Hyundai, Kia hybrids come up a little short
A great looking hybrid, but……
No wonder Hyundai believes ICE is the key to better fuel economy
Boy did I have high hopes for Hyundai hybrid cars a few years ago. While Hyundai was slow to the hybrid game, as their hybrids moved closer and closer to reality, a few pretty bullish forecasts were teed up by a few South Korean executives.
Plus, its cool lithium-polymer battery technology seemed like maybe it could be a game changer.
I even predicted that one of Hyundai’s hybrids would enter the market as the cheapest, most fuel efficient hybrid sedan yet, but I was wrong.
Even before Hyundai launched the Sonata hybrid, my hopes began to falter during a technical briefing for the Sonata hybrid at which Hyundai reps explained the Sonata would be more of a highway hybrid.
A highway hybrid?
Sure, that made some sense as many Americans do still spend a good deal of time on the highway, and since the EPA skews fuel economy estimates towards the highway. Nevertheless, such an approach sounded gimmicky. Despite my worries, EPA estimated numbers of 35/40, city/hwy were pretty good, and coupled with the right price, the Sonata hybrid still had possibilities.
Another failure.
While both the Sonata hybrid and the Kia Optima hybrid are well styled and offer pretty refined drives, particularly on the highway, both hybrids fail on the two most important points: fuel economy and price.
Like the Ford Fusion hybrid, independent tests are demonstrating that Hyundai’s hybrids are coming up far short of EPA combined mileage estimates. Both are estimated to achieve a combined 37-38 mpg, yet InsideLine recently achieved only about 30 mpg in each vehicle in combined driving — noting that driving style during the tests was not aggressive, just more real world than the EPA’s outdated methods.
Unfortunately, it appears hybrids continue to be a great technology to game CAFE/EPA testing methodologies for exciting EPA sticker numbers that inevitably come up far short in reality.
Still, Hyundai’s fuel economy numbers would be fine — even great compared to conventional offerings – if either offered segment-busting pricing. Neither do.
Sadly, Hyundai’s lithium-polymer battery technology demonstrates that lithium still isn’t yet ready to be a game changer, and based on the comments of North American President John Krafcik regarding hybrids and plug-ins — almost mocking both, especially the later — during the last year of auto shows, that probably won’t change any time soon.
Don’t get me wrong. Both of these hybrids are very nice vehicles, but the less-than-stellar increase in real world fuel economy, especially compared to the lofty estimates, justifies a lower price than what Hyundai is selling.
