Why real fuel consumption values are higher than catalog values?

In this article we will explain why the real fuel consumption is higher than the values stated by the manufacturer.

What is the catalogue fuel consumption?

The values shared by the manufacturer as the fuel consumption are usually lower than the real fuel consumption. One of the main reasons why the real MPG has a higher value is because the manufacturer tests the car in laboratory and the conditions are ideal. In reality, there are lot of factors that can contribute to an increased fuel consumption.

What is the estimated fuel consumption?

The estimated fuel consumption is based on our experience and algorithms that we have applied to the catalogue values in order to obtain numbers that are a lot closer to the real MPG. As well, we are taking in consideration the average statistics of data submitted by the website’s users. More than that, we developed an algorithm that changes according to other factors such as the engine class coefficient, fuel type coefficient, gearbox type coefficient or tests performed by a professional.

Other factors

The values that drivers experience when it comes to their cars fuel consumption can also vary depending on different, but important factors. Such factors can be:

• Driving style.  A more aggressive driving style is usually the most common extra fuel consumer;
• Usage of the vehicles systems. The air condition or even cracking the windows of your car can increase the MPG;
• Environmental factors. The Environment is always one of the most unpredictable but important factors when calculating the fuel consumption of a car. Snow, rain, mud or even a poor quality road will dramatically increase the engines’ fuel consumption. More than that, heavy traffic can also add to it.
• Poor quality fuel. Even if this might sound crazy, in some European countries, the quality of fuel might be rather poor. Also, there are other factors that can damage the quality of gasoline while filling up your tank.

In conclusion, the real fuel consumption – or real MPG – has higher values than the manufacturers value, simply because there are a lot of factors (some of the dynamic) that contributes to the, sometimes, big difference.

Tough, these estimated data cannot be same for all of the cars out there, but are probably, the closest numbers that a driver can find.