Fuel Economy Update for December - More of the Same - 2007 Dodge Charger SRT8 Long-Term Road Test

Comments

• darthbimmer Member Posts: 606

  January 2016

  Interesting how this 9-year-old big V8 has no trouble meeting its EPA rating while so many eco-minded cars built in the past few years struggle to reach their EPA numbers in everyday driving.

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• longtimelurker Member Posts: 455

  January 2016

  Oh, come on. The SRT8 is rated 13 city/18 highway, and is getting 15.4 on a combined of 15, so it's doing well. The Mustang GT is rated 15/25, way higher, even though it makes 10 more hp and weighs only 350 lbs less, but since it's getting 15.7 mpg, it's doing poorly.
  
  Forget EPA...tell me why the Mustang should be expected to get 20% better mpg than the SRT8.

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• yellowbal Member Posts: 234

  January 2016

  The SRT8 is getting what it should be getting so it gets credit there. The GT's documentation shows it should be getting 19 MPG combined but it doesn't so maybe Ford gamed the EPA test? Manufacturers often self-report EPA numbers and Ford itself had to re-rate the C-Max so they have a history misrepresenting mileage. The F-150 isn't meeting its numbers either.

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• explorerx4 Member Posts: 19,317

  January 2016

  Take the time to read the long term Mustang posts and you will have your answer why it gets the mileage it does.

  2023 Ford Explorer ST, 91 Mustang GT vert

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• longtimelurker Member Posts: 455

  January 2016

  Again, forget EPA. We're all car people here. We can look at power to weight, ratios in the box, final drive ratios, vehicle weight, etc. and.come up with an intelligent assessment of how it should perform in terms of mpg.
  
  We can also look at tbe numbers that have been provided for us...Mustang is 25 highway and has gotten 23.5...pretty close, considering that rating is for all 6MT Mustang GTs and this one has a shorter final drive than standard. Dodge is rated 18 highway and has gotten 22.2...not close. SRT8 highway is grossly underrated by EPA - THAT'S why it's meeting its EPA combined rating.
  
  Also we can look at worst-case mpg for each car. SRT8 worst tank was 11.7 mpg - that's moderately hard driving.for that kind of car. Mustang worst tank was 5.3 mpg - that's extended track flogging. I don't see a track test for the Dodge. Mustang has had THREE track tests and a couple of track days.
  
  Bottom line...Mustang is missing its EPA combined because it's getting the crap beat of it, but nobody understands that. SRT8 is meeting its EPA combined because it's not being beaten on and because its EPA highway rating is way too low, but nobody gets that. Both cars are doing fine considering their specs and the way they're being driven.
  
  EPA ratings are Cliff's Notes for people who don't know that much about cars.

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• vvk Member Posts: 196

  January 2016

  Wow, I thought my 550i was bad at 18.9 mpg.

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