Kamiq Fuel Economy

[51SQN]

Hi,

 

I've had my Kamiq 1.0 SE Drive DSG about 8 weeks now and covered about 850 miles in that time.

I mainly do small commutes of about 4 - 5 miles in each direction. Now I wasn't expecting stunning

mpg on that profile, but 34mpg average ? - My 1.2 Nissan Note manual easily achieved 45mpg per week.

 

Is there a possibility that the car needs a further period of "Breaking In" ... or could there be some

technically wrong with the vehicle ?

 

Any thoughts or advice appreciated !

[ayrshiredude]

I'd say any new car will need a few thousand miles to loosen off.  However short runs, especially around town where there is a lot of stop/starting, will not give very good MPG.  I find on long runs the MPG is excepional.  I regularily get 55+ and sometimes even 60 MPG while cruising at 65/70 on the motorway with cruise control.  The right foot can make a huge difference as well, accelerate hard and more fuel is burned.

[ButcherBoy1960]

Hi 51SQN

If I do a lot of town trips I get between 31 and 34 mpg but on a run out of town about 5 miles or so its always in the 50 - 58 mpg.

[EJB]

FWIW.

New 1Ltr 110 BHP SEL. DSG.

6 months...2,500 miles.

Regular very short trips (1/2 mile ish)....25 MPG max

Longer 5 to 10 miles......40+

Long trips smaller A roads (50 miles)....46 ish

Long trips Main A roads and Motorways (50 to 250 miles) 58+...... Cruise at 60 to 65.

 

All figures are from the cars info system so could be 5 to 10% out!

 

[Northam]

I do a daily 8 mile trip.  The road has a 60 stretch, and the rest is either 30 or 40.  I have the 1.5 DSG  and regularly get over 50 to the gallon.  I am very light footed though and anything downhill I take my foot off the pedal.  I even managed 56 MPG a couple of weeks ago.  It stays in auto most of the time but I have found popping over and up in to 7th increases the mpg when the normal auto wouldn’t do it, (no I never strain the engine).  I also switch off stop start from time to time.  I find the car park at work with its ten speed humps drops the mpg down with all the stop start.

[Seasider]

On my 1.0 DSG SEL consumption on short runs, varies between high twenties and low forties depending on traffic, temperature, how often "disconnecting" kicks and traffic lights.  It may be worth checking on the driver profile, too - is it normal , comfort, economy or sporty?

 

Other factors affecting consumption are use of the heater and aircon;  the latter will have a more marked effect on raising fuel consumption at lpow speeds and when the engine is cold.

[Northam]

32 minutes ago, Seasider said:

On my 1.0 DSG SEL consumption on short runs, varies between high twenties and low forties depending on traffic, temperature, how often "disconnecting" kicks and traffic lights.  It may be worth checking on the driver profile, too - is it normal , comfort, economy or sporty?

 

Other factors affecting consumption are use of the heater and aircon;  the latter will have a more marked effect on raising fuel consumption at lpow speeds and when the engine is cold.

I rarely pop mine in sports mode, only use it if I’m overtaking and want a bit more go.  The air on though I never spare on, if I let a window down I get messages on the dash to close it to reduce drag.  

[Seasider]

24 minutes ago, Northam said:

I rarely pop mine in sports mode, only use it if I’m overtaking and want a bit more go.  The air on though I never spare on, if I let a window down I get messages on the dash to close it to reduce drag.  

I never use sport  mode, I only mentioned it as one of the modes available.  I am currently using economy and previously used normal.

 

In hot weather, I do try to avoid using the air con at low speeds.   Above 20 or so, with the windows open there is an unpleasant reverberation so I close the windows and use the air con if needed.  I've never had a warning message that I recall about driving with the window down; I'll try and create the necessary conditions to get it.

[Northam]

Like you I’ve the auto so a pull back pops it in to sport, and of course it switches it’s self to Eco mode apart from that it’s just point and go no messing with modes.  It doesn’t like it sometimes when I pop to manual and go up to 7th.  I then get a message saying switch to auto for economy.  If I do that the MPG goes down !

Edited 27 June, 2022 by Northam

[DaveLees]

 

Just as a bit of a comparison, I have a 1.0 Karoq SE manual, and keep a check on fuel using fuelly. Over the last 6608 mile I have these figures.

Basic Stats

47.6(0.0)

Avg UK MPG

47.1(-4.9)

Last UK MPG

52.0(15/06/2022)

Best UK MPG

 

 

[Seasider]

21 hours ago, Northam said:

Like you I’ve the auto so a pull back pops it in to sport, and of course it switches it’s self to Eco mode apart from that it’s just point and go no messing with modes.  It doesn’t like it sometimes when I pop to manual and go up to 7th.  I then get a message saying switch to auto for economy.  If I do that the MPG goes down !

Yes, on your last point, I've noticed that at times it is worthwhile overriding the DSG to change up to a higher gear, but I've never received the message you mention.  Also, when braking going downhill, I sometimes select a higher gear manually than the DSG would.

Edited 28 June, 2022 by Seasider

[Ootohere]

@Northamlooks like having a 1.0 TSI Octavia but a 1.5 TSI Kamiq so different from your 1.0 tsi @Seasiderwhich does not have ACT.

 

Why when braking going downhill do you go to a higher gear and not a lower gear if trying to reduce speed? 

[Seasider]

8 minutes ago, roottoot said:

@Northamlooks like having a 1.0 TSI Octavia but a 1.5 TSI Kamiq so different from your 1.0 tsi @Seasiderwhich does not have ACT.

 

Why when braking going downhill do you go to a higher gear and not a lower gear if trying to reduce speed? 

The practice of selecting a lower gear when going downhill to slow the car dates back to the time when car brakes were not really up to the job.  Nowadays, that isn't the case and so the brakes do not need assistance to slow the car when going downhill.  Selecting a higher gear, saves fuel and additional wear on brakes is minimal.

Edited 28 June, 2022 by Seasider

[Ootohere]

So why are you going to a higher gear than the car / DSG usually selects if you are reducing speed? 

 

I ask because i have only one foot, drive only automatics / 2 pedal cars. If i want to go faster or coast down a hill / slope i do not brake. 

There is little engine braking but for wet, cold, icy and snowy roads down shifts with a DQ200 DSG does the job with little or no touch the brake pedal.

 

I have hypermiled for years and driven DSG's dry and wet clutch for over a decade and what you seem to do is not assisting in getting better fuel consumption IMO.

Edited 28 June, 2022 by roottoot

[Northam]

3 hours ago, Seasider said:

Yes, on your last point, I've noticed that at times it is worthwhile overriding the DSG to change up to a higher gear, but I've never received the message you mention.  Also, when braking going downhill, I sometimes select a higher gear manually than the DSG would.

Going down hill I generally take my foot off the accelerator.  There’s a particular bit on my everyday route.  It goes from 40 down to 30 with a very slight downhill.  Taking my foot off I can coast around half a mile down to a set of traffic lights.  If the lights go my way  I trim the speed to the lights slightly and then a sharper down hill and slight acceleration on an uphill bit.  Getting good economy is sometimes knowing your route.  Never selected a higher gear going downhill.  Of course nipping it over to manual and 7th you need to remember you may need to switch down or pop back to auto.

[Northam]

3 hours ago, Seasider said:

The practice of selecting a lower gear when going downhill to slow the car dates back to the time when car brakes were not really up to the job.  Nowadays, that isn't the case and so the brakes do not need assistance to slow the car when going downhill.  Selecting a higher gear, saves fuel and additional wear on brakes is minimal.

Indeed when cars were heavier and had rear drum rather than all round discs with proportionate brakes front to rear.  Also there’s that energy that’s recycled during braking, only a small amount I believe which if I remember the brochure helps reduce alternator use, ( if I do remember correctly).

[51SQN]

Hi again,

 

So far from the comments in this thread it would appear that my Fuel Economy is not that far out .... but I can't say I'm happy with a 1 ltr engine

producing such abysmal economy. I have noted that a couple of people have said about being able to select the "Economy" mode... I guess this must

be only available on the SEL trim ... mine is the SE Drive.

 

[J.R.]

4 hours ago, Northam said:

Taking my foot off I can coast around half a mile down to a set of traffic lights.  If the lights go my way  I trim the speed to the lights slightly and then a sharper down hill and slight acceleration on an uphill bit.  Getting good economy is sometimes knowing your route.  Never selected a higher gear going downhill.

 

Descending a hill in gear with no throttle is not coasting.

 

Doing that in a high or low gear makes no difference to the fuel consumption because as long as the engine is doing more than +/- 1200 rpm no fuel is being consumed.

 

Which creates a strange dichotomy, usually coasting (proper coasting) in neutral downhill is the most efficient as the more speed you can build up without engine braking the further it will carry you along the straight or up the next hill, however the engine will be consuming some fuel while idling whereas if you were in gear with the throttle closed no fuel is consumed.

 

I coast downhill (out of gear) unless it is going to take me above the speed limit and there is a camera, if I am baulked by a car in front i put it back in gear to save the little fuel, on a hill where I know I have to stop at the bottom for a junction or slow down for a 30 limit in a village etc then I will descend in gear.

[Ootohere]

'Coasting' with a vehicle with a DSG and 'Coasting' function is a different thing, as in it is enabled and the gear indicator that is in D7 goes to D (some cars ECO because you need to have that selected)  the car goes to 'Coasting' with the gears not engaged until you touch the accelerator or the brake pedal. 

 

You need to look at what engine and DSG you have, a TSI a TSI with ACT, or TDI's, a Dry Clutch Or Wet Clutch DSG. They are not all the same... And manuals are different.

 

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/494029-is-15tsi-coasting-in-d-mode-while-normal-mode-selected

 

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/494047-coasting

 

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/451452-coasting-in-normalsport

 

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/386035-dsg-coasting-in-eco-mode

 

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/456858-eco-mode-coasting

 

This is a diesel so different from the Kamiqs here but still there is 'Coasting'  also ACC. 

 

 

 

 

Getting to know what you have makes sense. This being a manual.  Kick him out the car ....Maybe get a Yeti to suit him.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited 29 June, 2022 by roottoot

[Seasider]

Yes, in the "disconnected" mode the engine disconnects from the gearbox and revs drop to 1,000, so nice and economical.   

 

Branching off a bit, it would be handy to have some sort of governor on the "disconnect"  mode so speed did not go above a level selected by the driver.  I have seen 70+!

[longedge]

This thread reminds me of one of my early cars, a Rover 90 P4 series which had a large knob in the centre of the dashboard that could be turned to put the car into 'freewheel' i.e. coasting. To re-engage you had to be in gear and pulling. The trick was not to forget that you had selected freewheel, I had one or two 'half-crown sixpence' moments with it 😁.

[Seasider]

Going back to the question of fuel economy, recent trip to town and back, 8 miles and 37.1mpg.  Best long distance run, 101 miles at 60mpg.

[TomWest]

Last week in my 1.5 tsi manual Kamiq I did 320 miles from a full tank - Epsom to Tetbury via M25/M4 and minor roads, pootled about for a couple of days then down to friends in Wells on A roads, via Bath which isn't to be recommended. Then back home via A303/M3/M25.  Observed posted speed limits and the average was 56 mpg according to the Kamiq's undoubtedly optimistic reckoning. I was quite impressed, better than my previous 4wd Tiguan.

[ayrshiredude]

did a few longish trips over the weekend.  1 about 65 miles all motorway with a trip average of 61.4 MPG, second trip, again all motorway aftter first 10 miles or so, 150 miles averge was 59.6 Mpg and return trip was 58.7 Mpg.  Alss these are with cruise control set at 65 MPH.  I'd say these are pretty decent Mpgs :).  I have the 1.0 SEL with manual Gears Btw

[Yetiflute]

18 hours ago, ayrshiredude said:

did a few longish trips over the weekend.  1 about 65 miles all motorway with a trip average of 61.4 MPG, second trip, again all motorway aftter first 10 miles or so, 150 miles averge was 59.6 Mpg and return trip was 58.7 Mpg.  Alss these are with cruise control set at 65 MPH.  I'd say these are pretty decent Mpgs :).  I have the 1.0 SEL with manual Gears Btw

Like you I now set my cruise control at 65 mph on motorways and this gives excellent fuel consumption similar to quoted above. On my recent long trip up into Scotland I calculated my long journey would only take 7 minutes more than at 70mph - so what ! I also discovered further advantages. It is fast enough to comfortably overtake lorries and rather than bunching with everybody else set on 70mph as I used to do, those vehicles cleanly overtake. A much less stressful and more economic way of travel.