Why You’re not Getting the MPG You Expect

Be skeptical of EPA ratings. The EPA sticker can help you evaluate relative gas mileage among vehicles, but not absolute mpg. Until the EPA ratings are made more realistic, discount the EPA sticker numbers for city travel as follows: conventional cars and trucks, 30 percent; larger hybrids, 35 percent; diesels, 36 percent; smaller hybrids, 42 percent.