[bbf2530]

Re: Official Gas Mileage Therad

Hi everyone! :wavey: I have a 2007 MKZ (FWD). My wife and I came home last night, and as the car sits in the driveway today, there are 1111.1 miles on it. We are averaging 21 MPG, with a driving mix skewed towards short trips/stop and go traffic.
I'm a happy man! :banana:

 

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[quote author=urnews link=topic=66304.msg1564994#msg1564994 date=1184711717]

I had a relapse.
[/quote]

Hi Boz! :wavey: Great reply! :lmao: Not only have you had a relapse, I think you are doing a "Ferris Beuller". Your actual odometer reading seems to either be standing still, or going backwards.

It seems like you've been on 3,700 miles for about 2 months now! Perhaps your mileage is bad because you and your lovely wife just sit in the driveway with the engine running?

Only kidding Boz. Hope that mileage comes up soon! Good luck! :cheers:

 

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[quote author=parrishca link=topic=66304.msg2874721#msg2874721 date=1232386095]
I'm totally not good with cars, and i was wondering if gas mileage usually gets better as you get more miles on your car?

Winter really affects gas mileage also? That could explain why mine keeps getting lower!
[/quote]

Hi parrishca. :wavey: Since you are wondering about various things that can affect fuel mileage, here is some additional information that has been posted here in the past:

In the list below, keep in mind that you can personally help yourself by adjusting how you do things, as explained in #'s 4,5,6,7,8,9 and 10:

1 - Your mileage may improve up to and over a 5,000 miles break-in period.
2 - Most areas of the country have now switched over to "winter fuel formulations" (oxygenated), which give lower MPG's.
3 - If you are in an area where the ambient temperatures are cold, that will adversely affect your MPG. Longer idle times to warm up. Richer fuel mixtures, etc.
4 - If you have the ATC (Automatic Temperature Control) HVAC system, do you normally drive with your HVAC controls set to "AUTO"? If you do, it is the equivalent of driving with your Air Conditioning on all of the time. It uses more gas and lowers your MPG's. Turn off the "AUTO" setting when not needed, and just use the heat/vent settings with the fan.
5 - The same goes for the front windshield defroster. If you drive around with it always on, the A/C compressor is always on and you use more gas. Turn it off unless needed.
6- Have you checked your tire pressure lately? If you have not, you should. For every 10F degree drop in ambient air temperature, your tires will lose 1-2 pounds of air pressure. For example: If your tires were last checked in September, and the temperature was 80F, and the temperature where you are now is 30F, your tires will have lost 5-10 PSI. And that 5-10 PSI loss does not even include the regular losses you can expect over time. Low tire pressure will decrease fuel mileage (and can be dangerous). If you do not already have one, purchase a good tire pressure gauge and inflate your tires to the cold pressure recommendation for your vehicle (about 34-35 PSI I believe) if not a pound or two higher. The Ford recommended pressure is on a sticker on the drivers side door jamb.
7 - Do not rely on the TPMS system (Tire Pressure Monitor System) to keep an eye on your tire pressures for you. It is not much more than a glorified "idiot light". By the time the TPMS warning light illuminates, your tire pressure is already dangerously low. In fact, the system does not even illuminate the warning light until you pressure is 25% below the recommended tire pressure (from the door jamb sticker). That is already dangerously low.
8 - Alter your driving style to maximize MPG. Minimize idle time. Avoid jackrabbit starts and stops. Coast to stop signs and lights. Don't use the gas pedal/brake pedal as on-off buttons (I am not implying that you do, just making recommendations).
9 - Minimize the number of times you use the Remote Starter.
10 - When you do use the remote starter, try to minimize the amount of time you leave the car idling before you get in and drive away. Don't wait the full 10 minutes. There are not many more inefficient things than having your car sit still with no one in it, while it's idling and burning gas. To explain it in simplified terms, you are getting 0 MPG for 10 minutes. You will now need to get 20 mpg for the next 10 minutes of driving just to raise your MPG average up to 10 mpg for that amount of idling and driving time. Again, this is a simplified explanation, and the math is not exact in all situations, but it is close enough to make the point clear.
11 - Perform all scheduled maintenance on time: Oil changes, all filters (oil, air etc.), tire rotations, tune-ups etc. If you take care of your car, your car will take care of you. Follow the Official Maintenance Schedule Booklet which Ford supplies when you purchase a new car, not the one the Dealer tries to pass off as official.

These are just a few of the many things we can all do to try and help our MPG's. Looked at one at a time, they do not seem like much. But when added together, they make a significant impact on our gas mileage.

Hope this information helps.

Good luck. :cheers:

 

[bbf2530]

Hi guys. :wavey: Something that is very important when trying to compare MPG's (but I have never seen anyone actually ask for it) is the Average MPH (Miles per Hour) reading during the same period that MPG's are being recorded.

On my MKZ, in addition to the MPG and other readings, there is also an "Average MPH" readout. This tells you the actual average speed driven during any given time period.

The reason I mention this is many people actually think they are driving mostly Highway miles (and speed) when they are not. The Average Speed driven has a direct correlation to how good or bad fuel mileage (MPG) is.

To give you an idea, I have not reset my "Average MPG" and "Average MPH" readings since I purchased my car in 11/06. My "Average MPG" (fuel mileage) reading is currently 22.3 MPG. And my "Average MPH" (speed) reading is 28 MPH.

Now, if I had to guess, I would say that I drive 65%-70% highway miles. But, since my "Average MPH" (speed) readout currently sits at 28 MPH, it is obvious that my average speed is quite a bit below highway speeds. So while I may think the majority of my miles driven are highway, it is not so as far as my cars average speed while running for the last ~3 years.

This is why I would ask those who have lower than expected fuel mileage to actually look at the "Average MPH" readout in the Information Center (if their car has one). I would be willing to bet that it is quite a bit lower than you would expect. Perhaps even in the in the low 20's.

Of course, I realize that not everyone has the Information Center with the "Average MPH" readout. But for those who do, it is an important bit of information to include.

That would be one answer as to why fuel mileage may be lower than expected for some drivers.

I hope that I explained this in a manner that is not too confusing. If it is confusing, let me know and I will try to explain in a clearer manner.

Good luck. :cheers:


PS - FYI: Since I do not reset the "Average MPG' readout, I also keep a log of every fill up, with gallons filled and miles driven on each tankful. In this way, I know exactly how many MPG's I have received for every tank of gas since my car was new. Takes ten seconds to fill in the blanks while the car is filling up. :wiggle:

 

[bbf2530]

Hi guys. :wavey: Just wanted to add a bit of new information to my previous post (Reply #406). It emphasizes the importance and correlation of average speed and MPG.

My wife and I took our longest drive to date in the MKZ this weekend. ~400 miles round trip to Maryland and back. When we left, the odometer read 16,670 miles. The Information Center "Average MPG" readout was 22.2 MPG (it had dropped .1 MPG since my previous post), and the "Average MPH" readout was 28 MPH. Again, as mentioned in my earlier post, these are the untouched averages since the day I purchased the car new in 11/06.

Upon our return yesterday, the "Average MPG" readout is now 23.3 MPG and the "Average MPH" readout is 30 MPH. Probably driving in the 70-75 MPH range for most of the trip.

So, even with over 17,000 miles on the car, just one ~400 mile trip at highway speed (with very little "city"/non-highway driving mixed in) raised my average MPG's over 1 MPG.

I only bring up this point to reinforce just how "average speed dependent" our MPG/fuel mileage really is. It takes very little city/stop-and-go driving to cause our fuel mileage to drop like a rock. And conversely, not much highway driving will quickly bring it up. But the MPG's are much more quickly affected (to the downside) by that city/stop-and-go driving than many people realize. In my case, only 400 miles of majority highway driving raised my average MPG's over 1 full MPG, even with 17,000 miles already on the car.

Just an FYI to help put a bit of context to the MPG discussions.

Hope my explanation is not too confusing.

Good luck. :cheers:

 

[bbf2530]

Hi John and roaf. :wavey: The "Average MPH" readout is part of the Message Center, and not all Fusion models have the Message Center.

So if your Fusion does not have the Message Center, it will not have the Average MPG or MPH readouts (among other features). If it has the Message Center, it will have those readouts.

That is why the Message Center is listed as an "If Equipped" feature in the Owners Manual.

Hope this information helps.

Good luck. :cheers:

 

[bbf2530]

[quote author=roaf85 link=topic=66304.msg3358777#msg3358777 date=1254938233]
[quote author=bbf2530 link=topic=66304.msg3358667#msg3358667 date=1254936197]
Hi John and roaf. :wavey: The "Average MPH" readout is part of the Message Center, and not all Fusion models have the Message Center.

So if your Fusion does not have the Message Center, it will not have the Average MPG or MPH readouts (among other features). If it has the Message Center, it will have those readouts.

That is why the Message Center is listed as an "If Equipped" feature in the Owners Manual.

Hope this information helps.

Good luck. :cheers:
[/quote]

That is weird. I thought most Fusions had the messaging center per FDA regulations on things like Tire Pressure monitor systems.

You are the expert on this stuff though. BBF by the way what dealership do you work at? Are you a salesman?
[/quote]

Hi roaf. :wavey: The Fusion/Milan and MKZ were not equipped with TPMS until the 2008 model year, so the 2006-2007 models do not have TPMS at all.

In 2006-2009 model Fusions, some lower entry models do not have a Message Center. I believe the 2010 models all have a Message Center (I have not checked the 2010 equipment lists, so someone please correct me if I am wrong).

Beginning in 2008 the TPMS system works as Seasonal just stated. If the car is not equipped with the Message Center, the vehicle simply has a TPMS warning light in the instrument cluster which will illuminate to warn of a flat tire or syste malfunction. There is no Federal Regulation stating that a car must have a Message Center. Only a TPMS system and warning light which meets the Federal regulations requiring TPMS.

Actually I am not a Ford or Dealership employee. I do not want anyone thinking I am something I am not. Also, I will never claim to be an "expert" on most things automotive. What I am good at is being able to research and understand expert information. So like most of us here, I am mostly just a fellow auto enthusiast. However, my Father did work for Ford. He was the N.Y. District Service Adviser for Autolite/Motorcraft in the late 60's through early 80's. It is from him I picked up my love of cars (and Fords). He is gone almost 20 years now, and I am not ashamed to say very missed.

Ironically, after all these years Ford still sends (addressed to my Father) a lot of technical material to our home. I enjoy reading, so it gives me a little bit of a heads-up on some things (a small part of the "research and understand expert information" part). So that, along with the fact that some of his co-workers I've met in the past still work for Ford, a lot of life experience (unfortunately I am not a kid anymore :eek4, a still somewhat functioning memory, etc etc...

Anyway, I digress. :blah:

Hope the Message Center information helped clear up any confusion.

Good luck. :cheers:


PS - By the way, the "FDA" is the Food and Drug Administration. I naturally assume you meant DOT or NHTSA. :wiggle:

 

[bbf2530]

Oooops! Accidental double post. :bash:

 

[bbf2530]

[quote author=rschildt link=topic=66304.msg3637571#msg3637571 date=1272487950]
In my 2010 Sport, I average 80+ miles /day, w/ 85% Freeway / Interstate (75+MPH) and 15% City / Suburban/ Rural roads (25-55 mph w/ Stops / traffic signals). Currently have 1,800+ miles on the car, and am getting 26.8 mpg according to the trip computer.

May try a tank of 93 octane next fill-up just to see what difference it makes.

Was only getting ~27-28 mpg in my 2002 Beetle, but the Fusion is a much nicer (ie comfortable) ride, especially on the freeway.
[/quote]

Hi rschildt. :wavey: As both Milan Premier and Seasonal Skier have already stated, you should not use premium fuel in our cars.

In fact, if you read your Owners Manual, you will see that Ford specifically tells us not to use premium fuel in our cars.

As Ford mentions, the use of premium fuel can actually cause problems, since the engine is neither designed nor is the PCM/ECM programmed for premium fuel. Bottom line is using premium can/will cause problems with the engine.

Again, you can check the Owners Manual for verification of this information.

And as Seasonal also mentioned, it can make a difference if you have an aftermarket tune to take advantage of a premium fuels ability to resist detonation, but that is a whole other story and comes with its own worries.

Hope this information helps.

Good luck. :cheers:

 

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[quote author=my3needsaname link=topic=66304.msg3729173#msg3729173 date=1279220076]
I'm just disappointed in the city driving mileage :/ and how do you guys get 20's in the city with your Sports? I've gotten low 17's at the best once. I've gotten as low as 12-13.
[/quote]

Hi my3needsaname. :wavey: There are far too many variables when computing fuel mileage.

No two people can compare mileage unless they are driving the exact same roads, at the exact same time, temperatures etc.. Therefore, "they" get 20's in the city with their Sports because their city driving is different than your (or my) city driving. Maybe they have less stop and go, or fewer traffic lights, or some of them don't use the A/C, or they drive in a more fuel economy minded manner, etc etc.

Additionally, people will say they get 22 mpg (or whatever) in the city because they reset their trip computer one time and got 22 mpg for three blocks (or whatever relatively short distance). But no one is going to get 20 or more mpg's in real, honest to goodness city driving. Stop and go, long periods of sitting stopped at traffic lights etc.. It is a similar situation to you stating that you got "as high as 32.8 average" on the highway. When you got that 32.8 average, it was over a short time span after you reset the mpg readout. In reality, no one will get 32.8 over a full tank of gas, even if it is all highway miles. For five or 10 minutes in ideal conditions? Heck, even more than 32.8 for a short period of time? Certainly yes. Even 99 mpg on a long, long downhill with no brake pedal. :shock: But not for an extended period of time over a tank of gas, and that is how fuel mileage should be properly calculated.

This is why the most accurate fuel mileage estimates are the EPA estimates for each vehicle (even though some people don't think so). The EPA tests are performed under strict controls and every car is tested the exact same way.

Hope this information helps.

Good luck. :cheers:

 

[bbf2530]

[quote author=Seasonalskier link=topic=66304.msg3729550#msg3729550 date=1279247389]
Not entirely true BBF, I have gotten over a 400 mile trip ~42 MPG's (didn't calculate it out yet), so it is possible. But it does depend on driving habits and sometimes modifications.
[/quote]

Hi Seasonal. :wavey: That is great news for you. However, you have a 2.3L, I-4 Fusion. If you reread what my3needsaname and I were discussing, you will see that we were dealing specifically with the 3.5L, V-6 Sport Fusion. No one is going to get 32 MPG (let alone ~42) over the course of a 400 mile trip in a 3.5L V-6 Fusion Sport.

Hope this clears up the confusion.

Good luck. :cheers:

 

[bbf2530]

[quote author=Seasonalskier link=topic=66304.msg3731294#msg3731294 date=1279421696]
Trust me I completely realize that 42 is WAY out of the picture for a V6 sport, I was just saying that it all depends on the individual car and some people can see way higher numbers than others just because its not the same car, my car destroys the 28 highway the the EPA estimated for my car on the freeway. (and that's an understatement too lol)
[/quote]

Hi Seasonal. :wavey: And for the question my3needsaname asked, even the 20's "is WAY out the picture" for honest to goodness city driving with a 3.5L V-6. I will put what I stated to my3needsaname in other terms. We will hear all kinds of mpg claims by those on the Internet. Some given with the best of intentions, some just wishful thinking, some due to poor calculations and some just outright fabricated (why? beats the heck out of me :bash. They all need to be taken with a grain of salt (about a 50 pound grain of salt), because everyone has their own "personal way" of calculating their figures.

However, my correct answer to the question that my3 asked (which you stated was "Not entirely true BBF"): No one driving a 3.5L Fusion Sport or MKZ will get "20's" in real honest to goodness city driving, nor will they get 32.8 mpg's over the course of even one full tank of gas, let alone in longer term driving. Neither engine efficiency variances nor driver variables will give those numbers. And if anyone swears they do (over long term driving, not short-term, reset the Message Center while they are moving situations), they fit into one of the above categories concerning Internet mpg claims. :eek4:

Sure, those numbers might be achievable on a test track, under tightly controlled conditions, like the public relations test run/stunt that Ford performed with the 2011 Mustang V-6, but not on the road. And I am a Ford fan (but also a realist), so I am not picking on Ford.

So he should not beat himself up (or his car) over the fact that his mileage is lower than what some people "say" they get in their own personal driving environments. It is well within the norm. And if he wants to improve his own personal mileage figures, we can give him plenty of helpful pointers. But he will still not see some of the numbers he hopes for.

This is not an opinion, this is automotive science. :cheers:

 

[bbf2530]

[quote author=Klitch link=topic=66304.msg3960376#msg3960376 date=1299875834]
Re-Visiting. Ethanol free gasoline and 65mph has brought me up to 25mpg from 23.5mpg on my daily commute.

What threads (I searched, I dont like this boards search feature yet, I dont want POSTS, I want threads) have shown any modifications that help the v6 mpg?
[/quote]

Hi Klitch. :wavey: In reality, the only "modification" that is proven to improve fuel mileage is altering driving habits to eliminate those driver and vehicle variables which can lead to poorer fuel mileage.

The auto manufacturers spend millions of dollars to extract every tenth of a mpg they can. There are no aftermarket modifications that are verified to improve on that.

Here are some recommendations that we have given in the past (copied and pasted):

"In the list below, keep in mind that you can personally help yourself by adjusting how you do things, as explained in #'s 4,5,6,7,8,9,10 and 11:

1 - Your mileage may improve up to and over a 5,000 miles break-in period (this will vary from driver to drive and car to car).
2 - Most areas of the country now have "winter fuel formulations" (oxygenated), which give lower MPG's.
3 - If you are in an area where the ambient temperatures are cold, that will adversely affect your MPG. Longer idle times to warm up. Richer fuel mixtures, etc.
4 - If you have the ATC (Automatic Temperature Control) HVAC system, do you normally drive with your HVAC controls set to "AUTO"? If you do, it is the equivalent of driving with your Air Conditioning on all of the time. It uses more gas and lowers your MPG's. Turn off the "AUTO" setting when not needed, and just use the heat/vent settings with the fan. If you have the manual A/C system, do not use the A/C settings unless completely necessary. Use the heat and vent systems to maintain comfort.
5 - The same goes for the front windshield defroster. If you drive around with it always on, the A/C compressor is always on and you use more gas. Turn it off unless needed.
6- Have you checked your tire pressure lately? If you have not, you should. For every 10F degree drop in ambient air temperature, your tires will lose 1-2 pounds of air pressure. For example: If your tires were last checked in September, and the temperature was 80F, and the temperature where you are now is 30F, your tires will have lost 5-10 PSI. And that 5-10 PSI loss does not even include the regular losses you can expect over time. Low tire pressure will decrease fuel mileage (and can be dangerous). If you do not already have one, purchase a good tire pressure gauge and inflate your tires to the cold pressure recommendation for your vehicle (about 34-35 PSI I believe) if not a pound or two higher. The Ford recommended pressure is on a sticker on the drivers side door jamb.
7 - I applicable: Do not rely on the TPMS system (Tire Pressure Monitor System) to keep an eye on your tire pressures for you. It is not much more than a glorified "idiot light". By the time the TPMS warning light illuminates, your tire pressure is already dangerously low. In fact, the system does not even illuminate the warning light until you pressure is 25% below the recommended tire pressure (from the door jamb sticker). That is already dangerously low.
8 - Alter your driving style to maximize MPG. Minimize idle time. Avoid jackrabbit starts and stops. Coast to stop signs and lights. Don't use the gas pedal/brake pedal as on-off buttons (I am not implying that you do, just making recommendations).
9 - If applicable: Minimize the number of times you use the Remote Starter.
10 - When you do use the remote starter, try to minimize the amount of time you leave the car idling before you get in and drive away. Don't wait the full 10 minutes. There are not many more inefficient things than having your car sit still with no one in it, while it's idling and burning gas. To explain it in simplified terms, you are getting 0 MPG for 10 minutes. You will now need to get 20 mpg for the next 10 minutes of driving just to raise your MPG average up to 10 mpg for that amount of idling and driving time. Again, this is a simplified explanation, and the math is not exact in all situations, but it is close enough to make the point clear.
11 - Perform all scheduled maintenance on time: Oil changes, all filters (oil, air etc.), tire rotations, tune-ups etc. If you take care of your car, your car will take care of you. Follow the Official Maintenance Schedule Booklet which Ford supplies when you purchase a new car, not the one the Dealer tries to pass off as official.
12 - If possible, use fuel that does not contain ethanol. The lower price (sometimes) of fuels containing ethanol rarely makes up for the loss in fuel mileage.

These are just a few of the many things we can all do to try and help our MPG's. Looked at one at a time, they do not seem like much. But when added together, they make a significant impact on our gas mileage."

Hope this helps.

Good luck. :cheers:

 

[bbf2530]

[quote author=obeetay link=topic=66304.msg3980902#msg3980902 date=1301643263]
2010 Fusion SE. 27k miles.

have owned the car for about a month. 4 or 5 tanks of gas, about 3k miles put on since purchased.

I'm really confused with my mpg: was getting super great mileage: 25 ish in city, 30 plus on highway. I would routinely set the cruise at 50 and cruise about 5 miles of my commute. the auto-sensor would display 42 mpg (avg) on those trips. real highway driving, i would avg 30-35 mpg depending on speed (75 or so).

Then! Had the oil changed at the dealer where I bought the car. mpgs down across the board. can't get higher than 25 on highway doing 75 mph. in town, 20-ish. When I do my cruise at 50, the autosensor will NOT go above 36.

tire pressure's the same. what happened to my mpgs??
[/quote]

Hi obeetay. :wavey: First, welcome to the FFC! We have a great community here with a lot of friendly and helpful members! :hug:

Next, check to be sure the oil was filled to the proper level (everyone should get in the habit of doing this immediately after they have their oil changed, even before driving off the lot).

Next, as Kenny (Seasonalskier) mentioned above, check to be sure the Dealers Service Department filled with the proper viscosity/grade oil. For our cars, that means a proper spec 5W-20. Any competent/reputable Ford/Lincoln Dealer should have filled with the proper spec 5W-20 automatically, but check your work Invoice. If the oil grade is not listed there, call the Service Department and ask. A "thicker" viscosity oil fill could adversely affect your fuel mileage (and engine/Warranty).

Next, if you want reliable fuel mileage figures, get used to calculating the figures yourself, by hand. That means dividing miles driven by gallons used. The trip computer ("autosensor") will only give a ballpark and everyone's accuracy/results vary, so the computers calculations should not be relied upon for completely accurate figures. In addition, according to how you are using it the trip computer, there are too many variables to even begin explaining why your figures could be off (either before, now or both).

Add to that the possibility/possibilities that you have been using the front defroster settings more often (activates the A/C compressor and can significantly affect mileage), or your driving environment may have changed in ways too small for you to notice, but more than large enough to critically affect mpg's etc., and the variables are endless.

Next, read the long post a few above yours which explains 12 things (among many others) you can do to improve your fuel mileage and implement the ones that may apply to you. Not all may apply and there are other things that can be done to improve fuel mileage, but they are a good place to start.

Also, you don't mention whether you have the 2.5L I-4 or the 3.0L V-6? Either way, even with the I-4, let's just say that a 42 mpg average, even on the highway, was a bit optimistic for a car of the Fusion's size and weight. Fuel mileage can only be accurately computed over a tankful of gas. You simply can't take what you get for a 5 mile stretch on a highway or in town and extrapolate that out to being your "average mpg's". Full tankfuls, then miles driven divided by fill-up gallons used is the only way to get accurate fuel mileage readings.

My opinion? Any actual or perceived change in fuel mileage after the oil change is most likely a coincidence. Any changes are more likely due to other factors/variables. But that is only an educated guess and could be incorrect.

Hope this information helps.

Good luck. :cheers:

 

[bbf2530]

[quote author=Mike 257 link=topic=66304.msg3982137#msg3982137 date=1301779622]
Another thing I have wondered about, I travel 30 miles a day round trip to an from work. Im in rush hour traffic both ways speeds range anyway from 40 MPH down to 3 MPH . I am on the highway but is this considered highway driving or city ? If Im getting 20 mpg with this type of driving will I get better when Im actually traveling on the highway with no traffic where I can maintain a constant speed ?
[/quote]

Hi Mike. :wavey: Hope this is not another April Fools joke. :lmao:

No, as far as fuel mileage conversations are concerned, that is not "Highway" driving. Loosely defined, "Highway" mileage is when you are driving at a steady speed (for one example at ~55 mph) with no stops and/or none to very little braking over an extended period of time and distance. In other words, it is defined by what the car is doing at the time, not the name of the road you are on (e.g. a "highway"). So driving in stop-and-go, bumper-to-bumper traffic at 0--40 mph is not "Highway" driving, just because you are on a "Highway".

And on the other side of the coin, driving in New York City (or any city) at (for example) 3 AM, at 30 mph, with absolutely no traffic and getting every green light for 20 miles is not considered "city driving" either.

So to try and answer your multiple questions:
1 - "Im in rush hour traffic both ways speeds range anyway from 40 MPH down to 3 MPH . I am on the highway but is this considered highway driving or city?" - Technically, it is neither. It will likely give you better than the E.P.A City estimates and worse than the E.P.A. Highway estimates. But it would all depend on too many variables to get into.
2 - "If Im getting 20 mpg with this type of driving will I get better when Im actually traveling on the highway with no traffic where I can maintain a constant speed?" - Yes, of course. Just for starters, look at it this way: Every time you hit your brakes in stop and go traffic (highway or city), you hurt MPG's. So the longer you can drive without hitting the brakes, the higher your mpg's will be. An overly simplified, but still somewhat fitting description.

When cars are tested for EPA mileage ratings, there is a very specific pre-set of guidelines that must be followed, speed up to XX mph, slow down, stop, speed up again, over and over, etc. etc. for a specific test period for city ratings. And Highway ratings also have their own set of specific guidelines which must be followed.

Essentially, the EPA ratings are to be used as an accurate tool for comparing the mileage of one car to another when purchasing. They are not to be used as an accurate guideline for what real-life mileage different drivers will get in the city or highway, since we all drive differently, on different roads under varying conditions of traffic, weather etc.. That is a point which seems to get lost on the vast majority of Americans (or Canadians etc.). :bash:

Hope this information helps. Of course, it is also a very simplified explanation, so feel free to ask questions.

Good luck. :cheers:

 

[bbf2530]

[quote author=Mike 257 link=topic=66304.msg3982363#msg3982363 date=1301806877]
bbf2530 after posting my question and re read it , I had hoped I didnt come off as to much of an idiot but I seriously didnt know if my morning commute would be considered highway driving .
Well then I guess Im not doing bad on gas mileage with 20mpg in my stop and go driving all week long. Im curious to see what my mileage will be with true highway driving.
[/quote]

Hi Mike. :wavey: Confusion about fuel mileage. calculating fuel mileage, the EPA ratings and how they relate to us etc. is very common, so don't feel bad.

Any honest question is a good question, so please don't take my reply the wrong way as I was only trying to joke around and answer at the same time. We all have to start off learning somewhere and having a great forum like the FFC is a wonderful place to start.

Hope some part of my reply was able to help. :hug:

Good luck. :cheers:

 

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[quote author=Yungstar link=topic=66304.msg4004330#msg4004330 date=1303783850]
First time posting my MPG. Have tracked every tank since delivery back in November of 09. Mainly do in-town. (5km or so each way (couple miles) as I park at a train station and commute to downtown Toronto. I've averaged a whopping 17mpg on average, sometimes as low as 13 if I never hit the highway. Only time I ever came near 20-21mpg is when 75% of the tank was used on the highway. I can count that on the one hand. I don't drive too spirited often. This IS normal right?
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Hi Yungstar. :wavey: Considering the information you have provided and the short commute that you describe (5 KM each way), yes, unfortunately that is probably "normal". With such a short drive (and the added mpg penalty of it being the AWD version), your car/engine/oil etc. does not even have enough time to reach proper operating temperatures before you are shutting it down at the train station or home.

EPA averages are calculated on properly warmed up cars running a strict predetermined driving course over a predetermined distance. When you throw in the variable of such a short drive that does not even let your engine/oil etc. warm-up to proper operating temperature, gas mileage will suffer tremendously.

In addition, let me add one fact that often gets lost in EPA figures and mpg discussions: As mentioned in the past (but it deserves repeating once in a while), the EPA test figures were actually not designed to tell you, I or anyone else what exact mileage we will get with a specific car, since we all have different driving styles, habits and environments. The EPA mileage figures were designed to enable/allow us to compare the mpg's of different car makes and models to another. While they can be used as a general guideline, they will never be accurate for the majority of drivers, unless we drive in the exact same manner as the EPA testing criteria dictates. And that is not likely.

In other words, very few people will actually drive or average the same as the EPA figures. Therefore, some people will get higher mpg's, some less. But when you compare the EPA figures on the stickers of various makes and models of cars, they will prove accurate in predicting if you will get higher mpg's in one car than another, since your driving style will affect both cars in the generally same manner.

Hope this is not too confusing.

Anyway, your perceived low mileage is completely normal for such a short drive time each day.

Good luck. :cheers:

 

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[quote author=ZenMasta link=topic=66304.msg4059021#msg4059021 date=1309205575]
I have an 11 SE 2.5 i4
I'm only on my 2nd tank of fuel. My first tank averaged about 26mpg (round trip to work is about 22 miles time on road each trip about 15-20 minutes while school is out).

I do remember a trip to the airport I took and the LCD screen said 29.9 so I was kind of stoked about that.

Can someone give me some tips? I can't seem to get 6 bars when I drive unless I'm coasting in neutral or going down hill.

There have been a few times I've been able to get 6 bars around 30mph and 1900 rpm (my estimate) and I think this got me 6 bars for a little bit. And I think similar RPM on cruise control at about 60mph and 68mph. But I can never get it to last very long so this makes me think my incline changed or something.

Anyone have some tips? I'm going to be driving from Santa Cruz California to Grants Pass Oregon this weekend (about 8-9 hours) so hoping to really push the economy on this trip.
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Hi ZenMasta. :wavey: If you don't want to reared the thread for all of the tips contained in it, try looking at Reply #490 on the previous page of this thread (page 17) for some general tips. Or Google "tips for maximum fuel mileage" and similar phrases for fuel saving tips. Keeping your speed at 60 or below will also help a lot.

Good luck. :cheers:

 

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[quote author=ZenMasta link=topic=66304.msg4059093#msg4059093 date=1309211050]
Yeah I read that topic and had actually been using those techniques now for about a year with my mustang.

You're right I definitely didn't read all 18 pages. But first glance didn't see anyone talking about fuel economy bars or driving patterns in order to consistently achieve 6 bars.

It would be nice if there was a fuel thread for the different engine sizes.
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Hi ZenMasta. :wavey: You are certainly welcome to start your own thread for whichever engine you have, but keep in mind that good driving and fuel-saving techniques are the same, no matter what size the engine is. Therefore, you will get the same advice as that which is already contained in the numerous other fuel saving threads here on the FFC. In the end, whether someone is trying to get the best mileage in a car with no mpg display or they are trying to "...consistently achieve 6 bars...", the answers, advice and recommendations are all the same.

Good luck. :cheers:

 

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About 230 miles on the odometer as of this morning. Got 20.4 mpg average with 95% of it being with me taking the streets to work. Used BP Regular octane.

I was honestly expecting to get more like 23 but coming from a Mustang that got 12-15 mpg, 20 is nice.

Hi jnicklo. A new car/engine which is not broken in yet. According to where you live, colder or frigid weather which will lower fuel mileage. Having the climate control set to "AUTO", "AC" or the front defroster all eventually use the AC compressor. All of these things are lowering your average mpg's. When your car is broken in and the weather is warmer, you should easily see 23 or above.

Good luck.