Hyundai, Kia overstate MPG, owe $ to customers

[vanillacourage]

money.cnn.com/2012/11/02/autos/hyundai-kia-mpg-overstated/index.html

Mileage figures on most labels will be lowered by one or two miles per gallon, according to the EPA. The discrepancies involve about 900,000 Hyundai and Kia vehicles already on the road.

The largest drop will be for the Kia Soul. Its highway fuel economy estimate will be lowered by six miles per gallon, taking it down to 29 mpg. Two of the automakers' most popular models, the Hyundai Sonata and Kia Optima mid-size sedans, are not involved.

Fuel economy for the Hyundai Elantra, a compact model that was named Car of the Year at last year's Detroit Auto Show, will be reduced by one mile per gallon.

...


To make up the problem, the automakers have agreed to issue debit cards to owners of models that were sold with overstated mileage figures. Vehicle owners will be able to take their car or SUV to a dealership to have the odometer checked and the number of miles driven recorded.

Owners will then receive a debit card based on the miles driven and the average local price of gasoline, plus an additional 15%. Owners can have their odometers checked and get a debit as often as they like as long as they own the car.

Owners who have already sold their Hyundai or Kia vehicle will be able to receive a single debit card based on the mileage recorded on the car's bill of sale.

[vanillacourage]

Also, I am a little skeptical that they issued this press release juuuuuust as gas dropped from $3.75 to $3.09 (at least near me, know it's also dropped with different sets of numbers around the country).

[arch01]

Damn, the Sonata we just sold doesn't qualify.

[kasi]

Just bought an Elantra. So far not getting the MPG on the sticker. The Accent we got is though.

[caligirl]

Thanks for posting this! Our Sportage qualifies... We will have to take it in.

[thelongroad]

I got. 2013 Hyundai a few months ago and thought I was going nuts as I monitored the horrific mileage. I actually feel some relief!

[twilightzone]

With regard to this issue, I read from this article here: Car Loans Rates, that Hyundai Motor Corp. and sister car maker Kia Motors will compensate consumers through the end of 2013 or for a longer time that were negatively impacted by mpg overestimate on window decals, reports The Detroit News. In letters to VA senator and Commerce Committee chair Jay Rockefeller in Nov 2012, the Korean car makers announced their intent to compensate 1.1 million automobile owners in North America.

[agnes]

This doesn't surprise me. When I worked in Hyundai service, we would have customers come in consistantly with complaints on this. I remember one little old lady who was particularly angry over it.

[chessie]

My mileage is spot on for my car and I was able to get some money back through this. Gas prices went up in my area, hoovering right around 4 a gallon at this point.

[LoveTrains]

Nov 2, 2012 12:22:06 GMT -5 vanillacourage said:

Also, I am a little skeptical that they issued this press release juuuuuust as gas dropped from $3.75 to $3.09 (at least near me, know it's also dropped with different sets of numbers around the country).

holy shit, $3.09?

I just paid $3.51 this morning. I think it was up around $3.75 last month.

[dr.girlfriend]

My Honda Fits drive me nuts...We have two of them, and still only get 18 - 22 mpg, even on DH's Fit that he drives mostly on the highway. It's supposed to get 28 - 33 mpg. :-P

[vanillacourage]

I think this was bumped by a spammer since my OP was from November. But, we still have cheap gas in my area.

[heygrey]

Dec 20, 2012 14:18:58 GMT -5 vanillacourage said:

I think this was bumped by a spammer since my OP was from November. But, we still have cheap gas in my area.

I was going to say that this is old news :-)

My parents elantra qualifies, but they get a percentage back based on the average gas price over the last year so prices rising or dropping are irrelevant.

I don't think our accent qualifies even though it doesn't get the state mileage. Need to check.

[willrun4wine]

We have an Elantra we bought over a year ago that qualifies, almost 40,000 miles, i thought we were going to get a lot of money, but i put in the numbers a few weeks ago when I got the info in the mail and it's about 120 bucks I think.

[EmilieMadison]

We have a Hyundai and a Kia and neither of them qualify. And they both get really good mileage anyway
I know someone who has the same make/model/year as our Hyundai and was PISSED that they didnt qualify for the rebate because they said the gas mileage isn't as good as advertised. I rode with her once, and uh, yeah. Pealing out from a dead stop and slamming on the breaks constantly WILL affect gas mileage!

[Deleted]

MH registered and ended up getting over $150. He has over 50,000 miles