BigWaveDave

When I wrote the check for my 2014 E250 Bluetec 4matic sedan, MB and EPA told me I should expect to get 28 / 34 / 42 mpg City / Combined / Highway (varying, of course, on my driving style).

Recently those numbers have been quietly revised down to 27 / 31 / 38 mpg. This is both on the EPA and MB website.

What's up with that?

ImInPA

It is a combination of your driving style, terrain, and the fact that they have spent years planning and waiting for you to make the purchase. The EPA should be able to provide you a full explanation as to the reason for the change. Hyundai had a similar "downgrade" to their EPA ratings, and, they offered customers compensation for the difference in fuel costs or a repurchase of the vehicle. Good luck

pmb600

My understanding is that sometimes the EPA does further tests and lowers the fuel economy. I wouldn't blame MB, they have no interest in lowering the fuel economy. I've spend some time extended test driving the E250 4MATIC and I have broken the 40 threshold in mixed driving, so I think the EPA is very conservative with diesels.

I have an E550 and I routinely get higher than the EPA estimates.

Raymond Lee

I read test driver saying E250 got same mileage as Toyota Prius. If that is the case, it is pretty good.

thefisch

Definitely comparable mpg to a Prius on a highway trip. Hybrids like the Prius do better with stop and go driving where they can benefit from shutting off the gas engine and moving short distances on electric only.

SLpat

I have a 550 and get better mileage than the EPA limits. My coworker with a 2012 BT gets almost 40 combined per his car. Assuming that the car computer is generous he still is getting high 30's which is still good and better than the estimates. He says he is 45/55 highway vs local.

Rdub

None of those numbers are guarantees. In fact, they are the results of test protocols. So unless you drive EXACTLY like the test protocols, which incidentally not many folks are privy TO, the knowledge OF and the EXACT protocols, longer story short, your mileage will vary.

So for example, I have an 14 MB (to stay on topic, nexus) GLK 250 B/T. The EPA bold print is 28 mpg. Combined, 24 C, 33 H. The FINER print gives a RANGE of 16 to 31 mpg, This is on the 2.1 L T TDI with 7 speed A/T. However, in my driving environments, I have never gotten 24 mpg. I have never gotten 28 mpg. it is pretty easy to post 32 to 39 mpg (tankfuls). Computer screen has logged 49+ mpg for easily 100 miles ("downgrade"). It of course has 4 "motion", which structurally takes its toll on mpg. This is for a 420 miles R/T from zero altitude to over 7,350 ft and return. The vehicle is driven slightly to moderately aggressively.

The GLK 250 B/T has twin turbos. So for example, this diesel should be driven according to T TDI parameters. I get the feeling a lot of folks used to gassers, drive them like....gassers. When one does that, it can "surprising", if the real world mpg might seem LESS.

Another is most gassers break in fairly soon @ app 1,000 miles, to 5,000 miles maximum. Diesels can take up to 50,000 miles to develop full compression (PSI). The practical consequence can be increasingly better mpg, but best mpg, far later.

Substance

I have only put 1800 miles on my e250, I get 38-40mpg combined(40c/60h). Its like 35mpg when 70c/30h. I have been told it will get better mpg once the engine is broken in.

pamiboy

I read that too. The author was claiming that E250 was the most fuel efficient car available in USA.

CorradoJr

Not sure where OP is looking, as of today, 6/4/14, the official EPA (fueleconomy.gov) numbers are:
42 highway
28 city
33 combined

4matic gets:
38 highway
27 city
31 combined

Substance

It was 45mpg for rwd and 42mpg for awd before

USCGTO

My C63 rated for 13 city 19 Hwy routinely delivers 19 for 70% Hwy -30 city.

I have also seen 23 mpg - HWY only.

Driving style has a lot more to do than mechanical ability.

Raymond Lee

Today at dealer lot, all e250 EPA reading were at 45 Hwy. Even professional test drivers are saying MPG is good and better than Prius overall. Give some time and check again. I believe what I read and I am starting to search for one I like! Of course, it is to buy.

rovinrail

Nearly 10K miles on my E250 4Matic, I can vouch for the ~31 mixed as being pretty darn accurate. You can do better if you keep it below 80 mph, but I'm commuting to work on the German Autobahn...

maguzma

My 2012 E350 Sport averages 29MPG. No other car that has the same HP comes close. I love filling my tank every nine days instead of five like my last car the Infiniti M35. I am in process of trading my 2012 for a 2014 and it is reported that I should get even better mileage. I considered a E250 but I could not justify the cost over mileage or ROI. I used the Volt as an example in buying my next MBZ. For example a new Volt did not make any economic sense in terms of return of investment (ROI). After putting mileage over price on paper (on both E250 and Volt) I would never recoup my savings under five years. From a business perspective or resale value it did not make any sense.
BTW, the average car buyer does not keep the car more than 3.5 years so if I paid more for a car based on gas mileage, I still would lose money after four years if I wanted to sell or trade in a E250 or Volt.

Raymond Lee

e250 with high EPA mileage rating would keep better resale value. 28/45 is no phony numbers. I would not be surprised if it gets better after car is broken in. Just read reports by Googling in.

rovinrail

45 isn't phony (I did get north of 40 in my 4Matic on the autobahn while staying ~70-80 mph), but it requires a very light touch on the gas pedal. More real-world (IMHO) will drive the average rapidly down to just over 30 mpgs. That's still pretty darn good in my book-- I figure I'd be in the low 20s driving the same way in the E350.

btesar

I would hope highway was better then 30's in the E250. I drive regularly from Durham, NC to Gaithersburg, Md (280 miles each way). On those trips, I get 38 mpg (calculated through fuel fillups) going 70mph. If I set the cruise at 78 (when possible) and hit traffic around DC and the 95 south corridor, I get 35mpg.

Raymond Lee

btesar,
I believe you made right choice. MBZ did a long hard study and research to bring it here to USA against BMW and Audi strategy of coming with 6 cylinder turbo where MBZ's 4 cylinder twin turbo is putting out nearly same amount of torque as BMW 6 cylinder.

btesar

I forgot that detail. I have the V6 E350 Bluetec.

Raymond Lee

I had 2012 E350 BlueTec and now I have 2014 e250 BlueTec. You would think e250 is 4 cylinder twin turbo and it won't be able to do much but it has almost as much torque as V6
turbo engine and even engine noise is surprisingly quiet. It has some noise if you really want to pay attention but not bothersome at all. It drives excellent on the road. No problems at climbing heals, either.

bmcdanel

I'm approaching 10,000 miles on my E250 two wheel drive and have made several long road trips. I don't have a light foot either. It has consistently averaged 45 mpg on the road. Under ideal conditions, it has gotten 50. Going around town it gets 32. The only complaint I have is that the fuel economy gauges show almost two mpg more than I'm actually getting. It's a good thing that the fuel gauge is accurate.

Raymond Lee

bmcdanel
Thanks for posting your experience. You have confirmed that I wasn't day dreaming.

DerekACS

Your engine is just nearing the break-in point ! Its fuel efficiency should get even better !

Are your mpg figures based on actual fill-ups or computer readouts ? In any event, very impressive !

beshannon

And you believe the EPA?