Fuel Economy Update for January - 2015 Volkswagen Golf GTI Long-Term Road Test

Edmunds.comEdmunds.com Member, Administrator, Moderator Posts: 10,316
edited February 2015 in Volkswagen
imageFuel Economy Update for January - 2015 Volkswagen Golf GTI Long-Term Road Test

Our 2015 Volkswagen Golf GTI has been in the fleet for three and a half months, averaging 25.8 mpg over 6,083 miles.

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  • fordson1fordson1 Unconfirmed Posts: 1,512
    Dan, the EPA highway test is 10.26 miles, with an average speed of 49.3 mph, a top speed of 60 mph, and not a whole lot of acceleration or deceleration, starting with a warm engine.

    Ron stated that his average speed for that 31.9 mpg tank was 77 mph.

    I think maybe your 1.1 mpg room for improvement might be found if your highway driving doesn't exceed the EPA highway cycle by almost 30 mph.
  • actualsizeactualsize Member Posts: 451
    edited February 2015
    Sort of. The old EPA highway test pattern you cite (HFET - the highway fuel economy test) was never the the sort of cruise-control highway driving the name implies. With a 55-mph speed limit assumed (the test dates back to the 70's), the average came down to 49 with one or two stops that simulate getting on and off the freeway. Acceleration and braking rates were processional due to the limitations of the test dynos available at the time. Once the 55 mph limit was lifted the result was so far removed from reality that the first window sticker revision in 1985 basically lopped 22 percent off the HFET result. City consumption test results were trimmed by 15 percent.

    But that wasn't enough. After much study, 2008 saw the two original tests (FTP = city, HFET = highway) supplemented with three more to create the so-called 5-cycle test protocol. One of the new tests includes higher speeds (up to 80 mph) and more aggressive acceleration and braking that was deemed closer to reality. Hot weather and AC use are included in another (these were always off before), and another deals with very cold weather. Today a pair of equations are used to derive City and Highway mpg from these five tests.

    Since the new 5-cycle methodology was adopted I have found that most cars can match their EPA Highway rating during a steady road trip-style cruise in the range of 65 to 70 mph. Ron's Vegas and back run was above this, and he traversed a few long grades (Baker grade = 22 miles @ 4%; Cajon Summit = a dozen miles between 5 and 6 %) to climb between here and there. With enough miles by enough drivers I'm pretty sure we'll get there.

    VW ratings are generally fairly close to reality. That said, any time you have a performance version like the GTI you tend to see a more aggressive transmission and throttle calibration (not to mention a more leaden foot), either of which can make the sweet spot easier to miss.

    Twitter: @Edmunds_Test

  • texasestexases Member Posts: 11,015
    Interesting to see Edmunds getting 25-26 mpgs. My 1983 GTI got right at 25 mpg over 12 years, city/highway/summer/winter (Anchorage). Some things don't change...
  • zaptraxzaptrax Member Posts: 1
    You are testing a VW GTI and the only thing you have to talk about is the gas milage? Wow. Don't think I'll be visiting this website again.
  • texasestexases Member Posts: 11,015
    Uh...they post the gas mileage once a month on EVERY tested car. Plenty of other posts on the GTI.
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