Shockingly low mpg numbers reported for 2013 Focus

[dwightm]

Quick update - Just filled up the 2013 S for the first time, drove 2 miles to the nearest highway, then ran 5 miles at 65mph in 5th gear. Average fuel mileage read 36.2 at the 7-mile mark. SWEET.

[miuzi05]

I filled up yesterday, and then drove a 400km round trip. Despite a lengthy highway traffic jam (stop and go, took about 30 minutes to travel 2 km or so), most of the trip was between 80 and 110km/h in 5th, with occasional slowdowns when passing through residential areas, leaving me with an average for the day of 6.3L/100km, or around 37-38mpg. I wasn't driving with maximum efficiency in mind, either. Call me satisfied. I think with smooth and trouble-free highway driving, I could break 40mpg easily.

[Focus YBTC]

Originally Posted by frinesi2

I live in constant fear of misguided scientists extracting velociraptor DNA out of dino juice so I make it a point to burn up as much as I can so they can't get to it and take over the world.

That is the reason for my low MPG rating.

Don't quit your day job for comedy just yet. Oh, and oil does not come from dinosaurs, sorry.

The notion that petroleum or crude oil comes from dinosaurs is fiction. Surprised? Oil formed from the remains of marine plants and animals that lived millions of years ago, even before the dinosaurs. The tiny organisms fell to the bottom of the sea. Bacterial decomposition of the plants and animals removed most of the oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorus and sulfur from the matter, leaving behind a sludge made up mainly of carbon and hydrogen. As the oxygen was removed from the detritus, decomposition slowed. Over time the remains became covered by layers upon layers of sand and silt. As the depth of the sediment reached or exceeded 10,000 feet, pressure and heat changed the remaining compounds into the hydrocarbons and other organic compounds that form crude oil and natural gas.

The type of petroleum formed by the plankton layer depended largely on how much pressure and heat were applied. Low temperatures (caused by lower pressure) resulted in a thick material, such as asphalt. Higher temperatures produced a lighter petroleum. Ongoing heat could produce gas, though if the temperature exceeded 500°F, the organic matter was destroyed and neither oil nor gas was produced. http://chemistry.about.com/b/2012/05...or-fiction.htm

[clogan]

Originally Posted by dwightm

Quick update - Just filled up the 2013 S for the first time, drove 2 miles to the nearest highway, then ran 5 miles at 65mph in 5th gear. Average fuel mileage read 36.2 at the 7-mile mark. SWEET.

Don't put too much faith in the MPG read out on the dash...they are notoriously inaccurate in many cases. On my Focus, the dash-indicated MPG is typically much greater than actual MPG (as computed via miles driven since last fill, divided by volume of gas required to fill). In some cases, dash-indicated MPG is less than actual; but in most cases, it is greater than actual. Much greater. The dash-indicated MPG reading should be used for purely amusement purposes only. If the speedometer was as inaccurate, we would all be getting tickets!

[frinesi2]

Originally Posted by Focus YBTC

Don't quit your day job for comedy just yet. Oh, and oil does not come from dinosaurs, sorry.

True but "dino juice" has a much nicer ring to it than "prehistoric phytoplankton juice", don't you think?

[Focus YBTC]

Originally Posted by frinesi2

True but "dino juice" has a much nicer ring to it than "prehistoric phytoplankton juice", don't you think?

Yes I think so but are you still worried about scientists reanimating prehistoric phytoplankton DNA?

[FordCustomerService]

Hey folks,

Just a reminder that if you're concerned about the fuel economy of your vehicle, you can always take your Focus to the dealership so they can take a look. Also keep in mind that winter fuel blends usually translate to lower fuel economy in your car.

You can also check out Ford's tips for improving your vehicle's fuel efficiency here: http://owner.ford.com/servlet/Conten...=1239636411265

Let me know if you have any questions!
Crystal

[NewFocusOwner5]

Originally Posted by jdetzel

Give it some time. These transmissions can exhibit some pretty weird behavior, mine did. That should clear up and the fuel mileage will come up. I do all city driving and when it was new I have gotten as low as 19mpg. I am at 4,500 miles now and my last tank was 26.4mpg. It seems like it has way more power than it did and I wind up giving less throttle to get the job done.

My car now has 12000 miles on it and my driving still consists of about 90% highway. I average 29mpg which is not even close to the 38mpg advertised on the window sticker. 29 is what I would expect from city driving. The best I was ever able to get was 32mpg and that was a long road trip with cruise control set at 65-70mph.

[feta_mgp]

Originally Posted by NewFocusOwner5

My car now has 12000 miles on it and my driving still consists of about 90% highway. I average 29mpg which is not even close to the 38mpg advertised on the window sticker. 29 is what I would expect from city driving. The best I was ever able to get was 32mpg and that was a long road trip with cruise control set at 65-70mph.

My best tank has been ~34. I do a lot of mixed driving and those tanks usually average 28-29, but that 34mpg tank was all highway. I'm not disappointed per se, but I expected better.

Oh well. Hopefully I'll be getting an ST in the next few months... then I'll definitely be seeing low mpgs... lol

[jyax82]

Take a look at this: http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/fe_test_schedules.shtml
This chart shows the tests that the EPA uses to determine the rating for cars. If you notice the highway portion of the test the average speed is only 48 mph with a top speed of 60 mph. We all know that the faster you drive the resistance created by the air increases exponentially, not in a linear fashion. Those ratings are only to give a point of reference from one car to another for comparison, not to tell you what you will get from your car the way YOU drive it. Personally I have a 2013 SE manual, and I get around 30-31 driving at 75 mph. Here in Michigan. It makes me wonder where people live that they get MPG ratings in the upper 30's to near 40, if they are living in places that have much lower speed limits than the 70 here. Like they say "Your Mileage May Vary"