Ford owners are getting a reality check this week, in the mail in fact ranging from $150 to over $1000 as good will payments as it lowers fuel economy ratings on several cars.

Already having been stung by incorrectly labeling their 2013 C-Max hybrid last year, Ford has made another round of lowering EPA certified mpg on now several models.

The Ford Fusion Hybrid and Energi Plug-In Hybrid got docked up to 6 mpg highway, with owners getting as much as $775 back for their heartache.

C-Max customers get their second round of mpg lowering, losing an additional 3 mpg over last year’s changing of the rating. They will receive up to $475.


Other models receiving a downgrade in published EPA ratings include the Lincoln MKZ and the 2014 Ford Fiesta with the new 1.0 liter EcoBoost 3-cylinder engine.

Heralded for getting up to 45 mpg highway, the Fiesta EcoBoost gets its hair cut back to 43 mpg. Other Fiesta models also got lowered, with owners receiving up to $450 depending on which they own.

Ford blames the errors on flawed computer models used in their testing procedure, and offered up a plausible technical outline of how this happened to go with its apology and sending of cash to customers.

While significant explanations have been given on how this accidental mistake happened and will never happen again, it’s a rather a striking coincidence it only occurred on cars Ford trumpeted from the mountain tops as having best in class mileage and sold as such. For more news and test drives of hybrid or electric vehicles see our partner channel Motoring2.com.