The GM MPG Advertising Numbers Game

Ann Job has some biting words for General Motors' recent advertising "numbers game" on miles per gallon in today's Detroit News. GM has been trying recently to boost its environmental image and show that its vehicles are fuel-thrifty with advertising offering potential car buyers more vehicles that get at least 30 mpg in highway driving than any other carmaker.

Job points out that that should be pretty easy for GM considering the fact that they have more model offerings than anybody else -- some 65 GM nameplates sold last year in the United States alone. But that means they only have 29% of their vehicles rated at 30 mpg or higher. By using this same logic, Toyota can claim that 55% of their offerings, or 15 models, get an EPA rating of at least 30 mpg on the highway. Honda can claim 60%. Hmm...maybe GM needs to be careful with how they are spinning their numbers, because they just might find out that Toyota and Honda can play that numbers game too...and in all honesty, despite Bluewater Network's protests to the contrary...they are definetly better situated to do so.

But it'a not just Job needling the General over their innovative use of numbers in advertising. The Sierra Club has joined in on the fun. They are pointing out the fact that GM is using the highway mpg numbers...not the combined city/highway numbers which are more realistic. In fact, they even have a site set up to tell folks the "true" mpg of the "30 and up crowd" advertisement (pictured to the left). They also have a "Green Quiz" up on their site as well.

You know, I'm glad to see organizations holding GM's feet to the flames on this. GM has been throwing around these numbers claiming their superiority on the environmental front, and it really is just bunk. GM has spent the past...century...building cars that drink gas like a wino drinks Franzia. If GM really wants to bank environmental cred, they need to start providing cars that give them the benjies to bank...and not try to play the numbers.

I mean, come on. That's like using the GM Riverwalk to show off an environmentally-friendly image.