Anyone see Martin Lewis's TV show about Money Saving stuff last week? It showed him and his assistant in two identical Honda CRV's (I think!), both driving the same route, at the same time, and both getting very different mpg's. Sure, he was driving economically, and his assistant was driving normally, or just how she normally drives. She was also carrying the normal crud in the boot that many of us carry around, adding weight to the vehicle. Journey times were almost identical with both vehicles insight of each other for much of the time. But here's the crunch. He obtained 38.8mpg's or something around there, and she obtained 27mpg (again, I think) or very close to that, maybe 25mpg. His assistant was also unaware that their journey was a test of mpg, so no doubt she could have done better. But it does illustrate a point. Unfortunately, I was with a client when this show was on and I could not give it my full attention so apologies for the slight vagueness in some areas. But the main thrust is correct and the mpg figs are about right. You can go on catch up tv and no doubt watch it. But that's a hell of a difference and reflects what I found when I carried out my survey over a year ago on some Fabia CR1.6 drivers who complained about poor fuel economy. It was all in the driving and how the car was being used, and to a lesser degree, how many miles the engines had covered from new, how tight they still were.

She started by brimming the tank which MAY have contributed to the lower MPG.

With the inexorable rise in fuel prices, where's the advantage in MP£ ( miles per £ ) in half filling the tank, never mind the extra hours per year lost by doing this?

Agreed, it is all in the driving. When I do mpg chase run I can get 40mpg from my car (5k miles, very low temps, start stop traffic, hilly, bendy route). When I'm having fun it gets down to 24-27mpg i nexactly the same conditions. Mnd you, mpg chasing is mind numbingly boring and I coan only do it when I have lots to think through on my way to work/ home or listening to some good audio book

Which magazine have done extensive research into the Wild differences between Manufactuers claimed mpg vs real life motoring!

They managed to achieve an overall average of 38/39mpg for the Fabia VRS . Not too shocking compared to Skodas combined claims of 44mpg

Unsurprisingly cars with the boldest claims proved to have the greatest disparity

Worth a read,if you subscribe !

Even my dealer told me when enquired to lower the published mpg by 20% to get some sort of idea towards the real life fuel consumption. "Brochure MPG" is really a comparison tool and not something to go by if you want to get a real life fuel consumpption. Since all those mpg figures are obtained from a testing rig and strictly controlled mpg of different motors can be directly compared.

I tend to have a look in fuelly to get a rough idea of real world mpg for a particular model

my GLII has a urban 68mpg, combine 83mpg and extra urban 94mpg

I average low-mid 60's mpg

part of that is due to mpg tests are on a rolling road with no wind resistance and a nice warm temp not real world conditions

Even my dealer told me when enquired to lower the published mpg by 20% to get some sort of idea towards the real life fuel consumption. "Brochure MPG" is really a comparison tool and not something to go by if you want to get a real life fuel consumpption. Since all those mpg figures are obtained from a testing rig and strictly controlled mpg of different motors can be directly compared.

Correct.

Tbh although Estate man's post is interesting this is all rather obvious to experienced and thinking motorists.

Does your car start instantly,run smoothly and rev cleanly to the red line when asked?If so then any deficiencies in mpg are down to the weight of your right foot and the conditions of your day to day motoring.

One problem with All that. Very few people realise how much their "normal" style has to be adapted to get top MPG from their cars. I keep finding ways always everyday which improve my mpg. Now, even with a spell of red line I the way, I can still do 35 mpg with the cold weather and seat heater on. And I weight 230 pounds (103kg) lol.