I think the car manufacturers are in for a rough ride over this, certainly appears to be misrepresentation. Probably going to run for a good few years yet.
“A misrepresentation is an untrue statement of fact made by one party to the other, which induces and misleads that party to enter into a contract. Misrepresentation must be of fact, not of opinion or intention. … If the statement is untrue, it will amount to a breach of contract.”