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Hyundai Elantra Real World MPG 2012

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Comments

  • iluvmysephia1iluvmysephia1 Member Posts: 7,704
    edited January 2013
    these people compaining about FE are tiresome, at most. Give it a rest and enjoy your Hyundai/Kia motorcar.

    And if you wanted the FE of a hybrid like the Prius... you should have purchased a hybrid in the first place.

    Automakers are bought off...umm...I mean very, very slow to make automobiles that actually save consumers fuel cost money. Or electrical costs if you own an all-electric. It's just going to be a long haul. Most of us have realized this and have just been enjoying our rigs for the 2000-2013 era of making rigs that are about saving ghastly money. Let's face it, iluvmysephia1 calls gasoline "ghastly" for a reason...it's cost is absolutely ghastly. </b

    There's no other way to deal with it. Too much money for the fuel here! It's really irritating! And carmakers are bought off...whoops...I...mean just can't seem to make rigs that get 100 smiles per gallon. You'd have to gerry rig your Hyundai/Kia's engine to do that. Wouldn't you? :blush:

    2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick

  • pflyerpflyer Member Posts: 25
    Last tank update:

    2011 Elantra GLS Auto with 22650 miles.

    Indicated mpg (dash display): 34.8/pumped refuel average 33.1 mpg

    Average mph: 28 mph (mostly city driving)

    Display seems to be consistently about 2 mpg "optimistic."

    I could not be happier with my Elantra. It's roomier, quieter, more efficient and better looking (subjectively, I know) than my wife's 2010 Civic EX.

    I would recommend this car to anyone and I have.

    Question for eweiner: Is anyone else who disagrees with you or has had great mileage with their Elantra a "jerk?"

    I applaud Hyundai for their fine automobile. They have done a superb job.

    YMMV (literally)
  • susan2053susan2053 Member Posts: 1
    My 2011 Elantra Limited never got the gas mileage that was promised. That made me very unhappy but I took the MPG Debit card deal. Then I needed new tires! I didn't want performance tires which, apparently, the car is designed to have. they are not practical for the type of driving I do ( highway....65 miles per day). So, after much searching, I picked a tire that was not performance and would fit the car and would give me a decent amount of mileage if I take care of the car. Now my mpg has gone down from a high of 34 to barely making 29. I HATE this car.
  • roadscholar3roadscholar3 Member Posts: 23
    Backy - In my experience on this forum it seems that you had great difficulty accepting even 'legitimate' complaints. Or maybe you could spell out which complaints you found legitimate as it seems no one's negative personal experiences with their car was acceptable by your standards either.
    I think my own credibility is intact having, for instance, predicted lawsuits for Hyundai over this issue many moons ago. If you choose to play Pollyanna for Hyundai and the U.S. government I guess that is your choice (or job?) but I think most would not openly claim such a naive understanding of how business, in general, really works.
    While I don't (yet) claim any specific knowledge of this kind of 'backroom agreement' between the U.S. gov and Hyundai, I think it naive to not consider it as a factor. Is it so outrageous to suggest that our government might have been lenient with Korea on the eve of a hard won Free Trade Agreement which focused mainly on agriculture and auto sales issues, a kind of NAFTA EAST? Do deals such as this get convoluted and corrupted by so many interests, players, and pieces? Yes, of course they do. Might this somehow have played into the government's handling of Hyundai's business in the U.S. ? I suggest at least reading up on the Free Trade Agreement with Korea before responding.
    And assuming we can agree on the fact that Hyundai knew its mileage info and advertising were untrue, do you think they might have figured the down side of that calculated risk into their profits/losses?
    Their payout for this lie is so low relative to the losses incurred by consumers that it is laughable. Maybe someone can crunch some numbers about their profits vs. their losses as a result of the lawsuits. I think it's pretty clear that this is a very small financial 'dent in their bumper', although I wonder if they also calculated the anger and loss of customer loyalty into their plan?
    One of their selling points was that a purchaser could count on a good return on resale for this car due to its great mileage and popularity. I doubt that will be the case, so I think Hyundai should also be forced to pay out a fixed rate for resale of anyone wishing to dump their cars. At the very least this loss at the back end should also be calculated into a compensation package.
  • roadscholar3roadscholar3 Member Posts: 23
    Hyundai is trying very hard to nip this rash of lawsuits in the bud by its compensation offerings. But they fall far short of the 'real' losses incurred by customers. In this latest lawsuit, they spell out the kind of compensation that is more in alignment with those real losses:

    http://southtownstar.suntimes.com/news/16807685-418/more-area-consumers-suing-hy- undai-over-inflated-fuel-economy.html

    Monday&#146;s suit demands reimbursement of the full cost of the vehicle to owners, and seeks to force Hyundai to turn over its profits from the sale of the vehicles. The suit also aims to halt what it calls &#147;false advertising&#148; about mileage claims, and asks the carmaker to &#147;disseminate an informational campaign to correct its misrepresentations and material omissions.&#148;
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    Or maybe you could spell out which complaints you found legitimate as it seems no one's negative personal experiences with their car was acceptable by your standards either.

    Sure. IMO, a legitimate complaint is one that is backed by efforts to determine if the vehicle is capable of attaining its EPA ratings. I have posted umpteen times in these FE discussions a fairly simple process to do that. Not once--never--has someone come back and told us the results of that test. That told me something about the complaint.

    Why do I think it's important to determine if a vehicle is capable of attaining its EPA ratings, if the owner isn't achieving them? Because of something that many people who complain about fuel economy forget: YMMV. There's LOTS of reasons someone is not getting the EPA ratings on a car. There could be a defect in the car. There could be something else wrong with the car, e.g. got a bad batch of gas or someone tried to put E15 in it (which Hyundai says is a no-no). It could be driven in conditions not at all comparable to how the EPA runs its tests. It could be due to how the car is driven. etc.

    So the first step is to determine if the car CAN meet its EPA rating. If not, figure out why it isn't, with help from the dealer and manufacturer. If you determine the car can meet its EPA ratings, then figure out what if anything can be done to driving habits/style to improve FE. Maybe there isn't anything that can be done; maybe there is but the driver is unable or unwilling to make the necessary adjustments.

    FWIW, I have driven this car. In what I consider very much "real world" conditions: in Austin, TX, in mid-summer (100+ degree weather), combination of downtown, suburban, and urban highway driving. A lot of stop and go, not much cruising. And on a nearly-new car I easily exceeded the EPA numbers. And I wasn't trying as hard to save gas as I do on my own cars, as I didn't have to pay for the gas. But put a different driver behind the wheel of the same car, and the odds are pretty good it would NOT hit the EPA number.

    And if you've read test reports on the car, e.g. from Popular Mechanics, you'll see they were able to get close to if not meet or exceed the EPA numbers under moderate driving. So it's not just moi.

    It can be done. Not everyone has driving patterns that allow it. And for those who do, not all of them will be willing to do what's needed (e.g. light foot on the gas, anticipate stops, no lengthy idling).

    Re all the angst about Hyundai restating the FE on the Elantra... do you realize we're talking a difference of one mpg (average) between the old EPA rating and the corrected one? ONE MPG! And that number has been scrutinized and verified by the EPA. So if someone isn't hitting that revised number... methinks they should be looking someplace other than Hyundai for an answer--unless there's a defect in the car.
  • gman4911gman4911 Member Posts: 43
    Nice post.

    I'd also like to add that most of the complainers probably greatly underestimate the amount of city-like driving they actually do. For example, driving 25 mph with stop-and-go conditions on the freeway during rush hour counts as city driving, not Hwy. This is why you have to also look at the MPH calculation to understand why you're not getting the EPA numbers. If your average MPH is in the 20s, you're driving mostly city.

    Another thing that a lot of people don't realize is that with the EPA City test, the avg idle time for a stop sign/light is about 14 secs. In the real world, the idle times can be as much as 180 secs.
  • ajfinoakajfinoak Member Posts: 58
    I certainly understand that the EPA numbers are not promises of MPG. However, the last 4 cars I have purchased (Japanese and German) all met or exceeded their EPA estimates and that is driving in the San Fran Bay Area with traffic, hills and freeways. As well noted in other forums the Hyundai computers in their cars overestimate the MPG by 2 mpg as well. I am not a conspiracy theorist but I do find it very offensive that Hyundai overestimated their EPA sticker numbers and their cars computers and frankly just blamed the drivers for lower EPA until they got caught. I am very pissed that consumers cannot count on the manufacturer (Hyundai) or the EPA in their car buying decisions to provide valid info. The vast majority of drivers are not making Hyundai's numbers (as validated by consumers and the vast majority of car review publications). Just compare what the publications get compared on all of brands of car tests to their EPA numbers and they are always much closer. I think Hyundai's offer of their puny mileage reimbursement is damage control for getting caught. I like my '13 Elantra GT (aside from the MPG) but won't buy another Hyundai. I just don't trust them anymore.
  • rickyred2057rickyred2057 Member Posts: 3
    2012 Elantra GLS 25K Miles AVG MPG 27.5 Seattle W.A

    First off. This is the twenty first centurey. A 2012 Elantra should get better or as good mpg as my 1990 Honda Civic EX, Avg 34.5 MPG. The Elantra will not even break 30MPG on a early Sunday morning on I.5 at 65MPH wth echo on from Seattle to Tacoma. The Honda 43.5 MPG doing the same trip. Second, the Elantra has come a long ways. Comfertable, decent power, great brakes,reliable. But the rear suspencion recieves a big fail. Conastoga wagon has better. I did not buy this car just for the milage, but was a big part of it.
  • rickyred2057rickyred2057 Member Posts: 3
    I agree, you cannot rely on just the trip computer. 20k on car. five fill ups from same station, Shell regular gas 10 percent methenal. AVG 27.5 MPG
  • knocker81knocker81 Member Posts: 44
    I'm with you on that, I have the car 14 month's and still only get 24 combined....I filled out the form online and they said I would be compensated $14.00, what a joke. When I called they said I need to bring the car in and leave it a few days so they could test it out, but how would I get to work? I'm really not interested...I just want to get rid of it..but I'm stuck with a 3 year lease.
  • garlandcarygarlandcary Member Posts: 10
    I between June 26, 2012 and February 27, 2013 I put 11,769 miles on a 2013 Hyundai Elantra GLS Sedan with the Preferred Equipment package (home link, auto-dimming mirror, heated front seats, etc.) Frankly I LOVED the way the car looked, and compared to the 2006 Honda Civic LX Sedan I replaced with it, it was quiet, comfortable, spacious and, on all but the worst of roads, a better handler, as well.

    But the one thing it NEVER has been is the equal of the Civic in terms of fuel economy. On the highway, the Civic&#150;driven without any regard for fuel consumption (i.e., between 75 and 85 mph come hell or high water)&#150;consistently delivered 38 mpg. If I was forced to drive nearer the posted limits&#150;such as during the tail end of rush hour&#150;the Civic would console me with as much as 43 mpg. Mixed city/hwy driving ranged from 28 to 32. NEVER, ever did the Civic return less than 26 mpg.

    The Elantra? During a 12 mile stretch early one Monday morning coming back from Vancouver BC, I got snarled in nascent rush hour traffic on I-405 South just past Lynnwood that brought me down to between 45 and 55 mph, during which time I averaged 43 mpg on what is essentially a flat stretch of freeway. And that was the last time I saw average mileage greater than 38 mpg INDICATED&#150;which must be emphasized because the indicated mileage is ALWAYS optimistic by no less than 2 mpg. The actual typical highway fuel economy I got was between 34 and 36 mpg if I kept my speed no greater than 65 mph and was lucky enough to not have to climb any hills. You see, the Elantra seems EXTREMELY sensitive to grades. As in "it sucks gas to generate the power necessary to get up even modest inclines."

    Unfortunately, everywhere I drive involves cresting some kind of hill (I'm in the lowest part of Redmond, WA, and everything is uphill). Consequently, in city driving, I'm blessed if I can keep the mileage above 20 mpg (22 mpg indicated). Actually, it's not a blessing so much as me devoting myself to driving like an old lady. Which sucks enough that when I started reading that the new Honda Accord&#150;despite being larger; heavier; burdened with larger, drag-inducing 18-inch wheels and tires; and more powerful and comfortable&#150;gets REAL WORLD fuel economy better than my Elantra's REAL WORLD mileage, I went to try one out last week and wound up signing on the dotted line, leaving the Hyundai behind to charm then frustrate somebody else. Guess what, the Accord (I got the Sport sedan) actually DOES get significantly better mileage. In mixed driving so far&#150;the same routes I traveled routinely in my Elantra&#150;it's averaging 32 mpg (compared to 26 mpg max in the Elantra). I know: I'm comparing apples to oranges, but while waiting to take delivery of the Accord, I was giving a spanking new 2013 Honda Civic LX, and for the day that I drove it, it delivered even better fuel economy in the same mixed driving: 38 mpg. On the highway I saw sustained 43 mpg with the "ECON" button engaged. So, anyone concerned with maximum mileage: look beyond the Elantra's pretty face and check out the competition.

    Speaking of frustrations (and disappointments), my Elantra didn't age well at all. By the time we parted company, the dash had developed a fistful of consistent creaks and buzzes&#150;centered around that snazzy-looking, multi-part center stack&#150;that drove me crazy! And the beige seats were stain magnets, even if they are relatively easy to clean.
  • creyes1creyes1 Member Posts: 1
    Oh man I don't know what to tell you. I bought a 2010 Elantra new and have always gotten between 32 and 34 mpg's. Once I decided to use a gasoline additive AND filled my tank with the highest octane stuff. For five full tanks in a row I actually got 38 miles a gallon. Mostly highway driving though.

    But at 50,000 miles my tranny did go out. But the warranty covered a new one minus the $180 they charged me to flush it first while they were "guessing" what the problem was.. Other than that no problems.
  • knocker81knocker81 Member Posts: 44
    The problem I see with that is , I shouldn't have to fill an Elantra with high octane,plus additive. I save that for my BMW, did you ever figure how much you're spending on all of that. My biggest problem is the city miles, I've never driven strictly city...... I'm afraid what I might get, but the 24 combined I'm getting is unacceptable.
  • garlandcarygarlandcary Member Posts: 10
    The discussion centers around the current generation Hyundai Elantra, which bowed for the 2011 model year, not the previous generation such as your 2010 model.

    Still, that's a lot of additional expense and trouble, using fuel additives AND high octane gas, to just match the kind of mileage my 2006 Civic easily achieved buzzing along at 3000 rpm and 80-plus MPH on the highway with ARCO 87 octane fuel and a trunk full of luggage and photo gear.
  • garlandcarygarlandcary Member Posts: 10
    knocker81, you probably don't want to know what the city mileage would be like with combined mileage of 24. That's close to my combined mileage, and in the city alone, right after a fill-up, it wasn't uncommon for me to see average mileage in the high teens. Unlike my CVT Accord with a truly effective "ECON" mode, the Elantra's "Active ECO" drivetrain seems not to be efficient enough to recover in cruising/coasting the losses incurred idling at stoplights for sometimes a few minutes in the city. And the efficiency at idle of the Hyundai also seems significantly less (if ever there was a car that would benefit from a start/stop system, the Elantra is it). So, at least here in the mountainous Pacific Northwest, it takes a disproportionate amount of highway driving to balance the potential inefficiencies of city driving. By contrast, between Surrey and Vancouver BC, where city driving comprises fewer and briefer stop lights, and elevation changes are fewer and less extreme, my combined MPG hovered around 33 compared to combined MPG of 25 on Seattle's Eastside.
  • pcjpcj Member Posts: 1
    I bought my 2012 Elantra in Oct of 2011 and it was one of the first 2012's delivered. I bought it primarily for the promise of good gas mileage. I now have ~15,000 miles on it and I have managed to average over 30 mpg on only 2 tankfuls. One of these was at 30.5 and the second was 31.6. I drive primarily highway back and forth to work (25 mi each way) and generally average about 27 mpg. I am totally disgusted with the car and have made it clear to the dealership that this is the last Hyundai that I, or anyone in my family, will ever own in this lifetime.

    What I am doing, and what I would recommend that everyone begin doing, is to tell everyone what you know about your Hyundai. The car companies rely on word of mouth for some of their advertising and sales, and if all of us are good about spreading the word and giving people our honest opinions, it may not help those of us that have already been taken in, but it will help to keep others from making the same mistake. I don't like being lied to to get me to buy a product, so my mission has become to let everyone know about Hyundai's lack of honesty in their marketing campaigns. All we can do, it seems, is to spread the word.
  • knocker81knocker81 Member Posts: 44
    I agree 100%......I think it's one of the biggest scams in a long time. Can't wait for the lease to be up.
  • garlandcarygarlandcary Member Posts: 10
    I had a loan, but I couldn't wait. I wasn't willing to be a rolling billboard for Hyundai. I traded the Elantra at the first opportunity and haven't suffered a single pang of regret. Good riddance to that pretty but woefully under-engineered and over-promised car. There are so many alternatives that deliver greater real world efficiency that I hope shoppers look beyond sheet metal to make sure their choice can deliver the qualities they prioritize. If you value style over fuel efficiency at the lowest possible cost, the Hyundai may be the way to go. Otherwise, at this point, virtually every other entry in the compact segment offers competitive or superior real world fuel efficiency - many with greater quality.

    I hope time flies and you're out of the lease before you know it.
  • pflyerpflyer Member Posts: 25
    Update from the "cruise control" owner.

    Round trip DFW/San Antonio. Three adults with luggage and approx 75 mph cruising.

    The mpg display showed (believe it or not) 40.2 mpg for the almost 700 mile trip. Some driving around the Alamo City, but mostly hwy.

    As usual, the display was overly optimistic. Actual gallons added yielded a mpg of 37.9; still not too bad. If we slowed down, probably could have gotten close to the 40 mpg advertised, if not nailed it.

    Normal around town is 34 mpg on the display and 32 by gallons filled.

    Couldn't be happier and much better mpg than wife's 2010 Civic EX.
  • garlandcarygarlandcary Member Posts: 10
    edited April 2013
    DFW to San Antonio? That's a relatively flat stretch, isn't it? So, no surprise you have gotten great mileage. If I still lived in central Mississippi, I'd probably have been thrilled with my Elantra's fuel economy as well. Good for you! Instead, in this hilly part of the Pacific NW, my 500-lb heavier 2.4L Accord is delivering 4-5 MPG better city economy than did my Elantra GLS, all else being equal. Happy and safe travels to you.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    Actually you hit the "new" highway EPA rating (38) almost on the head, which I think is really good considering your speed, the extra weight in the car, and the fact it wasn't all highway miles. Did you have A/C on at all? (I type this as I look at 6" of new snow and sub-freezing temps!)
  • pflyerpflyer Member Posts: 25
    We had the ac on.

    It is fairly level on I-35, but we had strong winds out of the south (who doesn't in TX) so it hurt going down but helped coming back north. I counted that a wash.

    I identify myself as the "cruise control" owner because I have found that if I use the cruise control every opportunity I am able, my mileage increases measurably.

    Now... I have been scolded by others on this forum that I should not use cruise at all in city/urban driving. I am not sure why those individuals feel that way. My cruise disengages when I hit my brake pedal, which is how I slow down anyway. I am not sure how they slow down. All kidding aside, I acknowledge their advice but ignore it. To me, if I want to go, the accelerator is depressed, whether by me or the cruise. If I want to slow, I hit the brake pedal.

    Maybe I just have a good one. It's an early model 2011 actually made in Korea. I have gone 60 mph for short periods (50-60 miles on the Interstate) after resetting my dash indicator and have seen in the low to mid 40s mpg, but once again, I am sure that display is 2-3 mpg overstated.

    My biggest gripes with the car was/is: No spare (which I have remedied with a full size spare on an alloy wheel), the optimistic mpg display and the flimsy floor mats. I did take the car into the local Hyundai dealer and they replaced the 2011 mats with the much more sturdier 2013 version.

    Besides those items, the car has been flawless. Now, if it just wouldn't hail every year...
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  • garlandcarygarlandcary Member Posts: 10
    I have no problem with you doing what you need to do to maximize mileage. On the freeway, unless it's an emergent situation, I "drive" with the cruise control, too.

    Last weekend, I went with a co-worker to trade her 2012 Elantra for a Honda CR-V. I hadn't been in an Elantra since trading my 2013 for an Accord. While at the dealership, I went outside to move the car and was shocked by how cheap and crude the interior materials are, how rough the engine was at idle and how unrefined all the switchgear felt compared to the Accord, and even the 2013 Civic I had for a day before taking delivery of the Accord. While that's all subjective, I can't feeling like the Elantra after a year feels like an 8-10 year old car.

    I am glad for Hyundai, however, you and clearly many others are happy with their cars and are having positive ownership experiences. If mine was representative, they would go out of business.
  • john_doe_wnyjohn_doe_wny Member Posts: 28
    Does the extra warranty on the emissions on a pzev car make up for the loss of hp and I'm sure power/gas mileage? I also read that the gas tank in a pzev car is metal vs plastic...can anyone confirm this? What about rust threw on the metal gas tank after the rust threw warranty expires? Does anyone that has a pzev car notice a differance in gas mileage than the sticker says? Thanks
  • daddys2dabdaddys2dab Member Posts: 1
    I am a victim, like many others, of the MPG crisis with the 2013 Elantra. I have now owned this car for well over a year and have never averaged over 30mpg. I do not trust the mpg that the car tells me either. If I put in 10 gallons of gas and only drove 240 miles, that's only 24 mpg; it is simple math. I drive mostly city driving with occasional trips on the freeway. The best combined MPG I have seen is 24 mpg. On a tank that is strictly city it is more like 20 mpg. I never get over 300 miles on a single tank either, usually the gas light is coming on around 240.

    I even have tried driving at a slow acceleration rate wherever I go and went an entire tank not exceeding 2 rpgs stopping and going. Before anyone says it is my "driving habits", trust me I have tried all the tricks of the trade.

    To make matters worse, the entire reason I bought this car was because my 2012 Sonata was getting even worse mileage and I drove that car mainly freeway. Needless to say, in order to get out of that car, I had to roll over some negative equity into this car which I didn't mind because I was promised the mpg would be much better. I am now stuck with another Hyundai with about $3,000 of negative equity that does not live up to the advertisements or the promises I was given.

    Hyundai lied to me twice; fool me once shame on, you fool me twice shame on me. I will never recommend Hyundai or Kia to anyone. I hope and pray every day that someone hits me and totals my car or someone steals it so I can get out of this P.O.S. I would rather walk to work with no car and a broken leg then continue paying anything for this vehicle. I would love if someone shares my situation and had some advice?
  • garlandcarygarlandcary Member Posts: 10
    Sorry to hear your Elantra's mileage is even worse than mine. The only way out of your situation is to eat the negative equity&#150;which is what I did, although I had a healthy downpayment, so that was only about $700 for me&#150;which was worth it to no longer be driving around as a rolling billboard for Hyundai in an Elantra I'd come to detest any longer than I had to AND to get into a car that is subjectively more satisfying AND beats the hell out of the Elantra's real world fuel economy on its way to often exceeding its own EPA fuel economy ratings. I hope you find a way out soon.

    BTW, unless you purchased GAP coverage with your Elantra, totaling the car isn't likely to make things much better than trading it in now and carrying forward that "negative equity" because the value of the Elantra that the insurance will pay you is very likely less than what you owe, and the difference is going to remain your responsibility.
  • knocker81knocker81 Member Posts: 44
    I'm in the same boat, never more than 24 combined, it's just ridiculous. Im halfway through a 3 year lease and can't wait to unload this P.O.S.
  • roadscholar3roadscholar3 Member Posts: 23
    edited May 2013
    I think that's HIGHLY unlikely. Unfortunately there are shills on these boards. I would suggest that those who are feeling 'victimized' by these lies by Hyundai take it to small claims court or join a class action. Hyundai has gone out of its way, or course, to head off these claims, but this one isn't over yet. Stay tuned.
  • gman4911gman4911 Member Posts: 43
    38+ on the highway is easy to attain. And plenty of people are getting 30+ combined. Just check the logs at fuelly.com. Or maybe you think they're shills too?

    Maybe you need to read up on the test procedures to understand why you're not getting 38+ on the hwy.
  • rufenerrufener Member Posts: 1
    We have a 2012 Hyundai Elantra. Bought it brand new. It has 23,xxx miles. I had the tires rotated at 14k and 22k miles.

    Our car is now sounding like a monster truck with big knobby tires and vibrates so much it shakes the seats, not to mention the steering wheel and everything else.

    I've not had it to the Hyundai dealership as it's a 1.5 hour drive to one and a 2.75 hour drive to where we bought it. I've gone to our local automotive shop only.

    I have now found out that ALL four of the tires are bad.

    Has anyone else had any issues with their Elantra factory-issued tires wearing out like this. I do drive it approx. 75 miles round trip weekdays for work. 90% of the time, that means 4 miles of gravel road, unless I go the town route, and then it's only 1 mile of gravel.

    Should tires REALLY wear out this fast? No, I have not had an alignment. Just rotated. I'm just disappointed with the performance.

    Thank You.
  • garlandcarygarlandcary Member Posts: 10
    The tires on my car were wearing very well - meaning they were on track for a long life. I rotated every 5K miles. Given the conditions of your daily commute are rather severe, I think your rotation interval is overlong and you may be suffering the symptoms of uneven wear. What does the tread LOOK like? Abnormally worn on the outside or inside?
  • gws2gws2 Member Posts: 1
    I to was fooled by Hyundai's false MPG adds. My 2012 Elantra Limited with 12000 miles averages between 24 and 27 MPG, city and highway. I live in a flat state and check mileage by dividing gallons into miles driven, not using the dash MPG gauge
  • gman4911gman4911 Member Posts: 43
    Fooled how? The EPA test results are always posted with a "your results may vary" disclaimer.

    Why don't you post your avg MPH? You're probably driving more city conditions than you realize.
  • litesong2litesong2 Member Posts: 44
    edited May 2013
    Filled up with 100% gasoline(ethanol-free) in my warmed up auto tranny 2013 Elantra, reset my trip computer, & set off on a excellent & mpg stretching daytrip. With 3 people, 3 cool-offs totaling 3.5 hours, & some a/c (NOT in the EPA determinations), Elantra trip computer built nicely to 47 mpg. Of course, entering 10 miles of city travel, the trip computer lowered to under 40mpg. Returning, the trip computer built to 41.8 mpg.

    Again, filling with 100% gasoline, calculated mpg was 43.

    With past use of 100% gasoline with 3 vehicles(which raised mpg by 8+%, 7%, & 5%), I expect to average near the highway EPA estimate & seldom be near the city EPA mark.

    EPA mpg determinations are run using the equivalent of 100% gasoline with no ethanol added.

    100% gasoline is sold in 6500 stations in the U.S. & Canada, but often not available in larger cities. Ethanol is often said to reduce pollutants of one particular substance. However, I think the EPA is strongly influenced to demand 10% ethanol blends, by strong lobbying of the ethanol industry, who also rely on the supposed pollutant decrease with the use of 10% ethanol blends.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    edited May 2013
    Just got back from a 500 mile road trip in a rented 2012 Elantra GLS AT with 26k miles. About 10% city, 90% highway with most of the highway miles at 71-73 mph on cruise.

    On outbound leg, temps were 60-70 F so no A/C needed. Dry roads, little wind. Terrain was gently rolling with a few bigger hills for the first half, pretty flat for the 2nd half. With some city driving up front, FE after 250 miles was 42.2 mpg per the computer. After a day of in-town driving, FE dropped to 41.0 and then I started home. For the first two hours, I drove in heavy rain, which I expect sapped some FE (but also cooled things off enough to where I didn't need A/C). 90 miles from home, I had to stop to refuel (myself and the car). FE at that point was 41.0 for the entire trip per the computer, and extremely close to the FE per the pump (41.2 mpg). Filling the Elantra reset the FE meter :( but the number for the last 90 miles, in light rain and 73 mph cruise, was 43.8 mpg. :)

    More confirmation that the Elantra is capable of meeting or even exceeding its EPA highway FE numbers when driven moderately and when conditions are favorable. I didn't have to deal with any traffic tie-ups from road construction etc., which can kill FE.

    (BTW all the gas used had 10% ethanol.)
  • litesong2litesong2 Member Posts: 44
    edited June 2013
    backy........yeah, Elantra can get over 40mph. However, many things can put 40mpg in the dumpster. Any slight efforts to be a leadfoot, will cause you to dip into the 30's, specially on shorter trips of 200miles. Ebb & flow traffic, even if it doesn't come to a stop, will cause the auto tranny to shift down & let you say hi to the 30's. Traveling up a small & not steep hill at highway speed of 55mph or a bit less, can easily cause the automatic transmission to shift from 6th to 5th. Again, say hi to the 30's. One thing to do, is one of my techniques for manual transmissions, altho with an automatic transmission it becomes very difficult: as you approach an ascent to a hill, get your speed up to more than your usual pace. Ease your speed up v. slowly or the auto tranny will kick into 5th. As you ascend the hill, keep your speed up or you will lose all the advantage of the acceleration towards the hill. Since your speed is a bit higher than normal, 6th gear will hold longer than at a lower speed. Hold your speed as long as possible, but also concentrating on NOT TOO MUCH GAS, or again, the tranny will kick down a gear. As you approach the steepest part of the hill(if it really is steep the tranny will kick down no matter how you babysit it, but you held 6th gear as long as you could), very slowly in the case of the auto tranny, let your speed lower, till you are traveling a bit slower than your normal at the hill top flat. This technique is called 'flattening out the hill'.

    For years I was spoiled with a CVT transmission, which used nearly an infinite number of 'gearings' for all my hill climbing.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    Elantra can get over 40mph.

    I'd hope so! ;)

    I was surprised that on my 500 mile trip with some good-sized hills, the car never down-shifted on the hills. I don't know if having Active Eco on had anything to do with that. I did notice a little drop in FE on the steeper hills, but the car seemed to make up for it going downhill.

    Driving several hundred miles in comfort, with the cruise control on, is more important to me than wringing every last mpg out of a car. I'm quite happy with what I was able to get on the Elantra just by setting the cruise near the speed limit and using a light foot when driving in town.

    I have a CVT now in my Sentra, and I don't feel "spoiled" by it as it's not very responsive to inputs. But I do appreciate how it keeps revs very low, e.g. around 2000 rpm at 70 mph. That helps keep engine noise down on the highway and helps FE.
  • pflyerpflyer Member Posts: 25
    Just returned from a round trip DFW/OKC and averaged 38 mpg by fuel added and 39.7 on the display. Average speed was 68, according to the display, which I find interesting because it was literally all highway travel. My average speed was about 73 mph, according to the speedometer.

    Anyway, was reading an article that stated dash mpg displays were THE MOST ACCURATE measure of fuel economy. His reasoning rested on the fact that no two fuel pumps add fuel the same, temperature changes vary how much fuel can be added and "operator technique" was too unpredictable.

    He also contended that the computer "really knows" how much gas you are using because it takes into account all factors, many of which the driver is not aware of or can account for.

    Anyone else hear something such as this? I have always trusted my own fuel calculations more than the mpg display, but according to this author, I am wrong.

    If he is correct, I am getting fabulous mileage. Even if my calculations are correct, while I am getting less than published (of course, I am going faster), my mpg is still very good.

    My display is very consistently about 2 mpg too optimistic.
  • m6userm6user Member Posts: 3,181
    What you read was probably correct if you are only taking a measurement on one or two tanks of gas. But if you use at least 4 and preferable more like 6 and average it out I think you'll get a pretty good number.
  • litesong2litesong2 Member Posts: 44
    edited June 2013
    backy wrote:
    I was surprised that on my 500 mile trip with some good-sized hills, the car never down-shifted on the hills. I don't know if having Active Eco on had anything to do with that. I did notice a little drop in FE on the steeper hills, but the car seemed to make up for it going downhill.

    I have a CVT now in my Sentra, and I don't feel "spoiled" by it as it's not very responsive to inputs.
    ////////////
    litesong wrote:
    You get good mpg with 10% ethanol. After switching to 100% gasoline, my 3 cars increased their mpg by 8%, 7%, & 5%. Other Elantra drivers have told me their cruise control while using the ECO button can hold sixth gear as low as 40mph, maybe a trace lower. Using 100% gasoline & the ECO button, my tranny holds 6th gear down to 36mph, possibly to 35mph(GPS reading). Not sure that is an advantage..... probably not. On back country roads where I'm using lower gears other than 6th, quite a bit on slower roads, the trip computer(initializing mpg readings), shows that mpg can build readily beyond 45mpg. I always thought highest mpg would be obtained with car in 6th gear, but traveling fairly slowly. But traveling 30-35mph in 4th gear, say can pile up mpg also.

    I suspect your extra speed, rpms & extra torque, kept your tranny from shifting from 6th to 5th. Hills don't have to be steep at all, while traveling at less than 60mph to cause the auto tranny to shift down. & encountering any slight elevation while traveling at 40mph in 6th gear causes the tranny to shift down. As stated above tho, I'm not sure shifting to 5th gear loses too many mpg, just so you don't get panicked, & accelerate to get your tranny back into 6th gear.

    I had the Nissan CVT in a Dodge Caliber. Loved it, except for the computer controlled slow response at slow speed, you mentioned. However, the response got quicker at faster speeds. I did love the elegant motion of the CVT & it did cause the inefficient car body & engine to be more fuel efficient & accelerate quicker at higher speeds, despite the overall lethargy of the body & engine. I got as high as 37mpg with the car rated only at 27mpg on the highway & averaged 31mpg. Tho the Elantra auto tranny pleases me, the smoothness of the CVT can't be beat. I have heard that the new CVT in the 2013 Honda Accord has licked the lack of response lag, & powers up quickly when asked.
  • apoe5467apoe5467 Member Posts: 3
    I understand plenty of people are getting 30+ combined, my friends 2012 does, but there are those of us who don't. My 2013 has never got over 30 even on a trip and usually combined I'm lucky to get 24.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    You might talk with your friend and find out about his/her driving patterns and habits--maybe even observe how he/she drives the Elantra. Likely your friend's driving patterns are much different than yours.
  • garlandcarygarlandcary Member Posts: 10
    ...you might just get a car that gets great mileage without having to follow an instruction book to do it. My current car gets 25mpg in the city with LOTS of hills and lots of time idling in traffic. PERIOD. Makes almost no difference whether I'm easy or aggressive on the throttle. Highway? 33mpg at 75mph with two kids on board (or one adult), the A/C cranking. Very little impact from being aggressive with throttle inputs, such as for darting through traffic. Probably the upside of the CVT. Changing only speed to 65mph and the car gets 36mpg.

    The Elantra was the first car I ever owned that seemed to require pampering to achieve even DECENT fuel economy. I don't have patience or time for that. I hope my Elantra is now happily in the driveway of someone with an appreciation and fondness for such shenanigans. I'm far happier with my more-efficient (for my driving routes and style) Accord.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    The Elantra was the first car I ever owned that seemed to require pampering to achieve even DECENT fuel economy.

    I don't consider setting the cruise control at the speed limit, maybe a bit over, and driving down the highway to get over the EPA rating "pampering". But everyone has different expectations. As for me, I've had no problem getting near 40 mpg on the Elantra at 75 mph on the highway.

    I own one CVT car now (Sentra) and it requires a LOT of "pampering" IMO to get good FE. But with a light touch on the gas, the revs stay low and it does well on FE.
  • litesong2litesong2 Member Posts: 44
    edited June 2013
    The Elantra? from from Vancouver BC...... on I-405 South just past Lynnwood that brought me down to between 45 and 55 mph, during which time I averaged 43 mpg on what is essentially a flat stretch of freeway. And that was the last time I saw average mileage greater than 38 mpg INDICATED .....typical highway fuel economy I got was between 34 and 36 mpg if I kept my speed no greater than 65 mph and was lucky enough to not have to climb any hills. You see, the Elantra seems EXTREMELY sensitive to grades.
    Unfortunately, everywhere I drive involves cresting some kind of hill (I'm in the lowest part of Redmond, WA, and everything is uphill). Consequently, in city driving, I'm blessed if I can keep the mileage above 20 mpg (22 mpg indicated).
    /////////
    litesong wrote:
    Just got my Elantra(Epsilon Lyrae) a month ago & drive some of the same routes as you, also living in a valley, needing to climb hills often. The I-405 South from Lynnwood area rises & falls from sub-100 feet to 500feet. As for your short 12 mile, trip computer read 43mpg, I got the same 43 mpg, but on a roundtrip to Bellingham from Everett, with 3 people, 3.5 hours of multiple cool downs, & some city driving. Later tanks of gas have gotten 40mpg again, kicked me 400 miles down the road repeatedly with as much as 3.3 gallons remaining at fill-up, & Epsilon Lyrae is averaging 38+mpg.
    If your odometer is like many Elantra owners, the odometer reads low 3+%, which picks up 1mpg at 33mpg. Depending on where you live, get 100% gasoline(non-ethanol) in your Elantra. My last 3 cars increased their mpg by 8%,7%, & 5%, switching to 100% gasoline. Be thinking for good mpg. You have to learn how to handle the hills. Handling the hills properly will NOT raise your mpg, but keep you from losing so many mpg on the hills.
  • litesong2litesong2 Member Posts: 44
    Others have established Elantra to have a 6th gear steady state 54-55mpg(computer). On a 30mile day trip, using 100% gasoline, traveling 28-58mpg(except for stops), thru 6 stoplights, 2 round-abouts, small hills, & fairly light traffic, my auto tranny Elantra(Epsilon Lyrae) registered a computer 51mpg. Took Epsilon Lyrae on my favorite easy-going back country road, with no traffic. Fifth gear established a steady state 49.4mpg at ~30-31mph & 4th gear settled on 48.3mpg at 25-26mpg. Didn't test other speeds. Fourth & fifth gears don't lose large numbers of mpg. When approaching hills then, that should cause Epsilon Lyrae to shift from 6th gear to lower gears, a mpg saving tactic should be manually selecting 5th or 4th gear BEFORE ascending the hills & NOT allowing a gear shift, while on the hill.
  • apoe5467apoe5467 Member Posts: 3
    Thanks for the advice, but it's my car. My friend and I switched cars for several days and the gas mileage followed the car, not the driver.
  • m6userm6user Member Posts: 3,181
    Just rented a 2013 Elantra for a trip to visit my dad in Texas from Chicago area. Total of 2532 miles roundtrip. Fair amount of in town driving around Dallas/Ft. Worth in addition to the highway miles. My average for the trip was 36.7mpg. Straight hwy mpg was between 38-41mpg by the trip computer but I found that to be consistently on the high side when I computed it manually after each fill. My highest tank was 38.4mpg(manually computed) and my worst was 32.5mpg, again manually figured. I've read a lot of poor mpg reports and don't question them for a minute as I firmly believe that some cars can have problems that others of the same make/brand etc might not. I did notice an interesting thing about elevation though. When heading towards the Mississippi the elevation dropped several hundred feet and MPG was positively affected. The opposite was true for the reverse. While this is not earth shattering news in itself, I found it interesting because if I had not turned on my new toy's(gps) elavation tracking feature I wouldn't even had an inkling that I was headed somewhat uphill or down. It all seemed pretty flat. Also, interesting was the fact that driving across central Missouri on I-40 it was very hilly, almost mountinous. My overall MPG came out to be about the same driving through that area as it did on really flat, boring cornfields of central IL. I usually drive about 4 mph over posted speed limits. However, on freeways where the posted is 75, I rarely exceed it as I find 75 to be fast enough as I'm not usually in any huge rush during these trips.

    Liked the Elantra better than I thought I would but it was pretty gutless and also pretty noisy on hard acceleration. Radio was actually decent and it tracked well on the expressway. Seat wasn't overly comfortable or uncomfortable. However, any seat will cause aches after 13 or 14 hours. The suspension was good except any kind of big bump really shook the car and resulted in a lot of booming. Overall, good experience and good MPG. Last year I rented a 2012 Altima that averaged 32.1mpg for the entire trip. However, last year was about 95% hwy as I drove my Dad's car a lot while visiting.
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