I advised a friend to get a petrol engined car, rather than a diesel because she only does about 10,000 miles pa. I thought (a year ago) that the new 1.8TSI was a sensible choice and so she went for an L & K estate manual 1.8TSI. She's a very slow driver and her mileage is a mixture of short runs in London with weekend trips down the M40 to the country, admittedly often in heavy traffic especially coming out of London. She's always said (to my embarrassment) that "the mpg isn't very good".

Since I'd been thinking of getting one myself, I checked her trip computer. After 12 months, the car has done just under 10,000 and the average mpg (1) was reading 27.1 and the continuous mpg (2) showed 27.8. This is worse than the quoted urban figure for this engine.

Should I be shocked? (well, I was rather). I suppose the engine will never have been given a good hiding. Even so, I hope it isn't typical of this engine.

dill

Has anyone done a brim to brim calculation on the car? the trip computer could be miles out. Probably been nursed along all of its life as well.

It also depends on how she actually drives the car as well. Some people have some odd driving habits that can kill MPG even when driving slowly.

I think you are misunderstanding the trip computer, there are 2 computers numbered 1 and 2. Number 1 resets itself back to zero after the car has not been driven for about 1.5hrs, Number 2 is an average since it was last reset.

I'd agree with the driving style comment, she maybe a slow driver but with the TSI engine if its all traffic light grandprix (loads of power to get going) then tthats going to use loads of fuel.

On the FL the trip 2 setting resets itself as well - not sure exactly when, but mine reset itself after about a month. I was annoyed as I was trying to compare the first tank of fuel on a brim to brim with the trip computer.

Her journeys are probably not the best for economy so I'm not surprised she's seeing less than 30mpg.

I´m afraid that what car brands announce is more a wish than a reality.

Actually 27/28mpgs look quite good to me for an engine like this.

Of course driving style makes a big difference though.

Diesels are invariably must better at low speeds than petrol. London taxis for example . At higher speeds the difference in not as great.

London fuel consumption is awful, because they all race away from the lights, close the gaps and pile on the brakes.

Plus many people hammer it to get `through` the lights.

Basically that's not a driving style that is going to do any car any favours.

If she gets out to the M40, resets it and take a long relaxed drive, I'd think she will do much better.

Those numbers sound OK for heavy urban driving. I only reliably break through 30mpg when my journey includes motorway.... and then at <80 mph.

Edited 22 February, 201016 yr by foo

Those numbers sound OK for heavy urban driving. I only reliably break through 30mpg when my journey includes motorway.... and then at <80 mph.

Yup it's it's stop start then that looks quite good really. I'd expect about 17-20mpg in my VRS.

She'd get better mpg in a derv but it would probably coke up without a good run to clear the pipes.

you wont get manufacturer quoted MPG's, the test conditions they have very rarely present themselves in real life.

the next thing is, some people do just have a style of driving that doesnt gel with nice MPG's

town driving and stop start traffic is all acceleration work, precisely the work that nets the engine its lower MPG stats. most people think being gentle on the acceleration = good for mpg, but if u look, slow acceleration basically means your stuck in a low MPG state for a long time.

best bet is to get up to speed ASAP then whack it in the highest gear possible. Minimum time at lower MPG (addmittedly a lot lower than gentle accel) but a lot longer spent at the desired speed in a high gear using less fuel.

if shes anything like my mum, she'll be constantly in too high a gear as well. she drives a lexus IS220d and still doesnt realise that 400Nm of torque means she can use higher gears than 2nd n 3rd for town driving.