Miles Per Gallon

[oriki]

Hello forum members

In many topics the issue of fuel consumption comes up.

I have seen figures quoted which are hard for me to believe and comprehend. 47mpg , 50mpg , 52 mpg ,even 62 (!!) mpg.

How is this possible?

Are Yeti drivers travelling like tortoises just to see if they can squeeze an extra mile?

I have a DSG 2000CC 140 hp and the best I ever got is 15 KM per LITER which is about 35 MPG , and I find that fuel efficient indeed..

Is there something I am overlooking?

Edited 7 May, 2012 by oriki

[Mr Zippy]

Driving style and car loading probably.

My current car is rated at 35mpg combined (Qashqai 2.0 petrol CVT), I get between. 33-34mpg according to the computer. Pretty much same story with last car.

I am always try to anticipate the road ahead and use engine braking to save wasting fuel, but I don't always crawl away from a stop, so don't get me wrong and I do around 70-75mpg on motorway.

I know engine braking isn't that strong on the DSG, but still got virtually bang on with the wife's 1.4 TSI DSG Octavia.

I'll update when my Yeti 1.2TSI DSG arrives, confirmed build week 20.

Edited 7 May, 2012 by Mr Zippy

[Yetiflute]

All depends on the model and driving style. In my diesel 170 I have done 42mpg over 8500 miles (carefully measured and recorded) and on an individual long journey can do 50mpg. Much of my driving is short runs for that overall figure.

[Sandy.Rogers]

I think your maths could be out a tad - I make 15KPL to be about 42.4 MPG (although I could be wrong?)

[soupafly]

Oriki, did you perhaps use US gallons rather than European gallons to convert? There is a difference.

[The Plumber]

I have been recording my fill to fill fuel usage from new (bar the first tank full); currently averaging 44.2mpg (imperial) for the first year and 14,000 miles. My best fill to fill being 47mpg and my worst 35 but that was with four adults and a softbox on the roof travelling on the autobahn, oh and the engine had only covered 2000 miles at the time.

TP

[weasley]

Mine appears to like country roads. When I take a spirited drive down a favourite country road I get surprising fuel economy (over 45 mpg for the trip, according to MFD) whereas a steady motorway drive gets somewhat lower (low 40s).

But, as said, a proper British gallon is 4.55 litres, rather than the puny US gallon's 3.8 litres, so 15 km/l is 42.5 mpg. Sounds about right.

[notyeti]

This is interesting: http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/realmpg You can compare your mpg against others and against the manufacturers figures.

[summers]

I travelled 900 miles over Friday, Saturday & Sunday.

Friday was Liverpool to St Davids, Pembrokeshire via Newtown and The Elan Valley. Saturday was St Davids to Cardiff and back to St Davids and yesterday it was St Davids to Central London then home to Liverpool.

I like to make progress when I am motoring 'generally' within the limits imposed and where conditions allow. I stick to around 75 on motorways and as near to the national speed limit on A & B roads.

For the 900 miles I averaged just under 38 mpg. I am sure I could easily improve that figure by 3 - 5 mpg but as I say I like to make progress.

The number of motorists who dawdle around 50 in a 60 limit is amazing. They are often blissfully unaware of the ever increasing queue building up behind them.

My Son has strict instructions to take the car off me if I ever get like that!!!

Peter

PS. The road from Newtown to Rhyader and then via the Elan Valley to Lampeter is stunning.

[threeshoes]

The number of motorists who dawdle around 50 in a 60 limit is amazing. They are often blissfully unaware of the ever increasing queue building up behind them.

Well, I'm increasingly one of those motorists. It saves a fair amount of fuel to travel at 50 rather than 60, considering that drag increases with the square of the velocity, and the price of fuel these days has forced many more people to drive at a speed commensurate with the consumption that they want to achieve.

But I do hate a building queue and I normally speed up to the limit if there's anyone behind me . . . unless it's one of those prats who thinks that they have to hold close formation at 2m from my bumper, when I am likely to slow down suddenly . . .

Chris

[threeshoes]

This is interesting: http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/realmpg You can compare your mpg against others and against the manufacturers figures.

I find Fuelly and Spritmonitor more useful, really. But Honest John must be one of my most-visited sites, especially when I'm thinking about changing a car.

Chris

[soupafly]

Well, I'm increasingly one of those motorists. It saves a fair amount of fuel to travel at 50 rather than 60, considering that drag increases with the square of the velocity, and the price of fuel these days has forced many more people to drive at a speed commensurate with the consumption that they want to achieve.

But I do hate a building queue and I normally speed up to the limit if there's anyone behind me . . . unless it's one of those prats who thinks that they have to hold close formation at 2m from my bumper, when I am likely to slow down suddenly . . .

Chris

Dear Threeshoes, I'm wondering why, if fuel consumption is the important consideration over travelling at motorway and national speed limits, wouldn't a more sensible choice of vehicle for you be the Greenline Elegance rather than the 170 elegance?

I would have also thought that the money saved in purchase price differential would have covered your fuel cost for the time of ownership too. You may then even be able to consider driving at the national speed limit!

[rockhopper]

With fuel prices having increased by 50% since I acquired my car, I have taken to driving slower.

I would have considered a greenline if they did a DSG version.

If I drive mine hard then I get about 35 across country, on the motorway at 70mph it will do 41/42mpg and at 60 will do around 48mpg. In very heavy London stop start traffic it will do less than 30mpg. Towing on dual carriageways maintaining 60mph up hills it will do 25mpg, which is an improvement over my old Range Rover which achieved 11mpg whilst towing!

[Llanigraham]

The number of motorists who dawdle around 50 in a 60 limit is amazing. They are often blissfully unaware of the ever increasing queue building up behind them.

My Son has strict instructions to take the car off me if I ever get like that!!!

Peter

Well I'm one of those motorists quite often, however I do check my rear view mirror!

PS. The road from Newtown to Rhyader and then via the Elan Valley to Lampeter is stunning.

And of course I'm certainly not biased, but.................................... :love:

[threeshoes]

Dear Threeshoes, I'm wondering why, if fuel consumption is the important consideration over travelling at motorway and national speed limits, wouldn't a more sensible choice of vehicle for you be the Greenline Elegance rather than the 170 elegance?

I would have also thought that the money saved in purchase price differential would have covered your fuel cost for the time of ownership too. You may then even be able to consider driving at the national speed limit!

Well, there are 2 points to make, soupafly: every decision is normally a compromise and the 170 4x4 is a compromise between power, capability and frugality; the second is that I aim to save energy whatever the cost. I believe that we all need to save energy to reduce global consumption. I switch off lights when I go from room to room at home (and at work), not because of the cost (they're all low energy bulbs) but because I want to reduce my consumption.

I do think occasionally about changing to a Greenline, but I'm quite keen to have a 4x4; and the 140 is slightly more thirsty, it seems, than the 170. But I'll drive carefully whatever I have, most of the time at least . . .

I'm buying a Yeti over a BMW X1, the marginal cost of which I could have recouped within 2 years of purchase (I get a discount from Park Lane BMW, if I choose) because it is less thirsty than the Yeti.

Chris

[Arkaig]

Hello forum members

In many topics the issue of fuel consumption comes up.

I have seen figures quoted which are hard for me to believe and comprehend. 47mpg , 50mpg , 52 mpg ,even 62 (!!) mpg.

How is this possible?

Are Yeti drivers travelling like tortoises just to see if they can squeeze an extra mile?

I have a DSG 2000CC 140 hp and the best I ever got is 15 KM per LITER which is about 35 MPG , and I find that fuel efficient indeed..

Is there something I am overlooking?

Oriki - I agree with you. I too am only getting around 35mpg (over the first 5,000 miles) and would appear to have amongst the lowest mpg of those with similar DSG 140 engines according to Spiritmonitor. Ok I do regularly pull either a boat or a cargo trailer which can knock 10 mpg, but even without I'm really struggling to hit 39, let alone any higher. Someone indicated the engine "loosens up" after about 6,000 miles and it may be the fuel consumption figures will improve a bit. For a 4x4 brick on wheels, the fuel consumption is tolerable.

After 2 1/2 months' ownership, I still thoroughly love my Yeti and my only gripe is the poor engineering involved with removing the detachable towbar from the boot area necessitates undoing and lifting up the spare wheel - a real pain in the arse!

[Bobdog]

Haven't adjusted my driving style at all due to fuel prices. I've always 'bettered' the claimed fuel consumption figures for every car I've ever owned. I don't hang about, cruising at 70 on motorways and dual carriageways (80 when I'm in France) and blatting along the country lanes. I generally don't accelerate too hard (unless I fancy a bit of fun and the road is clear) and I think ahead to avoid heavy braking. Around home, commuting to work up and over the Pennines and then a bit of city traffic, I average 42 - 45 mpg. On the flatter roads around here, if I stay on the valley floor, I regularly see 48-50 mpg. I make regular jaunts back home to Norfolk and last time I went down averaged 58 mpg.

[MikeWales]

The Pembrokeshire 40's & 50's are a thriving set of drivers, who drive no faster than 40 or 50 all round the county.

I was behind one through my lanes on Saturday on my way to Haverfordwest. No opportunity to overtake at all. The benefit was that when I reached Morrisons car park after 7 miles I had averaged 48.8 mpg!

I have just filled up this morning (remembering to put diesel in - my first diesel!) after having the car for a week and the Maxidot says 44.2mpg. Not bad at all considering I was 'trying it out' a bit.

I love this car and the DSG box!

[rockhopper]

Around home, commuting to work up and over the Pennines and then a bit of city traffic, I average 42 - 45 mpg. On the flatter roads around here, if I stay on the valley floor, I regularly see 48-50 mpg. I make regular jaunts back home to Norfolk and last time I went down averaged 58 mpg.

You have hit it in the nail there Bobdog.

Drive on flat roads and I have seen 50-60mpg. As soon as I leave the valley and drive over the North Downs the figures plummet. (or up any hill ie M25 between M23 and Reigate j8) or even Hardknott Pass :lol:

[Llanigraham]

Comparisons of fuel consumption figues acroos members cannot be accurate because there are too many variables. No-one has the same type of road conditions or driving style. So whilst it is nice to know what others are getting it cannot be a way of reasonable comparison.

In the nearly 40k I've had my car my average is just under 47 mpg. 1500 miles a month is done on poor cross country Welsh A roads to work, a journey of 48 miles I generally do in about 55 minutes, so not a bad average speed. However I drive economically, so hardly ever brake unless I'm actually coming to a stand, and don't accelerate hard. When I did my advance test it was called "defensive driving" but with "making progress". If I discount the ocassional rally weekend or the trips to France with and without the caravan, my average is actually much nearer 50 mpg.

As a comparison. When I had the Td4 Freelander on the same journeys my average was just under 39mpg!

[Bobdog]

No-one has the same type of road conditions or driving style.

Agree entirely; and no two cars are identical, and variables like tyre pressures, load etc will vary ... so interesting chatter on a subject we've discussed many times, but we're always going to see wide variations.

[weasley]

How very true. I have been involved in many fuel economy field trials and even when you are trying your best to iron out variables, the variability between vehicles and drivers is significant. There are all sorts of variables; tyre type/pressure/wear, load, topography, weather, traffic, accessory use, wheel alignment, brake condition etc but by far the biggest influencer on fuel economy is the driver. When you are looking for 1 or 2% improvements this can get lost in the noise!

[briwy]

Bear in mind that you won't get really decent fuel consumption until the engine is fully run in.

I mentioned in another post that our Yeti is the fifth VAG diesel that I've had and in my opinion they are not really run in until around 20k when the fuel consumption increases dramatically.

Currently our 140 4wd Yeti is averaging 43mpg at 5k miles so pretty pleased with it.

[rockhopper]

In that case my fuel economy is not going to get any better.

It only managed 22mpg today on a 5 mile journey that took 50 minutes.

I dare say that a petrol would have been worse though!

[Bobdog]

in my opinion they are not really run in until around 20k when the fuel consumption increases dramatically.

I do hope not! signed Captain Pedantic.