The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) didn’t like the estimated fuel economy figures submitted by the BMW Group for the new three-door Mini Cooper and Mini Cooper S models and told the company to run the numbers again. As a result, some of the numbers will be going down.
In an effort to make the fuel economy numbers found on stickers on new cars more accurate, the EPA has been auditing carmakers’ fuel mileage claims. Two of BMW Group’s Mini Cooper models were caught in the sweep when the EPA found their actual miles per gallon (mpg) were lower than the figures BMW submitted.
BMW then undertook a new series of test for the Minis, supervised by the EPA. The EPA also conducted its own tests on the Mini Coopers at the National Vehicle and Fuel Emissions Laboratory in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
The results of the test: BMW was ordered to make and affix new labels on the four affected 2014 Mini Coopers. Getting new, more accurate labels are the three-door Mini Cooper hardtops with manual and automatic transmissions, and the three-door Mini Cooper S hardtop with manual and automatic transmissions.
A BMW spokesperson said, “While this necessitates change, the 2014 Mini Hardtop still delivers outstanding fuel efficiency. “We have sent new labels for 2014 models in stock to our dealers.”
The new combined and city mpg ratings for each of the affected Mini Cooper and Mini Cooper S vehicles will drop by one mile per gallon. The highway mpg estimates for the four vehicles will drop between one and four miles per gallon, depending on the model.
Christopher Grundler, director of EPA’s office of transportation and air quality explained his agency’s responsibility, “Fuel economy values matter to consumers and automakers. To provide consumers with the most accurate, reliable, and repeatable fuel economy values, we are continuing to strengthen our oversight to ensure fair competition among automakers.”
Misery loves company and in this area, many companies are joining BMW’s misery. Mercedes-Benz, Hyundai, Kia, and Ford were also ordered by the EPA to lower their fuel economy ratings on several of their models.
Over the past 35 years, consumers in the U.S. have come to rely on the mileage stickers on new cars when making their decisions on which cars to buy. We don’t know how BMW and the other companies initially arrived at fuel consumption figures that did not jive with the EPA audits. It may have been simply differing test results, or honest mistakes, or even intentional; but in these cases, big government’s oversight of big auto has resulted in new car sticker corrections that make it better for small car buyers.—Scott Blazey
