In a message dated 10/14/2005 11:24:03 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, frank at marin.cc.ca.us writes:
"Consumer Reports is still very skeptical of EPA ratings. An article in their October issue puts hard numbers behind their criticism." really interesting piece...but they do point out that EPA ratings come from driving under near ideal conditions, and the drivers are expert... most Americans rarely drive under those conditions, and sadly, and frighteningly, most Americans are really lousy drivers... in fact, the closest I've ever come to believing in god is the amazing fact that we kill *only* a little more than a hundred or so humans a day in driving accidents...amazing that we don't die by the thousands, every day, given how we drive, the things we drive in, and the things we do while we drive... shudder...
I believe EPA ratings are done that way in order to produce reproducible data. There are so many variables in driving that there is no way to have a "real world" test that will produce consistent results. The main utility of the ratings is when comparing one vehicle's rating to another. The mileage differences are pretty accurate, AFAIK.
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