Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!

Hyundai Elantra Real World MPG 2011 MY and earlier

178101213

Comments

  • oldburbnewcx9oldburbnewcx9 Member Posts: 53
    I have read CR reports on the Elantra and the Civic. While I don't give heavy reliance on CR they are an important source for car buying information. They were very inpressed with the Civis's gas milage and reliability. However they were so not impressed with the car as to not put it on the recommended list. But they did put the Elantra on the top of the reocmmended list. If you believe in CR then you bought the right car.
  • steven39steven39 Member Posts: 636
    beleive it or not,i purchased my 2012 hyundai elantra gls based on CR reviews.everything that they said about the car was evident on the test drive.handleing,engine and tranny performance,interior design,ect..usually,when CR recommends a car you can bet that the car is a winner.
  • david_r2david_r2 Member Posts: 1
    edited October 2011
    I've been doing the 10 miles plus on an Interstate, using cruise in good weather test in my 2011 Elantra a few times recently. I've found that for me the difference between sticking to the 65 mph speed limit and going 5 mph over (70) makes a tremendous difference in your mileage. I have consistently gotten 38 mpg at a constant 70 mph but 43 average adhering strictly to 65 mph. I'll bet I could go up to 45 mpg easily driving 62 mph, but I'm afraid I'm just not that patient a person.

    I've never heard wind as a factor discussed, although I just signed on here. When I knew I was driving into a maybe 10 mph wind I was getting 39 mph at the speed limit. Taking the same route back on the interstate with the wind I got 43.

    Another fairly obvious factor, speeding up to pass cars quickly, cuts down on your mileage. Pass a car in 5 seconds - really poor mpg; pass a car in 10 seconds, much, much better on the mpg.

    I have a distinct feeling that some folks here are really not aware of some of these factors.
  • m6userm6user Member Posts: 3,181
    Good post except for the bit about "never heard wind as a factor discussed, although I just signed on here". :confuse:

    It's discussed all the time in these forums. Both wind(blowing kind) and wind resistance. It's long been accepted that after about 55 mph(without a headwind) wind resistance is a major player. Now cars have gotten a lot more aerodynamic in recent years and cut through the air better but wind resistance is still a big factor. I'm also convinced that these small engines and multispeed trannies are more affected by wind and wind resistance than the bigger engines and 4 & 5 speed auto trannies. I can't prove this but it just seems logical to me. It seems the smaller the car/engine and more speeds to the tranny makes it harder to achieve high mpg at higher speeds. Stay down around 55-62 like you mentioned and I believe mpg could blow the EPA highway numbers away. I think everyone knows that anytime you floor it to pass versus a calm steady pass affects mpg a lot but conveniently don't think about it much when they figure their mpg.
  • roadscholar3roadscholar3 Member Posts: 23
    edited October 2011
    My new Elantra has about 800 miles on it. I drive a lot of highway miles which is why I
    went ahead and got this car rather than a hybrid. During the period of this test I would
    say I drove about 35%/65% (city/hwy). Where I live there is rarely any stop & go traffic
    in town so my 'city' driving is less intensive than in most places with a lot of traffic. I was more optimistic than when I originally posted here because when I got on the highway and got up to speed I reset the mpg setting, set the cruise control to 65mph and got readings as low as 36 mpg and as high as 43. So I was prepared to be pleasantly surprised with the overall outcome.
    But when I refilled the tank today and did my calculations I was only getting an average of 29.6 mpg.

    So I'm sad to report I'm still unhappy and do wish I'd made another car choice. While I have no other complaints as yet about the rest of the car, fuel efficiency is very important to me and I doubt I'll be getting another Hyundai. And I've become very skeptical about reported mpg ratings in general.

    I'll continue to do these mpg tests intermittently and will report back here if there is a significant change.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    Just did a search within 50 miles of me for Priuses under $18k. Found 43 (that was just on one site), with miles as low as 25k and as new as 2009. Some are Toyota Certified. Given the popularity of the Elantra right now, maybe you could find a dealer that would do an even-up trade for your nearly-new Elantra. Just pay license/title and away you go, getting the hybrid-style fuel economy you want.
  • roadscholar3roadscholar3 Member Posts: 23
    edited October 2011
    I hadn't thought of that! Thanks so much for the suggestion. I'm going to go look
    online right now.
  • roadscholar3roadscholar3 Member Posts: 23
    edited October 2011
    I think road noise tolerance is a personal thing that only you can determine. Doing a test drive should answer your question real quick. Depends on tolerance level, what you're used to, etc. It doesn't bother me but it might bother you.
  • pbm58pbm58 Member Posts: 16
    I agree--am not even getting low end of EPA estimate...thus far, calculated on 2 tank fill-ups, I'm at 21 city (!!!!) and 29 hway. Clearly, I would not even have considered this car had I known these figures, as I too purchase only for reliability and fuel efficiency. This is the kind of mpg I expected a decade ago...
    actually, my decade old car was still getting average 37 mpg's. Hyundai Corporate suggests I not idle nor use the AC.
    I am trying to get out of my lease.
  • pbm58pbm58 Member Posts: 16
    Exactly, mb21784--I just had a 9 1/2 yr old car still getting 37 mpg's. I am also driving this Elantra much more carefully to try and get even tolerable mpg's...no dice. Why aren't we all notifying the company? Corporate seems to think it is the fault of the individual driver, whereas, I sense a pattern here...currently, I am striving for 28 mpgs average (not sure how that will happen as I am at 21/29 currently), or trying to cancel my lease. I have too have never had a vehicle that wasn't near what was expected--esp as they changed the EPA calculations a few yrs back to better reflect reality for the potential buyer....
  • rudy66rudy66 Member Posts: 26
    Me too. 21-23 mpg in city. Screw it. I am not even going to try to drive in such a manner to get the advertised mpg any more. I'm going to enjoy the car and trade away from a Hyundai in a couple of years. Don't use the AC - are they crazy???
  • rudy66rudy66 Member Posts: 26
    Me too. 21-23 mpg in city. Screw it. I am not even going to try to drive in such a manner to get the advertised mpg any more. I'm going to enjoy the car and trade away from a Hyundai in a couple of years. Don't use the AC - are they crazy???
  • pbm58pbm58 Member Posts: 16
    Hey dissatisfied Elantra folks--register your mpg's on this site and compare with others (right now, only 12 folks are on there, so average not accurate:
    https://www.fueleconomy.gov/mpg/
  • walterwittwalterwitt Member Posts: 1
    Same Problem. 1000 miles so far, 70 highway miles per day with 2 miles to the highway, cruisecontrol at 65, first tank 29.5 mpg, second tank 31.5 mpg babying it. Hardly close to 40 mpg. Extremely dissapointed. Going to be very vocal about it. Bad press goes a long way.
  • sarah2175sarah2175 Member Posts: 76
    Oh for gods sakes. How many times have people on this thread said GIVE IT TIME?

    Just relax...you'll see it increase over time.
  • pbm58pbm58 Member Posts: 16
    I agree--be VERY vocal...something is amiss...company tells me I need a "break-in" of 600 miles, but now I am long past that (still at 21/29). Meanwhile, service manager says wait 2500...what gives?
  • largo3largo3 Member Posts: 4
    Seems like most are getting way below sticker as far as MPG. I'm getting 22 MPG in a mix of city and highway driving. Oh, by the way my trunk leaks. Anyone else having the leaking problem? I have a feeling this MPG concern is headed toward a CLASS ACTION legal remedy.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    Seems like most are getting way below sticker as far as MPG.

    How did you figure that? Over 160,000 2011-12 Elantras have been sold in the US this year alone. I don't see anything close to 80,000 people saying they are getting way below sticker on MPG. Do you realize that if 15,000 people complained about mpg on the Elantra, that's less than 10% of all owners, not including the 2011s sold last year?
  • oldburbnewcx9oldburbnewcx9 Member Posts: 53
    Seems like most are getting way below sticker as far as MPG. I'm getting 22 MPG in a mix of city and highway driving. Oh, by the way my trunk leaks. Anyone else having the leaking problem? I have a feeling this MPG concern is headed toward a CLASS ACTION legal remedy.

    If you think the EPA ratings are guaranteed please read the following:

    link title

    Your mileage may vary
  • Kirstie_HKirstie_H Administrator Posts: 11,146
    I have a feeling this MPG concern is headed toward a CLASS ACTION legal remedy.

    Who on earth do you think people are going to sue? Hyundai doesn't just get to decide what estimated MPG goes on the sticker (or in advertising). Those numbers come from the US EPA, not the manufacturer.

    MODERATOR /ADMINISTRATOR
    Need help navigating? kirstie_h@edmunds.com - or send a private message by clicking on my name.
    Share your vehicle reviews

  • aviboy97aviboy97 Member Posts: 3,159
    edited November 2011
    Kirstie-

    When you advertise 40mpg and engineer a car to get 40mpg, people do have a right to sue. Do you think it is any coincodence that the recent slew of new Hyundai's are estimated to get 40mpg by accident? I think not....

    It's not whether the suit is valid in a court of law as it is people want to have a say that they were mislead. T

    It's quite obvious that Hyundai engineered their cars to beat an EPA test, rather than actually get real-world mpg's.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    Just curious... when you drove the 2011-12 Elantra, what was your mpg? And what were the conditions?
  • mikeystoy5mikeystoy5 Member Posts: 56
    It's a waste of time Backy, no one bothers to read any of the fine print under that 29/40, plus they don't care what the EPA rates it at, it's all Hyundai's fault, not anybody else's. So, lets sue, I need the buxx and they have plenty. I think it's a big case of buyer remorse. Go over to the other forum's, an you'll find sometimes the same people complaining that their Focus, Mazda3, Fiesta, whatever isn't getting what they advertise it to get. If I was that un-happy with my 2011 elantra, I'd get rid of it, but, seeing I get 33-35 combined, mostly in a rural area. On a few 725 mile round trip drives to Tennessee, we got 44.1 on the hwy. we were doing 65-70. Some just like to whine.
  • oldburbnewcx9oldburbnewcx9 Member Posts: 53
    mikestoy5

    I have to agree with you. The thing that all these owners conplaining about mpg are missing is that they purchased one of the best compact sedans available. Enjoy your car.
  • thfrazerthfrazer Member Posts: 20
    I've got over 4000 miles on my 2012 Elantra and the mileage is NOT getting any better. The computer based Avg Mpg is getting better, but when you do the math after filling up it is wrong. Right now I get about 3mpg below the computers numbers. As I said in an earlier post you will have to learn to drive this car a certain way if you want to get even close to the advertised MPG.

    I used CR, Motor Trend, and personal driving to help make my decision about the Elantra. For the money it is a well equipped and well appointed car. However, I was expecting better average mpg. In the Motor Trend review they commented that they could not get the advertised mileage. I read that and thought that not paying the premium (+/- $2K) for the Civic would make up for the difference. Now, experience shows that I will eat up that premium long before I can afford to get rid of the car.

    I'm pretty sure we all understand how the mileage estimates are derived by the EPA and Hyundai. However, when the car consistently delivers less than the lower estimate I think we have a problem. I hope those of you making dismissive comments about our comments are 2011/2012 Elantra owners!!

    I've owned this car since June and right now I'm on the fence about Hyundai and the Elantra. A big issue is the fuel, but I've also got some other complaints. The fuel issue (trust?) taints all the other issues as well. If I had to make a decision today I'd tell others not to buy the Elantra and to be wary of Hyundai.

    Tom
  • fushigifushigi Member Posts: 1,459
    You must drive a simply huge number of miles if the 1MPG difference in the overall average EPA ratings between a '12 Civic and a '12 Elantra were a significant factor. Assuming $3.50/gallon it'll take about 600,000 miles of driving to erase the Civic's $2K price premium.

    My wife has a '12 Elantra Limited, BTW. She bought it in September so she's only on her 2nd tank of gas (the first tank was the "free" one that came with the car).

    Out of curiosity, what are you other complaints?
    2017 Infiniti QX60 (me), 2012 Hyundai Elantra (wife)
  • aviboy97aviboy97 Member Posts: 3,159
    edited November 2011
    I have to agree with you. The thing that all these owners complaining about mpg are missing is that they purchased one of the best compact sedans available. Enjoy your car.

    What if they purchased the car on the premise that they would get the estimated fuel economy and they are not able to achieve it? I think they have a right to gripe.

    When you purchase a commodity expecting it to be one thing, and turns out to be another, it is well within their right to be disappointed.

    Suing, on the other hand, is a bit extreme. It is up to the legal system to determine if that suit is valid, not us. Personally, I do not agree with suing in cases like this, but I'm not of proper authority to tell people they can't.
  • Kirstie_HKirstie_H Administrator Posts: 11,146
    Well sure, you CAN file suit against anyone you want to. The problem here would likely be getting a lawyer to take it on. Since the burden of proof is on the accuser, there would be extensive costs associated with attempting to prove that Hyundai deliberately engineered test vehicles to receive a higher EPA MPG rating, and that vehicles being sold to consumers with the EPA stickers on them are NOT the same vehicles tested by the EPA.

    Cases like this would be handled on contingency, meaning the lawyer(s) receive nothing unless they are able to successfully prove their case, and all of the "obtaining proof" costs come out of their pockets.

    Such a "rigging" scheme would be a high-risk proposition as well, as it necessarily relies on the cooperation of all individuals involved, and the non-guarantee that none of them will become a whistleblower in the future.

    I'm not saying it could never happen; just that other factors (including a potential flaw in some vehicles) are more likely to account for the disparities.

    MODERATOR /ADMINISTRATOR
    Need help navigating? kirstie_h@edmunds.com - or send a private message by clicking on my name.
    Share your vehicle reviews

  • aviboy97aviboy97 Member Posts: 3,159
    Kirstie-

    Cars are engineered to meet specific standards, such as EPA estimates and CAFE standards. Just how companies decide to reach those objectives is up to them. Engineering a vehicle to list stats on paper does not mean it will translate into real-world performance. This is nothing new. It is up to the consumer to do research, take test drives and form an opinion before they buy and if all goes well, they will not have buyers remourse. Well, that's the idea anyway. Not everyone does that, unfortunately.

    I do agree with you about law suits. In a case like this, it is pointless and does nothing but waste money. However, I have been in several forums on Edmunds where topics of class action suits come up because an owner(s) are displeased with what they purchased. People are sue happy, I guess.
  • Kirstie_HKirstie_H Administrator Posts: 11,146
    Unfortunately, many consumers genuinely believe that a class action lawsuit will bring real resolution to their problems when in fact, that's often the least productive method of getting results, at least in any timely manner.

    You're almost always better off being persistent, or working with your own legal counsel if that's the route you choose. If you have a good dealership, sometimes they can help you get action. Sometimes not.

    However, class action lawsuits tend to take years to resolve, and at the end of it all - if your side prevails - the outcome for the consumer is usually a set of options: if you still own the vehicle, you'll get some sort of "fix" to be implemented, or a gas card worth $50 (to compensate for the lost mileage) or a $500 off certificate toward the purchase of a vehicle from the same manufacturer you just sued. Not what most people have in mind when they think "class action lawsuit," but that's pretty standard.

    MODERATOR /ADMINISTRATOR
    Need help navigating? kirstie_h@edmunds.com - or send a private message by clicking on my name.
    Share your vehicle reviews

  • mweathersmweathers Member Posts: 15
    I've had my Elantra since Sept 3. Currrently I have just over 4000 miles on it. (42 mile commute daily). Accordingn to the computer I am averaging 33 mpg, exactly what the window sticker says it will average. I went from getting 23 mpg with a 2003 Mazda6, so I'm pretty happy. One experiment I'm trying on my current tank of gas is turning the ECO mode on. Seems to be getting about the same mileage. But driving in this mode seems like it would delivery WORSE mileage to me. Each gear winds out longer, which makes for a higher tach speed for each gear. So I must not understand what this is really supposed to do. This is the first time I've used the ECO mode. Don't know which I like better. The gear change points seem to match my 2003 manual Mazda6 as far as the tach. Don't know if this is better or worse.....

    What are other's thoughts about using the ECO mode?

    On another note: I have the tech package, with blu-tooth. My phone pairs with it well except for one thing. For about 4 weeks I had my contacts transferred to the car. Now they won't transfer any longer no matter what I do. I've deleted my phone and repared about 4 times. Each time it won't import my contacts. (Yes, that option is turned on). Anyone else have this issue?

    For the most part though I LOVE my new car.....
  • g2iowag2iowa Member Posts: 123
    Gassed up and got 29.9 mpg in mostly city driving but some interstate. This was the actual result based on fuel pumped into the tank, but was also very close to what the computer calculated. Still not out of the break-in period, though the owner's manual says 600 miles in one place (p. 1-5) and 1,200 miles in another place (back cover). I'm going with 87 octane regular unleaded rather than 89 octane ethanol.
  • pbm58pbm58 Member Posts: 16
    agreed--I do not trust the manufacturer and I bought this car for mileage and reliability. I am sorely disappointed that 9.5 years after my last car purchase, I am getting significantly WORSE mileage for similar class of car. Hope at some point Hyundai acknowledges this issue. Meantime, I will get out of my lease early.
  • pbm58pbm58 Member Posts: 16
    I would be a lot more satisfied if corporate and the dealer were ablew to acknowledge my disappointment (obviously, for legal reason, they can't at present agree that this model will never achieve EPA estimates. And yes. I think all of us understand the term "estimate."
    Corporate recently told me to have the dealer's service dept complete a "fuel mileage mechanical check" whatever that is. Will do so soon.
  • oldburbnewcx9oldburbnewcx9 Member Posts: 53
    I bought this car for mileage and reliability.

    If these were your top two requirements for a vehicle then I agree you purchased the wrong car. From reading the available reviews and literature the cars that possibly rate very high for mileage and reliability IMHO are the Honda civic and Toyota Corolla. Maybe you should have done more homework in finding a car that met your requirements. Instead you purchased one of the overall highest rated cars (which considers other factors you have not mentioned as important) in the Hyundai Elantra.
  • rudy66rudy66 Member Posts: 26
    The 2012 Civic is not recommended by Consumer Reports. Whoever recommended the 2012 Civic, your homework is faulty.
    Dolf
  • g2iowag2iowa Member Posts: 123
    The 11/14/11 issue of Autoweek discusses their long-term test of a Sonata SE 2.0 turbo. Their experience may be applicable to our Elantras. After 13,000 miles suddenly, "we averaged more than 29 mpg in the 3rd quarter, up from 25.6 mpg early on... Overall, the car is posting 27 mpg over 9 months, topping its EPA combined estimate of 26 mpg. That's significant..." Some engines take longer to break in? Some drivers get better eco-miling over time?
  • m6userm6user Member Posts: 3,181
    I doubt if the drivers from Autoweek are into hypermiling. I've never seen a jump quite like that after break-in but then again I've never owned a Hyundai. It may just be that a few Elantras are not getting the mpg they should and the owners are getting the runaround from their dealer which pisses them off. I would be too if I consistently got the EPA mpg or better in many cars and then bought a new car and didn't get anywhere close and the dealer and manufacturer just blew me off when I complained. People on here are too quick on the draw sometimes to dismiss these posters too IMHO. Although I have to agree a few of the complainers do come across as less than rational sometimes.
  • oldburbnewcx9oldburbnewcx9 Member Posts: 53
    You are correct in that CR rated the car a nor recommended because it was not a good car. The 2012 is noted in CR as getting great gas mileage and being very reliable. If those are your only two criteria for a car it may be the right car to buy. If you want a good all around car it is certainly not the correct car to buy.
  • aviboy97aviboy97 Member Posts: 3,159
    edited November 2011
    The 2012 Civic is not recommended by Consumer Reports. Whoever recommended the 2012 Civic, your homework is faulty.

    That is incorrect. In fact, CR tested the 2012 Civic and it received higher FE than the Elantra and is still considered to be very reliable, but did not receive recommendation because of the lack of overall quality in the ride and interior build that Honda is usually known for.

    His basis is completely right. If he wanted reliability and economy, Consumer Reports is in favor of the Civic over the Elantra in predicted reliability and economy.
  • majorbenmajorben Member Posts: 16
    Hi All,
    I've been monitoring this forum before I purchased my 2012 Elantra Limited this past June, and for some reason, I couldn't believe the results that some people were getting as far as mpg. I now have approx. 3100 miles on the car, and I drive approx 70% highway and 30% stop and go between fill-ups, and the best that I have gotten was 33.1 mpg.

    Now that isn't too bad, but that 33.1 was when the car was newer <1000 miles. Granted, it was calculated during the summer months with no A/C, and since I purchase my gas in NYS, the gas didn't have 10% ethanol.

    Unfortunately, it's now Nov., the gas has 10% ethanol, and I'm only getting 29.5 mpg.

    Before anybody asks, I have run the Elantra smoothly. In other words, I've pretty much been babying it these 1st 5-6 months (and I don't have any extra weight in the car), and like some others writing in to this forum, I, too, am disappointed in the gas mileage. Don't get me wrong, I love just about everything else about this car except the no spare tire deal, but I just wish that I could get about the same as the 14 yr old car that I just gave my son to drive - a '96 Nissan Sentra which was getting anywhere from 34 to 38 mpg. Granted, that Sentra has a manual transmission, but it also has close to 140K miles on it. It just seems to me that something is not quite right with the Elantra, but it could be me because it has been 20+ years since I was driving an automatic transmission. Somehow, I doubt that it is me, though.

    To those of you who write in this forum that you've been getting 35+ mpg, I think that is great. What are your secrets, though? I've tried all the ideas that everybody in this forum has suggested, and nothing seems to make a significant improvement. The only thing that I have yet to do is to have the dealer's service dept complete a "fuel mileage mechanical check" whatever that is, and I will do so soon.

    To those of you looking for a class action lawsuit about this situation, I'm no law expert, but I think that you're going to need quite a lot of people to complain about this issue. With only about 40 registered mpg's on the government's website (the link was listed in a few posts back) between the 2011 and 2012 models, that is not going to cut it. More people are needed. But with the majority of those 40 people having a mpg that is significantly lower than the estimated mpg, I think that there may be something wrong, but again, more people are needed. Also, I can see that writing to Hyundai America to complain about this is pretty much useless as far as some of the advice that they give to help improve the gas mileage, but it might be a good idea to record the problem with them. After I see my dealer and if nothing changes, I will do that, too. But as far as a lawsuit is concerned, one might be able to go the route of false advertising, but I'm sure that Hyundai has protected themselves from those kinds of lawsuits in some way, shape, or form.

    Oh and yes, before anybody comments, I do like the 2012 Elantra that I am driving, otherwise I wouldn't have bought one. The styling, the "solidness", and the safety features are just some of the things that I like about it. And one more thing, it seems to handle pretty well in the snow. We had the freak Oct. 30th - 31st snowstorm up here in NY. And I had to drive home from work in the middle of the storm. Made it home with no problems.

    Best Regards,
    majorben
  • steven39steven39 Member Posts: 636
    i also own a 2012 elantra gls with auto and the best mpg i have gotten so far with the a/c going all the time is 23/city and about 38/highway..however,most of my driveing is within about 5 miles from where i live.people also must realize that your not going to get the optimal mpg until the car is fully broken in and you have about 5000 miles on the car.this according to a mechanic friend of mine.he even said that after you do the 1st oil change that will contribute to getting better mileage as well...
  • mweathersmweathers Member Posts: 15
    I also have a 2012 Elantra Limited. I went from getting 23 MPG with a 2003 Mazda 6 manual to the exact mileage you get. (Which is also the mileage quoted on the window sticker as typical). Like you, this is my first automatic car in many years. I would rather have had a manual in this car also, but the limited is not available with one. If it was, that's what I would now have). I've always liked the way a manual transmission reacts INSTANTLY to what you want to do. Even though this auto is good, it still is a little slow to react unless you use some "authority" with the gas pedal. Going from 23 mpg to 33 mpg was great, but I would like to get better. My commute is also 70% highway driving: 42 miles each way.

    I purchased mine in Sept and until just this week I've never used the ECO mode. This week I did and the mileage was almost identical. But I felt the ECO mode made the transmission more like a manual feel. The engine seems to wind out more before changing gears, which I think I like better.

    Has anyone else used this mode? What are your thoughts? Did mileage get better, or stay the same. Which mode do you like better?

    I did read in the owners manual that the ECO mode automatically cancels, even though the light stays on, when more power is needed. Maybe we should stay in that mode all the time and get a little more mileage.....I'll keep trying.

    Like you though, except for the mileage and the fact that I couldn't get a manual trans, I really love the car. The Technology package, though a lot, is WELL worth it. :)
  • majorbenmajorben Member Posts: 16
    I have always used ECO mode. I don't think that I ever shut it off. You are right, though, I think I read in the manual that ECO turns off when more power is needed.

    I do, however, feel that ECO mode, as you, makes the engine wind out a bit more than I expected, but I have nothing to compare it to. I guess I'll try it without ECO for 1 tank full to see the full effect on engine response and mpg.

    I also seem to notice that the car "downshifts" or asks for more power by increasing the rpms dramatically (from about 2k to about 2.9k) while going up some of the hills around here while highway driving. That seems excessive to me, especially when it happens on the smaller and less inclined hills.

    BTW, I stayed away from the tech package because I couldn't justify the price difference since I already own a stand-alone gps. But push button start sounds so cool... Oh well...

    2 other things I forgot to mention in my 1st post... 1st, I travel roughly 42 miles per day. And 2nd, I never let the car idle for a long amount of time (getting colder up here in NY) before I head out for work in the cold morning. If I do idle the car, it is only for about 1 to 2 minutes while I am scraping the frost off my windows. Of course, I wasn't doing that during the summer/early fall, so in my opinion, I don't think that the mpg is getting lower because of that. Normal idle time for me is about 15-20 seconds when starting up in the morning.
  • majorbenmajorben Member Posts: 16
    steven39,

    That is quite a difference - 23 city vs 38 highway, but I guess it is somewhat closer to the estimated mpg. How many miles do you have on your car?

    And I also have a mechanic friend (former GM mechanic who knows more about cars that most people I know), and he, too, has said that the breakin period for the engines in these cars is long. He said to expect a change in mpg at about 10k, which seemed really high to me, but he said that these engines are very tight (valves and all) when they leave the factory and only really loosen up at about 10k. He did say, though, not to expect more than a 2-3 mpg change. That and the 1st oil change, should put me at about 34-35 mpg, maybe slightly more, but somehow, I doubt it.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    I think a lot of the answer to what you are seeing with FE is in the nature of your "stop and go" driving and what FE you are getting with that. That kind of driving can be brutal on FE. Let's just do a sample calculation. Suppose you get 15 mpg in "stop and go" and 40 mpg when cruising on the highway:

    15 X .3 + 40 X .7 = 32.5 mpg

    Which is close to what you were seeing in warmer weather.

    Now you say you are letting the car warm up for a couple of minutes. During that, time, fuel economy is 0. I notice on the mpg meter on my Sentra that I almost always lose a few tenths of a mile per gallon during warm-up. And I start the car and go almost immediately. But mpg continues to fall until the engine warms up, which depending on outside temperature can take a mile or a few miles. As weather gets colder, you can expect to see a further drop-off in FE.

    My advice is to keep doing what you're doing, try to limit idling time (so scrape windows before you start the car, for example), use that light foot on the gas which I expect you are already doing, and see what happens over the next few thousand miles and into next spring and summer.
  • majorbenmajorben Member Posts: 16
    edited November 2011
    I guess that I need to explain the "stop and go" nature of my commute. It is not really that I am stopping so much. That 30% comprises about 1 or 2 traffic lights or stops signs depending on which route I take per trip (between 3-5 miles), but I've also made sure that when I am cruising at a slower speed (below 55mph), I've kept it pretty consistent where there is less engine shifting going on. And, I do use a light foot.

    And with that I should probably explain my 70% highway commute. About 3-6 miles are between 55-65 mph. The remaining 10 miles or so are between 65-70 mph. This depends, of course, on the posted speed limits. I would love to travel between 55-65 mph for the whole 15 or so miles of highway, but that is simply not possible due to the very likelihood of being run off the highway. And I know all about wind resistance with the higher travel speeds. Also with the highway driving, I have been trying to keep it pretty consistent where there is less engine shifting going on. And, I do use a light foot as well.

    As far as idling or any other habits that I have done in my 2012 Elantra, I was doing the same habits in my Sentra. I did see a drop of about 3 mpg during colder weather in the Sentra which is comparable to what I am seeing in the Elantra in colder weather. Granted idling mpg is 0, but idling for 1-2 minutes cannot be considered to have any sort of significant impact to FE. At least, in my opinion, it shouldn't, especially since it is usually just 1 or 2 mornings per tank of gas. What kills FE the most during cold weather driving is the longer warmup and the 10% ethanol mix. By the way, I've stuck with 87 octane, and I've been trying to stay with the Top Tier gas stations, i.e. Shell and Mobil.

    Anyway, the example numbers that you stated - 15 X .3 + 40 X .7 = 32.5 mpg - could be stated in an many ways, but that 15mpg is totally unacceptable. At least for me anyway. But again, it was only an example that you were giving. A more reasonable equation would be something like 25 X .3 + 35.71 X .7 = 32.5. In this case, both numbers would be more "reasonable", in my opinion. But quite frankly, anything less than 10% of the EPA estimated mpg is not. And, of course, I, like some others on this forum, cannot get over 2 facts - 1) we're not seeing the expected FE at least within the 1st couple of thousand miles, and 2) the FE doesn't compare to our previous older vehicles. By the way, if I didn't mention it earlier, my Sentra is a 1996 GXE model, and it still gets better gas mileage than the 2012 Elantra. Something is just not right with that picture. And I know that the EPA mpg estimates are just that - estimates...

    I am hoping for better mileage in the Spring of '12, but I'm just hoping that it is not due to the warmer weather and the non-10% ethanol mix.
  • g2iowag2iowa Member Posts: 123
    Anyone with concerns regarding fuel economy should start out by studying how the EPA comes up with the estimates it puts on the window sticker. They have their own unique methodology that is entirely different from how we drive in the real world in both city and highway. A very complex calculation.

    Everyone should study the window sticker itself. Mine clearly states 29 city/40 highway, BUT it also clearly says "expected range for most drivers 24 to 34 MPG" city and "33 to 47 MPG" for highway. So the worst expected would be 24 city/33 highway, but that would be within acceptable expectations. I doubt either Hyundai or EPA would say there is any "problem" if your FE was 24/33.

    When building tens of thousands of engines, transmissions, and Elantras there is a statistical distribution regarding expected fuel economy. No two cars are identical. Nor are any two drivers. Would be interesting to see what Hyundai's internal data shows regarding the mean figure for fuel economy in their testing and the standard deviation. If it is a normal bell curve distribution, thinking about 68% of cars would have FE within 1 standard deviation and 95% within 2 standard deviations. But 50% would have FE worse than the average. There are going to be outliers, both positive and negative. The lucky ones getting great FE are happy and don't complain. The unlucky ones getting poorer FE are the ones upset. That is the way things are with large production runs.
  • backybacky Member Posts: 18,949
    I used to have a 1997 Sentra GXE with a stick. It had a 115 hp engine. I used to be able to average low-30s in the Sentra, in around-town driving in good weather in mostly suburban streets and urban freeway driving.

    You appear to be getting low-30s on a new 148 hp engine on the Elantra.

    Frankly I would not think that is a big problem if it were me. Especially since the car isn't broken in yet. I saw FE improve ~15% on my two Elantras (2001 and 2004) after break-in. The FE noticeably improved after about 1500 miles and peaked out after about 15k miles. These had the Beta/Beta II engine of course.

    If I were you I'd give it some time.
  • pbm58pbm58 Member Posts: 16
    yup, am still getting 21/29...and, I had a decade old manual transmission that averaged about 37 mpg (same driving conditions/location as I now have, only former car had 180000 miles on it)...so, I am not sure what is going on with my Elantra, but I will have the service department do the company recommended "fuel consumption check."
Sign In or Register to comment.