier this month that he wouldn/’t throw the 2013 lawsuit out, denying Ford/’s request. The case stems from Ford/’s claims that its hybrid vehicles got 47 miles per gallon (they didn/’t) and the numerous class-action lawsuits that followed.
Ford came out with its original fuel-efficiency figures in 2012 when the Blue Oval was making big push for its hybrid vehicles to beat the world-leading Toyota Prius. With the C-Max Hybrid going up against the Toyota Prius V, Ford said its combined fuel economy beat the Prius wagon/’s by five mpg (nope).
Last year, Ford revised the mpg ratings of a half-dozen different models downward. The C-Max Hybrid was re-valued to get 40 miles per gallon combined, making it less fuel efficient than the Prius V. That revision, of course, didn/’t stop some buyers from pushing forward with the lawsuit.
“This involves a legal case from 2012, and the recent ruling dismissed part of it. The case involves complex issues concerning EPA-mandated fuel economy labeling and related advertising. We cannot comment on pending litigation,” Ford spokeswoman Whitney Eichinger wrote in an e-mail to us.
Ford/’s 2014 adjustment to its fuel-economy figures follows up a similar move by Hyundai and its Kia affiliate. In 2012, they reduced fuel-economy estimates on most of their 2012 and 2013 model year vehicles and said they would compensate some owners for the alleged fuel-economy overstatement.
Ford/’s hybrid sales are down this year. The 13,750 C-Max Hybrid vehicles sold so far this year mark a 27 percent drop from year-earlier figures, while Fusion Hybrid sales have plunged 30 percent in 2015.
