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Real world gas mileage for sedans

drmperaltadrmperalta Member Posts: 58
edited April 2014 in Acura
Hi everybody,

I just want to know real world experience on fuel
mileage on your car.

Please include year, make, model, transmission,
city/highway/combined. Type of driving, short
trips, long trip, etc..

Thanks
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Comments

  • rea98drea98d Member Posts: 982
    Ok, I'll bite first. I rive a 95 Thunderbird V-8 automatic. I've only actually calculated highway mileage, and gotten about 27 mpg for a 300 mile trip. 20 MPG is a ballpark figure for city though. All in all, I think it's pretty good for a V-8. (My last V-8 car, a Grand Marquis, got 12 mpg highway ;-)
  • enigmaoneenigmaone Member Posts: 128
    2000 Acura 3.2TL 5-speed automatic transmission.

    Mostly mixed driving(commuting to and from work).

    In mostly city driving, I would say I average about 17. On one highway trip I got a average of 28MPG. My usual mixed driving to and from work yields me about 20-21MPG.

    1996 ford probe GT, 5-speed manual transmission.

    City driving will still yield about 21MPG or so. Highway driving: I've taken it on one trip from NY to Boston and back and averaged 28MPG. in usual mixed daily driving(mixed city/highway) I get a average of about 23MPG.

    Other cars in the house:

    2000 Lexus LS400: 5-speed automatic.
    On a recent highway trip to CT and back yielded 26MPG. On a recent trip from NJ to Pittsburgh and back yielded 27MPG.

    Around town gets about 20MPG. And over the first 7000 miles of its life its averaged about 22MPG.

    1995 Lexus ES300: 4-speed automatic On the highway will get about 28MPG. In mixed city/highway daily driving it will get about 20-21MPG.
  • lancerfixerlancerfixer Member Posts: 1,284
    1993 Cavalier 2.2L 5-speed: 15 mpg (maybe) in all city driving. It's my in-town commuter car. I don't trust it on the highway anymore.

    1994 Honda Accord 5-speed: Mostly used on the highway, last check (combined city/highway) was 28 mpg. On a trip from Cedar Rapids to Des Moines, got 30 mpg at an average speed of 71 mph.
  • wonderwallwonderwall Member Posts: 126
    1997 volkswagen jetta automatic with 2.0 liter four cylinder engine. about 24 in the city and 31-32 on the highway (a little higher if i use cruise).
  • teoteo Member Posts: 2,508
    2000 Chevrolet Impala LS:

    Powertrain: 3800 Series II V-6 engine (200HP) coupled to the 4T65-E 4-speed automatic transmission.

    Driving environment: Mixed city/Highway driving, mostly slow city traffic in 80F+ weather (Miami)

    Fuel Mileage: 18-20 MPG (City) 28-30MPG (Highway)

    Fuel used: Exxon Supreme 89 Octane ($1.68/Gallon)


    1997 Mercury Tracer LS sedan (Wife):

    Powertrain: 2.0L OHC 4-cyl engine (Mazda engine)rated at 115HP coupled to a 4-speed automatic transmission.

    Driving environemnt: Same as the Impala LS.

    Fuel used: Same as Impala LS.



    Fuel mileage: 21-23MPG (City) 28-32MPG (Highway)
  • markz2kmarkz2k Member Posts: 112
    2000 Accord EX V6 (Sedan)
    Miles:3700

    Averaging about 18-20 MPG. I expect it to get better as I acquire more miles. Daily commute is 5.5 Miles (one way), about half that stop & go.
  • teoteo Member Posts: 2,508
    '00 Chevy Impala LS: 10,800 trouble free miles
    '97 Mercury Tracer LS: 37,500 trouble free miles
  • rea98drea98d Member Posts: 982
    I'd say you're getting pretty good mileage out of the Impala. My grandmother's 92 Bonneville SSE with the 3800 gets about 27-28 mpg on the highway. I was actually a bit disappointed in it the first time I figured it up, because I expected more of an improvement over my T-Bird than the car delivered. Then again, yours is the SII engine, so it's more likely than not a more effecient powerplant than my grandma's Series I
  • teoteo Member Posts: 2,508
    How many miles on that '92 Bonneville? It appears to be that the refinements incorporated into the 3800 after 1996 (Series II)and revisions to the 4-speed auto tranny really helped to improve the overall MPG. Do you know the basic differences between the Series I and II engines?
  • svenjsvenj Member Posts: 19
    3 Tanks of gas used so far in mixed driving, though probably about 65% highway 35% city. Averaging about 37 MPG.
  • black_tulipblack_tulip Member Posts: 435
    '99 Toyota Camry LE 4 cyl auto:
    Highway only: 33-35 mpg

    Y2K Audi A4 Quattro 1.8 Tip:
    Highway: 29-30 mpg City: about 23 mpg
  • rea98drea98d Member Posts: 982
    I think the Bonneville has around 90K on it, but still in great shape (if you overlook the fact that the interior's falling apart, and ther's a slight dent in the back door where a woman changed lanes into me!) Actually, I don't know what the difference between the Series I and II engines are, but I'm trying to find out. Hopefully, they corrected this car's one glaring fault-its gluttonous consumption of alternators!
  • teoteo Member Posts: 2,508
    I don't hear complaints about alternators much anymore.
  • agtabbyagtabby Member Posts: 28
    2 liter 4-banger, 5-speed MTX

    about 34 mpg highway, 22 city.

    Andrew
  • regfootballregfootball Member Posts: 2,166
    My old 95 tbird roughly came in near your mileage figures. I got about 21 in town and 25 on highway trips. Sometimes I got 27. If the mileage started to slip, I gave the car a fuel system enema (gas treatment or fuel system cleaner) and on the next tank mpg would improve back up to normal levels.

    The old 89 Taurus SHO I had would do 20-22 mpg in town. On long highway trips i would approach 30 mpg and once I hit about 32 mpg. Very good for a performance car.

    The current cars I own are a 99 ford taurus SHO and a 99 chevy prizm. The 99 SHO is down a bit in mileage from the 89. The 99 gets 19/20 mpg in town from its v8, although the v8 has an automatic. On the highway most often 23-25 mpg with one tank I got 27. The prizm gets about 30 mpg around town (5 sp.) and 35 on trips.

    My father in law gets 27 in town / 32-34 mpg on trips with his Olds 88 (3.8 series II) but the car is so damn boring to drive and the engine is so unexciting and mundane I don't mind paying a little more for gas in my SHO for the benefit of more speed fun and excitement.

    I don't really know too many others with sedans they all drive those fat slug SUV's that suck gas like a golfball through a garden hose.
  • hounddog3hounddog3 Member Posts: 15
    City driving with 2000 Intrigue 3.5 liter engine yields 22.5 to 23 mpg in city driving. Non rush hour type however. Hwy. mpg not checked at this time. Mileage on unit is 30,000 miles as it is a program vehicle. Some mixed hwy. city got 25.95 mpg.
  • milleniaman1milleniaman1 Member Posts: 110
    1999 Mazda Millenia 2.5L V6
    25,500 miles
    Avg 21 mpg...mixed city & highway driving
  • accordianaccordian Member Posts: 3
    1998 Accord EX Sedan I-4 Auto
    Mileage: 17,500

    Highway (25%): 27 mpg
    City: (75%): 19 mpg (stop and go)

    Combined Avg: 21

    I expected at least an average of 23 so I'm somewhat disappointed.
  • cainepcainep Member Posts: 35
    1999 Lexus LS400 5-speed auto
    Mileage: 16000
    Worst: 19 mpg
    Best: 29 mpg
    Average: 22 mpg (almost all on LA freeways, with approx 33% stop and go)

    2000 Infiniti I30L 4-speed auto
    Mileage: 13000
    Worst: 17 mpg
    Best: 31 mpg
    Average: 19 mpg (mostly city driving)


    Rented several GM cars with the 3800 Series II engine and usually get 30-32 mpg on highway trips, with a best of 34.5 mpg with an Impala.
  • hounddog3hounddog3 Member Posts: 15
    2000 Alero, 4 cyl. auto, 9000 miles. Conservative city driving, non rush hour traffic, averages 26.5 mpg. This is with non formulated regular fuel.

    I drive the speed limit and try not to let the aggressive ROV (roll over vehicles) sometimes called SUV drivers intimidate me. As C&D says they, SUV, are neither sporty nor utility and their popularity is puzzling. Paraphrased.
  • evilhomer1evilhomer1 Member Posts: 3
    My '99 Stratus has a 2.4 L engine and 4-speed automatic. I purchased it new in August 1999. The EPA fuel economy ratings were 21 city/30 highway. The car now has 31,000 miles. I ordinarily change the oil and filter every 3,000 to 4,000 miles.

    When new, I typically realized about 20 mpg city/25 mpg highway. Over the last 15 months, fuel economy has gradually improved to about 22 mpg in the city and 27 mpg on the highway.

    Those figures were observed using regular unleaded fuel. Premium or midgrade tend to produce results about 3 mpg lower.
  • spectre3spectre3 Member Posts: 67
    77,000 miles. 5 speed manual.

    this summer it was getting 38-42 mpg.

    since the weather has cooled off, i have been getting more 35's and 36's.

    it might be time for an o2 sensor change.

    all interstate driving, 108 miles per day.


    my wifes 00 mustang gt has done a best of 25mpg, all highway miles.
  • macarthur2macarthur2 Member Posts: 135
    Buick LeSabre 3800 V6 auto, 10,000 miles. City/rural = 22.3
    Straight interstate cruising 70/75 mph = 31.4mpg.

    Other car:
    1995 Mazda DX four banger with 5 speed. 27 city/rural and 37 highway. Amazed that the bigger Buick does nearly this well considering the size difference.

    Always keep your tires properly inflated, especially in cold weather when pressure falls.
    And one other thing, there is NO BENEFIT to using a higher octane gasoline than what the owners manual calls for. That's just an advertising scheme the gas companies had until the Feds told them to quit that type of commercial.
  • kmagkmag Member Posts: 98
    99 Mystique GS 4 cyl. automatic transmission
    26-27 mpg mix of city and hiway driving
    31 mpg on a recent 220 mi. hiway trip

    Other cars Ive driven or owned:
    99 Ford Windstar
    24 MPG hiway

    94 Cutlass with 3.4 DOHC V6
    20-22 mix of city and hiway driving
    28 MPG hiway

    94 Escort LX 5 speed
    30 mpg mix of city and hiway driving
    36 hiway

    91 Festiva 5 speed
    38 mpg mix of city and hiway driving
    44 hiway

    85 Dodge Daytona Turbo automatic
    24 mpg city
    28 mpg hiway
  • jguojguo Member Posts: 49
    98 Honda Accord EX 2.3L I4, automatic
    46000+ miles
    ~23 mpg all city
    ~31 mpg all highway
    Between 25-26 mpg mixed driving.
    Using 87 oct California spec-ed fuel, which probably means the mpg worse than using fuel from other parts of the country.
  • duperduper Member Posts: 127
    I used to have an old 1984 Accord a few years back with 130,000+ miles. I'd been getting around 40-45mpg mix driving. I could fill up a tank and drive for almost a month. I took it in for a major tune up, plugs changes, timing adjustment, valve check and all. After that I got about 25-30mpg max. Go figured. Shouldn't fix anything that's not broken...yet :)
  • pjyoungpjyoung Member Posts: 885
    City - 20 mpg, Highway - 28 mpg, Mix - 22 mpg. I usually use 87 octane gas - once a month I'll fill it with 89 octane.
  • mfuller1mfuller1 Member Posts: 17
    Okay, here's my numbers----

    2000 Olds Alero Sedan
    3.4L V6 / 4 speed auto

    I only get about 20-21 MPG in the city since I'm a bit of a leadfoot (I've done intake and exhaust work to the car) but it gets about 28-29 MPG on the highway going 75 MPH, which I think is right in the ballpark. I use 87 octane fuel (as recommended by Olds).
  • 668668 Member Posts: 13
    I have a 1998 VW Jetta TDI, with 5sp manual. It has 42,500 miles on it. The lifetime average on this car is just over 49mpg. I drive 45 miles each way to work. When I fill up each week I usually get between 48.5 and 51.5mpg. The best mileage I have gotten is 55.5 mpg and the worst is 42mpg. My commute is about 2/3 highway and 1/3 stop and go, city driving. This car is just phenomenal, very quick, good highway cruiser and good from the stop light. VW used to advertise the TDI as the "car without compromise," while that isn't true, I think it is a great compromise.
  • fosterphxfosterphx Member Posts: 9
    My 99 Millenia automatic with a 2.3l supercharged engine gets consistently 20 mpg in city driving. On the highway traveling 75 to 80 mph it gets a very disappointing 24 mpg. All the complexity of a supercharger and absolutely no benefit. My next car will have a 3+I six and be an improvement.
  • nikecarnikecar Member Posts: 460
    26,700 miles.

    City: 21MPG
    Highway: 27MPG

    I do notice that different brands affects differently. With Amoco I averaged 18-19 MPG. Switched to Chevron, same results but the car would want to sputter at idle as if it was going to shut off. Switched then to Mobil and am getting 21 MPG.

    The only way i would get 21 with Amoco is to massively baby the car. NO hard acceleration of even passing on the road. with Mobil, i can drive normal and still get over 20MPG.
  • theparallaxtheparallax Member Posts: 361
    I get about 25 MPG doing 100% city driving (stop and go every block or two) and around 30 MPG on the highway.
  • dhanleydhanley Member Posts: 1,531
    My wife's old automatic '90 passat did pretty well for such a large car, and got 22-23 city and about 31 highway. The 2.0 performed decently, but it was no rocket--poor acceleration bit a good high-speed cruiser.

    My automatic '96 saturn sl2 pretty consistently got 25 city 35 highway, and i was not by any means driving it timidly. It was a decently fast car for it's price economy. Since sold

    My wife's automatic '97 saab 900SE turbo gets between 17-20 city and between 23-30 highway, heavily depending on speed and aggressiveness. I got 36.5 on one highway trip but i was *really* milking it, and the road descended 2500 feet over 45 miles. Average city is high 18's low 19's and we only got 23mpg on a weekend trip recently ( a lot of time time going ~90, though ). The passing power of this car is great once the turbos are wound up.

    My current car is a manual '97 bmw 328i. The big surprise is that i get almost the same mileage as the saturn, i average about 24 city and about 33 highway if i am not a total leadfoot. I've seen between 18-28 city and between 29 and 37 highway. Again, driving conditions and aggressivenss matter a lot, but even having a fair bit of fun I get 22 city 32 highway. The car is pretty damn fast in all aspects.

    dave
  • denniswadedenniswade Member Posts: 362
    When I first got the car I was averaging 35 mpg; a few months after I bought the car I bought 16" alloys with 205/45s and mileage dropped to 32 mpg (this is in mixed driving -- 20 mph LA commuter traffic and open highway at 80 mph; I also tend to drive enthusiastically). Several months ago I added a turbocharger, and since then have averaged between 24 and 28 depending on how enthusiastically I drive it. I also have to run 92 octane now, so I guess it's no longer an economy car, huh?!! But it sure is fun.....
  • rysakrysak Member Posts: 7
    Got 2000 Millenia S Millennium Edition.. Its gas mileage totally suck! Get about 17-19
    MPG mixed driving, Fill it up with 91 gas. Will recommend people never buy Millenia
    S. As they say, you get what you paid for. I'd rather spend a couple of grand more on
    Acura LT than feeding my beast with premium gas all the time.. Very disappointed..
    Don't trust to what they say in ads..
  • fuzzer34fuzzer34 Member Posts: 28
    2000 Dodge Intrepid R/T
    3.5L V6, 4-speed auto
    K&N, Mobil-1 full synthetic
    10200 miles on my car, been getting consistantly 20-22mpg in the cold NE with lots of city driving. I've gotten as high as 28mpg highway if I just cruise and don't abuse my right foot. Mileage was a dismal 18mpg new till after break-in and change to Mobil-1. :)
  • oneandonlyoneandonly Member Posts: 1
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 25,681
    Ok, this list is kinda long, so bear with me. Cars I've had, in the order I've owned them...

    1980 Chevy Malibu 229: 15-16 city/20-22 highway
    1969 Dodge Dart GT 225: 15-17 city/21-23 highway
    1957 DeSoto Firedome 341: 12-14 city/16 highway
    1968 Dodge Dart 318: 13-14 city/16-18 highway
    1982 Olds Cutlass Supreme 231: 15-16 city/20-22 highway
    1967 Pontiac Catalina 400: 10-11 city/17-18 highway
    1988 Chrysler LeBaron 2.2 Turbo: 19-21 city/28-30 highway
    1979 Chrysler Newport 318: 12-14 city/20-22 highway
    1986 Chevy Monte Carlo 305: 15-16 cit/20-22 highway
    1988 Plymouth Gran Fury 318-4: 11-13 city/18-21 highway
    1985 Buick LeSabre 307: 14-16 city/21-22 highway
    1967 Chrysler Newport 383: didn't keep it long enough
    2000 Dodge Intrepid 2.7: 18-21 city/28-30 highway

    The Gran Fury requires high-octane because it was a police car and has a higher compression engine. The LeSabre has about 153K miles on it, and the Monte Carlo had about 192K on it when it got totaled. Both of those engines had gotten carbon build-up in them and needed premium, too. I can't remember what we put in the LeBaron, but everything else would run fine on 87 octane. In fact sometimes I think I could almost pee in the Dart's gas tank and it'll still run!

    -Andre
  • dweezildweezil Member Posts: 271
    Car:99 cavalier 2 dr. 2.2 litre, 4 speed auto.
    To and from work [15 miles one way, freeway and surface streets, sometimes take all surface streets, say mixed]23/24. with air on in the summer it has never dropped below 22mpg.
    Freeway 32 to a best of 37 mpg on one leg of a 2000 mile round trip to Oregon Coast.Long stretches of 75 to 80mph flat lands on the I-5 in CA. 15,000 current miles. Love it. 4speed auto. doesn't give up much in fuel economy over the 5 speed manual, have always done better than the posted EPA ratings of, I think 23 city and 32 highway. Dweezil
  • cwo4cwo4 Member Posts: 90
    20,000 miles and I get 42 mpg consistently IF I keep it 55-60 on the highway. Around town, 36 mpg. Love this car. I once had a 72 Pontiac Bonneville, when I was fist married. Got 8-10 mpg, but boy it could go! 455 ci. Gas was $.29 a gallon, so milage didn't matter.
  • telegraphtelegraph Member Posts: 1
    1994 LeSabre, 180,500 miles. Still gets 30 mpg on the road. Gets 20-22 around town in the winter. Great car. Few problems.

    Previous 1988 LeSabre got 30-33 mpg on the road. Had 90,000 on that when traded in after six years.

    Honda 1990 Accord gets 22-25 around town, 28 on a trip. It has 145,000 miles on it. Auto/AC
  • john151john151 Member Posts: 14
    City/Highway = low 20's
    Highway below 75 = 27-28
    Highway above 75 = mid 20's

    I think she would hit 30 MPG at a steady 60 MPH.
  • nematodenematode Member Posts: 448
    EPA numbers are 22 city / 27 highway with the auto. I have no idea what they were smoking when they got them. My numbers have it at 17 city / 26 highway if you dont push it. If you drive it harder it you will get in the ball part 16 city / 23 highway. Other than that its a fantasitc car.

    Miles: 21,000 (11 months old)
    Engine: 2.5L H4
    Transmission: Auto
    Fuel: 87 octane (as recommended)
    Mods: None
    Note: Its AWD and has the LSRD

    Daily commute: 27 miles each way 70-75mph most of the way. 22-24mpg.
    Best: 29.2mpg at below 70mph. Through Indiania (very flat). St. Louis to Philadelphia trip.
    Worst: 16.3mpg. Driving around the city of Pittsburgh (lots of hills).
  • talbot457talbot457 Member Posts: 2
    1996 Ford Explorer v-8 AWD 12-15 city around 20mpg on the highway. Got rid of this one fast...

    2001 WV Passat 1.8 turbot 27 mpg if I am very heavy on the gas. If I'm easy on it and trying to get good mileage about 33-34mpg

    My spouses 99 CR gets 20mpg in the city and 25-27 on the highway
  • cnollkampercnollkamper Member Posts: 43
    OK I have a 2k Ford focus ZTS 5spd.
    12.5 gallon tank .....includes reserve
    All city driving 320 miles to empty
    All highway driving Avg 80-90mph 420 miles to empty
    Combination of both 360 miles.
    I am not the most frugal driver, I rev my engine freely, And i drive in LA, so traffic is regular, and stop and go is routine.
    I now have 9000 miles
  • seattlesheilaseattlesheila Member Posts: 68
    2001 Lexus IS300
    Mostly city driving
    Just like advertized: 18 city/23 highway.
    OK, so it guzzles (premium too :( )...but it sure is FUN to drive!
  • boaz47boaz47 Member Posts: 2,747
    I live in Southern California and I drive 32 miles round trip to work and back. The Prelude is a few years old but still gets 24 to 25 mpg going up and down the mountain. It gets 29 to 32 mpg on the freeway. It needs at least 89 octane. The Saturn is a SL2 and gets 29 mpg going up and down the hill plus 37mpg on the freeway, 40 mpg if my wife drives. :) The Saturn only needs 87 octane. Because it gets better milage and has more room the Saturn goes on more road trips.
  • jnowskijnowski Member Posts: 96
    '85 T-Bird Turbo coupe - K&N filter, Ford Motorsport intercooler kit, Borla exhaust system, Koni adjustable gas shocks/struts, Suspension Techniques sway bars, Ford Motorsport springs, stock wheels and brand/size tires.

    I filled up at Macon GA, immediately hit the freeway with the cruise control on, and rolled into my folks driveway in Middletown KY, (518 miles), almost on fumes. 15.4 gallon fuel tank equates to around 33.6+ MPG. I say "plus" because the car still started and got me to the gas station next morning.

    Not too bad for a midsize turbo 4.
  • antonkantonk Member Posts: 19
    I'm not sure about V8's, but all 4s and 6s have pretty much the same mileage. It all depends on whether you do city or highway driving, and distances travelled. Last month, I only drove to school, which is about 1.5 miles, and got about 16L/100km on a 2.0 4 cyl. But under normal driving, most cars are 7-8L/100km on highway, and 12L in the city.

    What really frustrates me sometimes is how some people refuse to buy V6 cars, because they are afraid on the gas cost. However, they have no idea what the mileage difference is, or how to even calculate it, and especially how much the difference costs. And, with gasoline being cheaper than Coke, I don't think people should really complain about rising gas prices.
  • cwo4cwo4 Member Posts: 90
    With my 2000 ECHO automatic. Just returned from a road trip from Eastern NC to FL to MS and back. 70-75 mph, 38.6mpg average. Paid $1.299 in GA, $1.459 in MS and $1.359 in NC for gas. I'm not complaining antonc, just reporting.
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