Hyundai Sonata Real World MPG

backy

Austin is slightly higher up than Dallas, which might have an effect also. FWIW, I got better FE this past Christmas driving south down I-35 to Austin than driving back. But there was a stiff north wind on the way home, and some north wind going south to Austin, so wind is definitely a factor.

rickb56

As much as I wanted a new 2011 Sonata, I decided I didn't want another car loan and I found a 2006 4 cyl GLS with only 42,000 miles and not a door ding to be found. Everything like new including battery, oil and filter and new tires! I have run 3 tanks of gas throught it and my overall mileage has been 27 with a 50/50 mix of local/highway. I have also had highway readings up to 38 and as low as 28 depending on strong tailwind or headwind. It appears that the car is going to live up to its EPA estimated 34 mpg if I keep it at 65 or less with no wind factor. I haven't gone a full tank of 'all-highway' yet since that would entail 600 miles of driving. Overall, I am thrilled with this car, we already own the same 2006 with a V6 and frankly the 4cyl is more fun to drive around town and appears it is going to be maybe 20 percent better on gas. Even at the lower horsepower , the car has enough pep to suit me.

kyrpto

The Motorweek long-term road test Sonata has gotten 27.5 MPG over 12,000 miles.
Our hybrid with 1,200 miles is averaging 40 MPG.

pcz0925

I drove my new 2011 Sonata SE 2.0T home over the weekend. While it had 425 miles on it I don't think that qualifies as being fully broken in yet. The drive home was 40 miles of highway where I averaged almost 34 mpg. With it being new I didn't totally thrash the turbo but I did not baby it either. Yesterday in errands around town as I was just over 25mpg. If this keeps up or even gets better, I will be more than happy.

jnjsad

Went from Iowa to Chicago last weekend with 4 guys in the new Sonata, adding about 900 extra pounds to the car. Currently have about 6000 miles on it. We averaged (with eco off) 36.4 mpg driving 70mph. On my 60 mile round trip commute each day to work, I drive about 85% highway. I can get 39 mpg with eco on from home to work. This is the first vehicle I have owned that actually gets the EPA MPG posted on sticker. If i'm in a hurry and scuttle around town like I'm in a 6 cyl....then I know my MPG will dip. Either way, very very happy with the fuel economy I'm getting out of this car. On a side note, I traded in my 2009 Malibu LTZ that posted 28-33 mpg epa sticker, as I was getting (on my best read) only 25 mpg straight hwy.

longo2

YOur mpg's are amazing, considering that most are getting at or near the posted numbers of 33 to 35...what brand of gas are you using?

http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/findacar.htm

cpeny

Have a hard time believing that with a turbo. You can get 35 or 36 with Eco on a non turbo and 100% highway at 70 or below and no a/c. The other stuff sounds too good to be true.

tja526

I am still having a hard time with this...up to 27 highway, at 65 to 75 mph as the signs change. I had a weird thing happen twice. Filled up the tank, left the gas station and the average readout was 44 mpg immediately. The second time it shot up to 97.5 mpg,as I pulled out of the station. It was the 5 miles home that brought it down to 56 mpg avg. weird?? yes. I am at 4400 miles on the car in 6 months.
I am normally at the 27..and even city it stays at about 25.
Am I doing something wrong or do you think the display is all screwed up?
This last tank was the first time I saw it at 450 till empty. Normally it is about 387 when I fill up.
Help..

nelson1

I hesitate to post this, as folks will doubt my word. My Sonata, with just over 2,000 miles on it, driving the speed limit, with AC on auto, in Texas heat of close to 100 degrees, gets 40mpg. On a run from Houston to Lake Charles, La., and back, about half at 65mph, and half at 70mph, my computer is showing me an average of 40.2. This is with Conoco gas, 87 octane. Other brands of gas have given me a little less, but always over 35.

cpeny

I will have to try this. I can get 35 if I do not go past 70 mph. I will try this to see if it is possible. Is that trip all flat?

mmarro

We just got ours a week ago, and I am still on the initial tank of gas provided by the dealership. I still have 1/4 tank left, and I have already gotten 405 miles from the tank of gas. If I use the trip computer as a guide, and my distance to empty, I am tracking to get about 485 miles on this inital tank of gas. Currently the trip computer is saying an average of 28.6MPG, and I would say that I am about an even split between highway and city driving - my average MPH is only 27MPH, so definitely highway speeds (in Chicago even on the highway it is like city driving at times!). I will post what the actual calculated MPG is once I have to fill up, but I am hoping it gets even better as the engine gets more "broken in" but I am very pleased already!

nelson1

Flat as a pancake.

tja526

Interesting...I seem to be getting better gas mileage the past few weeks. Better than the previous months. I am resetting the trip computer and all of the other items. So far the last tank of gas was about 425. My avg mpg is even higher, on the highway now getting 29 to 36. Could this be breaking in?? I am at 4400 miles and it is 7 months old.
I do enjoy seeing all the posts on the Sonata. My is a basic GLS.
Mind you my first tank of gas was the best and then it was downhill from there. I always drive the same 10 miles to and from work each day on the highway. I am not sure what is happening all of a sudden but I am finally seeing why I bought the car in the first place. Keep me posted on your MPG and please let me know if you reset the trip stuff each time you get in the car..ok?? Thanks!

fushigi

It could be you're getting off winter blend gas. From http://blog.gasbuddy.com/posts/Winter-blend-gasoline-rolling-out-drops-in-MPG-po- ssible/1715-422955-413.aspx : "As temps warm, air pollution regulations mandate lower RVP numbers. The lower the RVP, the more expensive. Generally, a lower RVP will also indicate a slight increase in fuel economy."

carl41

You need to check your MPG by manually computing your mileage. Next time you fill up your tank, reset the trip mileage to zero. Then the next time you get gas (hopefully the same gas station and same pump) divide the total number of gallons purchased into the total number of miles driven(reading from the trip mileage). Some car computer MPG figures are notoriously inaccurate.

earbuckle

Can't speak for the Hyundai turbo, but experience with my two Saab 9000s, one a turbo and one normally-aspirated, convinced me that a turbo can be more efficient regarding both power and economy, largely due to the better breathing of the engine. In my case, both cars had the same basic 2.3l 4 cyl with 4-speed auto trans. The non-turbo had 168hp and would average 26-27 mpg on my routine commute. The turbo had 200hp (and a boatload more torque!) and would easily get 28-30 mpg. Watching the instantaneous MPG on the trip computers revealed that the non-turbo was always working harder during my commute (90% highway). The turbo was literally loafing along much of the time, thus the better mileage. So, in my opinion, turbos do offer something approaching a free lunch, as they recover some lost energy from the exhaust system.

As always, YMMV.

nelson1

My experience with the computer mpg calculation has been very good. I have cross checked mine on 2 different vehicles, on this Sonata, and on my Caddy DeVille. I believe that the computer is more accurate than the manual calculation. When you fill up your tank, the gas nozzle cuts off the flow at different levels of "full". Sometimes, you can add 1 gallon after it cuts off, and other times, and other pumps, the cut-off point is a good bit fuller. So, therefore, I just go by what my computer tells me. Mine zeroes out on every fill-up, on the Sonata. The Caddy holds the last 99.9 gallons, and just keeps on going, unless I zero it out, which I never do.

tja526

I really appreciate all of the feedback on what people believe to be true with their cars. I just recently started to reset everything on the Sonata and low and behold..I am now getting what was expected. Even ciy MPG on the computer is between 35-31 and highway is getting up there. In the 10 miles to work-all hwy-I am not up between 31 and 36 . I am at 4400 miles on the car and it is 7 months old. So-a break in time??? anyone think so? Or was it me not resetting the computer each time???

LASHAWN

The only way to get accurate reading from computer is to reset after every fill-up, that way you can see what each tank will get you. So to answer your question, yes it was you not resetting the computer each time.

matherson

Drove 384 miles before 1st fillup. Calculated MPG was 27. On board MPG was 28, so my Sonata might be overstating my MPG a little.

I have a SE. (non-turbo) Driving was mostly around town, but some back roads with no lights.

tja526

I was seeing 371 to 380 within the first 5 months...then the past month, for some reason, it is getting better MPG. varies weirdly, though-as I drive the same exact way to work every single day-all highway, same speeds, etc. Now up to 29-35..mostly hitting up to 32 or 33 by the time I drive the 10 miles.
I have a basic GLS. I am also at about 25 to 27 around town. Not so bad and I am feeling better about this car now, have it 7 months and 4850 miles on it. Oil change this weekend..and tire rotation. Thanks for posting!

fushigi

You're probably seeing the better MPG due to the change from winter to summer blend gas. Winter blend is well known to deliver slightly worse economy than summer blend.

What's good (or at least better) for the environment can be at odds with being good for our wallets.

matherson

I have noticed the same on winter gas. I was getting about 23 MPG on my old Camry in winter/early spring. That jumped to 26+ in May/June. Same driving patterns.

longo2

Now that we are all forced to buy Ethanol laced gasoline, I don't think there will still be that old Winter/Summer Pop to increase mpgs.

Seems we got suckered into Big-Ag's Corn based moonshine subsidies and are now getting poorer mpgs, buying more fuel to compensate, seeing food prices going through the roof and tax payers money going to prop up this bad idea so they can continue to scam us.

Makes a good case for diesel engines, and that scares the hell out of the Corn for Fuel growers.

Hope Hyundai will bring over their new diesel engine, so I can get rid of my VW Jetta TDI someday soon.

dudleyr

Where I live we still get pure gasoline all year round.

87 and 91 octane are always pure and 89 octane is always 10%. 89 is also always the cheapest.

This is for South Dakota - sorry city dwellers. :P

kyrpto

Regular is $3.29 here (Southside VA) today (June 25th).
Hybrid says 37.1 with heavy AC useage.

matherson

2nd tank:
464.2 miles driven. Mostly around town.
17.168 gallons at fill-up.
MPG: 27.0
On board MPG stated 29.3 for tank, so on board calculation seems a bit high.

pegeseus

I've had my 2011 Sonata for 2500 miles and I have yet to average more than 21 mpg on a tank of gas (usually more like 19 or 20). I do about 60% City/40% Hwy driving. Try to go light on the gas and use AC sparingly. Eco button is always on. My typical 18.5 gallon tank of gas gets me about 360 miles. That's chump change compared to what I'm seeing on here... is something up with my car?

longo2

Start a new thread called SONATA BAD MPG and see how many others are out there with the same issue.

I looked for your 60/40 split on www.fueleconomy.gov and others are posting 28 to 29 mpgs.

At 2500 miles, if a 'break in' period is the problem, you should soon be seeing a slow steady increase in your numbers. It's confusing tho to see cars on the first tank of gas getting stellar numbers.
Makes you wonder what brand and octane the dealerships are putting in them, as others have reported the next tank can disappoint.

(I bought a new Nissan Versa SL with the CVT powertrain in 2007 that was also rated at 34 mpgs and after 40,000 miles it's still getting 28, tried to give it to my Grandson for a College Car last year, and he didn't want it)

hackattack5

"Mind you my first tank of gas was the best and then it was downhill from there"

I bought a 2011 Escape and the same thing happened. The first tank that was supplied by the dealer I got 29.5 MPG and ever since then I have been averaging 27-28MPG. I wonder if dealers are putting in gas that contains no ethanol or some other trick? I guess with the onboard computers spitting out the gas mileage they want them to read as high as possible.

longo2

"I guess with the onboard computers spitting out the gas mileage they want them to read as high as possible"

Good point!

Whenever I test drive a car with the fuel info center, that's the first thing that catches my eye....interesting idea that the dealership could tweak the fuel to show a high number.

I have thought that for a real mpg check one should take the car overnight, fill it up drive it home, do some testing for a couple of hundred miles, bring it back, re-fill it and do the math.

It will probably be far short of the window sticker number and would be a good excuse to be a hard #ss during the negotiations or, if the mpg's were really dismal...then walk away.

matherson

3rd tank:
440 miles
14.4 gallons
30.6 MPG
On board said 30.1. This is the opposite of my first two tanks where atual MPG lagged behind on board calculation.
Mostly local driving, probably 75-25. Car now has 1,300 miles on it and MPG seems to be improving.

tja526

Amazing results once hitting 5k on the miles. Now avg mpg is well over 30-even in city going 25-40. Hwy is steady at 33 to 44. Loving it. Bad start and maybe I was totally in the dark about building up the mpg.

stever

A reporter wants to talk with people who expected to get better gas mileage in their relatively new vehicle. Please email pr@edmunds.com by Tuesday, July 19, 2011 with your daytime contact information and a few words about your experience. Thank you.

rollytg

40 MPG for a couple of hours of highway at 65-75 MPH. 37.1 over 4.5 hours of highway without trying too hard. Impressive I think. Has seemed to get better now we are past 5000 miles.

cpeny

If it is flat and you set the cruise at 70 and no strong winds or above 90 degree temps, you can get 35 mpg. I seriously doubt a lot of other claims, because I've tried them all

aqua33v6

My 2006 V6 is rated at 27 Hwy but I can get 28 to 29 on flat roads with cruise control set between 65 and 68 MPH. I've read several reports of the 2006 to 2008 4 cyl. beating their EPA numbers as well, getting 32+ (rated at 30 Hwy for 06,07,08), and that's with the old 4 spd automatic. The 2009/2010 4 cyl. models got the 5 spd automatic and engine tweaks for even better fuel economy. I have no doubt the 2011 models can get better mileage than the last gen Sonata considering all the mechanical upgrades, lower coefficient drag, and reduced weight.

rollytg

My figure was on a somewhat hilly section - certainly not flat. No cruise control. Must have had a tail wind. Maybe I need to show you the photo of the MPG indicator to convince you.

cpeny

Driving for a living is what I do. I am sure you would not exaggerate the mpg. I am saying that the sonota will drop mpg fast after 70 mpg. Almost 1 mpg for every 2 mph over 70 mph. My experience has shown that the sonota will often get about 31 mpg at 75 mph and 27 mpg at 80 mph. You can get better if conditions are right. Your just not the norm, so feel good your the exception.

kukoofishy

I just completed a trip to Youngstown Ohio from New York. I'm now happy with the gas mileage that I got from my 2009 Sonata (4 cyl.) We drove about 375 miles on I- 80. I had the cruise control on 80mph most of the time and got just about 31 MPG. We went 409 miles on 13.2 gallons (30.98) mpg. I'm sure I would have done better if I kept the speed down to 70mph, but 31 mpg is just fine for me. This is my wife's car and she really loves it.

Charlie

pegeseus

Just got my best tank yet- 350 miles after 16.1 gallons. 21.8 mpg average. Pitiful. Got about 3100 miles on the 2011 Sonata now. Going to try a full tank without the Active Eco button on to see if there's any difference. Thus far I'm seeing no change with it off. I'm beginning to wonder if my Active Eco is simply not functioning.

kukoofishy

I was unhappy with the MPG on my 2009 Sonata until I reached 10,000 miles on the odometer. I got 24 mpg (highway) until then. Now I get about 30+ mpg averaging between 70-80 MPH. I had been very disappointed with my dealer's answer last year when I asked him if there was a break-in period. He said "I don't think so". He's the service manager shouldn't he KNOW. He also told me at that time that the EPA estimate was 23/27, so your MPG "sounds about right".
:confuse: :confuse: :confuse: It's possible that you'll get better mileage after 10,000. Talk to your dealer. I'd be curious what he has to say.

P.S. This is my first brand new car. I usually buy used cars from private sellers. I don't like car dealers.

longo2

"I was unhappy with the MPG on my 2009 Sonata"

You didn't mention the engine size in your 09'...was it a V6 or 4?

Seems some of the 2011 Sonata posters on this forum are getting great mpg's right off the lot, and some are seeing better mpg's after 3 to 5,000 miles. (in your case, 10,000 miles)

Your service manager sounds kind of clueless on the subject of break in allright but from what I read on these mpg links, break-in, or no break-in is still a subject that hasn't really been totally put to rest.

Perhaps you should fwd him a link to these posts and get him up to speed from real owners.

kukoofishy

:shades: :shades: :shades: I'm sorry I didn't mention that I have a 4 cyl. It's the basic model and does not have the compass heading, Mileage calculator, etc. I calculated the MPG the old fashioned way. I also drove to Youngstown, OH. from New York with the A/C all the time (no climate control) up and down the hills through Hazelton, PA. and still got almost 31 mpg. I'm sure that the cruise control helps. I have 16,000 miles on the car now and am satisfied with the performance.

Charlie

longo2

In looking again at your posting I'm now thinking you actually meant, a 2011 Sonata, not an "09"?

kukoofishy

No Sir, My car is a 2009 Sonata - 4 cyl. basic model. I got this car with the cash for clunkers program in Aug. 2009. They gave me $3500.00 for a Buick Roadmaster wagon with 188,000 miles on it. I hated to part with that car but my wife convinced me that this was a great opportunity to get a new car.(the first new car that I've ever had) I've been driving for 40 years. With the dealer incentive and the clunkers cash the car cost me $13,500. We're happy with the car. My wife is the principal driver which is why it only has 16,000 miles after 2 years.

Feel free to comment.

C harlie

lightfootfl

Taking a trip/vacation/memory-lane/etc I just returned from this jaunt. In mostly 90 degrees + of heat, in spots even exceeding actual 102 daytime and low/high 80's at night (when I was trying to rest-up or sleep). I obviously was glad to have an adequate auto air conditioner, which for me stays on most of the time. I was not in any rush and drove mostly from 9AM to 5PM. We also stopped to eat only one main meal of the day taking about an hour each, and some of the local historical sites along the way, as we traveled.
I was able to leave from Pensacola, FL going via I-10 to Gulfport, MS then US49 north to Jackson, MS then I-20 to Tallulah,LA and US65 north to Harrison, AR then return to Pensacola reversing the routes. My overall mileage was 1441miles door to door. By setting my car trip computer to zero at the beginning, and driving mostly at 70 on the interstates and 65 on the US routes,when possible, otherwise following the posted limits, exceeding only to pass occasionally. My GPS says I did hit an overall high of 88mph somewhere. The trip was most interesting to me regarding the overall mileages etc.
I hit Jackson MS, and Little Rock AR during their rush hours otherwise I was able to keep moving although some traffic areas demanded slower speeds.
My overall mileage with my 2006 Hyundai,LX, V6, 36lbs tire pressure, figuring by subtracting mileages divided by fuel, and also by the car trip computer my MPG came out to be 25.75mpg by my calculations, and 26.52mpg by the car trip computer round trip, when I refueled finally back in Pensacola. These mileages are the overall totals for the trip.
I also was using my GPS unit and a ScanGuage so I could see the instant mpg's too. Obviously my mpg varied on the ScanGuage instant read from below 10mpg to over 60+mpg (coasting). The most enlightening observation to me was on the flat roads when I was maintaining 65 - 70 mph the car got in the low-30's mpg instant readings, not sustained.
During this trip the car reached the 30,000 total miles mark from new...I am quite sure I will never get any better mileage. Overall, I am pretty happy with the resulting MPG although I would certainly like to be getting more miles per. Oh well...I can dream, those claims of 40mpg sure look good, but I know they are mostly with a 4 cylinder engine too and on a short flat track, measuring from point to point at hwy speed of probably less than 65mph, not reality.

targettuning

For those who are complaining about "poor" fuel economy, relatively speaking, most are forgetting the negative effects of ethanol. Even at a 10% blend it has been shown that fuel economy decreased by 5-7%. At higher concentrations the mileage decreases further (in the 15-20% range I believe). I know this to be fact as we have owned a '95 Dodge Stratus w/2.5 liter V-6 for 8 years and I have had a chance to drive it extensively (21,000 miles per year for most of those 8 years) on both pure gas and now the crappy 10% ethanol blend. We traveled the same routes on week-ends using the Pa Turnpike for 250-300 mile round trips plus work plus running around in the same way day-to-day so I believe I have a good feel for the difference in fuel economy then verses now. Then, I consistantly got in the upper29's-to- lower/mid 30's (30.3 or 30.5 mpg) on those turnpike runs @ 72 to 75 mph. Then I got 24 or so around our smallish city day to day. Now, I get in the upper 26's to the lower/mid 27's on the turnpike runs and 22' ish in the day-to day stuff. The car is well maintained and in virtually the same mechanical condition so yes the crappy ethanol degrades fuel economy.

seaurchin

So i have a brand new 2012 Sonata GLS and i mostly do city driving and i am getting somewhere between 12 and 15 in the city average and around 18 on highway. My car thus far has 270 miles on it. Should i take it to the dealer or is this a normal break in process.

When i look at instant read out, when i cost i get between 25-50 MPGs, but when i switch to the average all i see is 12.

seaurchin

Hi there, you wrote this post on July 1st, today is August 6 so i was just wondering if anything changed so far in one month.