Suzuki Motor Corp shrugs off use of wrong methods to test fuel economy

Suzuki Motor Corporation on Tuesday shrugged of use of wrong methods to test fuel economy of its cars in Japan, saying there was no universal method of calculating mileage.

A fortnight after Suzuki Motor admitted using an improper method to test the fuel efficiency of its vehicles, its Chairman Osamu Suzuki said the methods of calculating mileage differ from country to country.

"The way of calculating mileage (varies) in different countries... so there is not really a universal method for all over the world," he told reporters after meeting Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in Tokyo.

On May 18, Suzuki Motor had stated that it had used the wrong methods to test the fuel economy of its cars in Japan but claimed that these didn't make the final results very different. Also, it did not affect cars sold by the company outside its home market.

The company had said it hasn't found a flaw affecting the fuel efficiency of Suzuki vehicles.

Its India unit, Maruti Suzuki had stated that the issue of using improper fuel economy and emission tests faced by parent Suzuki Motor Corporation in Japan will not have implications in India citing distinct testing regulations.

"The system of conducting vehicle mileage tests in India is distinct from the one in Japan. In India, all vehicles are tested for road load and emissions by government approved agencies like ARAI, ICAT and VRDE," a Maruti Suzuki India spokesperson had said in a statement.

There is no fixed test mandated for auto companies in India to test fuel economy or mileage. Disclosures on this count are voluntary in India, although it is usually certified by the government-run testing body Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI).

Suzuki Motor was the first automaker to come forward and admit potential wrongdoing after Japan's transport ministry asked companies to conduct internal investigations after Mitsubishi Motors overstated the ratings of four minicar models by as much as 10%.

It had stated that as many as 2.1 million vehicles in Japan were affected including models like Alto, Alto Lapin, Wagon R, Hustler, Spacia, Every, Carry, Jimny, Solio, Ignis, Baleno, S-Cross, Swift, Escudo 2.4, Escudo and Jimny Sierra.

While some of the models carry the same names as those sold in India, the technical specifications are usually different.