Topic: Real-world fuel consumption

[Blueprint]

Have had the Crosstrek for a year now and the average over 54 tanks is 8.9 L/100km. Not that great, especially since 90% of our driving is highway at 100-110 km/h. Best ever tank was 7.3 last summer. Worst was an 11.2 just recently in the cold snap.

The roof bars and ski box have been on the car pretty much the whole time, though. Took them off for a month in the summer and the average did drop down to 8.0 for those seven tanks.

I'd like to take the bars/box off in May and not put them back on again until November, but my wife likes having them for stuff in the summer (hiking gear and whatnot when she's got a dog and three friends in the car.) The car is kind of small, so I agree it's often handy to have the box, even in summer. I suppose I could take it off and put it back on only when we need it, but I'm too lazy. 

Mine is at 10.3 lifetime, nothing on the roof but almost exclusively short trips.

That doesn't sound too bad for city use.

Is that calculated, or off the car's computer? Mine are calculated, as the car's computer is consistently optimistic by about 5%, which seems to be common. Apparently the dealer can go into the settings and adjust it, but I don't think I care enough to bother.

Car's computer, as you always lose one or two gas receipts. I figure the computer knows how much gas is flowing as good as the gas pumps - and add a gas pump burp or two and you're off precise data anyway.

[JohnnyMac]

Yeah and it's not some CVT or 8+speed transmission either.

Not sure what that has to do with hwy mileage?

Aerodynamics, terrain, and final gear ratio would be the biggest factors IMO.

CVT's and high amount of gears is almost 100% done in order to improve fuel economy.  The final gear ratio is not overly high in my Civic either, at around 110km/hr it's up around 2,700rpms or more, wher as a lot of CVT/8+speed cars the revs would be closer to 2,000rpms.

Our terrain in NB isn't exactly flat, not like the prairies or even PEI for that matter.

You are missing my point. The number of gears mostly makes no difference while cruising on the hwy. You can get a 2 speed to have the same f/e on the highway as a 20 speed.

You are right, but manufacturers do not do that, that’s why they do the CVT/8+ gears.

[rrocket]

Basically, London to Windsor is a giant speed trap.

They do traffic enforcement with airplanes FFS. Ever see how expensive it is to run an airplane?

There's a reason they can afford airplanes for that stretch.

People speed...and fund the airplanes.

[HeliDriver]

^^ dunno what kind of plane they use there, but I believe it’s just a Cessna 172 here. That’s all you need, and would cost less than $200/hr to fly.

[rrocket]

^^ dunno what kind of plane they use there, but I believe it’s just a Cessna 172 here. That’s all you need, and would cost less than $200/hr to fly.

They have some 206s.

And their per hour all in rate was shocking...Though I forget what it is now.

Higher than it should be.

The point being some municipalities try and balance the budget on the backs of motorists.

[warp]

They probably use the plane during daylight and when there is good visibility because subjectively the number of OPP cruisers hiding along the road seems to have reduced during daylight hours. But after dark it's the cruisers that do speed enforcement likely because the plane does not have adequate night flying aids

[ktm525]

Is this RCMP?

[rrocket]

Is this RCMP?

Nope, plain old OPP.

RCMP doesn't do traffic enforcement here as far as I know.

[ktm525]

Can you petition the government to back off the zealous enforcement?

[JohnnyMac]

Pretty pleased with the fuel economy from our CR-V considering my wife is not exactly the most efficient driver.  This is closer to a 50/50 of city and highway mileage.  It’s about 2L/100kms worse on gas than our old RAV4 Hybrid, but I’m cool with that.  That is the lifetime average.

[Bubba]

Returned from Fargo, North Dakota on Sunday.

I drove at two different speeds to compare fuel consumption, while experiencing a 20 mph tailwind.

Car: 2013 Toyota Corolla, automatic.
@75 mph: 36.5 miles per US gallon, 6.4 L/100km (3050 rpm)
@65 mph: 43.1 miles per US gallon, 5.5 L/100km (2650 rpm)
A 16.4% increase.

[Bubba]

Last local tank on the Corolla.

Both the car and Scanguage said 7.8 L/100km.  However, the calculated consumption was 8.3 L/100km.

 

[Seafoam]

^^ Do you fill up at the same pump every time ?

Not bad mileage if it's all city driving and winter gas.

[Bubba]

^^ Do you fill up at the same pump every time ?

Not bad mileage if it's all city driving and winter gas.

I fill up at the same pump when I'm in Winnipeg, yes. 

[Bubba]

On the Fargo to Canadian border leg of my recent trip, I drove the 150 miles at 80 mph, while experiencing a 25 mph crosswind.  Scanguage reported 25.2 MPG US, 9.3L/100km.

[ktm525]

I am jealous of your mileage but not your car. 

[Seafoam]

I wouldn't call that good mileage.

[rrocket]

I wouldn't call that good mileage.

Given the conditions?

Excellent mileage IMO.

[ktm525]

Yeah I would be at 20L/100km lol

[bridgecity]

I couldn’t get 9.3 at 80km/h and a tail wind….