Saturn Aura Real World MPG

Karen_S

What kind of MPG are you getting with your Aura?

ous

I got 28 highway on dry interstate with a 600 mile trip yesterday. Disappointing considering the small tank. Will this get better after some miles on it?

cag2

We have had our Aura for 3 months and got average 17 in city and 24 highway. Very disappointing

trauppius

I have about 4000 miles and am getting a consisted 21 mpg on my mixed highway and local road round trip of 36 miles per day. This is slightly better than my prior 2005 Mercury Montego AWD and 2003 Infiniti G35 sedan. This is about what I expected. Best mileage on 65 mph highway is about 28 mpg on level roads without wind.

bdubsee

Initially I was getting 17-18 in mostly city driving. Now that my Aura has a little over 900 miles it is getting closer to 21 in the same situation. It seems that the engine is loosening up a bit and the mileage is increasing daily.

mharness

Just purchased an Aura XE today, I will be doing a 500 mile freeway trip next week. I'll post next weekend the results.

phaetondriver

Congrats. We keep hearing that these cars get better mileage after a several hundred to a couple K miles so your new one should make a nice baseline for a follow-up test in a few months.
We will be taking a 600 mile trip next week in our XR. We have about 6000 miles on it right now and I am hoping the mileage will finally be up to spec's. :shades:
Have a safe trip.
Phaeton Driver

phaetondriver

Well We are back and it was a fantastic drive and weekend.
We went from the hot, So Cal, lower desert to Morro Bay. We used US 101 for the drive up and back with a different connection route each way so as to keep it fresh.
330 miles each way with a round trip average of 27.88 MPG
We had 240 miles of mountain and city driving in the Morro Bay/Atascadero area. The mountain road was mostly performance driving (using that 6 speed paddle shifter) when traffic permitted.
Overall, 900 miles on 34 U.S. Gal. of 87 Octane (Avg Cost 3.399/gal )net us 26.5 MPG.
So Far, my wife and I are 100% satisfied with the MPG and performance balance of this Saturn Aura XR. :shades:

mharness

I've had my Aura for about 2 weeks and have almost 2000 miles. I have averaged 30-32 mpg highway at 65-72 mph around 1700 rpm'. I would fill up prior to getting onto interstate and fill back up once I left the interstate. My combined highway and city is 21-23 mpg.

phaetondriver

Are you driving the XE with the 3.5L V6?
I was driving between 75 and 80 for most of our 660 miles on the highway.
I figure we are getting about 24 combined MPG.
Oh! and having a lot of fun at the same time.

jm40

the Arua XR is such an awesome ride. i liked everything about it,,,,but the MPG. with the miles i drive and gas prices going up... its a big concern for me.

still it is very tempting. the ride was so sweet.

phaetondriver

I know what you mean, it is very hard to NOT have a little fun now and then. Fun = using all 252 ponies
But hey! if you short shift it and keep up with traffic instead of staying in front, the mileage isn't bad.
It's never going to be a Scion or other gas sipping econobox. But there not as much fun or comfortable as the XR. :shades:

dinof

I have just 1100 miles on my XR model. Average
MPG I am getting is 20.8 ; mostly city driving.

auraowner

I just turned 1000 miles on my XR. I'm currently averaging 17.4 miles of mixed driving with 5 miles per day in bumper to bumper traffic. Kind of disappointing, but the mileage has increased .5 miles over the past week. I'm sure I could do better if I could resist the temptation to exercise all those ponies under the hood and dial it down to 70 on the open freeway. Hard to change old habits developed by 25 years of driving relatively economic Accords.

phaetondriver

I just returned form my second road trip in a month and I watched my MPG get better and better on this last 2300 miler.
I now have 11300 miles on my XR and still lov'n every minute, well maybe not every...
I actually got 29.5-MPG for about 350 miles in Washington and Oregon. Sure it was flat but but I was averaging 80-MPH. Last month I went to Arizona and that was flat too, but I could only muster 26.4 for about 400 miles, average 78-MPH, before it got hilly.
My trip north showed 26.2 for ~1150 miles with plenty of stops and one overnight. I averaged 63-MPH for the 1150 miles. My trip south averages 68-MPH and 28.2-MPG.
The whole trip according to the computer showed 66-MPH and 26.8-MPG for 2300 miles.
I am so pleased it is finally coming around. :shades:
ONE THING THAT HAS HELPED THE MPG IS RUNNING THE LOW PROFILE GOODYEARS AT 40-PSI. This is 4 PSI below maximum which helped keep them cool and lower the rolling resistance (friction). The ride was a bit harsh, but it was worth it I think.
I also have over 6000 miles on this oil and the computer says I am at 30% remaining. That is killer. I am taking it in anyway for the oil/filter change next week.
I am going to replace a quart of oil with a quart of Dura Lube before the next trip to Arizona in September. We'll see if that helps the MPG like it has in my other cars.

flogullo

Mostly city driving for me, and I average 20 MPG. One thing I noticed after driving for a few days was all of the tires were under-inflated ( Terrific TPS light came on ) . Could be a coincidence or could be something the average dealership misses.....so check your tire pressure.

phaetondriver

Those little TPS valve stems are a godsend. I haven't had a flat or a nail in a tire in over 20 years. I get a new car and I get two nails in a week. Both fixable, because the TPS notified me by email (OnStar email report) that the pressure was low.
Low pressure can ruin a tire, and with these low profile tires you could damage a rim too.
NOTE: When you have your tires rotated, be sure the tire mechanic knows to relocate the valve stems. My mechanic didn't so when my tire got a nail the diag system said it was a front tire when it was the rear one.

nosirrahg

Anyone here have any real-world mileage to share on the Aura Hybrid?

badgasmileage

I have a 2007 AURA XE. It has 2,990 miles on it. It is averaging less than 16MPG. Worst tank was 13.7. Best tank was 16.7. The 16.7 tank had quite a bit of HWY mileage. So, I went to my dealer. They asked me to bring it in so they could check it out. The computer says the AURA is working just fine. So, they suggested I call Saturn to complain about my poor mileage. I did that and they had a regional manager call me. Here is the bottom line. Since the car checked out on the computer there is nothing they will do about it. I am convinced this car will continue to under perform on mileage. Right now if I were to go on a trip, I would get better performance out of my Trailblazer. I am a 30 year GM customer that is leaving the fold if Saturn/GM does not step up to the issue. Any advice or suggestions?

nosirrahg

Are you figuring the MPG by hand, or relying on the car's readout/driver info center?

phaetondriver

My 07 XR started out getting only 24/17 or so early on. Now I have over 12000 miles and I have seen over 30 MPG on a 350 mile run on level ground. I averaged over 27 MPG on a 2300 mile trip mixed but mostly interstate driving running 80 mph most of the time.
Your XE should get better than my XR but I think you need to give it at least 10000 miles to brake in the engine.

So before you throw in the towel, wait at least 10-12K miles then re-evaluate your XE

Phaeton Driver

godeacs

I am considering a XR and love everything about it except the disturbing reports on low gas mileage. You should NOT have to wait 10K miles to brake in the engine to get decent mileage. This def could be a "deal breaker" for me.... :sick:

saturn_comm

I notice that the posts regarding real world fuel economy show great variation and this is likely an indication of driver behavior and not variation in the Aura vehicles.

I recommend you rely on the EPA labels to get a relative (not absolute) sense of fuel economy. The EPA test cycle removes the variation in driver behavior and is a measure of the vehicle.

Personally, I think the Aura is a fun car and I find myself driving it hard -- and there are consequences with respect to fuel economy. With Aura you can achieve good gas mileage by driving conservatively, but you can also have fun when so desired.

nosirrahg

I agree with you; my driving style is pretty conservative, and I've consistently achieved the "old" EPA numbers with my previous/current cars. So my gut feeling is that I should achieve better mileage than the "new" figures they've come out with.

To try to get a handle on what I'm apt to achieve based on the new numbers, I took my current average MPG and then adjusted the ratio of city/highway driving of the new numbers to deliver that number, and then use that combination to compare cars under the new system. Basically before on the old numbers my mileage equated to something like 80% city/20% highway, but using the new numbers now it's basically 50/50. Even though most of my driving is around town, much of that is on the Interstate that bisects our city, so technically I probably do more highway driving than I think I do, so 50/50 is more realistic.

phaetondriver

I think if you want as car that gives great gas mileage you give up quick acceleration and the fun it provides. If you want performance and great economy you look for a very small car with a 4 banger and a 5 speed. If you want performance and a 4 door sedan, you have to give up great gas mileage.
I swapped a V-10 3/4 ton truck (10MPG) for a Saturn Aura because I didn't need the big truck and wanted a high performance 4 door sedan. My budget was $25000 with trade in so that eliminated a lot of German and Japanese Performance sedans.
I got everything I wanted in the Aura XR and if I only average 25 MPG, the way I drive, I couldn't be happier.
I hope you get a car that you enjoy and makes your heart pump and your face smile from ear to ear like my Saturn does for me.
Good Luck
Phaeton Driver

drwilsc

If you're in the markat for a 250+ horsepower midsize sedan, this level of fuel economy is par for the course. If you want 35 mpg, perhaps you should consider a Civic or something. I agree with the other Aura owners that the XR and its 6.2 sec 0-60 times (according to Car and Driver) are worth paying for a little extra gas.

phaetondriver

Back on 9/26 you said you were considering the XR but thought the fact that waiting for a drive train to break-in for 10+ K miles might be a deal maker. I was wondering if you have made your purchase and what you bought?
Also, I am guessing you aren't old enough to remember when we had to drive a car and various speeds and not to fast for the first few thousand miles then drive them on the highway and go fast for a few minutes. This was (one type) of recommended break-in procedure. If you just drove normally your engine would either never see it's potential or it would burn oil forever.
Todays engines/materials don't require the same techniques, but if you follow the old ways the power train will work better and last longer.
I am old school when it comes to break-in and may have something to do with my XR getting better than average MPG's and better than average acceleration (0-60 in 6.0 and 60-100 in 7.6). One trip I got 26.8 MPG for 2300 miles and another gave over 30 MPG for 350 miles.
I have over 13000 miles now and the XR is better than ever.

Phaeton Driver

mickeyrom

It's never going to be a Scion or other gas sipping econobox

Hey friend...I have a 2007 KIA Optima, and get at least 33MPG Hwy.(A high of 40.7)Hardly an econobox.Loaded with ALL available options and of course...a 4 cyl engine.It's plenty strong enough to suit me.I believe it's rated at 165 HP which is more than my 1952 Lincoln V8 was.
BTW we went to a dealer yesterday to look for an Aura Hybrid...of course they didnt have one,but I did look at a top of the line Aura and the leather seats and the dash were all very nice.Unfortunately it only comes with a V6 and with the $92 per barrel oil...very impractical. :sick:

phaetondriver

Yea! Oil at $92 a barrel sucks, but I figure it will go over $100 before my grand kids get out of grammar school. I live in a area where gas prices are always 30-40 cents/gal more than the rest of the country so I am used to it being expensive. Right now it is $3.09/gal for 87 octane at the cheap stations. Fortunately we only burn about 4-5 gal/week so I opt for a performance car rather than one that get 40 mpg and takes a week to get to 80 mph. It's not that I have money to burn, it's just that we don't have to drive very far most of the time. We do take a trip now and then but I get about 28MPG on the trips so that's not bad.

phaetondriver

I am so excited about the MPG I am getting now. OVER 30 :shades:
My 2007 Aura XR 3.6 is doing just what I thought (and hoped) it would.
A couple of months ago I changed the oil and added a quart of Dura Lub.
I have done this in several other cars and it always improved my MPG and made the engine run very smooth. Well the 3.6 now idles and revs silky smooth. Idle is now about 800 RPM. I guess the computer only gives the engine enough gas to keep it running, and that is less now so lower RPM is the result.
I just took a trip to Northern California. Total miles 910. 870 of it on I-5and I-10.
I cruised at or close to 80 MPH whenever possible. The trip computer said I averaged 68 MPH for the 910 miles.
It used 30.08 gal of 87 octane for the 910 miles. I think this equate to 30.25 MPG.
The formula is keep tire pressure close to 40 PSI, the tires are rated MAX @ 44 PSI so this is quite safe. Add an engine oil additive like Dura Lub, Slik 50, or any other additive with PTFE. Now I don't have any ties to any company that produces this stuff, I just have had a lot of success using it. An alternative with similar results would be a synthetic oil like Mobile 1. Difference is you buy the additive ones every 50K miles, the oil every 3000 miles.

Now my XR is every thing I wanted and I can no longer whine about the MPG.
Take that you Accord lovers

mickeyrom

That is pretty outstanding for a V6 at 80MPH.

steelerman

It used 30.08 gal of 87 octane for the 910 miles. I think this equate to 30.25 MPG.
The formula is keep tire pressure close to 40 PSI, the tires are rated MAX 44 PSI so this is quite safe. Add an engine oil additive like Dura Lub, Slik 50, or any other additive with PTFE.

Wow, 30 MPG! I am getting 27 mpg in my XR going 25 miles one way to work and back. Do you really think that the additives are making the difference or the tire pressure? Also, why do you suppose the manufacturer recommends 30 psi and no additives?

Thanks.

phaetondriver

Wow, 30 MPG! I am getting 27 mpg in my XR going 25 miles one way to work and back. Do you really think that the additives are making the difference or the tire pressure? Also, why do you suppose the manufacturer recommends 30 psi and no additives?

My on-board computer said I got 27.8MPG for the trip, so you can't believe it, monitor the gas and miles and do the math for accurate MPG. I drove for MPG so I was easy on the go peddle, resisted the urges to pass everyone, and used the cruise control as mush as possible. When going uphill I used the manual mode and dropped to 5th and slowed my speed to mid to low 70's.

I have used these PTFE additives for a long long time (about 1980) and every time it has proven to me to give more H-P, better MPG and longer engine life. The only car I ran Mobile 1 in was a turbocharged sport coupe and that was because of the hi-temp oil cokeing problems turbo's have.

The Tires say max PSI is 44 so for best traction and mileage/wear you want to run them at about 85-90% cold of that Maximum.
Several things happen when you do this.
1. The tires run cooler so tire pressure stays closer to the cold setting. Blowouts occurs most often to under inflated tires because the hi temp form scrubbing more tread on the pavement causes the air inside to expand much more.
2. The tires stay flatter on the ground when cornering and provide a more secure ride on those fast mountain roads. I used to race auto-cross and I found that running 50 PSI gave me the best traction in the corners. The runs were too short to cause tire failures at these hi pressures, but a long trip could cause tire failure.
3. The ride gets hard, not as comfortable, when pressures are higher than the car manufacturer recommends. In the case of the Aura, I think one of two reasons for the 30 PSI recommendation is a nice soft ride and the second is the pressure is actually the recommendation for the 16 inch 65 series tires. When you go to a lower profile you need to increase the pressure or risk damaging the rims and tires when you hit those nasty bumps and cracks on the interstate.

I am extremely happy with the ride and handling I get with my tires at 38-40 PSI. And there doesn't seem to be any wear on them at all with over 14000 miles.

Hope this helps

steelerman

Thanks for all the information.

One more question:
Do you get a Tire Pressure Monitor warning when your tire pressure is that high?

phaetondriver

One more question:
Do you get a Tire Pressure Monitor warning when your tire pressure is that high?

No. The tire monitor doesn't warn of high pressure, just low, Mine has done this twice, both time the tire was about 25 psi due to a nail.
I do get a report email telling me my tires are not inflated to the recommended 30 psi.

I am not concerned about any excessive tire wear or unusual handling because of tires being inflated to 38-40 psi, especially for freeway driving. Just the opposite is true.

Check it out for one tank of gas on your daily commute. Can't hurt to verify what I am saying.

phaetondriver

Over the last 3 weeks I have driven 1150 miles. Last three tank fulls came to 40.2 gal.
My trip computer said I got 26.7 MPG
My calculations show it was more like 28.6MPG :shades:
There was about 850 miles of freeway driving (50 - 80 MPH), the rest was city driving, short trips of 2-5 miles at 0- 40 MPH.

I am totally stoked at this mileage in a 250 HP sedan.
If one of those 4 bangers that gets 34 highway MPG could get 30 MPG combined would have saved about 2.5 gallons on the same 1150 miles, or $8.

The savings of $7 per 1000 miles? That's $350 for 50K miles saved by the 4 bangers.
Big deal :surprise:

phaetondriver

Last trip of over 1200 miles mixed 800 highway and 400 city I averaged 26.8 in my 2007 Aura XR. Best leg was 29.9mpg (one 4400 foot hill with a 7-10% climb at 75mph).

Not I-4 mpg but very good for a 3.6/252hp V6 I think.

Anyone interested in some really good mileage? check pout this new car from BMW. I took this pix at a Palm Springs parking lot, notice the plate is from Canada :shades:

See more Car Pictures at CarSpace.com">

phaetondriver

I am on my third oil change which I got a few months ago at just under 9000 miles.
I now have over 17000 miles and the DIC says I have 40% of my oil life remaining. At this rate I will be over 12000 miles on this oil change. The only thing I have done to the oil was replace one quart of oil with one quart of Slick 50.

Anyone else experiencing this kind of oil life according to the DIC in their Aura?

Anyone using Mobile 1 and if so are they getting unusually long oil life according to the DIC oil life meter?

mickeyrom

Arent you putting your engine warranty at risk?

phaetondriver

No, not at all.
To maintain the warranty I need to change the oil when the DIC indicates I am within 10% of the oil life.
I have just been reading of other GM owners that are getting very high mileage between oil changes according to the on board oil life computer.

mickeyrom

That sounds great...my car doesnt have that feature despite having every toy you can imagine. Should you have an engine problem...I wonder how they would know if you changed the oil as you're supposed to. Mine has 3 months or 6 depending on usage. The mileage is 3K or 7.5. I have decided to do the Mobil 1 thing and go with 6 months or 6K miles depending which comes first. My car does very little in city driving.

steelerman

Anyone else experiencing this kind of oil life according to the DIC in their Aura?

I have 6800 miles om my XR, 30% life left according to DIC. This next change will be my first. I have not done anything to my oil.

So I am in unchartered territory here with going so long without an oil change.....

oldcem

Have your dealer check the tranny to see if its working correctly. I went through this with an 01 Chrysler Sebring that was getting horrible fuel economy. I kept telling the dealer that the car was running way too many RPMs at interstate speeds. Finally they discovered a glitch in the tranny's controller that never let it go into overdrive, or, engage its lock-up clutch. After it was finally fixed, the car's fuel economy jumped about 10 MPG.

Regards:
OldCEM

jimmyrevit

Me and my wife have been looking for a new vehicle to replace our old 1993 Saturn, with 220,000 repair free miles. My wife was looking at the Honda Civic, which gets an estimated 30+ MPG. after test driving a 2007 Aura 3.5 V6, with its comfortable ride and awesome power. We are now considering the Saturn. We have got so many conflicting answers from current Aura drivers on their MPG. Is there anyone out there that has truly checked there MPG that can give me a more realistic answer, rather than the 14.5 MPG Hwy all the way up to the unrealistic 35+ MPG. I know that we can not compare the Civic to the Aura as far as power and MPG, but if the mileage is not to bad we would sure like to stay with a somewhat American Made Saturn. I know that if I pick the Saturn and it does not get decent MPG, I will never hear the end of it from my wife. Thank You.

steelerman

jimmy-

I have a 2007 Aura XR so it has a bigger engine and more HP than the 3.5 you are considering. I have had this vehicle for about 6 months now and I check and re-set my mpg with every fill up. I drive my vehicle to and from work and around town and I have been getting around 27 mpg overall. If I do a lot of "around town" driving, my mpg creeps down to around 24 or 25 mpg.

I am very happy with my mpg especially considering the >250 hp V6 under the hood! For the money, you simply can't beat an Aura.

phaetondriver

I have had my XR now for over a year, It has over 19000 miles and has never been in the shop for anything but oil changes. My last mileage post was #30. Since then I have been averaging 24 for our overall combined. For my money, I can't think of any other 4 door sedan with leather heated seats, a sun roof, and 0-60 acceleration about 6 seconds. All the passing power you can hope for (about 50-100 in 10 sec.) and it still gives 24 mpg average, and a best of 30 MPG on the highway at 80 MPH.

I am a car guy and I have been driving since 62. The XR is the second most fun car I have ever owned (excluding the streetrod I built).

You have to decide which is more important, mileage of performance fun, then pick the Aura that fits that need best.

Good Luck

oldcem

I just took my 08 Aura 3.5 on her first business trip. It was a 500 mile round trip - virtually all at interstate speeds (70 - 75 MPH). I gassed up twice. On the first tank I got 29.5 MPG. On the return trip I had the A/C on low, and, she got 28.7. I was running on hilly I-79 through WV and PA as well. The Tranny downshifted out of overdrive numerous times going up hills. I'm very pleased with the power and fuel economy the 3.5 gets.

jimmyrevit

I recently posted asking what the real mileage to be expected from a 2007 XE3.5 Aura. Since that post I have purchased a 3.5 Aura. I now know the real mileage. I have had the car for approximately 2 weeks it has 19000 miles. I have taken it on several hwy trips approximately 250 miles each way on open desert hwy. I drove the vehicle with the air on at 70 miles per hour. on my trips I climbed 2 small grades. My best mileage so far has been 25.5 MPG driving fairly easy. My trips around our desert town and to my wifes work 25 miles hwy driving with three stop lights have been 19.5 - 21 MPG. To say the least my wife was not to happy with the mileage, but loves the car. You have to consider that we now have a nicer more comfortable car with more power and safety I check MPG the correct way gallons used divided by miles driven. I do not make up MPG stories and I know that everyone drives different, which can account for my MPG. I hope to take a Oregon trip soon, which would be about 1100 miles each way. That should give me a more accurate Hwy Mpg. All and all I would not get rid of car its well worth the mpg difference for such a smooth looking handling vehicle. I thank all for your posts. God Bless.

mickeyrom

Your MPG should improve after 5000 miles, and I check my mileage just like you as my computer does not have that feature on Optimas. Go figure.

winterescape

I have 5K miles on a 2008 Aura XE 4cyl. I post all my fuel purchase records at fueleconomy.gov
I am seeing about 27 or 28mpg with mixed driving about 60% "highway" and 40% city. No long road trips yet to see what I get for highway only. It did improve fuel economy wise as it broke in and the weather warmed up.
I am sure I could get slightly better if I could learn to keep off the gas, It is hard to not have a lead foot in this car it is so much fun to drive...

chicagodrive1

Normal driving to-from train station and errands on weekends. Not racing everyone at every light. Two oil changes so far using Mobile1.

Aside from SUV-like MPG, occasional hum from the steering wheel pump (?) on tight turns, moon-roof rattles and an annoying Fuel Low message ... I love the car, first GM after owning two Mazdas and a Honda.

=========

DISCLAIMER: I do not work for Saturn or any other car company, and I do not derive my income from the sale of automobiles.

- Think about that the next time you read a glowing car review posted just before the weekend.