How will your car rate under new EPA fuel economy window stickers?

Even with fuel economy ratings on window stickers, it can be difficult for consumers to judge how efficient their car is compared to others at a glance. That's one thing that the Environmental Protection Agency's new fuel economy labels are designed to address by assigning letter grades to every model.

According to EPA assistant administrator Gina McCarthy, the letter grades—from "A+" to "D"—will be assigned on a bell curve, with the median being a "B-." That means most cars will cluster around a "B-," while few will get an "A+" or "D." Specifically, according to the joint notice of proposed rulemaking by the EPA and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 697 of the 2012 model-year vehicles will get a "B-," while 14 will get an "A-." There will be a dozen vehicles that get the lowest mark, "D." (The EPA counts each drivetrain variation within a model separately.)

For now, no cars rate an "A" or an "A+." According to the schema, only pure electric cars would be eligible for an "A+," only plug-in hybrids could get an "A," and only conventional hybrids could get an "A-," says McCarthy. (Whether those cars deserve that grade comes down to where the electricity they use comes from, which consumers can find out from the QR Code on the new window sticker.) So far only the Ferrari 612 Scaglietti rates a "D," and only the Ford Fusion Hybrid, Honda Civic Hybrid, and Toyota Prius rate an "A-."

Other interesting examples include the Ford Escape, Nissan Altima, and Toyota Camry hybrids, which each get a "B+," and the Toyota Highlander Hybrid, which gets a "B." The Honda CR-V and four-cylinder Toyota RAV4 each rate a "B+," while other popular small SUVs such as the Subaru Forester and the V6-powered RAV4 only get a "B." Several family sedans such as the Honda Accord and Chevrolet Malibu are rated "B" with in their four-cylinder engine variants, while the V6 versions get a "B-."

Most large half-ton pickups, as well as popular midsized SUVs such as the Honda Pilot and the Jeep Grand Cherokee, are rated "C+."

If approved, the new system may take a little getting used to. But just like in school, a "C" isn't a very good grade, while only the stars will get "A+." To see how your car rates, check out page 37 of the PDF of the agencies' proposed rule.

Learn more about the window stickers under consideration, and share your opinion.

Also read:
New-car fuel-economy stickers promise abundant information and connectivity
Your vote: Should new car fuel economy labels include letter grades?

—Eric Evarts

See our guide to fuel economy for advice on saving gasoline. Learn about future technologies in our guide to alternative fuels.