Are 2007 Hybrid cars losing their efficiency?

Say what?

According to a new government fuel-economy ratings that are available for the first time, new hybrid cars are loosing their fuel efficiency as compared to old models. A visit in the government’s fuel-economy Web site www.fueleconomy.gov reportedly now will reveal that new hybrid cars use significantly more fuel than their previous ratings.

So I figured I’d go check it out myself. And hmm, the 2007 Honda Civic Hybrid dropped from a city/highway mpg of 49/51 to 40/45 with a combined drop from 50 mpg to 42 mpg.

Well that’s not really too bad…

How about the Toyota Prius then? This popular hybrid car has been on top with praises for its fuel efficiency and there hasn’t even been an upgrade since its initial debut. Check it out, the Toyota Prius dropped from a city/highway mpg of 60/51 to a current mpg of 48/45. I did a little knee-jerk there, I have to admit. We’re talking of a 20% drop in its city mpg and a 12% drop in its highway mpg.

Guess it’s still best to keep those auto body parts in excellent shape, hybrid or not.