ab-b Did a US automaker blow the whistle on Hyundai, Kia fuel economy issue?
12-17-2012, 01:30 PM
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ab-b Did a US automaker blow the whistle on Hyundai, Kia fuel economy issue?
Filed under: Government/Legal, Chrysler, Ford, GM, Hyundai, Kia
In all of the most hotly contested mainstream segments of the motoring universe, the difference of one mile per gallon averaged on a widow sticker can mean the difference between a sale and a walk-off - to say nothing of two or three mpg. So, when Hyundai and Kia were forced to reveal that many of their 40-mpg ratings were actually 38s and 37s, well, it made for big news.
It also, conceivably, made for a competitive disadvantage immediately, when the Korean automakers' products were being shopped versus the guys down the block. And it's that disadvantage that makes a recent story from Automotive News so juicy.
AN is reporting that Margo Oge, former head of the Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Transportation and Air Quality, got a tip in 2010 that Hyundai/Kia were "cheating" to get its impressive fuel economy numbers. The tip, said Oge (who retired from the EPA this past September), came from a senior vice president from a domestic automaker. The source was credible enough for Oge to launch an audit of the Hyundai figures, which ultimately lead to the debacle that we reported on a few months ago, and that the Korean company has been trying to bounce back from ever since.
The report indicates that representatives from both Chrysler and General Motors denied tipping off the EPA, outright. Ford reaction, meanwhile, was more circumspect, saying roughly that the company does not comment on specific conversations between Ford and policymakers.
The lack of a straight denial does not realistically implicate Ford here, we'd point out. But it doesn't do a lot to rule The Blue Oval out of the finger-pointing mystery, either. We'll probably never know the real answer to the "who tattled?" question, but we'll put it do you, anyway. Which of the Big Three automakers do you think would have gained the most from a Hyundai/Kia mpg drama? Give us your gut feeling, in comments.Did a US automaker blow the whistle on Hyundai, Kia fuel economy issue? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 17 Dec 2012 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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In all of the most hotly contested mainstream segments of the motoring universe, the difference of one mile per gallon averaged on a widow sticker can mean the difference between a sale and a walk-off - to say nothing of two or three mpg. So, when Hyundai and Kia were forced to reveal that many of their 40-mpg ratings were actually 38s and 37s, well, it made for big news.
It also, conceivably, made for a competitive disadvantage immediately, when the Korean automakers' products were being shopped versus the guys down the block. And it's that disadvantage that makes a recent story from Automotive News so juicy.
AN is reporting that Margo Oge, former head of the Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Transportation and Air Quality, got a tip in 2010 that Hyundai/Kia were "cheating" to get its impressive fuel economy numbers. The tip, said Oge (who retired from the EPA this past September), came from a senior vice president from a domestic automaker. The source was credible enough for Oge to launch an audit of the Hyundai figures, which ultimately lead to the debacle that we reported on a few months ago, and that the Korean company has been trying to bounce back from ever since.
The report indicates that representatives from both Chrysler and General Motors denied tipping off the EPA, outright. Ford reaction, meanwhile, was more circumspect, saying roughly that the company does not comment on specific conversations between Ford and policymakers.
The lack of a straight denial does not realistically implicate Ford here, we'd point out. But it doesn't do a lot to rule The Blue Oval out of the finger-pointing mystery, either. We'll probably never know the real answer to the "who tattled?" question, but we'll put it do you, anyway. Which of the Big Three automakers do you think would have gained the most from a Hyundai/Kia mpg drama? Give us your gut feeling, in comments.Did a US automaker blow the whistle on Hyundai, Kia fuel economy issue? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 17 Dec 2012 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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12-18-2012, 11:47 AM
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I could care less who pointed the finger, the fact that Hyundai has yet AGAIN lied about their products leaves a sour taste in my mouth, and I'm sure many others. It simply sends a message that they are more concerned with making a buck then being honest to their customers. I for one will be more apt to looking at a different make for my next vehicle purchase. It really does and should come down to how you treat your customers. If they have to lie about their own product to gain your trust, what does that say about their OWN confidence in their product?