When it comes to things like fuel economy and emissions, vehicles are tested under certain conditions that are pre-determined by various agencies, which means that real-world results often vary. This is to be expected and precisely why those same agencies dub those figures as “estimated,” but regardless, it’s still interesting to see how much of a difference there is. Recently, the Ford Everest was subjected to real-world efficiency testing, and it actually managed to outperform its lab test results, too.
This bit of information comes to us from the Australian Automobile Association’s (AAA) latest round of real-world vehicle testing, which involved a total of 21 different models. Of that group, 15 posted worse real-world fuel economy ratings than advertised, and four of them exceeded tailpipe emissions limits. However, in the case of the Ford Everest – which was equipped with the 2.0L four-cylinder diesel for this test – it consumed 7.1L of fuel per 100 kilometers, which is one percent better than its official rating of 7.2L.
Additionally, the Ford Everest also emitted one percent fewer emissions than expected at 187 g/km, compared to its estimate of 190 g/km. The testing took place at a test track in the Geelong surrounds of Victoria in dry conditions, with winds blowing at speeds between 8-12 mph and temperatures of 64 degrees. When the results were calculated, the Ford Everest fared far better than most vehicles in this test, with others consuming between 6-31 percent more fuel than anticipated.
“In our latest batch of results, there is a 44 percent spread in the gap between the tested cars’ fuel consumption lab results and their on-road performance,” said AAA Managing Director Michael Bradley. “One 1.2L vehicle had similar on-road fuel consumption to several 2.0L cars, and a hybrid SUV had higher petrol consumption than a similar-sized conventional SUV. These tests show that when comparing vehicles, consumers and fleets cannot assume that vehicle performance as assessed by mandatory lab tests will translate into real-world savings or emissions reduction.”
We’ll have more on the Ford Everest soon, so be sure and subscribe to Ford Authority for the latest Ford Everest news and ongoing Ford news coverage.
H/T: CarExpert
Update: this article has been updated to reflect the fact that the Ford Everest outperformed its lab results in real-world testing.
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