The 2021 Ford Edge SUV is advertised to have an EPA fuel economy rating of 21 mpg city, 29 mpg highway and 24 mpg combined (FWD version). But, real world driving range of any SUV will likely differ from the advertised fuel economy.
How close will Edge’s EPA ratings match real world driving?
The actual fuel economy of a vehicle is affected by driving habits, road conditions, weather, and other external factors. Therefore, drivers of a Ford Edge SUV may experience a different fuel economy than the manufacturer’s advertised fuel economy.
How did the Edge do?
Using data from car driving data aggregator Fuelly.com, for 21 Edge SUVs tracked (they fueled up 585 separate times) and driving a cumulative total of 160,535. All 21 vehicles combined, averaged 22.6 mpg – 2 mpg less than the advertised, 24 mpg.
What does this variance really mean?
Well, the 2021 Ford Edge’s fuel tank capacity is 18.5 gallons, so real driving range would actually be 418.1 miles (18.5X 22.6=421) and not the 444 miles advertised. Most ratings of vehicles are done in environments a little less than ideal. The problem with that is the real word is more often than not, never ideal.
For instance, if a driver is frequently driving in dense urban areas, their fuel economy may be lower due to frequent acceleration and braking. On the other hand, a driver who mainly drives on the highway may experience a higher fuel economy than advertised.
Main image courtesy: Ford
