[urnews]

Looking for anyone who has any V6 automatic with AWD. For the first 420 miles we are only averaging 15.2 mpg. EPA estimate is 19, with a range of 16-22 mpg. Curious as to how other owners with a V6 and AWD are making out. Have read where the car needs about 3,000 miles for top performance and mileage. I think 15 is outrageous. Feedback would be greatly appreciated. Boz

An update, as of Jan. 2. Two tank top offs later and the mileage dropped to 13.8 and 13.2. I am going to let this next fill-up go down to less than a quarter tank and see what that yields, mileage-wise. This is a disturbing turn of events.

Jan. 18 fill-up: 197.9 miles; 13.842 gallons. Long division result: 14.3 mpg; on-board computer: 15.5 mpg (1.2 mpg optimistic). Total miles 911.9. Still very dissatisfied. All city, stop and go, driving. Flat terrain, moderate temperatures, very conservative, gentle drivers. Something has got to be "wrong." Dealer has agreed to "put it on the computer" at 1,500 miles. Time will tell.

Feb. 3 fill-up: Mixed bag results obtained on a Friday-Saturday highway trip. Computer indicated 26.5 miles per gallon for the 265 miles of highway travel at 65-80 mph which is fine since the EPA highway estimate for a V6 SEL AWD is 26 mpg. Computer indicated 24.2 mpg for 93 miles following fill-up, which is still reasonable.

However, this tankful (Jan. 28-Feb. 3) also included 46.2 miles of stop-and-go city driving prior to the weekend trip. This was only 14.8 percent of the total. The long division method (14.156 gallons used divided into 311.2 total miles driven) yielded an overall result of 21.98 mpg.

Translation and conclusion: The really wretched in-city mileage, 13-15 mpg, is apparently still with us after 1,596 miles. Car goes into the dealer Wednesday to be put on the computer. Perhaps it is still going through its break-in phase.

Still hoping to hear mileage reports from people who have the V6 auto AWD combination. Boz

 

[chris06fusion]

Wow, there is a big MPG difference between awd and fwd. I am getting about 22-23 around town. I have seen 28 on the highway with my V6 FWD.

 

[urnews]

[quote author=Chris06Fusion link=topic=65219.msg1118573#msg1118573 date=1166908888]
Wow, there is a big MPG difference between awd and fwd. I am getting about 22-23 around town. I have seen 28 on the highway with my V6 FWD.
[/quote]

That makes me madder than I already was. I am thinking I made a stupid decision with the AWD thing, both in terms of the initial cost and the horrible gas mileage.

BTW, how can I post a reply without the quote? I only see "Reply" at the very bottom of each Web page, not on the individual messages.

Chris, at least you can say "Good color choice," since it the same as yours.

Compared to our 2000 Focus station wagon the '07 Fusion is a luxury car but I swear our old '97 V6 Thunderbird gets better mileage than the Fusion. Does anybody know was size the V6 was (is) in a '97 T-Bird? It looks a lot different than the V6 in the Fusion. I believe the I4 is a Mazda but is the Fusion V6 also a Mazda or is it a Ford engine? Pardon my ignorance. It's been a long time since I paid any attention to drive trains. I am learning a lot on this Web site. Maybe too much. :x

Boz

 

[czwalga00gt]

Man, we're considering buying an awd SEL... that gas mileage is terrible. My supercharged mustang even gets 27mpg on the highway... I was expecting over 30+ out of the fusion; something i forgot to take into take into consideration.


It also depends how you drive it.

 

[NaplesBill]

I would complain to the dealer.

 

[cos]

You didn't tell us how your drive! Are you a leadfoot? If you read the long term car tests in the car rags (C&D, MT etc) you'll find that mid-size 6 cyl cars only get a "real world" 17-23 city MPG. Those of us who get very good MPG drive easy - as if there is an egg under the gas pedal. You really only have to look at at a car's curb weight and engine size to figure out it's city MPG. Now your just breaking in the engine so I wouldn't worry about MPG yet. Also, try 38 PSI in your tires. You can also change the oil (no need for the filter this soon) to get those break-in particles out of the engine. My 4 cyl Fusion averages 8) 28.5 MPG. My previous car, a manual trans '99 Escort knocked down 31.5 MPG (driving the same roads and speed) - exactly what I would expect. Yes, the 4 cyl is a Mazda engine and the V6 is a Ford engine in widespread use with a "bullet proof" reputation.

 

[urnews]

Cos,
Your reply is appreciated. No, we have not been flogging this thing. Only 420 miles. Not even interested in seeing what the top end is. Have had it to 80 mpg (feels like 60) and that's about it. There is a big difference between 15 mpg and 19 mpg when juice is $2.19 per gallon and likely to go up in short order.

Any guess on what size engine the V6 in a 1997 Thunderbird is? I am just curious. It is pure stock, has about 85,000 good miles on it and is used as our backup car. Damn. I just checked the Fusion again and the mpg was down to 13.6. Putting that onboard computer in this thing was probably the worse thing Ford has done. Too much information is a dangerous thing.

Boz

 

[chris06fusion]

[quote author=urnews link=topic=65219.msg1118814#msg1118814 date=1166927692]
Cos,
Your reply is appreciated. No, we have not been flogging this thing. Only 420 miles. Not even interested in seeing what the top end is. Have had it to 80 mpg (feels like 60) and that's about it. There is a big difference between 15 mpg and 19 mpg when juice is $2.19 per gallon and likely to go up in short order.

Any guess on what size engine the V6 in a 1997 Thunderbird is? I am just curious. It is pure stock, has about 85,000 good miles on it and is used as our backup car. Damn. I just checked the Fusion again and the mpg was down to 13.6. Putting that onboard computer in this thing was probably the worse thing Ford has done. Too much information is a dangerous thing.

Boz
[/quote]

I also have a t-bird. Its a 3.8 ltr. Mine gets probably around 15-20 mpg

 

[otaku]

I have an oxford white AWD SEL also. I've never seen over 16mpg but it only has a few hundred miles like you so I'm hoping it will get better. AWD tends to hamper mpg quite a bit for any car. I might bring it up with the dealer when I go to have my weatherstripping fixed

 

[cos]

otaku,
"weatherstripping fixed" - does it sit low at the top of the front doors near the pillar that separates the front and rear doors? I had to have mine fixed too. It took the service manager 5 mins after I showed it to 'em.

 

[urnews]

[quote author=otaku link=topic=65219.msg1119678#msg1119678 date=1167024162]
I have an oxford white AWD SEL also. I've never seen over 16mpg but it only has a few hundred miles like you so I'm hoping it will get better. AWD tends to hamper mpg quite a bit for any car. I might bring it up with the dealer when I go to have my weatherstripping fixed
[/quote]
otaku,

Please do me a favor and keep the forum updated on the mileage situation as time progresses. I don't want to be a whiner but the mileage (13) we are getting in the early going, first 500 miles, is totally unacceptable. I am willing to settle for the EPA estimate, 19. If anything, we are babying this baby. I am interested in knowing how other AWD owners are making out. Maybe I should start a club, or forum.

Boz, in Salisbury, MD

 

[bbf2530]

Hi Boz. I have a quick question, and please forgive me if you already knew this info. Are you driving with the front defroster setting on, or with the HVAC set on "Auto"? Either of these settings can be considered the equivalent of having your A/C on. Your A/C system will be constantly cycling on and will adversely effect your gas mileage. Combined with AWD and the fact that your car is not broken in yet, you will see lower mileage at this point. Also, it wouldn't hurt to bring your concerns to the attention of the Service Department of your dealership.
Just a few other points: 1) You cannot rely on the trip computer for true mileage. You must do it the old fashioned way, by filling up, driving for three quarters of a tank or so, filling up again and dividing the miles driven by the gallons filled. You must do this for at least several tank fulls to get an accurate reading. 2) I would also take anybody's (including mine ) fuel mileage claims with a grain of salt. Also, what many people consider "City" driving, is in no way as stop and go as true city driving. Again, not to be repetitive, but some of the mileage claims I see (not only here, but even by friends or relatives) are really hard to believe :shock:.
Have a Merry Christmas Boz, and good luck!

 

[cos]

Agreed! I will also add that the reason I get 28.5 is because 95% of my driving is hwy (70-80 MPH).

 

[urnews]

[quote author=bbf2530 link=topic=65219.msg1119904#msg1119904 date=1167067902]
Hi Boz. I have a quick question, and please forgive me if you already knew this info. Are you driving with the front defroster setting on, or with the HVAC set on "Auto"? Either of these settings can be considered the equivalent of having your A/C on. Your A/C system will be constantly cycling on and will adversely effect your gas mileage. Combined with AWD and the fact that your car is not broken in yet, you will see lower mileage at this point. Also, it wouldn't hurt to bring your concerns to the attention of the Service Department of your dealership.
Just a few other points: 1) You cannot rely on the trip computer for true mileage. You must do it the old fashioned way, by filling up, driving for three quarters of a tank or so, filling up again and dividing the miles driven by the gallons filled. You must do this for at least several tank fulls to get an accurate reading. 2) I would also take anybody's (including mine ) fuel mileage claims with a grain of salt. Also, what many people consider "City" driving, is in no way as stop and go as true city driving. Again, not to be repetitive, but some of the mileage claims I see (not only here, but even by friends or relatives) are really hard to believe :shock:.
Have a Merry Christmas Boz, and good luck!
[/quote]
bbf2530

Thank you for the thoughtful reply and Merry Christmas to you and yours. Perhaps your new Lincoln was, like our Fusion, our "really big" Christmas present to each other this year.

Yes, we have been tooling around town with the HVAC set in the "auto" position. I really hadn't given much thought to that aspect of the mileage puzzle. I did know about the only true way to calculate the mileage but haven't done it that way as yet. Instead, I've been relying on the onboard computer, which I realize is just an estimate, but probably accurate to within 1 mpg.

I'm going to give the car a fair chance but will also put the service department on notice that we're off to a not-so-good beginning. Heck even the EPA estimate is only that, an estimate, but I want the Fusion to get a lot closer to the EPA's 19 mpg than 13. I really thought the six-speed automatic was supposed to be a mileage booster over the four- and five-speed variations. At least that's what I remember reading.

Yeah, I, too, am leery of other people's high mileage claims. Several handfuls of salt are appropriate in many cases, including the EPA's figures, which are based on laboratory tests and not actual driving conditions of the average Joes and Janes.

Tire pressures are another factor and one forum member suggested bumping it up from the 33 psi recommended to 36 or 39. I am sure that would improve mileage somewhat but adversely affect ride, handling and tire tread wear.

Some people even swear by different brands of gasoline, claiming improved mileage or performance. Heck, even Ford now recommends BP (on the filler cap), but it's not available here on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. When it comes to gas, I have no loyalities, just buy it where it cheapest. (Cost per mile is another statistic to be considered.)

What I was hoping to find out from forum members was their mileage experiences with the AWD so far. If everyone is getting terrible mpg then our situation becomes more like a fact of life that you just have to accept. If a majority of forum members are, however, getting the EPA's 19, then obviously my friendly service department and its computer should be available to program our Fusion to do the same.

Sorry to have droned on and on about this but it is really bugging me. We love the car but I am not going to be stuck with a gas guzzler when there are plenty of good mileage cars on the market today.

Boz, aggravated in Salisbury, MD

 

[otaku]

I will keep everyone updated. Mine should go up quite alot come this fall when I start college (lots of freeway miles to be done everyday)

 

[urnews]

[quote author=otaku link=topic=65219.msg1120309#msg1120309 date=1167107461]
I will keep everyone updated. Mine should go up quite alot come this fall when I start college (lots of freeway miles to be done everyday)
[/quote]
otaku,
darned nice set of wheels for someone so young -- starting college. Enjoy!
Boz, aka U R NEWS

 

[mkaresh]

My site has a real-world fuel economy survey that is more detailed than most. There can be quite a bit of variance from owner to owner. Results for the Fusion here:

Ford Fusion fuel economy

The one response I have so far for an AWD Fusion is low, but it was for city driving.

 

[TheRussian]

not to ruin the surprise ... but it's a pretty known fact that AWD will get worse MPG than FWD or RWD ... but pretty much alot...
My friend has an Audi A4 Quattro 3.0.. it has a V6 3.0L engine with 30 valves (i think).. and with his AWD system he gets no better than 13.5MPG.. mind you he has a 6 speed manual trans...

Thats why the next best thing would be if the Fusion was RWD...:loco:

 

[urnews]

[quote author=TheRussian link=topic=65219.msg1162787#msg1162787 date=1169499059]
not to ruin the surprise ... but it's a pretty known fact that AWD will get worse MPG than FWD or RWD ... but pretty much alot...
My friend has an Audi A4 Quattro 3.0.. it has a V6 3.0L engine with 30 valves (i think).. and with his AWD system he gets no better than 13.5MPG.. mind you he has a 6 speed manual trans...

Thats why the next best thing would be if the Fusion was RWD...:loco:
[/quote]
In retrospect I think the V6, automatic transmission, AWD decisions were not good ones.

That being said, I still think the '07 Fusion should be a lot closer to the EPA's 19 city, 26 highway than the 13 and 14 mpg we are getting for the first 911 miles. Other Fusion AWD owners seem to be doing significantly better than 13-14.

We are very gentle drivers; the terrain is flat; the climate is temperate. I'm going to try brand gasolines, Shell and Texaco, to see if that makes any difference. I ordinarily just buy the cheapest, available at convenience stores.

 

[NaplesBill]

Boz,

I would try hammering it a little bit and see if that doesn't help clear things up! LOL