Mitsubishi Says Fuel Economy Cheating Has Been Going On For The Last 25 Years

Mitsubishi Motors Corp. said it has improperly tested the fuel economy of its cars for the past quarter century, deepening a crisis that’s already wiped out half its market value.

The automaker formed a panel of three former prosecutors to investigate improper testing that goes back as far back as 1991, including the falsification of fuel efficiency data, according to a statement today. The company said last week it had not been complying with Japanese testing standards since 2002.

"Customers bought our cars based on incorrect fuel-economy data," President Tetsuro Aikawa told reporters during a press conference today. "I can’t help but apologize."

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TheSteve - 4/26/2016 11:12:50 AM

0 Boost

When I was shopping for a new car, the LAST place I'd look for fuel economy data is the EPA sticker on the window. Consumers know -- or at least they should know by now -- that those numbers are fiction. I went to Fuelly.com, where real owners report actual fuel consumed and miles traveled per fill-up, thereby reporting actual fuel consumption for their vehicle. Yeah, a broad range of numbers are reported rather than a single value, like the EPA numbers, so it's not as "simple" as seeing a single number, but the values are far more meaningful than the window sticker in the showroom.

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PS: This does not negate the fact that some manufacturers have lied to consumers to get sales. That's illegal, unethical, etc.

MDarringer - 4/26/2016 8:12:57 PM

-1 Boost

More meaningful?

Because fuelly.com is scientific??

Talk about fuzzy illogic.

Fuelly.com is 100% reliant on what owners say without independent, scientific verification. Also their data sample is wildly skewed for the very same reason.

The real solution is to do steady-state MPG ratings as 35, 55, and 70mph corrected for aerodynamics.

Get rid of the convoluted city and highway cycle.

Steady-state figures would give better data.

TomM - 4/26/2016 1:54:05 PM

+2 Boost

It appears that Mitsubishi was using the wrong test for these particular cars - resulting in the difference.

THere was a time when Mitsubishi made some really really compelling cars - alas - that is in the past - and this time - I doubt that Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (Parent) will spend much to keep a losing proposition open.

Sad