PHOENIX - Attorney General Mark Brnovich announced the State of Arizona will receive $1,055,842.12 as part of a multistate settlement with automakers Hyundai and Kia to resolve claims that the companies misrepresented the mileage and fuel economy ratings for some of their model year 2011, 2012, and 2013 vehicles.
The $41.2 million settlement between the 33 states and the District of Columbia and the Hyundai Motor Company, Hyundai Motor America, Kia Motors Corporation, Inc., and Kia Motors America, Inc. concludes a multistate investigation into the companies' business practices relating to fuel economy estimate adjustments that occurred at a time when gasoline prices in the United States were especially high. Arizona’s settlement is awaiting court approval.
State and federal law set limits on emissions from vehicles sold in the United States. Auto manufacturers must conduct testing under mandatory protocols set by government regulators and use the resulting data from that testing to support applications demonstrating their vehicles' conformity to those standards.
In November 2012, Hyundai and Kia announced they were adjusting and restating the fuel economy ratings for certain model year 2011, 2012, and 2013 vehicles after it was revealed the companies had overstated the fuel efficiency of certain vehicles.
The states alleged that the companies misrepresented mileage estimates to consumers in a variety of deceptive or false advertisements, promotional campaigns, and on the window stickers of hundreds of thousands of cars in Arizona and across the country.
This settlement does not include a consumer restitution component, as the companies have already paid out hundreds of millions in restitution through programs offered directly by Hyundai/Kia and under a 2013 class action settlement. Under the class action settlement, consumers could choose a lump sum payment or a lifetime reimbursement program.
In addition to Arizona, the multistate group, led by the states of Connecticut, Iowa, and Illinois, includes Alabama, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Maine, Massachusetts, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia.
This case was handled by Assistant Attorney General Alyse Meislik.
If you believe you have been the victim of consumer fraud, you can file a consumer complaint by contacting the Attorney General’s Office in Phoenix at (602) 542-5763, in Tucson at (520) 628-6504, or outside the Phoenix and Tucson metro areas at 1(800) 352-8431. Bilingual consumer protection staff members are available to assist. Consumers can also file complaints online by visiting the Attorney General’s website.
View a copy of the Consent Judgment.
(Cars involved in settlement are listed in Exhibit A)