Jump to content
Create New...
  • 💬 Join the Conversation

    CnG Logo SQ 2023 RedBlue FavIcon300w.png
    Since 2001, Cheers & Gears has been the go-to hub for automotive enthusiasts. Join today to access our vibrant forums, upload your vehicle to the Garage, and connect with fellow gearheads around the world.

     

  • William Maley
    William Maley

    Not Surprised: Hyundai and Kia Get Hit With Two Lawsuits On Fuel Economy

    William Maley

    Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com

    November 8, 2012

    With the news of Hyundai and Kia saying they have overstated fuel economy numbers on a certain number of models, the lawsuit have begun to come out of the woodwork.

    Earlier this week, a lawsuit was filled in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio against the two companies. The lawsuit seeks unspecified attorney fees along with damages for U.S. buyers or leasers of one of the 900,000 Hyundai or Kia models. The suit also asks the court to allow people who own or lease a Hyundai and Kia that live in the state of Ohio to back out of their agreements.

    Then yesterday, the two companies were hit with another lawsuit filled in U.S. Central District Court in Los Angeles on behalf of 23 plaintiffs. The suit is seeking $775 million in compensation for who state the resale values have been damaged by the inflated figures.

    “Plaintiffs and the Class have been damaged by Hyundai’s and Kia’s misrepresentations, concealment, and non-disclosure of the incorrect fuel economy numbers, because they were misled into purchasing Hyundais and Kias of a quality different than they were promised, and paying higher fuel costs they would not otherwise have paid,” the suit says.

    Both suits are seeking class-action status.

    Source: Automotive News, 2 (Subscription Required)

    William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at [email protected] or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster.

    User Feedback

    Recommended Comments

    yeah, after the less likely lawsuit against Honda over the mpg of the Civic Hybrid, you knew this was coming.

    Yes with the Genie out of the bottle, you had to figure they have a few billion set aside to pay for this. Now is the time for lawyers to make a killing in fees.

    One does have to wonder how this will affect both companies over the short term and long term. Could one of these companies go away or at least get greatly reduced in size?

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    I doubt anything will really happen to the resale of these vehicles, or that there will be a drastic drop in overall sales. Saying you are paying drastically more for gas at 38 vs 40 mpg is pretty ridiculous. Most window stickers even state that the rating means most drivers will see a +/- of 3-5 mpg anyway... If they purposely inflated the numbers, that's bad...if it really is just poor testing procedures, I could understand. I work for an engine company and do a lot of similar testing, and the requirements really aren't always as well laid out or strict as people may think.

    Edit: They should be fixing the issues if they are real...and I understand that there were some vehicles and trims with bigger drops than 2 mpg...it was just an example...

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    It will get thrown out....

    Depends on how able the plaintiffs are able to show it was intentionally deceiving or when Hyundai/Kia knew that the rating was wrong. If they knew it was wrong last year yet kept selling cars with that sticker on it, well then, there might be cause.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    It will get thrown out....

    Depends on how able the plaintiffs are able to show it was intentionally deceiving or when Hyundai/Kia knew that the rating was wrong. If they knew it was wrong last year yet kept selling cars with that sticker on it, well then, there might be cause.

    With different driving styles, won't be easy to prove. Though I'm sure H/K did theirs under perfect conditions.....

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    I have seen so many complaints over at owner reviews on Edmunds about GM's 32 mpg claim for the FWD Equinox/Terrain... it's like nobody is getting that figure in the real world.

    Intentionally misleading customers with erroneous fuel mileage ratings, as Hyundai/Kia appear to have done, should be investigated... but if the case is won, it will open a can of worms, I'm afraid. It will put some sort of burden of proof on other car makers.

    Edited by ocnblu
    Link to comment
    Share on other sites



    Join the conversation

    You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
    Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

    Guest
    Add a comment...

    ×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

      Only 75 emoji are allowed.

    ×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

    ×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

    ×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.




  • Support Real Automotive Journalism

    Cheers and Gears Logo

    Since 2001, Cheers & Gears has delivered real content and honest opinions — not emotionless AI output or manufacturer-filtered fluff.

    If you value independent voices and authentic reviews, consider subscribing. Plans start at just $2.25/month, and paid members enjoy an ad-light experience.*

    You can view subscription options here.

    *a very limited number of ads contain special coupon deals for our members and will show

  • Similar Content

  • Posts

    • I agree. And I understand what you wrote about no mandate needed.  EVs will turn that tipping point in due time. Shortly. And like you said, Chinese EVs will be the ones to do it.  I included that tidbit ONLY because most Americans STILL cant get off the oil addiction they have.  GM has mentioned that they are going along with the 2035 timeline.  But since Trump has alienated America from its allies, GM will try to delay 2035.  Like Dodge though, V8s and turbocharged lawn mower sized engines in CUVs will only get you so much.  The rest of the world is strumming along with the 2035-2040 timeline regardless what the Chinese automotive industry is doing.  I used 2035 as a visual as that is only 9 years away...    Dodge announcing the Durango only gets V8 offerings and is ditching the 6 cylinder offerings, and some Americans declare a win for the internal combustion engine...missing the real problems for the American automotive industry.   Like you said, but with my angle, 2035 is a short 9 years away to stress a point.  What you said about no mandate needed as EVs will tip the point probably before 2035.  But in America, your folk lack critical thinking skills and do not realize what you said, thinking that  a Hellcat powered 15 year old SUV is a saviour for the internal combustion engine and everything else is misinformation.    
    • There is no need for an EV mandate or regulation saying no ICE after 2035 or 2040 or whatever date.   What will happen is China will build a Rav4 like crossover that is more reliable than a Rav4, costs less to maintain, has a longer warranty, has more horsepower, smoother and quieter motor due to being EV and it will cost $10,000 less than a Rav4.   And at that point, no one will want a gas Rav4 and ICE dies for mass market cars.   Some sports cars and enthusiasts cars will have ICE engines, long haul trucks will probably be diesel.  There are use cases where gas or diesel make sense, but it might be 10-20% of the market.
    • Lets be honest in setting the blame where it belongs, IDIOT47 and the 1% crowd that is only more than happy to do illegal pay offs to get billion dollar deals done. Example is the Paramount deal! We are in the Decade of Criminal Pay to Play mode! Paramount Merger Approved After $16 Million Trump Settlement
    • Sales slowing down 2% for Gen Zers. But a whopping 10% just in Canada alone because of our boycott.  Yeah...like I said, Gen Zers was not enough to cause these bankruptcies.  The Canadian boycott was.  And as I said, American journalism wants to soften the blow as to hush hush how Trump targeted Canada and is losing this battle.  The article states that Europe hasnt levied their tariffs on American booze just yet. But Im willing to bet that Europeans have boycotted American booze anyhow.    When California wine makers, the smaller ones suffer the same fate eventually in 2026, are we gonna blame that on Gen Z as well?  Possibly.  To not blame Trump and his shytty victimhood by engaging economic warfare with the planet...
    • I can attest to people not wanting to drink what their parents drink as I love my local Washington State wines and yet my son would rather drink Japanese Wiskey or Bullet Bourbon than drink wine with me.  The largest growth among Gen Z has been with Soju, Korean liquor. That has exploded even in the U.S. in sales. Amazing how many drink it mixed with Korean Beer for a Soju Bomb. Soju is #1 and White Claw is #2 world wide. Top 10 best-selling spirit brands in the world | Business Chief North America Who knew white claw also sold flavored Vodka, but Soju is so strong. The biggest-selling spirits in the world - The Spirits Business Top 20 Best-Selling Alcoholic Drinks Worldwide
  • Who's Online (See full list)

  • My Clubs

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.

Hey there, we noticed you're using an ad-blocker. We're a small site that is supported by ads or subscriptions. We rely on these to pay for server costs and vehicle reviews.  Please consider whitelisting us in your ad-blocker, or if you really like what you see, you can pick up one of our subscriptions for just $1.75 a month or $15 a year. It may not seem like a lot, but it goes a long way to help support real, honest content, that isn't generated by an AI bot.

See you out there.

Drew
Editor-in-Chief

Write what you are looking for and press enter or click the search icon to begin your search