Focus Fanatics Forum banner

2.0 Automatic Gas Mileage

4K views 23 replies 17 participants last post by  cobie56 
#1 ·
I currently own a Fusion Sport and drive nearly 30,000 miles per year. Gas mileage is killing me as I am currently averaging only 21 mpg with a 40% city / 60% highway split. I was wondering what your Focus averages to see if it would be worth trading the Fusion for the Focus.
 
#3 ·
You will do better, but maybe not enough, I get about 6mpg better than my roommates 2010 fusion in same driving conditions.

Might be better off with fusion hybrid or c-max
 
#5 ·
Get a new fusion Hybrid like previously mentioned, or a fusion energi if you are looking to stay with a sedan. C-max would also be an excellent choice if you are looking for better mpg than the focus can offer
 
#7 ·
You should test drive a VW Passat TDI. Especially since Ford refuses to bring the 2.0L diesel to the US from Europe.
 
#8 ·
Get a new fusion Hybrid like previously mentioned, or a fusion energi if you are looking to stay with a sedan. C-max would also be an excellent choice if you are looking for better mpg than the focus can offer
Yes, let's forget that each of those options are $5k to $10k more than a comparably equipped Focus. If you're looking to spend less money on gas, you gotta make sure you're not spending five times the fuel savings on the new car.

I currently own a Fusion Sport and drive nearly 30,000 miles per year. Gas mileage is killing me as I am currently averaging only 21 mpg with a 40% city / 60% highway split. I was wondering what your Focus averages to see if it would be worth trading the Fusion for the Focus.
I would recommend you do an estimated payback calculation. How much more (or less) are you going to spend on the brand new Focus over the next 5 years on payments, insurance etc., and compare that to your estimated fuel savings at today's prices.
 
#10 ·
as far as gas, yes its worth it. I have a pretty even split and I average 30-31. If Im driving more city or driving over 75 on the highway, that drops a few. my worst and hardest driving whatsoever (90 on the hwy, drag racing every light), ill get like 25-26. If im being a fuel miser and dont break 70 on the highway, 33 isnt too difficult

I dont know what you owe, what your car is worth, or what you plan on buying and how, but as long as you are in good shape that way it might be a good step. Just dont expect the same rear seat room as your fusion lol
 
#11 ·
I do probably do 75/25 highway/city and the car has averaged 32.6-33 MPG. My Chever Colorado pick up got about 21 MPG with the same split. The Focus cut my gas bill almost in half. Worth every penny.[thumb]
 
#12 ·
If fuel economy is your primary goal, I would just look at a hybrid. Switching cars to get 50% improvement in fuel economy may not make financial sense, but at least a 100% improvement could make the math work.

A Prius C would give you the best numbers, mileage and price wise, if your main goal is to minimize fuel costs. A C-Max or Fusion hybrid would be much better driving cars, but they also cost a bit more, so it depends on what you want.
 
#13 ·
Trouble is, trading in a perfectly usable car for a new hybrid just to get better fuel economy is usually folly. At 1,000 miles a month and $3.50 per gallon, you're saving only $87.50 a month in gas by doubling your fuel economy from 20mpg to 40mpg. If your increase in payments (and decrease in expected maintenance / repairs) by buying the new hybrid is significantly less than $87.50 a month then it may make sense. But with hybrid prices where they are, that seems unlikely. Especially if you're currently driving a paid off vehicle, or will be paid off within the next year or two.

But then there are other considerations like new car itch, enjoyment factor, future repairs (higher on the older car), etc.

When trying to decide whether to refinance or trade in my wife's '08 Taurus in order to drastically reduce the $420 a month payment, I did this quick tradeoff calc at the end of 6 years. It looked at refinancing the Taurus for another 36 mos. to reduce the payments or trade it in on the Focus. Factoring in gas savings and the Taurus needing new tires soon, it was basically break even. But that's assuming the Taurus needed no major out of pocket repairs over the next 6 years which was unlikely. Also required a swag on book value of each car at the end of 6 years. Given those two unknowns, I may very well have been better off keeping the Taurus. But then there's the intangible driving enjoyment factor.... [driving]



But basically if you're looking to reduce the pain to your pocket book, don't just look at gas savings. Look at the big picture!
 
#15 ·
Trouble is, trading in a perfectly usable car for a new hybrid just to get better fuel economy is usually folly. At 1,000 miles a month and $3.50 per gallon, you're saving only $87.50 a month in gas by doubling your fuel economy from 20mpg to 40mpg. If your increase in payments (and decrease in expected maintenance / repairs) by buying the new hybrid is significantly less than $87.50 a month then it may make sense. But with hybrid prices where they are, that seems unlikely. Especially if you're currently driving a paid off vehicle, or will be paid off within the next year or two.
He said 2500 miles a month so that would be $262.50 a month for doubling fuel economy. Also with as much driving as he is doing, his current one could easily be in the 100k-150k mark already and repair costs could start creeping in.
 
#18 ·
I just ran a little test, I reset my mpg meter when I got up to 55, left it on cruise for the trip home and got 44.8 mpg. When I did the same thing at 65 mph I got 34.7 mpg. Granted, this is a little test and isn't a big enough set of data to be conclusive, but the gist is the same. If you want better mpg drive slower, accelerate slower, coast up to red lights and stop signs.

I had an 03 Sport Trac that I was getting 16 mpg with when I traded it for the Focus. I'm averaging about 32 mpg with the focus, because I don't normally drive 55 on the highway :) With that better gas mileage I'm saving about $125 a month in gas, and since the Sport Trac needed a lot of work I also saved about $3,500 in maintenance over the next two years. So I pretty much drive the Focus for free for two years, and I've already sold enough extra parts I had to make up another payment or two.
 
#19 ·
My lifetime average is 57% highway / 43% city and I'm sitting at 32.3 MPG over 17,000 miles.



I've discovered that this thing loves all-highway on Premium (Shell 93 V-Power) at cruise of 65 MPH and below. I've pulled tanks (480+ miles) at 42 and 45 MPG in those conditions.
 
#20 ·
Here is mine and I don't baby my car. Is it worthy ? I don't know for you, but I love it !

 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top