Toyota Camry Real World MPG

njerald

I bought this Camry to get the published 25 city/31 highway!!

The published EPA is 24/33.

Either problems with the car or your driving, we can't tell which.

If you are light with the gas pedal and don't have a lot of sitting at lights/stop signs, then it is the car.

At a steady speed in the 40-60 mph range, you should easily get 30+ mpg. Easy to check!!!!!!

alpha01

Most engines need to pass a break-in period, at least 3000 miles, before the fuel efficiency that you actually achieve will be representative of what you can expect. My 2.5L Nissan seriously loosened up after about 7500 and a 50/50 mix in city/highway driving went from about 24 MPG overall to a little over 26.

You would do well to compare your numbers to the Consumer Reports city, highway, and overall MPG numbers when they are published.

~alpha

PS- the 4 cylinder Camry is rated at 24/33.

sjgbrown

I swear my sticker said 25/31, but anyway, NO it is NOT my driving. I have purposely driven it easy for this "break-in" period. Hubby just came back from filling up after an all highway tank and it was 32.5. So, I guess it is getting better. I DO sit at stupid red-lights in this town a LONG time. I still say that this rough idling has something to do with the problem.

Everyone I have talked to that is a current or former Toyota owner has told me, "Don't be surprised if you get BETTER than the posted mileage." So, I was expecting better.

sjgbrown

"You would do well to compare your numbers to the Consumer Reports city, highway, and overall MPG numbers when they are published."

When will those be published??

210delray

In the July '05 issue, which I just received in the mail yesterday. No, I haven't read the article yet. I'm not sure if the magazine is on newstands yet.

Your mileage is not out of line -- you said much of it was city with long traffic lights. My '04 Camry with the same engine but 4-speed transmission gets 23 mpg in our "city," which is more like a small town. My '05 Camry with same engine and transmission as the '07 gets 21 mpg under the same conditions. Both are fully broken in.

lmacmil

Here are the numbers from last year's issue. They only got 16 around town but 34 on the highway. Sorry but it won't format quite right.

2005 Toyota Camry 2.4 4-cyl 5-spd auto.

EPA CR EPA CR
city city hwy hwy
24 16 34 34

sjgbrown

Well, I suppose I will give it more time to break in, but I sure am disappointed. I have seen people on here post better mileage out of their V6's!!! I could have had the power of the V6 if I wanted this kind of gas mileage. I guess I should have listened to my husband and went with another Honda. I had a 2000 Accord before I traded it in on that stupid MPV and it got MUCH better than 21 MPG in the city, same kind of driving, also a 4-cyl. If I am only gonna get 3 MPG better than that MPV, I am not gonna be happy at all with this Camry. I was expecting MUCH better.

janderson8

You're doing even better than I have done with a 2000 Camry 4 cyl automatic, which rarely gets even 20 in the city. And I also drive very carefully, trying to time lights, no speeding or fast starts, etc. And the trips aren't ultra short, either. In fact, I always get perturbed when people try to explain low mpg by saying you have stops and starts, shorter trips, etc. THAT is exactly what city driving IS! If you didn't have those conditions, it would be HIGHWAY! So just what does the city mpg imply? I wish I knew why some get the stated mpg or even better while others have much lower figures.

210delray

The short answer is that everyone's city driving is different. Obvious example: Manhattan vs. Peoria. If you drove to exactly duplicate the EPA's city test, then you should be able to match the EPA mileage rating.

Look at Consumers Union's city ratings -- they are significantly lower, because they run a much tougher test than EPA.

janderson8

If that is the case, then those with the higher mpg are actually approaching highway conditions when they drive in the "city", and the EPA is using unrealistic conditions to arrive at their numbers. My city driving is actually easy suburban driving, with a few stops on my 5 mile trip to work and back. I don't think it could get more average, as it isn't heavy city traffic nor extremely easy driving in a small country town.

And how do you explain that on the exact same trip, same driver, etc., I get the EPA estimate on my Honda Civic (31-32 mpg) but am 12-20% under on the Camry? (18-20 mpg) I do think that some engines come from the factory with better mileage potential than others, either because of closer tolerances, better assembly, etc. And there are other factors that could effect mileage that the dealers just don't want to take the time to locate when one complains; it's easier to just blame the driver!

210delray

And how do you explain that on the exact same trip, same driver, etc., I get the EPA estimate on my Honda Civic (31-32 mpg) but am 12-20% under on the Camry? (18-20 mpg) I do think that some engines come from the factory with better mileage potential than others, either because of closer tolerances, better assembly, etc.

I don't have all the answers, not knowing exactly how and where you drive, but I can assert that differences in transmission and differential gearing will have more of an effect than engineering tolerances or assembly quality on gas mileage (same trip, same driver). Also, was the Civic a manual transmission?

On a 5-mile trip, the engine will not even warm up fully, even if the temperature gauge is showing "normal." (Engine oil takes longer to heat than coolant.)

Yes, the EPA city AND highway tests are probably too easy, which is why the agency is considering changing their test methods.

sjgbrown

"I don't have all the answers, not knowing exactly how and where you drive, but I can assert that differences in transmission and differential gearing will have more of an effect than engineering tolerances or assembly quality on gas mileage (same trip, same driver). Also, was the Civic a manual transmission?"

I think you hit the nail on the head. I have read that some are having trouble with their transmissions. My brother said mine is idling too rough. He had another one just like mine come in his shop the other day and he said it was not idling rough like mine and the owner was getting good gas mileage. SOOOOO, I am taking mine in to the dealer. I am going to tell them to check whatever affects gas mileage (i.e. tire pressure, alignment, transmission, etc.) and adjust it. I will take it back until I get the mileage that I believe I should be getting. If I don't get to that point, then they are going to get me a new car!! I bought the thing to get good gas mileage and for the reliability. If I am not going to get that, then I don't want it. I used to have a Mitsubishi Galant 4 cyl. that I drove VERY hard and fast and I got GREAT mileage out of it. I also got great mileage out of my Accord which was the same horsepower and size engine as this Camry. So, I don't want to hear the excuse that it is my driving that is the reason for the poor gas mileage.

mldj98

I hate to rain on your parade but there is not a dealer in this world who is going to take you car back based on what you have posted here. I understand your frustration, but this is not like taking something back to a department store, just doesn't work that way. I wish you luck in getting this resolved, but the car is yours. Now you can sell it or trade it in, that is if your willing to take the loss on it, since it has been titled already, it is now used. Good luck either way.

210delray

You're reading too much into what I said -- I meant the transmission as designed will have different gearing and will shift at different load conditions from one car model compared to another, not that there's anything defective.

You said your husband got 32.5 mpg on a recent all-highway trip, really the same as the EPA highway rating of 33. And I bet he didn't average 48 mph and limit his top speed to 60 mph like the EPA does!

If you drive "VERY hard and fast" around town, you're not likely to get the EPA city rating. In their test, the acceleration is gentle, in large part because dynamometers of the 70s (when the test was first designed) could not handle high acceleration loads.

I agree with the last poster, you're not going to get your dealer to take the car back without a huge cost penalty (enough to buy LOTS of gas).

ray_h1

The most significant factor the EPA designed in their testing procedure was repeatability of all ambient conditions (temperature, barometric pressure, engine load, RPMs, etc.) in a controlled testing environment so that the mileage estimates on the MSRP window stickers could be directly compared between makes. These tests are as close to "bench testing" that the EPA could've achieved short of removing the engine from the test vehicle. Why not just take a representative sample car out in the real world to do the testing? Simple - how would those exact same environmental variables be duplicated the next day? Or even later the same day? For whatever reason, too many people still can't get it in their heads that these test results are estimates, not hard and fast deliverable promises for every driver's individual driving style. All other things being equal, if a Camry I4's EPA fuel consumption estimates are superior to another make's estimates, the odds favor a particular driver's driving style will deliver better fuel economy with the Camry I4 than would be achieved had he/she chose the other make. The "city cycle" is probably the least reliable because urban driving simply has too many variables to make for a meaningful comparison. Think Manhatten at rush hour midweek vs. rural Soggy Bottom with one traffic signal for its entire three-quarter mile stretch during Sunday morning church services.

sjgbrown

f you drive "VERY hard and fast" around town, you're not likely to get the EPA city rating. In their test, the acceleration is gentle, in large part because dynamometers of the 70s (when the test was first designed) could not handle high acceleration loads.

I already posted earlier that have NOT driven this car fast or hard, so that is NOT the reason for not getting the listed mileage in the city. I have also stated that the car idles too rough and that it seems to have a fuel injection issue as it acts as if it almost wants to stall when I back off the gas and then accelerate when turning corners, etc.

sjgbrown

I hate to rain on your parade but there is not a dealer in this world who is going to take you car back based on what you have posted here.

Oh, yes there is!! It's called Century Buick in Huntsville, AL!! They ruined a brand new car I bought there when they put a luggage rack on the back (very crooked and leaked--no way to repair). I demanded they give me a new car and they did!!

Also, I never said I am going to go in there and say, "my car doesn't get good gas mileage, give me a new one." However, I am convinced that there is something wrong with this engine that is making the city mileage unusually low. And I am still wondering about this variable valve system that it has on it. It is my understanding, from the way my brother described it to me, that its purpose is to even out the RPM's on a trip so that you get better gas mileage. Well, what does it do when you are starting and stopping alot? As I have watched the gage that needle sure jumps around alot-goes up to 3,000 when I am accelerating on the main road on my way to work and quickly jumps back down to between 1,000 and 2,000 and stays there, if my speed is maintained. If I stop and start again, up and down goes that gage again. How can that be good?? Seems to me that it benefits the highway driving but might impede the city. Just speculating, so you armchair mechanics don't need to jump down my throat. Just makes me wonder since this is the first 4 cyl. car that I have had that has gotten such crappy city mileage.

210delray

I've already said your city gas mileage seems okay -- your car is new and hardly broken in. My '05 Camry with the same powertrain as yours gets as low as 21 mpg, and it's got over 12K miles on it. My '04 with a different tranny gets as low as 23 mpg. But both easily get over 30 mpg on the highway.

You did say your husband got 32.5 mpg on the highway? Were you expecting 40?

Your brother doesn't seem to know very much if he thinks the VVT (variable valve timing) "evens out the rpm." The idle is "rough?" Test drive another Camry like yours (or 2 or 3, all with 4 cylinders, of course), and see if there's any difference.

Your tachometer goes up to 3000 rpm when accelerating? That's perfectly normal, and the harder you accelerate, the higher it will go before upshifting to the next gear. If you're cruising at a steady 65 mph, the tach will stay glued to the 2000-rpm mark.

If you want the rpm to stay the same in most situations, go buy a CVT (continuously variable transmission) -- the Camry Hybrid has one.

It "almost stalls?" But actually doesn't? The tranny DOES have to shift gears when you decelerate, then accelerate.

I'm finished arguing -- take it up with the dealer. However, if you are "convinced that there is something wrong with this engine," nothing he/she says or does will probably make you happy.

samiam_68

As I have watched the gage that needle sure jumps around alot-goes up to 3,000 when I am accelerating on the main road on my way to work and quickly jumps back down to between 1,000 and 2,000 and stays there, if my speed is maintained. If I stop and start again, up and down goes that gage again. How can that be good??

That's just the tachometer giving you RPM readings. Has nothing to do with VVT-I (Variable Valve Timing). Also, has nothing to do with gas mileage. When the transmission shifts up to the next gear, the RPM's will drop. Haven't your past cars had tachometers?

If the car has a rough idle, take it to the dealer and complain about the rough idle. The dealer has to fix that under warranty. If whatever is causing the rough idle is also causing poor city MPG, then your problem will be fixed.

Also, if you always use the same brand of gasoline, try switching for several tankfuls to some other brand, preferably a well known one like Mobil or Valero.

Keep us posted.

njerald

I know that the variable valve timing DOES affect the RPMs because that is why it drops to quickly back down to under 2,000 after accelerating. That is its purpose.

I learned something tonite!!!!!!!!!!

sjgbrown

I learned something tonite!!!!!!!!!!Ok, so YOU explain how it works and what its purpose is, Great mechanic in the sky!!!

njerald

Ok, so YOU explain how it works and what its purpose is, Great mechanic in the sky!!!

VVTi increases the efficiency, power and torque of the engine throughout the RPM range by advancing or retarding the intake valve opening and duration.

Your rpm drop is either because you let up on the accelerator or the transmission shifted to a higher gear.

sjgbrown

...increases the efficiency, power and torque of the engine throughout the RPM range..." So, what you are saying is, it has nothing to do with the RPM's. Hmmm......

ray_h1

Only insofar that, as you accelerate (and the engine speed increases as indicated by the tachometer), at a certain point some very cleverly engineered gadgetry will begin advancing the camshaft valve timing, lift, and duration the valves are kept open in order to further optimize power delivery through the rest of the available RPM range. In bygone days, "tuners" could exchange their engine's camshaft for one that would provide more power at the engine's top RPM range - but at a cost: the engines so modified rhythmically shook the whole car visibly at idle. (Kind of a warning/invitation to other "tuners" that implied, "Mess with me at your peril, Boy - I'll eat you up and spit you out if you dare take me on.") Chevy even offered special versions of its legendary "409" with 3/4 race cams from the factory. CVVT offers the best of both worlds. By the way, the Toyota I4 is as good as anyone's and probably better than most. But, ain't no way any 2.4L four-banger that spits out nearly 160 hp's gonna idle down as smoothly as a V6 - even with a counter-rotating balance shaft helping out.

lukejs

This car really seems too heavy for a 4, the smaller motor just has to work a lot harder and that burns more gas, our V6 is averaging 23-24 around town and 30+ on the hwy. Under the same conditions a larger motor turning fewer rpm's usually gets as good or better milege than a higher reving small engine.
Did most of you who got the 4 do so just to save gas?

210delray

Yes, I did to save both gas and initial cost. However, you have to remember that prior to 2007, the V6 was an older design and did not have anywhere near the fuel efficiency of the new V6. (I'm basing this on the EPA numbers, but some of you appear to be getting remarkable real-world mileage as well with the new V6.)

Also, the '07 Camry gained about 100 pounds compared to its predecessor, but the 4-cylinder is by no means overtaxed.

I base this not only on everyday driving but also on my December Los Angeles to Virginia run, with 3 adults aboard and a full load of luggage (in the back seat and trunk). The car ('04 Camry LE with 4-cylinder and 4-speed auto) had absolutely no problems climbing mountain grades (we largely avoided the interstates), and we still got 30.3 mpg overall for the length of the trip.

This car gets up to 38 mpg on typical interstate trips with 2 people and a small amount of luggage.

glanwin

V6 may work less harder to keep a car running. However, V6 waste more gas during idle. That is the reason I purchased a I4 instead of V6 because I have to drive 40 miles to work every business day.

marc781

2002 Camry V6 auto with 80,000 miles: 25 to 27 mpg. In LA mixed city/highway with a whole lot of stop and go. And bombing along at 75 - 80 mph when the freeway's clear, which isnt often ... On long trips, 30 mpg

marc781

I think maybe your mileage is getting better cause the e ngine is loosening up as it breaks in; probably the same thought has occured to you

marc781

Speed limit? :P Here in sunny So california youre either inching along or driving like a maniac on a clear freeway at 5:30 am to keep up with traffic. The speed limit here is basically just a suggestion!
I plan my whole day/life around the following 'note-to-self" personal LA freeway guide:

Midnight - 6am - Hot damn, the freeway's clear-GO!
6am - 10 am: bring a book and some good cd's, you'll be inchin' along for quite some time.
10am - 2pm : GO GO GO!
2pm - 7pm: as for 6am
7pm-midnight: as for 10 am

It might sound funny - i wish i were joking! But i'm not

lmacmil

Wow, an actual report on mileage. How refreshing. Thanks.

a58

I have a SLE Convertible V6, 3.3L V6 DOHC 24 Valve VVT-i SFI Engine, 5 Speed auto. 18" wheels. Car has 20450 miles. I average 60 miles a day, 40 of which are at highway speed, 55 - 70 mph. I average 21.76 mpg over the lifespan of the car. If I do strictly highway driving, I get approximately 25 mpg.

lmacmil

Thanks. Then my mileage must be typical for the 3.3L.

njerald

5th fill up:

29.11 actual 28.9 trip computer

40% city.

for over 2,000 miles:

26.41 actual, about 60% city.

Filled up yesterday. Loaded up with 4 male golfers and 4 cart bags, shoes, etc.

Drove 67 and 77 mph and trip computer is reading 32.1 mpg for 150 miles.

No problem on hills holding the set cruise speed.

thomasj2

I was just looking at all the previous posts and all the unsatisified mileage people out there. I just did a second mpg check and came up the same for both fill ups; 29.66 mpg and 100% city driving. I drive in the DFW metro area and commute 54 miles round trip per day to work. :sick:

I must say that I am quite shocked to see this kind of mileage so early (around 700 miles on the odometer). I do fill up at the same station, and use Exxon 87 octane. I sure hope the numbers don't go down after a few thousand miles from now. with this kind of mileage, combined with the smoothest riding car I ever owned, this car is turning out to be some kind of blessing for me.

njerald

Your mileage does sound to good to be true for 100% city driving.

My definition of city driving is less than 40 mph speeds with stop signs/lights every 5-10 blocks. No expressways, freeways, limited access roadways.

ray_h1

A 54 mile daily commute on Dallas-Fort Worth surface street urban crawl? Wow - talk about timing the traffic signals! I wonder what your fuel consumption numbers would look like if you ever tried the metropolitan expressways...

210delray

Is the mileage calculated the old-fashioned way or by trip computer? The trip computer in my '05 is consistently optimistic.

The 27 mile one-way drive will help, because the car gets fully warmed up and then some. Now, this must include some uncongested freeway driving?

Having never been to Texas except for the northern panhandle, I have no idea what your commute might be like.

njerald

He doesn't have a trip computer with an LE.

I also doubt he is driving on 35 mph or less city streets for the whole trip.

I would ask what the average speed was if he had a trip computer.

How long does it take to drive the 27 miles from key-on to key off?

thomasj2

The 27 mile commute here in the morning rush hour takes me approx 57 minutes. There are some red lights timed to last exactly 2 minutes 45 seconds, all of which I usually get stuck with. The speed will average at times between 35 and 45, There are a few open streches where the stop lights are spaced out a mile or two, and that's where I pick up my 45mph, but for the most part it's all city stop and go.

I used a pocket mpg calculator that I've had for some time now, and the online one that someone recently posted here. They are almost the same by about one mile difference.

I just traded in my Prerunner for this car, and it took about two years to finally get the mpg it was supposed to get. Can't understand why this one would be so high so soon. I'll keep checking for about the next month to see if there's any difference.

I had a feeling not too many people would believe this. Kind of made me wonder if I should post it at all. I hope those who are not getting the mpg they hoped for, will be getting it soon.

keisl

Too quickly approaching 5000 miles (on my lease) Just made the trip to my moms - filling up for the 100 mile drive on the straight I5 in the california desert - pm, no AC - 3 days later drove 100 miles back (AC for about 25 miles), to fill up - avg speed about 70 mph - not to much in the trunk, and me with 2 kids - I still only got 26mpg. In the city driving, still getting under 20mpg. Extremely depressed, and a little :mad:

210delray

You may as well turn on the a/c, why suffer? Besides the Edmunds test up in your neck of the woods showed that a/c use made little difference.

The biggest factors affecting fuel economy: hard acceleration and braking, high cruising speeds, and nonuse of cruise control.

210delray

You may as well turn on the a/c, why suffer? Besides the Edmunds test up in your neck of the woods showed that a/c use made little difference.

The biggest factors affecting fuel economy: hard acceleration and braking, high cruising speeds, and nonuse of cruise control.

Find the whole story within this series -- scroll back several pages.

glanwin

The engine in my wife's 05 Highlander Limited is the same as yours. She get around 19 mpg average after 20K miles. Of course, she has short commute every day, around 10 miles and 80% local on hilly area. We do get a little better than 25 mpg when travling between LA and Phoenix. The speed limit is 75 mph on I-10.

keisl

Nice article. Of course, one of my biggest driving pet peaves is slow drivers in the left lane. I lived 6 years in Germany (military) - NEVER drive in the left lane there! Anyway, it left an impression. It makes it difficult to use the cruise control when someone drives 55-60 in the left lane (oh and the speed limit is 70 in the desert), has about 10 or more cars behind it, and you can't pass before the next truck gets there. Then you get my bigger frustration - the drivers behind you who try to pass on the right, then have to cut you off (nearly causing an accident) so they don't rear-end the truck... These people both contribute to making the roads unsafe, cause traffic slow downs, (agitate me!!) and reduce MPG. Sorry, I think I just vented....

njerald

'07 XLE I4 with 2,700 miles now.

Last tank:
Trip meter - 29.9, Actual 28.41 mpg

7 tank Avg:
Trip meter - 27.9, Actual 26.74 mpg

456 miles on last tank, below Empty indicated and -10 miles on range.

50-60% Highway.

My lowest tank was 24.56 mpg , highest 29.11.

faldoc

OK since we are giving updates here is mine:
'07 Camry XLE V6, 4638 miles:
Last tank:
Trip meter 31.0 Actual 29.44 mpg

10 tank avg:
29.42 mpg

lowest 27.32 mpg highest 31.32

All tanks about 90 to 95% highway, steady 65 to 70 mph.

If you do a calculation to predict your rough mileage based on strict city/highway percentages, not taking into account the other many variables, a 90% highway percentage in a car getting 22/31 EPA would give us 30.1 mpg which is pretty close to what I actually get.

rjrjrj

I posted here about a month ago with low numbers, and here's an update:

1st Fill up: 18.83 mpg
2nd Fill up: 18.48 mpg
3rd Fill up: 18.45 mpg
4th Fill up: 17.50 mpg

Southern California area, 60/40 city/highway
as you can see, it's steadily getting worse and worse as time passes, with the last fill up being a pretty big difference from the one before. And thats surprising, since I've been extremely careful with my driving on the last fillup, moreso than the previous ones. I am no longer able to get even close to 280 miles on the tripometer from full to when the fuel light comes on, more like between 250-260 miles and thats including driving with no fast acceleration or hard braking and driving alone.

I know 210delray doesn't think there's anything wrong with my numbers, especially with the traffic around SoCal. But you know, my friend has the 06 version of my car, also lives in SoCal, drives A LOT worse than I do and consistently has people in his car...yet right from the start he's been getting around 400 miles per fill up or even better some times. And i know, the 07 version is heavier but I think toyota would take that under consideration when posting their fuel economy numbers for the new one.

210delray

I know 210delray doesn't think there's anything wrong with my numbers...

You got that one right. BTW, on our last fill up of our '05 Camry 4 cyl 5A, we only got 20.8 mpg -- virtually all short-trip, in town driving. And we're in a small town, not a huge metropolis like SoCal.

Meanwhile, on my commute to work with the '04 Camry 4 cyl 4A, I'm averaging nearly 30 mpg over 3 tanks, but my commute is mostly highway and counter to the main flow of traffic.

So, try taking your car on a trip to the high desert, past Victorville and up to Owens Lake. Beautiful scenery you've got, and that should improve your mileage!

parnola

After 1600 miles, I'm consistantly getting 23 mpg in the city and 31 on the highway (600 mile trip averaged 31.2mpg). I'm hoping the city mileage will come up a bit, but overall I'm pleased.