Official: What are your real world MPG Numbers

[Bogus]

Eric is jelouz of my 1.8

 

[Eric Smit]

Nah. ;P Not even a little.

 

[sx sonic]

Them are some nice numbers bogus!!!!!

 

[Bogus]

I'm so excite! lol

I want to figure out what's causing this.

 

[Johnny Alien]

Make sure to do a manual check on those numbers to make sure the dash number is accurate. Mine is within 1mpg of the actual numbers but many people here are off as much as 5-6mpg. If it is the same drive without changing any habits that seems a bit strange. If it turns out to be accurate that is very amazing.

 

[Bogus]

I've never manually checked MPG's. How do I do that?

 

[Chefnstrike]

I am at around 850 miles on my car 1.8 auto LT. The MPG is reading 23.4 ish and i am calculating it eAch time I fuel up I am getting around 15-18 something is up. Lowest speed 35 in city for about 10 min then between 55 and 70 for about 20 min. The MPG hasn't changed in days. Also the average speed is staying at around 20 sounds to me like an internal thing. Will the MPG base itself off average speed? Thanks

 

[Bogus]

I am at around 850 miles on my car 1.8 auto LT. The MPG is reading 23.4 ish and i am calculating it eAch time I fuel up I am getting around 15-18 something is up. Lowest speed 35 in city for about 10 min then between 55 and 70 for about 20 min. The MPG hasn't changed in days. Also the average speed is staying at around 20 sounds to me like an internal thing. Will the MPG base itself off average speed? Thanks

Have you reset them? When you twist the thing to select what you want to view, hold down the button on the end to reset whatever you are currently viewing.

 

[mitdr774]

How many miles do you go between fill ups?

15-18 wouldnt get you very far at all.



I dont even look at the average economy anymore on the DIC. I leave it set to miles to empty now. Last time I looked at it I think the average was hovering around 37.2. A little optimistic, but I dont think its changed in close to 2000 miles. This short trip city driving for work is killing my average.

 

[Chefnstrike]

Well I live at fort Polk still new here so I fill up when I get half way. So today I will fill up then record everything how many gallons obv 12 then how many miles I have on the odo then reset my trip. I a, going to do this 3 times then take it to the dealer with the info. I will let it get down low gas also to help. As far as miles between fill ups I was doing at about 100

 

[Bogus]

I usually leave it on miles to empty too. Sometimes I'll look at the Ave. MPG out of curiosity.

 

[GeneralZod]

^^ 1.8 or 1.4?

1.4T auto

 

[GeneralZod]

I usually leave it on miles to empty too. Sometimes I'll look at the Ave. MPG out of curiosity.

You should hand calculate if you are seeing awesome numbers like that. Just to make sure. Could be the time of year. Good temps, stiff tail wind and going downhill.

 

[Bogus]

You should hand calculate if you are seeing awesome numbers like that. Just to make sure. Could be the time of year. Good temps, stiff tail wind and going downhill.

I'm thinkin about it. How do I hand calculate?

This was about 5:30am, roughly 70 degrees.

IDK if it was this thread or another that we talked about my 60 mile drive to work gradually drops like 2000+ feet. I don't remember exactly.

I took this pic just before I pretty good downhill.

 

[Johnny Alien]

I'm thinkin about it. How do I hand calculate?

Calculating Miles Per Gallon (MPG)

 

[stoopid]

Speed is a huge killer of economy. In my 98 Z24 the difference between 60 and 70 was about 8 MPG. Its not as bad in the Sonic, but there is about a 4 MPG difference based on what was my normal work commute when i tested it out. The turbo may be a little different in what it likes, but so far my car seems to like between 55 and 60. I dont dare do below 60 on the expressway though, it might be legal to go 55, but it is not safe. Really 60 is iffy a lot of times. People dont pay attention and everyone wants to go 80.

Just wanted to second this post. Most cars have a sweet spot with regards to fuel efficiency (gearing, ratios, etc). The MPG on the windows sticker are not at 'real' speeds. Most people travel much faster on the highway than that sticker reflects, and I always knock off a few MPG from that number when guestimating what I'll actually see with the vehicle.

The sweet spot from my tests with the Sonic is about 65 MPH. Any slower than 60 and faster than 75 and you're in a fast decline in efficiency. I lose a MPG for every 3 MPH above 70 MPH. It's not as bad below 60 MPH, maybe 1 MPG for every 3 MPH leveling out somewhere in the 45 MPH range at ~25 MPG. Not a scientific study by any means but consistent with what I've seen with other small cars. So I'm unofficially (pre-K&N filter, will redo when it arrives) getting car calculated 28-29 mixed, 31-33 HWY and various ranges in the city (usually around 26 MPG). I don't ever see getting 35 MPG with this car even though it might be possible at 65-70 MPH. But then I'd have to drive in the idiot lane and that's more dangerous than driving 120 MPH in the left lane!

Hills also definitely kill the MPG, I lost 2-3 MPG on a round trip that gained a few thousand feet total heading to (and back on the identical route / same speeds). Every time the vehicle has to downshift to climb I felt my wallet tug.

 

[chipstien]

I gotta confess that I get a laugh out of those of you that call 50+ mph average speeds "bumper to bumper". Come out to Seattle where traffic will net you sub-30 mph averages over the course of the whole tank.

As for my numbers.... 1.4L turbo, 39.6 MPG average over 5 full tanks with a 33.6 MPH average speed and AC blasting 24/7. (we seattlelites don't like temps over 80 degrees)

 

[mitdr774]

"I don't ever see getting 35 MPG with this car even though it might be possible at 65-70 MPH. But then I'd have to drive in the idiot lane and that's more dangerous than driving 120 MPH in the left lane! "

My 10 tank running average is 35.3mpg. I would say that it is probably about 75/25 (city/highway) mixed driving. I do go 60 on the highway, and occasionally I have to pass someone else.

 

[joe truck driver]

dirty oil

another fillup. only 43.45...424.6 and 9.771 gallons 3 legs in wind and 2 legs in rain. one day caught in construction...lost 2mpg there. also think that oil is affecting mileage. time for change at 22500. pic 1-48.8 mpg on gauge w/total miles. pic 2-mpg with trip. pic 3-pump. pic 4- first leg with 49.1 out of 69 miles, got it to 56.5 on gauge . only good day rest of legs sucked!

 

[whodoyouthinkyouaretoby]

Like most others have mentioned, the average mileage displayed in the vehicle is a little optimistic. Hand calculating, I typically get between 1.5 and 2.5 mpg lower than it indicates.

That having been said, I am generally getting about 38-40 mpg (hand calculated) on the 1.4t auto. My driving is about 80-90% highway. I am working on getting those numbers up a bit, as I work early mornings, and there's no reason I can't slow down a bit, since there is literally no one else on the road at that time.

For what it's worth, I fill up with exclusively shell v-power 91 ethanol free.