Incredible Gas Mileage

[RoGuE]

I recently went on a trip that involved driving from north of Atlanta to Birmingham, AL (85 to 75 to I-20). On the way there I averaged 34mpg and on the way back I got 36 mpg (and on the way back I hit Atlanta traffic at 5:30pm). My speeds consisted of 55-70. A lot of cruise control. Most of the 55 was on bad road surfaces too, all torn up from construction.

I was just astounded at the gas mileage I got from a 3300 pound car with no fancy engine stuff meant to cut down on gas. The original EPA figure was 34mpg highway and after the revision I think that makes it 30 or 31? Still impressive either way.

Anyone else have any instances of getting much high than expected gas mileage?

 

[Pop_Rivit]

I almost always exceed the "EPA" estimates with my vehicles. Most of my driving is at 55 MPH and I conservatively use both the throttle and brakes. At times under near perfect conditions I've had tanks that have been in the upper 30's with my Elantra. 32-34 is my average.

 

[R2d2]

Yes on a trip I take about once a month, I get 33-34 mpg on my V6 Accord. Its rated at 30 highway, I attribute this to the fact the highway on this trip is a pretty straight, few curves or hills.

 

[supton]

Drive just fast enough so that you don't have to leave top gear for any hill; coast to stops (in gear); avoid jackrabbit starts (but use enough throttle so as to minimize time spent in lower gears--but avoid high engine rpm's). Avoid stop and go driving: on one's commute, if possible, replace any left hand turns where you have to stop and/or wait with right hand turns where you merely have to slow down.

I've found it easy to beat pre-'08 highway mpg, but 90% of my commute is 60mph or better. I'm sure if I had more city driving to do I'd be much closer to city mpg estimates though.

Right now I drive my TDi at about 60-65mph, and am getting 51mpg. The estimate was something like 39(?)/47 back in '04, not sure what it'd be in post-'08. Wifey does lots of rural driving in the Camry, and often gets 32mpg (I get 27-28 with albeit faster highway speeds).

 

[Hokiefyd]

Originally Posted By: RoGuE
I was just astounded at the gas mileage I got from a 3300 pound car with no fancy engine stuff meant to cut down on gas. The original EPA figure was 34mpg highway and after the revision I think that makes it 30 or 31? Still impressive either way.

Anyone else have any instances of getting much high than expected gas mileage?


Just like you got, I usually find it easy to meet or exceed the "old" EPA estimates.

Our Honda's old EPA numbers are 22/24/28 and my lifetime average is about 25. On a highway ride, we'll get beween 28 and 30. The new EPA numbers for it are 20/22/26. For perspective, my worst tank in it isn't as low as the new EPA combined number. It also takes me 30 minutes to drive 15 miles (on my commute), so my average speed is 30 mph.

Our Acura's old EPA numbers are 17/19/23 and our lifetime average is about 19. 24 or 25 is easily achievable on the open road on a trip. The new numbers are 15/17/21, and our lowest tank ever, is about what the new city estimate is.

I will admit, however, that where you live and the terrain makes a noteworthy difference. When we moved to North Carolina from southwest Virginia, where the roads are straight and wide instead of crooked and narrow, our fuel economy shot up about 15% in the cars we had at the time.

 

[needsducktape]

34.2 MPG in mt 2003 SAAB turbo (2.3 ecotec motor) from upstate NY to Pittsburgh PA.

Its the larger 9-5 model and it amazed me given size of the car.

Seeing how I take that route every few months, I use that 300mile stretch of road (79 PA to 90, NY thruway) as my proving grounds for whatever car I happen to be driving.

 

[95busa]

Some ratings were easy to beat. My 05 Suzuki beat EPA ratings regularly. My 03 Dodge Ram never got 20MPG despite driving straight interstate with cruise at 55.

 

[jrenkas]

I routinely average 36-37 with my 2006 G6. It's a 3.5L auto.

 

[CharBaby]

Of all of the cars that I have owned, I had a Honda Accord that kicked butt compared the the EPA ratings. The others were OK! And I drove this one car like I stol'it! Maybe that the answer?

Today, I do notice that when I drive a little more aggressivly(not like an idiot) than my normal style, my MPG is often every bit as good or even better than my normal driving. It's the speeding tickets that I'm concerned about.

The cost of a ticket today in NYS is tons of money, not just the $50-$100 fine that it used to be. Man, people I talk to lately are paying $400-$600 per violation. Talk about poor fuel economy!

I haven't had a car since that Accord that did so! Most of my vehicles at least meet the EPA on their best day but, most of the time they're average.

We do have one car in the family(daughters mazda3) that kicks butt compared to the EPA MPG rating regardless of how it's driven. I don't mean; driven like an idiot! Just the difference between driving normaly or driving aggressively(in a hurry or had too much coffee!)

 

[Schmoe]

OK, I'm NOT losing my mind. I recently went on a trip with my V6 Accord, Oklahoma to Tennessee, and took precise pump and mileage readings to see what kind of mileage I'd get, I come up with 33 mpg the whole trip. I thought I was nuts, but R2D2 confirmed I'm not and it's possible to get the kind of mileage out of an Accord V6, with the AC on and cruising at least 75-80 the whole way. Cool. Settles this debat with myself.....taking the family to Hilton Head come June. Want to take the truck, but 13 mpg vs. 33 mpg.....well, it'a a no brainer with fuel being 3.50 and up. Would love to have the extra room and security, but saving 500 dollars is a no brainer on a 3000 mile trip.

 

[crw]

I was recently reading an article that said that mid-size sedans can get better mileage than their pint-sized counterparts. That is, your Malibu or Accord can do better at cruising speeds than an Aveo or Fit. The reason has to do with aerodynamics at those speeds.

Maybe this deserves more thought, and another thread. But it came to mind with this discussion. I think there is a "sweet spot" for aerodynamics, and the mid-size sedan seems to be in it.

 

[Smokescreen]

Driven conservatively, almost any automobile can meet or exceed even the new EPA ratings. I have done it in every car I have driven.

Most of the time in the Suburban I can match ratings for a 2000 Chevy Astro 4.3L V6 AWD.

..for the Corolla...well I am well past Yaris/Fit Territory and regularly match the New Fiesta SFE. I have had a few ideal tanks where I have beat Prius EPA by 3-4 mpg.

 

[mpvue]

I had an '02 saturn L200 (ecotec, 5 speed) that got better than 34mph hwy, better than 450mi on a tank.
best I ever had though was a pair of mid '80's GTI's; either one would get around 40hwy. great cars, I miss them.

 

[surfstar]

'old' EPA ratings were 26/34 for my '93 Mazda MX6 - one Vegas trip that had hwy driving 75-85 mph, a few slow spots of traffic and A/C use for a good bit - pulled 36 and 37 mpg for each way (two tanks). I can hit 34-35 with pure hwy easily, but that high with those speeds and A/C was a big surprise.

 

[morris]

air temp? altitude?

 

[cutter]

I was running late leaving Philadelphia PA to Atlantic City NJ. It's about 65 miles one way, so on the way to AC, I was doing 90+ touching 100 at times. Drove another 20 miles around AC (40-50mph, easy) while there and drove 50 miles back (65mph, easy on right lane) to refill in Cherry Hill NJ with cheaper gas before going home. With 01 celica gt, got 35.8 mpg. Was surprised at that myself considering the first leg of the trip.

Did have 4oz mmo in...

 

[sciphi]

Originally Posted By: crw
I was recently reading an article that said that mid-size sedans can get better mileage than their pint-sized counterparts. That is, your Malibu or Accord can do better at cruising speeds than an Aveo or Fit. The reason has to do with aerodynamics at those speeds.

Maybe this deserves more thought, and another thread. But it came to mind with this discussion. I think there is a "sweet spot" for aerodynamics, and the mid-size sedan seems to be in it.


That needs no proving to me. My Cruze will typically whip the Fit silly in highway fuel economy. Although the last highway trip we did in the Fit it got 47 mpg thanks to a 30 mph tailwind. More typically it does 36-40 mpg on the same routes the Cruze will get 47-55 mpg on.

 

[Jarlaxle]

My first Caprice wagon (1995, LT1 350, 17/24) would top 25MPG on a highway trip. It might have managed 27-28 if I didn't run 75-80MPH on the highway. Liz's Geo Metro easily beats the EPA numbers...she is averaging about 53!

 

[L_Sludger]

Originally Posted By: RoGuE
Anyone else have any instances of getting much high than expected gas mileage?
I challenge anyone here to beat my story.
Recently on a trip from San Diego to north LA and back, 250 mile round trip through morning and then evening traffic during a Friday, I got 85mpg going and 82mpg coming back in my little $2800 Honda Insight with almost 300,000 miles and a bad main battery.

 

[L_Sludger]

Originally Posted By: sciphi
Originally Posted By: crw
I was recently reading an article that said that mid-size sedans can get better mileage than their pint-sized counterparts. That is, your Malibu or Accord can do better at cruising speeds than an Aveo or Fit. The reason has to do with aerodynamics at those speeds.

Maybe this deserves more thought, and another thread. But it came to mind with this discussion. I think there is a "sweet spot" for aerodynamics, and the mid-size sedan seems to be in it.


That needs no proving to me. My Cruze will typically whip the Fit silly in highway fuel economy. Although the last highway trip we did in the Fit it got 47 mpg thanks to a 30 mph tailwind. More typically it does 36-40 mpg on the same routes the Cruze will get 47-55 mpg on.
nice MPG there with the Cruze. Definitely a car for me to keep an eye on in the future.