2005 Saturn VUE AWD V6 (Southern Ontario) Mileage Question

[billbear]

I'm sure there a many message threads on the mileage topic for the 3.5L engine... (sorry for the new message but I can't read through it all)

I'm in Southern Ontario (Cambridge) I'd peg our weather to be pretty much in line with most of Michigan/New York. I've just turned 22,000 kms (13670miles) and have had 3 oil changes.

(The salesman told me I would not need an oil change until over 20,000kms (12,500miles) so I prefer the side of caution and more rather than less maintenance. My first oil change was at the dealer then switched to semi synthetic at Jiffy Lube.

I'm not happy with my mileage, my last tank was spent 95% on the highway taking it easy with the cruise at 100km/hr (62mph).

In doing this I used 51.545L (13.62us gallons) and drove 461km (286miles).
(This works out to 11.18L/100km or 3gal/62 miles)

For Hightway driving I should be getting 9L/100km (34mpg)
With present fuel costs here (Approx. $1.10/L or $4.16/gal) this works out to an extra $10+ per fill up...

I just sent the dealership an e-mail to see if they have any idea's. The air pressure is good, the air filter is good.. All the obvious.. Did I get a fuel lemon?

(It's not hot enough here for the A/C yet so it's not that)...

Any idea's would be appreciated! (I know It's a 62L tank as well and I could drive farther - but it would not make any major difference in my mileage for the lighter vehicle)

Thanks!
Bill

[IMkenNY]

I believe the EPA highway fuel economy for the 2005 AWD V6 is rated at 25 mpg and city is 19 mpg

[fastdrvr23]

Originally Posted by billbear

I'm sure there a many message threads on the mileage topic for the 3.5L engine... (sorry for the new message but I can't read through it all)

I'm in Southern Ontario (Cambridge) I'd peg our weather to be pretty much in line with most of Michigan/New York. I've just turned 22,000 kms (13670miles) and have had 3 oil changes.

(The salesman told me I would not need an oil change until over 20,000kms (12,500miles) so I prefer the side of caution and more rather than less maintenance. My first oil change was at the dealer then switched to semi synthetic at Jiffy Lube.

I'm not happy with my mileage, my last tank was spent 95% on the highway taking it easy with the cruise at 100km/hr (62mph).

In doing this I used 51.545L (13.62us gallons) and drove 461km (286miles).
(This works out to 11.18L/100km or 3gal/62 miles)

For Hightway driving I should be getting 9L/100km (34mpg)
With present fuel costs here (Approx. $1.10/L or $4.16/gal) this works out to an extra $10+ per fill up...

I just sent the dealership an e-mail to see if they have any idea's. The air pressure is good, the air filter is good.. All the obvious.. Did I get a fuel lemon?

(It's not hot enough here for the A/C yet so it's not that)...

Any idea's would be appreciated! (I know It's a 62L tank as well and I could drive farther - but it would not make any major difference in my mileage for the lighter vehicle)

Thanks!
Bill

Seems like the mileage you stated is within specs, travelling 286 Miles with 13.62 Gallons used equates to 20.998 MPG. The dealership will probably say it is right in line with the EPA ratings of 19/25. Fuel blend/brand might have something to do with it... Anyways, good luck with it!

[wolfman]

Yep ~21MPG. Far from horrible for an AWD V6. Very few get the EPA hwy miles (25 MPG) unless operated exclusively on the highway (not easy in Canada) and under ideal conditions.

[m4gician]

I have the exact same vehicle as you, and that's always been a question on my mind. I mean for about 60L in a tank I want 10L/100KM, so 600KM in a tank. Because fuel efficiency with power was a major selling point for me, and really pushed me to buy this car. What I find is that in driving on Ontario highways and roads, it is VERY difficult not to be aggressive at times, or even being very very careful there are always times where you expend more gas than you should.

I get about 420-500 in a tank (i know), but I try not to drive with a load at all (besides my rear) and what kills me is that on roads that stated limits are 70km, or 100km i end up going 10 to 20 over each time just to keep up with the flow of traffic and that's a major factor in why the gas milage isn't as posted.

[PJW]

5-08-2005 @200 miles 1/2 at 55 mph 1/2 at 65 mph 25.59 mpg. Back and forth to work @ 34 miles round trip 1/2 4 lane interstate 1/2 4 lane city usually 19 give or take. driving a 2006 Vue AWD V6

[linx3566]

I live in Mississauga and drive a 2005 FWD 4 cyl Vue. I get around 23 to 25 mpg and that is 50% Highway. A tank of gas will get me around 500 - 550 KM. I guess if I drive more Hwy the milage should be better since it is a 4 cyl.

[newbievueowner]

I have the 05 Vue AWD the same as you but with much more miles (137,000km). I get 12-13 L/100Km strictly stop & go driving, 10.5-11 L/100Km mixed & 8.4-8.7 L/100Km at a pretty much constant 100-105 Km/hr.

[Luma46]

I have a 2007 3.5l AWD with 34k kms on it (bought it used at 30k). As this is our "travel" vehicle, we drive mostly long distance and highway. I calculate fuel consumption with every refill and I am mostly in 8.0 to 8.2 l/100 kms range, I got once 7.8 and the worst was 9.0 l/100 km so no complaints here.
However we pulled couple times a 2500# (loaded) travel trailer, mind you just a short distance, but it looks like 16 to 18 l/100km - ouch!

[newbievueowner]

Oh, and my average for ALL the driving I have done in the last 14 months is 11.34L/100Km. I've burned a total of 2,900 liters in that time frame.

[chillin05VUE]

I have the same model you do and on a recent trip from Seattle to southern California and back, I managed to get 21 mpgs (worse) and 28mpg (best) on the highway. Mixed driving, I get about 19 mpg. So, I'm thinking that you're getting "normal" mileage.

I believe your mileage was based on American highways and the numbers converted from miles to kilometres.

[davcon]

I live in southwestern ontario as well, London, and I have 175000 K's on my 04 vue - 3.5 L Honda. I remember 35mpg only once when the vehicle was a few months old. Since then I try to hit 10 L per 100 km and usually can do so or close enough to satisfy me. (whats that 29 mpg?)
If you travel on the 401, youre doing 120 usuallly with a few hills here and there, so no way youre gonna get decent mileage in my experience. If im on the back roads, 80 km/hr then I can increase my mileage. The darn car is too easy to drive. It has the acceleration always available and I use it too much.
I would think your 100 km per hr tank should give you really decent mileage unless your trouncing on it at every stop light.
I change my oil every 5k, not sure what that salesman was telling you. BTW, I find honda is cheaper than saturn for the oil and they know the engine pretty good.

[linx3566]

Originally Posted by davcon

I live in southwestern ontario as well, London, and I have 175000 K's on my 04 vue - 3.5 L Honda. I remember 35mpg only once when the vehicle was a few months old. Since then I try to hit 10 L per 100 km and usually can do so or close enough to satisfy me. (whats that 29 mpg?)
If you travel on the 401, youre doing 120 usuallly with a few hills here and there, so no way youre gonna get decent mileage in my experience. If im on the back roads, 80 km/hr then I can increase my mileage. The darn car is too easy to drive. It has the acceleration always available and I use it too much.
I would think your 100 km per hr tank should give you really decent mileage unless your trouncing on it at every stop light.
I change my oil every 5k, not sure what that salesman was telling you. BTW, I find honda is cheaper than saturn for the oil and they know the engine pretty good.

I have a 4cyl and some hwy and some city driving I can only get 25mpg. your 29 mpg is amazing

[davcon]

Originally Posted by linx3566

I have a 4cyl and some hwy and some city driving I can only get 25mpg. your 29 mpg is amazing

My Bad - I guess its 28.24 mpg

http://www.markporthouse.net/rangie/...onversion.htm#

Of course I am using the imperial crossover as we have 4.54 litres per gallon.
(u.s. 3.78) for the above website

Yeh I can get that quite often, as I am on the road a lot. I can also trash that number if I do a lot of city and off the line trouncing.
My goal is simply 450 km driven and 45 litres to fill. Its an easy calc when your at the pump if you are around the 10% litres to klicks driven, then its 28.24 mpg. I track it every fill even though I have a company gas card.

Crazy, but I look forward to "winning" every time I'm at the pump, as I am excited to beat / reach the 10L/100km game.


billbear: I believe you have to drive your car at 70km/hr in a straight line while in a vacuum to achieve the 34-36mpg stated beside the sticker price in the showroom. (in 2004) As I said, I achieved 35 mpg once, and thats when the car was new, and still breaking in, and I likely babied it to death.
I never got above 30mpg ever again, and heck, maybe it was a calculation error. I am pretty happy with 28.24mpg. I think thats pretty good and I strive to get that every fill.

[chillin05VUE]

On a recent trip to California from Washington State, I was on my way back when I filled up in Weed, California (pause for laughter at name) and drove 334 miles to Wilsonville, Oregon and used about 11 gallons. That works out to about 28 MPG with cruise set at 70 except in Medford, Oregon where it was at 55 because the cops like to hide in trees there. So, yes, it's possible to get higher numbers then what the EPA says.

[newbievueowner]

30+ IMP MPG is not at all impossible to achieve. 30+ US MPG is with the V6. Here is my mileage tracking graph for the last 1.5 years. I achieved 30+ IMP MPG on 6 seperate occasions with minimal stop and go on the trips. Like I said above, my average driving (city, hwy, etc) is 11.3 L/100Km for this time period. That's 20.9 US MPG or 25.1 IMP MPG. Winters really kill the mileage average up here because of the cold temps. It's not hard to figure out when that is on the graph. lol!

[linx3566]

Originally Posted by davcon

My Bad - I guess its 28.24 mpg

http://www.markporthouse.net/rangie/...onversion.htm#

Of course I am using the imperial crossover as we have 4.54 litres per gallon.
(u.s. 3.78) for the above website

Yeh I can get that quite often, as I am on the road a lot. I can also trash that number if I do a lot of city and off the line trouncing.
My goal is simply 450 km driven and 45 litres to fill. Its an easy calc when your at the pump if you are around the 10% litres to klicks driven, then its 28.24 mpg. I track it every fill even though I have a company gas card.

Crazy, but I look forward to "winning" every time I'm at the pump, as I am excited to beat / reach the 10L/100km game.


billbear: I believe you have to drive your car at 70km/hr in a straight line while in a vacuum to achieve the 34-36mpg stated beside the sticker price in the showroom. (in 2004) As I said, I achieved 35 mpg once, and thats when the car was new, and still breaking in, and I likely babied it to death.
I never got above 30mpg ever again, and heck, maybe it was a calculation error. I am pretty happy with 28.24mpg. I think thats pretty good and I strive to get that every fill.

My milage is in US gallons - 24.5MPG. If I use imperial it would be a lot more. but it is 9.7L/100KM mixed driving.

[metalmanjwp]

I have had my Vue V6 AWD for 40,000mi. My mileage is 20 mpg US city and 26 highway. I change oil every 3,000 mi. as advised.

[leogag1]

With my 2005 VUE FWD V6, I already achieved 7.8 L/100 km (30 MPG) on a 420 km ride! It happened twice. Usual numbers were around 8.5 L/100 km (28 MPG) highway, 13 L/100 km (18 MPG) city.

The most surprising numbers: 16.5 L/100 km (14.3 MPG) when towing a 3500 lb, 19 ft RV trailer !!! Not bad at all! (Also did 26 L/100 km, 9 MPG, with the same trailer during a perticularly windy day... That day, I learned that the fuel tank was tiny... I had to stop fuelling every two hours!)

So far, with my new 2009 XR-6 VUE, i did 8.3 L/100 km on the same path, which is exactly the spec of Transport Canada and GM.