You can blame break-in or driving habits or whatever you want, but many new cars (mostly from certain manufacturers) will just plain fail to reach the same MPG in relation to their EPA estimates than cars did just a few years ago.
The EPA changed their ratings in 2008 specifically to lower their estimates so that they would be more realistic for the majority of people who could not meet them at the time. Now only 5 years later, some OEMs have inflated their numbers under the new standard so much that even fewer people can meet the estimates for their new car.
For example: Only seven out of 43, or 16%, of 2013 Imprezas on Fuelly have met the EPA combined average (30mpg).
Compare that to, say, a 2012 Corolla. 37 out of 48 cars on Fuelly meet the EPA combined estimate of 29mpg, or 81%.
2012 Honda Civic: 93 out of 105 cars on Fuelly meet the EPA combined estimate of 31mpg, or 89%.
2012 Hyundai Elantra: Only 62 out of 176 2012 Elantras on Fuelly, or 35%, meet the EPA combined estimate of 32mpg -- and what's terrible is that the 32mpg figure is the new, lower estimate that Hyundai revised after everybody complained so much.
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