Ridiculous fuel mileage

[JonathanGennick]

Originally Posted by Focus YBTC

The MPGs really drop in constant stop and go traffic too

True - and probably true of any car. I managed 35.2 mpg on my recent trip home from the airport. However, the displayed average never even reached the 20 mark until after I cleared the surface streets and had logged ten miles or so of highway driving.

Once on the highway, my average climbed steadily until it settled into a more or less steady state near 35. I was purposely driving for mileage on that trip - keeping my speed down, accelerating slowly, trying not to vary my speed much.


Sent from my iPhone using FF Mobile. Typos and terseness are to be expected.

[Sfxlance]

I'm up in Brampton Ontario. And I get okay fuel mileage, right now I'm sitting at 7.4L and thats just city driving to mississauga or etobicoke. As for the traffic I try to avoid it since im driving manual, but if i do run into it I'm usually sitting some where in the mid-higher 8's.

[Focus YBTC]

Originally Posted by JonathanGennick

True - and probably true of any car. I managed 35.2 mpg on my recent trip home from the airport. However, the displayed average never even reached the 20 mark until after I cleared the surface streets and had logged ten miles or so of highway driving.

Once on the highway, my average climbed steadily until it settled into a more or less steady state near 35. I was purposely driving for mileage on that trip - keeping my speed down, accelerating slowly, trying not to vary my speed much.

This car is a really good candidate for an auto start-stop system that turns off the engine when the car is stopped to save fuel. If we can believe the MPG display, just going through a drive through to grab a coffee for a few minutes can drop that MPG quite a bit. The same applies for stop signs and red traffic lights and the accompanying acceleration back to speed. On the highway mine is great, if I reset my MPG meter as I enter a freeway and then proceed at 65-70 MPH I can generally get 40-43 MPG if there's no serious wind, rain, snow or uphills. On the other hand when called upon for power, the direct injection fuel system can supply a healthy amount of gas to the engine too which drops your MPGs like crazy.

[Darth_Focus]

Have to admit I get pretty pissed off once I've driven to the U.S and I see what happens when a traffic light system works, then I come back to the disaster of a city I live in right now. Red lights with no cars in site, very long lights for no reason, a city that can't comprehend the idea of syncing lights, installing traffic lights instead of cross walks because people are to stupid to be able figure out the concept of "looking for cars", etc...etc. I know all this adds to poor economy but I still think I'm way to high, even for that. I'm bringing it into ford for an upholestry repair that I caught on delivery, so maybe I'll have them check it out on the computers.

[shellback64]

I would suspect the fuel!!! I know when I've run e85 my fuel mileage dropped through the floor! My 2012 SE only has 1800 miles on it and running e10 I get 31 mpg in town. I must admit to not reading each and every post in this thread....I would try different stations for your fuel!!

[JonathanGennick]

Originally Posted by Focus YBTC

...On the other hand when called upon for power, the direct injection fuel system can supply a healthy amount of gas to the engine too which drops your MPGs like crazy.

And that's ok by me. One reason I bought the Focus over the Cruze is that the Focus seems able to deliver a bit more pep when called upon to do so.

[gkirk]

Stickier rubber means more traction = more friction = less mileage.

Bigger wheels = heavier (usually) and much worse rotational inertia since the weight in the wheel is further toward the edge = worse mileage.

Just my .02$.

[Focus YBTC]

Originally Posted by gkirk

Stickier rubber means more traction = more friction = less mileage.

Bigger wheels = heavier (usually) and much worse rotational inertia since the weight in the wheel is further toward the edge = worse mileage.

Or in other words with bigger heavier wheels you have four flywheels by definition at each corner. A flywheel being a device that is used to store rotational energy. Just be gentle getting them up to speed and your fuel economy will be quite fine.

[JonathanGennick]

Some actual test results here on effects of varying wheel sizes on mileage and acceleration and traction:

http://www.caranddriver.com/features...d-tires-tested

Just happened to blunder across the article yesterday. It's an interesting read. Mileage per gallon dropped as wheel size increased.

[ricomtl]

Originally Posted by Darth_Focus

I've got 3400 kilometers on a 2012 Ti hatch and I must say I'm far more than dissapointed in the mileage I'm getting. It's actually atrocious. I understand the driving style effects mileage...yadda...yadda..yadda, but the sticker says 7.3 L/per 100 KM city and I'm flirting with 11 L/100. 10.8 to be precise. Thats F-150 V8 territory. I don't drive like miss Daisy but I don't drive like The Bandit either. I know 7.3 is a perfect world but I'd expect something close to that albeit a little more. I'm lucky to get 400 kilometers to a tank with 150 of that on the highway. I got rid of a car in part to fuel mileage only to end up with the same thing, but with payments again. Its the DCT and it runs great and is a joy to drive mind you, but this mileage is really not sitting well with me.

Same frustration here. I constantly get 10.5, sometimes 11... and last tank 12.0L/100km for a 80-100% city driving.

This is really near the mpg I was pulling with my old 3.3L V6 AWD SUV... it totally sucks.

It does get better on the highway (I managed to get 5.9 once), but I still don't get anything near what the EPA sticker claims. I have a Ti as well (no handling package).