Road Trip once again brings best ever Fuel Economy

[AuraDrvr89]

Once again this Summer, my family and I traveled to Cedar Point, in Sandusky Ohio. It's a spectacular amusement park, for those who are not familiar.

Last year I averaged about 33 MPG on the way there, and wanted to see if I could beat it this year. We drove from my home in Western New York straight into Sandusky OH. It's a fairly straight run.

This year, instead of trying to make good time, I decided to travel the speed limit the whole way. So I went exactly 65 MPH for most of the way, and exactly 55MPH where it was marked as such. I accelerated slowly, and tried to use Cruise Control as much as possible.

Well I am happy to report a overall Gas Mileage of 36.9 MPG over about 220 Miles. I filled the tank before I left, and filled again when I got to my destination, to check the mileage. The DIC reported 37.2 as per the picture below. So it's a little off, but not much at all!

I'm very happy about this. This fuel mileage has officially surpassed even that of the best I observed in my '04 Ion. Not too bad for a 224-hp V6!

Here is a picture of the DIC, also notice the small amount of gas I used.

[Phaeton Driver]

Originally Posted by AuraDrvr89

Once again this Summer, my family and I traveled to Cedar Point, in Sandusky Ohio.
Well I am happy to report a overall Gas Mileage of 36.9 MPG over about 220 Miles. I filled the tank before I left, and filled again when I got to my destination, to check the mileage. The DIC reported 37.2 as per the picture below. So it's a little off, but not much at all!

I'm very happy about this. This fuel mileage has officially surpassed even that of the best I observed in my '04 Ion. Not too bad for a 224-hp V6!

Very impressive. Both, the mileage and the fact you were able to drive the speed limit and survive.
I think I passed someone doing the same thing, economy run, on I-10 yesterday. She, the driver, had several cars backed up trying to pass after the 18 wheelers got around her. I wonder if she ever made it to her destination or got run over by some 80,000 pound truck. Hope not.

[SaturnSdn]

Wife,Daughter,and Grand Daughter were at CedarPoint in June, they flew in and got a rental.............Relitive of hers is the ride maint boss they get in free.

[bc3tech]

Originally Posted by AuraDrvr89

Once again this Summer, my family and I traveled to Cedar Point, in Sandusky Ohio. It's a spectacular amusement park, for those who are not familiar.

Last year I averaged about 33 MPG on the way there, and wanted to see if I could beat it this year. We drove from my home in Western New York straight into Sandusky OH. It's a fairly straight run.

This year, instead of trying to make good time, I decided to travel the speed limit the whole way. So I went exactly 65 MPH for most of the way, and exactly 55MPH where it was marked as such. I accelerated slowly, and tried to use Cruise Control as much as possible.

Well I am happy to report a overall Gas Mileage of 36.9 MPG over about 220 Miles. I filled the tank before I left, and filled again when I got to my destination, to check the mileage. The DIC reported 37.2 as per the picture below. So it's a little off, but not much at all!

I'm very happy about this. This fuel mileage has officially surpassed even that of the best I observed in my '04 Ion. Not too bad for a 224-hp V6!
...

very nice!

.1L smaller with 1 less gear - you managed to beat my best ever economy by 6.9mpg well done!

[oachalon]

i havent been to cedar point in a couple years, maybe i will go soon. The difference is that cedar point is maybe an hour and a half away from me.

[AuraDrvr89]

It's really quite a nice place. We are coaster freaks, so it works well.

It took us just over four hours to get there, including a rest stop. I drove down, and my Dad followed us towing the camper. We stayed in the campground, which wasn't too bad. It's definitely not the camping we are used to but it was nice.

[metgol]

Is it a mostly flat drive? 37mpg out of a car this size is nothing less than impressive. I couldn't even get that out of my old SW2!

[AuraDrvr89]

There were a few inclines. The MPG on the way home was slightly less. I didn't check it with a calculator but when I get home it was around 36. Still massively impressive.

I never even got mileage like that on my Ion.

[rossao1]

I am envious. I check my gas mileage in both vehicals every time I fill up. And especially on trips like yours! A funny thing is, tomorrow, we are going to Niagra from the middle of Ohio. But I will be in a mini van pulling a 3000 lb pop up camper. I hope to get 20 mpg.

BTW what is your average tankful MPG? That number is a liittle more realistic for overall comparisions.

Still I have never hit above 35 mpg with my ION on a long drive. Never. And I drive like an old man too. Doing the speed limit all the way, always.

[Phaeton Driver]

Originally Posted by rossao1

I am envious. I check my gas mileage in both vehicals every time I fill up. And especially on trips like yours! A funny thing is, tomorrow, we are going to Niagra from the middle of Ohio. But I will be in a mini van pulling a 3000 lb pop up camper. I hope to get 20 mpg.

BTW what is your average tankful MPG? That number is a liittle more realistic for overall comparisions.

Still I have never hit above 35 mpg with my ION on a long drive. Never. And I drive like an old man too. Doing the speed limit all the way, always.

Hey! Watch the old man comparisons. I'm an old man
I believe the speeds limits are set at 15 MPH below what they want you to drive at so I generally add 15 to the Speed Limit signs and drive just under that speed. My last trip inot the Az mountains netted me just over 28 MPG. That was doing 80-83 on the interstate and 70-75 on the highways (even uphill).
Old man indeed...

Comments all tongue-in-cheek

[Threxx]

That's extremely impressive as long as the numbers weren't modified by, say, a fuel pump that overfilled in the beginning and/or a pump that underfilled in the end. Especially when you're averaging out just ~1/3rd of a tank like that, variances in fuel cut off points at the pump can really impact your calculated economy numbers.

Your MPG numbers are roughly what I'm hoping/expecting to get with my XR-4 2.4 6AT when driving at speeds more like 75 mph. Being that I'm still on my second tank of gas and have yet to get on the highway though, I still don't know what reality is but I have to assume if a 3.5 4-speed can do 37 then I can do at least as well maybe even going a bit faster.

[BobbyP]

Having only driven V6 Auras...

What is the XR-4 2.4 6AT's RPM's at 55 and 65mph speeds?

Most 4 cylinder engines are geared higher and are not as efficient as V6's at highway speeds...

[CrucialTK]

Good work on the mileage. My last trip from Harrisonburg, VA to Frederick Maryland yeiled about 35 mpg doing the speed limit the whole way.

My trip to Florida in the spring though? 28 mpg the entire trip. Then again, I was going 80 to 85 the entire time.

[K-1]

Originally Posted by BobbyP

Having only driven V6 Auras...

What is the XR-4 2.4 6AT's RPM's at 55 and 65mph speeds?

Most 4 cylinder engines are geared higher and are not as efficient as V6's at highway speeds...

Not sure about the RPM - I'll check when I drive it next - but the MPG will be well above 40 on flat ground.

[Threxx]

Here's my 07 BMW 335i's (twin turbo I6, 6-speed automatic) indicated mileage after driving 55 mph steady for a bit over 5 miles straight. I reset the odo after I was already up to speed, so no accelerating or braking was involved... just a steady 55mph cruise in 6th gear.

The info center on the BMW has always been accurate + or - 0.5 mpg every time I've ever compared it to my real mileage.

Originally Posted by BobbyP

Having only driven V6 Auras...

What is the XR-4 2.4 6AT's RPM's at 55 and 65mph speeds?

Most 4 cylinder engines are geared higher and are not as efficient as V6's at highway speeds...

I haven't had my Aura up to 55 for long enough to observe but I did compare notes with 3.6 6-speed auto driver here on the forum regarding 45-50mph cruise rpm and if I recall correctly he was turning 1450 rpm at the same speed I was turning 1650... both of us in 6th gear.

Yes, most 4-cyls are geared shorter (higher rpm) than V6s.

If by "efficiency" you're referring to 4-cyls getting worse fuel economy on the highway, that's flat out wrong in 99% of cases I've ever come across. For evidence just check fueleconomy.gov for the EPA's figures, or ask around these forums.

If by "efficiency" you mean less power is produced at a given rpm point then yes, but that's why they use shorter gearing.

[Phaeton Driver]

Originally Posted by Threxx

Here's my 07 BMW 335i's (twin turbo I6, 6-speed automatic)

The Instrument panel seems like a bit cluttered/busy for such a high-tech automobile.
Twin Turbos? Where is the manifold Boost Gauge?
Every Turbo/supercharged car I have owned has had a manifold boost gauge at or near the center of the gauge cluster. Did BMW find a better place to put it or figure drivers don't need one?

[Threxx]

That's pretty close to what BMW gauges have looked like for years - all models. I liked the way my Audi's gauges looked better... well, actually I liked my Audi's whole interior better with a couple small exceptions.

There's no boost gauge anywhere in the vehicle... I know the two turbos run a different boost profile... one is designed to 'hand off' to the other to minimize lag (and really there is no lag at all in the car and 95% of peak torque occurs at 1600 rpm), so I'm not sure if that would make boost more difficult to represent? Really, the general engineering of this vehicle seems to be designed to strongly discourage shade tree mechanics from trying to do anything beyond oil changes on their own.

[VWCarcrazy]

About 2000 rpm at 65-70 mpg with my 2008 2.4L - 4 speed AT. The 2009 2.4L - 6 speed AT rentals I get run in the 1800 rpm range and get 1-2 mpg better mileage. I get around 33-34 mpg routinely with my Aura on road trips with the AC on, for relatively flat terrain. It drops about 2 mpg when it gets moderately hilly freeway. I get 30 mpg with my 3.8L Bonneville, a much larger car. However, in town my Aura gets 22-23 mpg and my Bonneville more in the 15-16 mpg range. So the 4 cylinder has more benefit in city driving, which is why I bought it over the V6. I have averaged 26.5 mpg in the 1st 18K miles, with a 50/50 city/hwy mix.

[AuraDrvr89]

Originally Posted by rossao1

I am envious. I check my gas mileage in both vehicals every time I fill up. And especially on trips like yours! A funny thing is, tomorrow, we are going to Niagra from the middle of Ohio. But I will be in a mini van pulling a 3000 lb pop up camper. I hope to get 20 mpg.

BTW what is your average tankful MPG? That number is a liittle more realistic for overall comparisions.

Still I have never hit above 35 mpg with my ION on a long drive. Never. And I drive like an old man too. Doing the speed limit all the way, always.

To be quite honest, I am not keeping a running count of my overall average MPG. It would be a good time to start. My driving varies a lot, so as a result of that I feel it is unnecessary for me to keep a running average. I should start.

If I were to guess, I would say that my average everyday tank MPG would happen to be around 26. Of course it is higher when I drive more highway miles, and lower when I'm not... Etc. Overall, very pleased with the efficiency of this 4,500 lb sedan.