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Comments
My commute to work is 70 miles each way in NH. About 5% in town, about 45% state highway (55 mph) and about 50% interstate (70 MPH). After 286 Miles, 27.8 MPG.
BTW you can use the US EPA site to track you mileage and see others for comparison.
http://www.fueleconomy.gov/mpg/MPG.do?action=browseList
2006 Freestyle MPG Page
On the 1050 mile trip (local/hwy) I got 20.3
At 5930 miles (3000 miles since trip) I was getting 18.8 MPG overall. and 25-26 MPG instantenous on highway 60-65mph clocked both directions, about 20 miles total.
Now at 10000 miles the local is the same and the highway is 24-25 at 65-70mph on same course.
Search for possible TSB on reflashing computer if you are getting 14 mpg. I heard one person say 13mpg.
Now I get 18.8 local (EPA rating is 19) and 24-26 mpg on a 20 mile highway course depending on speed; 60-70. I use it to monitor MPG. EPA rating is 24 highway.
This meets Fords spec.
All should post even if you get good mileage to better reflect the full range of experience.
tidester, host
I agree. It would be great to get a good representation of what Ford has put on the road. I’ll bet that way less than 50% meet Ford’s claim of 500 miles per tank of gas.
I get about 19 when driving exclusively in the city, with the A/C on.
All highway driving is about 26-27 at 75 MPH.
Combined average is about 20.3 MPG cumulative for this vehicle.
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It will get considerably better MPG at 65 MPH. Take a look at the tach readings at 65 vs 75 - it is surprising.
I also notice that it is best on flat terrain.
I highly suggest that everyone click here to enter their FWD FS MPG in the DOT database! (My FS is entry "1" in the detailed listing.)
The DOT database has 6 vehicles, ranging from 15.1 MPG (all city driving) to 27.8 (90% highway driving).
Click here to veiw/enter your AWD FS
I think the advertisements have an asterisk indicating that this is based on the EPA 27 MPG highway MPG, actual results will vary. I suspect that if you drive a max of 65 MPH on fairly flat terrain, you will achieve 27 MPG.
Actually, I have been driving at about 65 MPH, but sometimes 70 MPH, on mostly flat ground, with the AC on, and tires inflated to factory spec. Still, I'm a long way from seeing that 27 MPG that you suspect I will get. Also, the asterisk you mention does not say that Ford's promise of "500 miles on a tank of gas" is based on an EPA estimate and results may vary. It mostly indicates that the great gas mileage is due to the Duratec engine and CVT. Almost as an after thought, it finally simply says: "*ESP estimated 20 city/27 hwy mpg in front-wheel drive model." It seems to me that to be correct, it should say "Based on ESP estimated etc."
Thanks for the comments and advice. I'll give it a try.
I gave it a try anyway. I came up with 0-60 MPH in 9.03 seconds in 3 out of 6 runs. I agree, however, that it is probably not accurate enough. :confuse:
Their numbers may have been from a "rolling start", though. More like a 5-60 time.
I tested freeway only milage once, in close to ideal conditions on a trip from Stanislaus County, California, to the San Jose airport and back, and got better than 30 mpg. The full test result is posted on this thread a ways back.
https://www.fueleconomy.gov/mpg/MPG.do?action=mpgData&vehicleID=22393&browser=tr- ue
But maybe just for fun we should start a "500 Mile Club" for those who have achieved this one tank of gas landmark with their Freestyle's. Any members out there?
29 MPG... in a 4,000 lb vehicle, thats good. I assume you have the FWD version, as the AWD one costs 1 or 2 MPG just to slush around the rear differential. I can't think of many SUVs or mini-vans anywhere near its size that can do better than the Freestyle. In fact, not one. You know, engineering is really all about doing something better. Energy efficiency is a core accomplishment in engineering. The Freestyle delivers.
No A/C helped, but we did open back windows a bit and I-94 through western Wisconsin has its share of hills to climb.
Ford's advertisement is technically true 27 mpg x 19 = 513. Nearly all ads have sales hype. I think it's remarkable the car is capable of getting EPA mileage, let alone exceed it under certain circumstances.
just had a tank that got better than 10% over the epa highway estimate. a smooth driver really helps actual gas mileage. most of the miles were at about 75 mph.
And then there's the question of whether the impact of increased drag with rolled down windows will offset any savings from turning off the A/C.
tidester, host
That said, every car is different. A 4cyl engine with just enough power to drive the car will have a higher percentage of it's available energy sapped when using an A/C, but for a more powerful engine, the affect of the A/C is less.
It's sort of like if you put two 250lb people in the back of a Fit versus the back of a Explorer, you'd probably see a bigger drop in MPG in the Fit.
People need to be realistic. Personal driving habits and the type driving that one does can account for a huge difference between the mileage that one owner observes and what another will get. It's pointless to compare numbers unless we all drove in exactly the same manner, on the same day, and over the exact same course. Bottom line is that the Freestyle gets very good mileage for a vehicle of it's size and weight.
My Explorer was a 1996 model. I got 18-20 MPG at 70-80 MPH. I thought that was great for a truck, but I was willing to give up some of the great features of the Explore for much better gas milage. 22 MPG, in my opinion, is not a great improvement.
I'm not sure I understand the question. I have my own diagnostic scanner. I don't use the computer to check mileage because the scanner tells me that the computer reads the tank as 100% before I stop pumping. I guess it's not a big deal, but I would just rather do it manually.
You really get great mileage! I don't believe I'll ever see anything like that. I tried a 60-65 MPH trip and the best I could do was 27 MPG.
I would be happy to share with you. Look at the top of this web page and you will see:
“BOLD MOVES – 500 MILES ON A SINGLE TANK.*
THE HIGH MILEAGE FORD FREESTYLE
*EPA estimated 27 highway mpg FWD, 19 gallon tank”
They don’t say:
·Some cars only,
·When driven very slowly,
·Without passengers or cargo,
·On flat roads,
·With no head-wind,
·When all of the engine and brake parts are perfectly assembled,
·With AC off and windows up,
·With cruse control on,
·With no rapid acceleration, and
·Whatever else people do to squeeze an extra yard or two out of a gallon of gas.
Most people bought the Freestyle with the idea that they would get really good mileage – about 500 miles on a single tank. What they really get is about 400 miles on a tank. Maybe Ford’s advertisements would be more truthful if they used your comment: “Bottom line is that the Freestyle gets very good mileage for a vehicle of it's size and weight.” That sure wouldn’t sell a lot of cars.
And when they list the highway mpg, they have to have some standard. They can't have one hwy mpg for those living in states where the speed limit is 70mph, another for those driving on urban highways, etc, so if they're estimating the hwy mpg based on a flat highway travelling at 60mph, that's fine with me because at least I can compare vehicles using the same standard.
But back to the Freestyle ad, yes I agree it's misleading but not for the mpg rating, but for the idea that someone can or will expend 18.5 gallons out of their 19gal tank to get over 500 miles. When my low fuel light comes on, and then I keep driving until the needle firmly rests on the last line, I can still only put in about 17.5gal into the tank. But I think you could reasonably say that you can go 450 miles on a tank of gas, and still have some reserve.