False mpg

[wozzie1]

Here is a little letter i received from the dealership.

Dear,(my name)

Thank you for your recent acquisition of a 2013 chevrolet sonic RS. We hope your ownership experiences is off to a great start

We are writing you because we recently discovered an inadvertent computer processing error, which listed incorrect EPA estimated fuel economy information on the window label for a very small number of 2013 Sonic RS vehicles with manual transmissions.The issue affected fewer than 100 cars. Unfortunately, your recently acquired Sonic RS was one of these vehicles. Chevrolet is very sorry for any resulting confusion.

The correct EPA estimated fuel economy for your vehicle is 27 mpg in city, 34 mpg on the highway, and 30 mpg combined. The incorrect label you received showed higher EPA estimated fuel economy numbers. The correct EPA estimates appeared in in Chevrolet's other advertising materials (e.g. chevrolet websites/television/radio ads, or dealer brochures), and in the federal government's fuel economy website and official fuel economy guide.

A corrected label is enclosed with this letter, please dispose of the incorrect label if you still have it.

Your satisfaction with your Sonic RS is very important to us. A Representative of Chevrolet will be contacting you shortly to ensure that any questions or concerns you have have about this situation are addressed to your satisfaction. of course, you can contact us at 1-866-237-3601.

the letter then continued with some more apologies. I feel lied to and not a valued customer, i bought the car because it advertised at 42mpg and thats what i wanted. i paid alittle over 20k for a car that does not do as advertised.
What can i do in a situation like this?

 

[corbetts67]

get a lawyer if you dont want the car

 

[wozzie1]

thats not going to be cheap

 

[Eric Smit]

your RS said it was 42 MPG?

 

[ThatTmoGuy]

Stay off the go pedal, shift early, and hyper mile as much as you can. Then you can pull your 42mpg.

 

[wozzie1]

yep the big sticker on the window when i purchased it

 

[Swordsmith]

I'm of several minds here.

One, the EPA sticker represents only the car's ability to perform on the EPA test, it has little to do with the real world. Many cars perform better than their sticker, others perform worse. So even using the sticker to compare between one car and another is not particularly handy.

Two, although they did put the wrong info on the sticker, it's hard to believe you didn't check anywhere else, read any reviews, nothing, just relied strictly on the sticker itself. It is common knowledge that the RS gets worse mileage, when driven identically, than the lower trim versions of the same car (hatch with 1.4T in LT or LTZ)

Three, however, that sticker is, as far as I'm concerned, a legal document, required by the EPA. Putting the wrong info on there should be a big deal, punishable by fines or something. At the very least you should be able to return the car for a full refund based on this.

Trade it in on an LT, and use the large amounts of cash you save to get a tune, exhaust, intake, new rims and tires... and still have thousands left over.

 

[ungawd]

The sticker should show you ranges and averages. Mine, for example.

Did it show 42 as the top end of the highway range or something? One of those numbers changing from 42 to 34 seems a bit odd. It was probably just a misprint. I'm curious if that possible misprint affected the averages posted. You may still get a combined 42mpg average though. My combined right now that the temperatures aren't freezing is a hair above 40mpg, which is near the top end of the expected highway range. I have an automatic as well, which puts me at a slight disadvantage.

 

[Papasonic]

I recently went to the Iowa Illinois Auto Show in Davenport IA. On display there was a Sonic RS, white in color with a 1.4 6 speed manual that had a window sticker that displayed the same mileage figures that my 1.4 LTZ has. It showed a highway figure of 40 mpg. That one also must be an error too.

 

[RS Turbo]

Wow this is a real worry to you?

One of your first posts was this...

Just bought a 2013 chevy sonic RS 6 speed! still adjusting to the car. I recently sold my 2004 passat W8 and picked this little gem up! Love the MPG! and interrior. What to upgrade first?!

Then you posted you wanted to get an intake and a Tune...

Doesnt seem like it is a Mileage thing when you want to add preformance stuff to me.

If you dont like the vehicle let them know. If ya do and can live with the Gas mileage that you said you "Love the MPG" about then why bother to bring it up?

 

[RS Turbo]

I believe Dragcamaro was talking about his sticker with the mistake as well....

 

[key1cc]

i bought the car because it advertised at 42mpg and thats what i wanted. i paid alittle over 20k for a car that does not do as advertised.
What can i do in a situation like this?

Can you post a pic of your sticker with the 42 MPG like someone else in this thread posted theirs?

Key1

 

[sx sonic]

I agree with swordsmith. I had the same 3 thoughts reading this.

If it were me in your shoes I would do what I could between the dealer and GM corporate to get the LT. But I'm not you and have my own criteria, I don't like the RS or LTZ you might like the extra featues that I see as unneccesary weight and long term complications.

Its up to you to guage what it is you like about your current car and how important a few more MPGs are. The better MPG rated sonics do have less features than the RS so consider that as well.

 

[GeneralZod]

+3 for Swordsmith. He also stated it a logical way that is not offensive.

 

[Eric Smit]

and the range of MPGs on the sticker is why you can't do anything. good luck.

 

[mitdr774]

I recall the RS being advertised as 35 highway from a while ago. Even if I saw a sticker stating 42 I would know its not correct.

Why would you even think that the "performance" version would do better than the top economy version?

 

[$ub$onic]

Rs is appearance not performance

 

[mitdr774]

Different suspension, different trans gearing, different brakes, different wheels and tires, ect. Performance does not always mean it has more power. RS package has a lot of appearance crap, but it also has things to improve its overall performance.

 

[$ub$onic]

Just making a statement that's all

 

[mitdr774]

I know, but it is a "performance" trim level due to the performance improvements made to the car. It is not a purely appearance package.

The trans gearing alone would account for a decent change in economy. Going from a 3.65 to a 4.18 FDR will make a big impact. Then factor in the shorter gearing for 1-6 as well.