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Just have to get this off my chest, but you may have seen some of these advertisements.

The Chevy Equinox gets better highway mileage than even the Ford Escape Hybrid.

While this is true (32 vs. 31) they never mention anything about city or combined.

Equinox vs. Escape Hybrid:

City 22 vs. 34
Combined: 26 vs. 32

Someone that puts a ton of highway miles on a vehicle may do better to pick the Equinox, but most will probably do better with the FEH.

I think this is something Ford needs to address.

This GM spin is the same old GM:

"We sell more vehicles that get 30mpg than anyone else....and more vehicles that get 15mpg or less"

It's true if you look at it from a certain point of view.

If it sells cars, Chevy is happy with you only knowing a sliver of the truth.

I don't see anything wrong with it, as they do say: better "highway" mileage. If they said something vague like "better mileage", they'd be misleading. And the fact that fuel economy has been brought to the forefront of their ad campaign, even with gas prices fairly low and stable, is an encouraging change in GM advertising. Note that they are not selling the Equinox as having "up to 255hp" and "0-60 as low as 7 seconds" and "towing capacity up to 3500 pounds".

In the ad world, everyone does this sort of thing. Remember the old ads for chewing gum that stated "four out of five dentists surveyed recommend sugarless gum for their patients who chew gum." The catch? They imply that the dentists recommend their brand, but the fact was that the dentists were only recommending any chewing gum without sugar.

And we remember Toyota's objection to Ford's claim that the FFH was America's most fuel efficient midsize sedan. Toyota's Prius is not a sedan but a hatchback, according to Ford's marketing department. Toyota is free to improve the EPA numbers on the TCH to reclaim the crown from Ford.

What should Ford do about the Chevy ads? Continue to improve the FEH to add 1 or 2mpg and then Chevy can either bump their EPA number higher or they can start promoting other attributes of the Equinox. The Chevy has a fairly large fuel tank, so they can always brag about having a more "highway miles between fillups" but forget to mention that those fillups cost 20% more if the tank is 20% larger...

The combined rating is probably the rating most people that commute 10 to 20 miles to work daily get.

26 for the equinox vs 32 for the escape hybrid. 26mpg combined still isn't bad at all for an suv.

Now I don't know what the price difference is between the two, and it's probably pretty hard to figure it out since chevys are like pizzas, you don't buy them unless you can use a coupon / get a discount. I'm guessing with the hybrid Escape you won't be able to get much of a discount at all.

I liken GM's reputation to the Cowboys - they have a huge following, but disappoint way too much to deserve it. In the case of both, only bottom-line success will get them out of the doghouse.

What should Ford do about the Chevy ads?

A possible ad war could erupt, but I think pointing out the entire line of FE vehicles they have might be good. Especially if they bring the European vehicles over.

"The most fuel efficient SUV in the US. 31 mpg on the highway and an impressive 34 mpg in the city."
(Technically it's a tie with the Mazda Tribute Hybrid and the Mercury Mariner Hybrid, but they are all the same vehicle.)
They might also mention the Fusion Hybrid's status, but that's getting fishy as MaxxMPG pointed out.
And the most FE pickup in the US (the Ranger and the Mazda 2300). They can't really mention the 1/2 ton trucks since Chevy (barely) edges them out.

Or they can simply start advertising Combined FE (or city, but I think combined would be better). If they can get people to start looking at Combined FE instead of just highway, they will be way ahead in the game since their hybrids are more competitive there (and it's what most people should be looking at anyway).

It wouldn't hurt if they mentioned the situation with the Taxis in San Fransisco (being retired at 300,000 miles and nothing wrong with them). That kind of durability can't hurt. And mentioning the mind-blowing tank that Wayne and team pulled on the Fusion wouldn't hurt either.

Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against the Equinox itself. That's a pretty impressive highway number for an SUV. It just that the ad compares apples to oranges since it's comparing the Equinox's strength against the Escape's weakness.

It would be like Ford coming out with an ad that states that the Escape Hybrid gets better mileage in the city than any other SUV gets on the highway (which would still hold true against the Mazda and Mercury hybrids).

I think that Ford is intentionally not advertising Wayne and team's Fusion tank for the simple fact that most drivers outside of this community would never come close to 1400 miles on a single tank. I imagine that if they did advertise that people would buy the car then complain because they are only getting 35-40 MPG because they don't know how to drive it.

Advertising is like a first date. You only let the good info out. I'm more bothered by the line about not competing in the lawn mower market. I wish Howie said "we don't compete YET"

If I remember right, when the EPA first started testing and certifying cars, automakers were prohibited from advertising the highway number alone. If they used only a single number it had to be the combined figure. In other words, the Equinox could be advertised as "26 mpg" or "22/32 mpg", but not as "32 mpg". I don't know when they ditched the rules, but even Toyota pulls this crap now.

Did you see the Chevrolet commercial where they make fun of how Toyota is known for their gas mileage. Then go on and compare the fuel mileage of various Chevrolet models to Toyota models.

About 15 minutes later what comes on but a Toyota commercial with a guy trying to decide which car wash level of service would be best for his Camry. With Toyota making to the point that 80% of Toyota's sold in 1989 are still on the road. Then ends with comment on the small child about four years old in the car seat in the back will probably be taking over the Camry when he is old enough to drive. :p

80% of the Chevrolet's sold today will probably in the junk yard in 20 years. :(

1979 is 30yrs. I find it very hard to believe that 80% of any 30yo vehicle is still on the road. Not because of reliability but because of mistreatment, accidents, trade-in value, etc.

That said, I doubt that most GM products last 10 years let alone 30. Going to the local junkyard is proof of it too. There are dozens of 6-10yo american cars that are not wrecked. There is less than a handful of toyota's, nissan's and honda's and all of them are from the late 1980's or older.

80%-!!! Wow, that seems EXTREMELY unlikely. Matter of fact, I would bet dollars to donuts that it is a bit of trickery-maybe they hunted 30-15 years to find a blip like that. Besides, they didn't really sell big numbers until after the 1979 oil embargo.They were selling lots of the little trucks back then of course. I bought a 1976 that I totaled in 1979.

Charlie

..... With Toyota making to the point that 80% of Toyota's sold in 1979 are still on the road. ... :(

They tricked you into hearing what you wanted to...

What they said is 80 percent of the cars they sold since 79--which includes 2010's. It's a cute deceptive statistic due to changing market shares. Yota's share has increased so much that probably only something like 10 percent of their population of sales is from the decade 79 to 89 (ie. the cars that would be mostly retired by now.)

By contrast GM, with its shrinking market share, probably has ballpark of 40 percent of its sales from that decade. It wouldn't surprise me if GM could claim the title of "more 79's still on the road than any other automaker," if they wanted to mislead similarly.

Yep I changed it from 1979 to 1989. My goof.

Yep, Toyota says in the commercial that 80% of all Toyota's sold in the last 20 years are still on the road.

Nice way of wording the commercial right at the absolute beginning where the mind only catches part of it and fills in what it thinks was said. Cute!! When you click on the link pay attention because it is said right as the commercial starts and before you're really paying attention to the what you're seeing.

2010 Toyota Camry Commercial (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vhuXaANaSU)

My PR team is more deceptive than your PR team ;)

When I first saw the advertising I thought Chevy was comparing the AWD FEH and not the FWD. Fact is, Ford reduced the EPA rating on my '05 FWD FEH from 40mpg city to 36mpg city on their own. When all the news started printing about how the EPA was over estimating Hybrid's mileage, the public got upset and now we have the EPA reducing the ratings. I remember the FEH was more inline with real mileage than the other Hybrids which helped Ford's image in 2006.

Those people who fall for the Equinox advertising and see the truth are going to be peeved at Chevy which is why they're in the boat their in now. I say Ford is taking the high road by letting the consumers deal with this false way of advertising. Besides, when these people take their Equinox into the Ford dealership to trade it in on a FEH, they'll never buy a Chevy again when they find out what the Equinox is really worth.

GaryG

I don't see much of a problem here. Chevy is correct in their claim, all they have done is cherry pick it for Hy only.By advertising standards this was a fairly straightforward commercial.
They could have claimed it "gets the best mpg of any standard drivetrain SUV ever sold in the USA."

The Equinox is SEVERAL mpg better than any other SUV, other than the hybrids,and it beats them in hy.This is quite an achievement.

If they keep the price reasonable-actual before taxes of $22000 or so for a base model- they should sell lots of them. It gets more or less Accord/Camry mpg.

It is the return of the family SW many of us want.

Great vehicle, but since my 98 Suburban is worth maybe $500 on a trade in,I won't be buying it.

Charlie

Hi Gary:

___The EPA tests cycles are what dictates the FE on the Monroney sticker. When they get caught, they lower the numbers quietly but immediately. Toyota's Corolla was caught playing this game back in late 02 as well. The manufacturers can post lower but the 08 EPA is what caused the steep fall-off for all vehicles and the readjustments, not anything Ford did out of the goodness of their heart. They are gaming the EPA as hard if not harder than anyone else thanks to the calibrators and Ford has some of the best in the world. Additionally, you never see Ford advertise their Fusion Hybrid with 36 city or 39 combined, it is ALWAYS 41 City and more than 700-miles a tank (city rating again).

___I know some that have doubled the EPA in a city drive, almost doubled it in an FFH on an all-highway drive and the Equinox has not achieved anything even close to either... yet.

___All said, they are all playing games including Honda and Toyota and I wish they would all stop but that is not in the cards thanks to the “Marketeers”.

___Good Luck

___Wayne

I've learned my GM lesson - the hard way. No amount of crafty advertising will win me over - all I have to do is think of all the problems we have had with or Montana.

Not to mention how they handled the EV-1.

Thanks,

Bob

That's all marketing is...I wager could find similar statements in almost any brand's ads.

For an SUV that isn't a hybrid I think the Equinox gets great mileage. My 2004 cavalier is rated at 21/31 using the new rating system, so the Equinox rated at 22/32 gets better mileage than my cramped little car.

My cavalier has a 2.2 ecotec, the equinox uses a 2.4 ecotec(direct injection) with about 40 more horsepower and almost as much added torque. The only other big difference is my 4speed auto Vs the equinox 6speed auto.

Most people posting here could pull the hwy mpg or better most of the time with one of these & probably be very happy with the mileage & roominess of this little SUV. If your like me and keep your vehicles for 8-10years I would suspect the lifetime maintenance of the non-hybird car would be much lower.

I dont see anything wrong on Chevy's part. If the product is falsly advertise then the anger or dispute is legit. However, 32 MPG is EPA certified number and 2-3 MPG better than any non-hybrid small SUV on the market today. The fact that Chevy has the highest rated SUV on the market today and gets better highway fuel economy than my dad's Accord is something very promising and respectable.

We need to keep in mind that us, hypermilers, can easily shatter this number without breaking a sweat. As long as the fuel economy improves and leads to competition between automakers, we all win. :)

It only chafes me when they cherry-pick the numbers. Of course they want to present their best side, and highway mileage is it. If they showed combined or city, they'd be lower than the same competitors they're comparing against.

It's "the truth and nothing but the truth", but they're missing the "whole truth" part.

I agree. I can't find any proof, but I swear this used to be illegal. Back during the 70s gas crunches and into the 80s, you never saw automakers or even stealerships advertising only the hwy mpg.

According to this (as far as I could tell), the only requirements are that they disclose which rating they are describing. Window stickers are required to list city, highway and combined.

http://www.epa.gov/EPA-AIR/2009/April/Day-28/a9649.htm

...The fact that Chevy has the highest rated SUV on the market today...

That's just it. It ISN'T the highest rated SUV. It is the highest rated only if you pick highway ratings and nothing else.

It's misleading to mention only the highway numbers. That's what peeved me.

That's just it. It ISN'T the highest rated SUV. It is the highest rated only if you pick highway ratings and nothing else.

It's misleading to mention only the highway numbers. That's what peeved me.

What I meant to say is that its the highest rated suv as far as the highway fuel economy number as I was comparing to 2008 Accord which my dad has thats rated at 31 MPG.

Chevrolet is not the only automaker to do such a thing. I bet all automakers if not most use such type of advertising. In fact, here is the example of Honda doing the same thing for Fit.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjtJU1MdGgg

I also remember seeing the commercials for 2008 Accord when it debuted and the commercial would end with something like.....this.

"The Accord from Honda, rated at 31 MPG highway."

I tried to find that commercial but I could not.

Here is the Nissan Versa commercial, toward the end of which it mentions 36 MPG, which is definately highway number.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LX0kj2qIdw

Obviously, I'm a Chevy guy so I had to put in my 2 cents.

Here's the city/highway numbers I pulled off of Yahoo for the vehicles in Equinox add campaign.

Equinox 22/32
CR-V 21/28
RAV4 22/28
Escape Hyb 34/31

I don't see any real deception at play here. I'm just happy Chevy is designing vehicles that show so well in these comparisons.

Oh yeah. And thanks to moneysaver for the corresponding adds.

No problem TahoeMan.....

How is the new Malibu treating you as far as mileage. Mine is preety consistance if you know how to get most out of it. Since you have 6 speed, i bet its really good on highways between 55-65 MPH. Mine has almost 83000 miles and I am planning to keep it util I graduate from med school. After that, nxt ride will be a hybrid or something very economical.

Hi Andrew:

___Thank for the link to the FTC “guidelines”!

___I still wish they would advertise 08 combined as that is what most will come close to in most every case other than the Prius (on the highway) and Honda hybrids (in the city).

___Following on with TahoeMan, it is good to see GM pulling itself up by the bootstraps and tearing everyone else up. For a mostly highway driver, the Equinox is a much better overall deal than the FEH as an example. Maybe not on a TCO basis but 32 from a small SUV on the 08 EPA is doing really really well.

___All said however, I remember when Pelosi and crew were touting the new bill to increase FE to 35 mpg (this is CAFÉ or unadjusted EPA where the Prius is rate at 80 mpg as just one example), the following day, Ford announced their European Focus ECOnetic with an NEDC combined of 62 mpg… NEDC is closer to the 85-07 EPA with the offsets of course but it is an absolute embarrassment when we are pushed to believe that 32 mpg is good when 70+ mpgUS ratings for highway travel is a slam dunk in some of Europe’s best diesels.

___Sorry that you all have to see my NEDC inclusions on just about every European automobile news but it is to keep our heads on straight regarding the short changing we are receiving in the US vs. Europe.

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/2008_Ford_Focus_5-Door_ST.jpg
Ford Focus TDCi – 61.8 mpgUS combined on the NEDC. Oh, and 69.2 mpgUS on the highway… NEDC again.

___And I bet the Focus TDCi is both faster and far better handling too :)

___Good Luck

___Wayne