The EPA’s Unique Classification System for Subcompact Cars
Subcompact cars are often associated with being environmentally friendly, simple, and budget-friendly.
One of the major advantages of these vehicles is their excellent fuel efficiency, which usually falls in the 30-40 miles per gallon range.
Government organizations such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) evaluate different models from manufacturers to give the public more information on fuel economy and other factors.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has a unique approach when it comes to defining subcompact cars, using interior volume index as a method of categorizing vehicles.
According to Federal Regulation Title 40—Protection of Environment, §600.315-08 “Classes of comparable automobiles”, vehicles are grouped by interior volume index, as follows: Minicompact, Subcompact, Compact, Midsize, and Large.
This system can lead to different classifications than those given by manufacturers, and can sometimes result in unexpected outcomes for subcompact cars with high fuel consumption.
The range of vehicles that fall within the subcompact class is diverse, including models with poor fuel efficiency such as the luxury Bentley Continental GT Speed.
Despite its spacious 87 cubic feet of interior and 11 cubic feet of trunk space, the Bentley Continental GT Speed qualifies as a subcompact according to EPA standards, making it an example of how size doesn’t always correlate with fuel efficiency.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) compiles a list of vehicles with the best and worst fuel economy, using a metric called combined gas mileage.
This calculation takes into account both city and highway driving, and when evaluating the Bentley Continental GT Speed, they found it to have a combined mileage of 15 mpg which is less than half of the average
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