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 Autoblog.
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.
