2009 Subaru Forester mileage reports
seems like it would be a good idea to have a separate thread to track everyone's mileage records. the big 2009 forester thread is too large to keep track of.
anyway: after some initial high readings with a lot of highway driving--a series of 80-100 mile drives averaging 27-29 mpg--i've been getting more sobering results of late: more in the 24-26 mpg range for pretty much the same drives. not sure why--i'm not driving any different that i can see. some of the high drives were with 4 people in the car and ac on for part of the journey, so are some of the low drives. i can't really explain it; perhaps wind is a factor.
are other people seeing readings all over the map? i'm not yet at 1000 miles since purchase. currently at about 760.
anyway: after some initial high readings with a lot of highway driving--a series of 80-100 mile drives averaging 27-29 mpg--i've been getting more sobering results of late: more in the 24-26 mpg range for pretty much the same drives. not sure why--i'm not driving any different that i can see. some of the high drives were with 4 people in the car and ac on for part of the journey, so are some of the low drives. i can't really explain it; perhaps wind is a factor.
are other people seeing readings all over the map? i'm not yet at 1000 miles since purchase. currently at about 760.
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Comments
Dennis
Best mpg to date was 26, going south from Portland to Medford on I-5. Trip back was only 23 mpg (headwind?).
XT has roughly 2700 miles on it. No synthetics planned until after 2nd oil change (per dealer recomendation).
Does anyone know: Would the aero crossbars make much difference in MPG on the Highway? Can they easily be removed?
djm
PS I'm pretty happy with the MPG right now, definitely not complaining.
I think you need an allen wrench which Subaru supplies.
My XT is not wearing them as they will add wind noise.
Bob
I can also stand on the rear bumper.
Still, MUCH easier on the Forester, without a doubt.
the first 40 miles were a combination of county roads (speed limit 55) with a stretch of lights at one point, and freeway (speed limit 75-55). on this leg, with no a/c and 4 people in the car, we averaged 31.8!
after that we had the a/c on for about 20 miles of city driving, and then 50 miles back home on the freeway with rush hour traffic for small stretches (this is minnesota, so it's not like l.a friday evening gridlock). a/c on the whole way back. didn't measure this part separately but the total trip was at 26 mpg. almost no wind out today.
I'm assuming and hoping that some break in is required. I drive 15 highway miles to work and diddle around town. Lead foot to keep up with commuter traffic.
I love the vehicle.
thanks.
Is that a record? Anyone beat that?
We're only on our 2nd fuel tank so we can't match that.
-mike
my wife is already sick of my obsession with the mpg readout.
LOL!
Mine, too. You have to casually observe it, and don't dare tell her to slow down to improve the average!
my sense is that the best mileage performance is when i don't go much above 60. 50-60 mph for extended drives seems to be optimal. probably not news for anyone.
I got it out on the highway and measured an all-highway trip, though, and got 34.5 mpg, even with 4 people in the car and the A/C on.
So there's my range. We mostly drive it around town so it's averaging about 24mpg overall.
Bob
but you have less weight, better aerodynamics, and a manual transmission working in your favor.
What's your best ever?
Bob
Bob
Manual base: 1st:3.454, 2- 2.062, 3- 1.448, 4- 1.088, 5- .780, rev 3.333. final 4.111
Auto base: 1st 2.785, 2nd 1.545, 3rd 1.0, 4th 0.694 reverse 2.272; final 4.444
Auto turbo: 1st 2.785, 2nd 1.545. 3rd 1.0, 4th 0.694, reverse 2.272. Final 4.111
For the WRX:
5speed manual; 1st 3.166, 2nd 1.882, 3rd 1.296, 4th 0.972, 5th 0.738, final 3.900
So let's see, 3.9 final drive is 31% taller, but the 0.738 ratio for 5th is 6.3% shorter than the 0.694 on the Forester.
Tire size is also a factor, but I bet yours actually revs lower on the highway than mine does.
So for those XT'ers who wanna go real fast 'round town, they could possibly have their auto trans final drive ratios retrofitted by their expert Subaru mechanic (depending on whether it's one gearset in the trans, or both gearsets in the two differentials) from 4.111 to 4.444.
That would cut the XT's max top end and probably make MPG worse.
Most likely the computers controlling VDT, VTC etc. would have to be reflashed.
Any bets some Tuner shop out there tries this? :confuse:
OK, I'm back from my trip so I have some mileage reports for my MT (none of this is actually on a hiway), all within 1st 800 miles, to & from mountains up to about 9k feet (I live at 5k):
192 miles = 33.4 mpg (empty, mixed driving)
176 miles = 27.3 mpg (loaded inside & roof racks, some town driving, mainly open road - 60,65,70 & 75mph...mixing it up for the new engine)
158 miles = 30.3 mpg (empty - mostly open roads avg ~70mph, I'm trying to fluctuate the speed as noted. Got 36.3mpg one way, )
200 miles = 31.8 mpg (loaded inside & roof racks full, about 80 miles of dirt roads going 45mph max, about 15 miles of one lane dirt 4WD road, rest is paved curvy mtn canyon road - a bunch of stops included)
Also, are the mpg's you listed hand figured?
John
I have the 2.5x premium, ie the 17" tires.
I did check the numbers on the dash by hand calculating to make sure the gauge was not off. It appears to be pretty much dead on.
I don't know if it makes a difference, but I live at about a mile above sea level, and went up to a max of 10k feet on that trip.
Tomorrow night I'm resetting Trip meter A at fillup to see how the vacation drive goes (anticipate almost 3k miles before we get home again). :shades:
Heading cross-country?
Anyway, I love driving the Subie, and my wife is even considering getting her own.
My wife averages 25.2 MPG in town going to and from work, all city driving.
It does much better on the highway if you don't use the cruise control. On the bigger hills it down-shifts when in cruise mode. I just peg it with my right foot at about 80, and let the hills slow me down, usually to about 70. I'll have to try a state highway at 60MPH. I am sure it will do better.
I love this car and cannot wait for it to snow. This is my first Subaru.
Tentoes49
Omaha
A little less city, a bit more highway.
I have an X-limited.
I am a bit disappointed but hope the mpg will improve as more miles are added on the car.
My wife's TPMS went off and she was down to 28 psi in all four tires. I aired them up to 35psi.
As the temps drop, you lose air pressure, not to mention it tends to leak slowly regardless.
We drove home only about 2 miles, and I took the convertible out last night, so I haven't driven it enough to notice.
Still getting around 25 around town, which is where she does most her driving.
We drove up to the big box store and got a bunch of stuff, stocking up. The cargo area was full - I even had a new propane tank (full).
No complaints here.
My tires were at 35psi and the ride was fine. I just got an oil change at the dealer I bought it from and they upped the air to 38psi. I suppose as the temperature is starting to drop here, so the pressure will go down as the temps drop.
The good news is I noticed no difference in the ride, and I was just coming back from a 2k mile trip. I did get great gas mileage with my 2.5x manual on the trip... but the best was I got over 450 miles on one tank and had more then 3 gallons left in it when I filled up again. :shades: This was driving from Arizona through New Mexico into Colorado...all on less than a tank full. I seem to be getting better mileage lately. I have about 5k on the odometer currently. I'll report more mpg details later, after I have time to finish unpacking and catching up.