Official: What are your real world MPG Numbers
- Thread starter Sonic-Mike
- Start date
sx sonic
New member
58.xx. the DIC was actually quite close this time. My two previous best turned out to be ~6 mpg lower than what was displayed.
joe truck driver
New member
last tank only 47.7. rain on 3 of the legs and one day under 50. new tank starting well. 56.2 on gauge at the end of 2 legs. total 649 possible after 141 miles. should get 7th and 8th leg on this tank.
ungawd
New member
Your fillup on 5/22 was insane: 6.8 cents per mile.
Insanika
Super Moderator
I thought I'd brag a bit here.. LOL
I took my RS up Pikes Peak, filled up at the base of the mountain before I went up. The highway is 19 miles up, and of course back down. Went up and down no higher than 3rd gear, up was mostly 2nd with Kyrie sounding like she wanted third but rarely did she actually take it. We coasted most of the way down, 1,2,3 brake.. I'm sure that accounts for my MPG for the rest of the trip, but aside from the 38 miles on the mountain, the 55-60 mph roads to the interstate, the rest of it was balls-out 80 mph.
SO, highlights of this tank:
38 miles up/down mountain
stop and go traffic leaving the Springs
easy does it highway for a bit
balls out interstate for an hour or so
Not too shabby for not trying in an RS.
I took my RS up Pikes Peak, filled up at the base of the mountain before I went up. The highway is 19 miles up, and of course back down. Went up and down no higher than 3rd gear, up was mostly 2nd with Kyrie sounding like she wanted third but rarely did she actually take it. We coasted most of the way down, 1,2,3 brake.. I'm sure that accounts for my MPG for the rest of the trip, but aside from the 38 miles on the mountain, the 55-60 mph roads to the interstate, the rest of it was balls-out 80 mph.
SO, highlights of this tank:
38 miles up/down mountain
stop and go traffic leaving the Springs
easy does it highway for a bit
balls out interstate for an hour or so
Not too shabby for not trying in an RS.
Last edited:
joe truck driver
New member
man i should have bought friday. prices jumped 3.79 to 4.
15 .....arrrrggg still on track for leg 7 and 8 ...but did some extra city miles, mite be close.
15 .....arrrr
ggg still on track for leg 7 and 8 ...but did some extra city miles, mite be close.
joe truck driver
New member
quite happy myself...helps to have Kroger fuel points....... but good mileage......nothing to sneeze at.:banana:
donovan1983
New member
I hit 41.3MPG on a recent jaunt from Denver to Estes Park and back taking roads with lots of curves, about a 2500ft elevation change, and the AC used for about 1/3 of the time. A couple months ago I got 38.6MPG going from Denver to Glenwood Springs and back, which included defroster and AC usage and of course lots of mountain climbing (6000ft of elevation change). Not bad for an engine that is rated for 35MPG for 55MPH level highway cruising!
I have found that the 1.8L engine is very picky about gas. I've gotten the best combination of responsiveness and economy by using Conoco premium which is the most readily available "top tier" gas in my area. It really helps when I'm driving in the city and in traffic jams (which is a lot of the time) since it seems to burn less fuel at idle and the penalty for hitting the accelerator isn't as great as with cheaper gas. It's really a wash overall on cost per mile when it comes to using top tier premium versus cheap 85 octane so I figure I may as well use the good stuff and make my engine happier.
I have found that the 1.8L engine is very picky about gas. I've gotten the best combination of responsiveness and economy by using Conoco premium which is the most readily available "top tier" gas in my area. It really helps when I'm driving in the city and in traffic jams (which is a lot of the time) since it seems to burn less fuel at idle and the penalty for hitting the accelerator isn't as great as with cheaper gas. It's really a wash overall on cost per mile when it comes to using top tier premium versus cheap 85 octane so I figure I may as well use the good stuff and make my engine happier.
joe truck driver
New member
made leg 7 and 8. 51.66 mpg. had one leg under 50, got down to 47 deg and extra city miles took tole. 559.1 mile on tank and took 10.822 gals
RS Turbo
New member
Wow... I am IMPRESSED!!! Are you driving in areas that are really flat?
ScooterMcTavish
New member
Well I've had it.
Driving in 70* temps the other day, wind and rain, ridge riding, 100% highway, but driving an equal distance into and with the wind. Tank mileage? Under 30. And I live in one of the flattest parts of North America!
Now I've got the car up to 10K Km, drive like an old lady, go 60 on the highway, drive very little city (just a few slow downs on the way to work, no stops), and have an average MPG of under 30. 28.7 to be precise based on Fuelly, after tracking over 6,000 mi. The only time I can get above 30 is by having a strong tailwind, or tailgating a semi. Air has been used very sparingly, defrost has been used very sparingly, and windows are kept closed.
I got better mileage bombing around at 70 MPH in a 95 Neon with a 3 speed auto and a 2L engine. The fuel economy is certainly not as advertised, and also not as claimed by the EPA.
Don't worry, your mileage will get better with summer gas! Also, as the motor breaks in, you'll get better mileage!
Bullpatties.
Best tank - 33.8 with changing winds that gave me tailwinds both to and from work two days on the one tank.
$0.161/mile average gas cost.
And although I put 15-20% city in my Fuelly, it's pretty much 100% highway. 1 Mi to get out of town, and 1 mi of slow down areas on the way to work.
Test driving a Fiesta at lunch today. If it works, my wife gets the Sonic as she puts on way less miles than I do.
Driving in 70* temps the other day, wind and rain, ridge riding, 100% highway, but driving an equal distance into and with the wind. Tank mileage? Under 30. And I live in one of the flattest parts of North America!
Now I've got the car up to 10K Km, drive like an old lady, go 60 on the highway, drive very little city (just a few slow downs on the way to work, no stops), and have an average MPG of under 30. 28.7 to be precise based on Fuelly, after tracking over 6,000 mi. The only time I can get above 30 is by having a strong tailwind, or tailgating a semi. Air has been used very sparingly, defrost has been used very sparingly, and windows are kept closed.
I got better mileage bombing around at 70 MPH in a 95 Neon with a 3 speed auto and a 2L engine. The fuel economy is certainly not as advertised, and also not as claimed by the EPA.
Don't worry, your mileage will get better with summer gas! Also, as the motor breaks in, you'll get better mileage!
Bullpatties.
Best tank - 33.8 with changing winds that gave me tailwinds both to and from work two days on the one tank.
$0.161/mile average gas cost.
And although I put 15-20% city in my Fuelly, it's pretty much 100% highway. 1 Mi to get out of town, and 1 mi of slow down areas on the way to work.
Test driving a Fiesta at lunch today. If it works, my wife gets the Sonic as she puts on way less miles than I do.
ScooterMcTavish
New member
And took the Fiesta through a regular daily cycle for me.
Drove from work to home in warmer later day temps (~74*) with a small headwind.
Ran a few miles around in town.
Drove from home back to work in cooler temps (~58*) with a cross-headwind (wind from SW, I drive 27mi W and 9mi S to get to work).
Final MPG, 42 MPG, or almost 13 MPG more than I average in my Sonic.
And this makes sense (+4 MPG from EPA highway numbers) as I'm doing slow acceleration, coast downs, and keeping the needle at 100kph. Yet I drive the Sonic the same way, and get -5 MPG from EPA numbers. Wow.
Deal is signed, and my wife is getting the Sonic. Cannot say how disappointed I continue to be with its gas mileage.
Drove from work to home in warmer later day temps (~74*) with a small headwind.
Ran a few miles around in town.
Drove from home back to work in cooler temps (~58*) with a cross-headwind (wind from SW, I drive 27mi W and 9mi S to get to work).
Final MPG, 42 MPG, or almost 13 MPG more than I average in my Sonic.
And this makes sense (+4 MPG from EPA highway numbers) as I'm doing slow acceleration, coast downs, and keeping the needle at 100kph. Yet I drive the Sonic the same way, and get -5 MPG from EPA numbers. Wow.
Deal is signed, and my wife is getting the Sonic. Cannot say how disappointed I continue to be with its gas mileage.
ScooterMcTavish
New member
Thanks SX - it is going in for a "car spa day" at the local GM Dealer on Saturday. I've already let them know about my mileage concerns, and we'll see if there is anything they can do.
I guess most disappointing is I do really like the car, but the main purpose of buying it was as a gas-sipping commuter car. Oh well, even if the MPG doesn't improve, it's still better than what my wife is driving.
I guess most disappointing is I do really like the car, but the main purpose of buying it was as a gas-sipping commuter car. Oh well, even if the MPG doesn't improve, it's still better than what my wife is driving.
13TurboLTZ
New member
At 300 miles using the DIC I've been getting anywhere from 28-33 average and I haven't really had it on the highway yet.
I haven't filled up and divided yet so we can call that estimated.
I haven't filled up and divided yet so we can call that estimated.
ScooterMcTavish
New member
Well, nothing from the dealer - also forgot to mention I'm running 45 psi in the tires.
With a firm tailwind coming home on the highway yesterday, 32mpg. Sigh.
With a firm tailwind coming home on the highway yesterday, 32mpg. Sigh.