Touring Fuel Consumption
 

While our car is still in the break-in stage (600 miles) I wanted to get a highway fuel economy test recorded. I filled the tank at a gas station located within 500 feet of the Interstate entrance. No excess idling wanted. Tires set at 35 psi. We drove non-stop for 80 miles (A/C on, 60 MPH with speed control on). Stopped for lunch then returned on the same Interstate to the same gas station (A/C on, 60 MPH with speed control on) to refill and calculate the MPG.

The calculated mileage was 32.1 MPG - very nice. Actual numbers were 160 miles driven using 4.98 gallons. The car has averaged 24.3 MPG city driving for the first 600 miles. That too is nice.

I expect the MPG to settle at about 25/26 city and 33/34 highway after the first 2100 miles of break-in driving. After 2100 miles any MPG increase will be in fractions. The car is 'standard' Touring with an automatic transmission.

What does bother me is the excessive fuel economy numbers displayed by the digital MPG gauage. It indicated about 28 MPG city and 36 MPG during the highway drive. Both readings are 10% over the actual calculated mileage. Wonder if Hyundai has a 'fix' for that?

Overall this car is impressive! Comfortable, quiet and precise.

Ray

I also have noticed that the mpg guage is registering more than the actual mileage. Last tank it registered around 32.5 and I calculated it at a little over 30. Will keep checking it to see how big a difference there continues to be.

Give it time to fully break in. Actual mileage usually increases and the difference between the 2 will be less. I track my mileage on every tank and find the computer is usually (on average) .1 mpg higher than actual.

I have the black Touring, sport ,auto,tinted windows,black leather seats. Miles 3,800.
I have taken it on one long trip. 2k round trip. Seats do get uncomfortable after 4 or 5 hours. Steering could be better. Slow out of the blocks. Love the XM radio and a memory stick works well. Milage...city and highway around 23.....Highway around 29. The best was 34.6. I do run it hard 75 and 80 with air on. I also put a hitch on to haul a bicycle.
So far pretty happy with the car. Wish it got a couple more miles to the gallon.

I just took an 1800 mile trip in mine. Pretty new--less than 4k on the odo.

Driving mostly on the interstate with cruise set to 75 mph, AC running, 2 adults, and back full of stuff including an electric refrigerator plugged into the rear 12v outlet, I got a pretty consistent 32 mpg. I had hoped for a little better mileage since I get about 28 mpg running around town locally.

I like the car. The sunroof was a great treat, the stereo provides lots of options with my iPod connected and XM radio. I'm content.

The Touring with a manual trans is rated as 23-mpg city / 31-mpg highway / 26-mpg combined (source)

So you were hoping for better than 32-mpg while driving 75-mph with a full load and the A/C on? WOW!! High expectations.

I can be accused of having high expectations. My Civic, which was 8 years older, got about 38 mpg. It is to be hoped that cars become more efficient. As the EPA states, their estimate is, well an estimate. I would like to be getting mileage closer to 35 mpg. But as long as it doesn't dip below the EPA estimate, I don't have much room to complain.

Welcome to Physics 101:

2001 Honda Civic = 2434-lbs (source)
2009 Touring = 2937-lbs (source)

Now, drive your old Civic around with an extra 500-lbs and see if you still get 38-mpg.


Physics 102:

2001 Honda Civic = 66.7" width; 55.1" height (3,675 sq-in frontal area) (source)
2009 Touring = 69.5" width; 59.8" height (4,156 sq-in frontal area) (source)

481 sq-in more frontal area to push through the air. That's about 3.4 more square feet.


And in your case, a fairly accurate one.


You know what they say:
"Hope in one hand and crap in the other. See which fills first."


No, you don't.

I have 14 000km on my touring. With a full tank of gas, two occupants, cruise set to 100 km/h (60 mph), no A/C but windows cracked open a bit, outdoor temp of 25 degrees celsius (77 fahrenheit) I got 6.0 l/100km (39.2 mpg) in a 200 km drive on the highway. FYI, highway did not have many hills.

With plenty of city driving I get about 650 km per tank. Much more with only highway.
In the city I almost never rev over 2000 rpm.

Anyone else getting similar or better numbers?

Fuel Economy Report
 

Just completed a weekend trip to Visalia California and return. The total distance was 756 miles using 22.7 gallons of gas. That equals 33.3 MPG. The ODO showed 1900 miles at the beginning of the trip.

With the exception of 70 miles between Bakersfield and Visalia there were few non-hilly areas. The temperature ranged between 36 and 80 degrees F. The average highway speed was 62 MPH, A/C on, Speed Control on, tires at 35 psi, lightly loaded with sporting gear. On several of the longer/steeper grades the Speed Control maintained the speed but the converter did unlock several times. I manually did not allow it to downshift/maintain 3rd gear on any uphill grade.

I can honestly say that the Touring performed great. Comfortable ride and seating, not adversly affected by 20 - 35 MPH quartering wind gusts through several high peak areas, adequate cargo room (seats folded down) and no wind noise. When parked more than just a few people asked about the car as they had never seen one before.

Still a keeper,
Ray