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I have about 3,000 miles on the 2006 Sonata (I4).
The car came with a spoiler. I didn't really want it, but the dealer threw it in for free. Does anyone know if a rear spoiler cuts the gas mileage? :confuse:
At an avg speed of 30MPH I seriously doubt it Those small spoilers (just a trunk-lid lip really) don't have any significant effect on fuel consumption.
Not sure if this is good mileage or not. My previous commuting car was a Toyota Highlander which was able to achieve the EPA-rated Highway gas mileage of 23 MPG. Naively, I assume that I could get the EPA highway mileage with the Sonata - but not even close. Appears that Hyundai tunes its vehicles for optimal EPA-test performance, but average real-world commuting performance.
at 35 pounds, change oil and filter every 2500 miles.
Bought the car new.
No problems thus far, car has 34,000, but highway mileage
at 60-65 mph is never better than 28 to 28.7 (the 28.7 is
rare) and need to drive conservatively to achieve that.
Drive 70 mph and it goes down to 27 mpg.
Combined city roads/country highways (mostly 45 to 55 mph
with a few traffic lights and stops) comes to 18 to 22 miles per gallon, often just 19.
This mileage has been pretty much the same since day one.
Someone wrote about "reflash" to engine and transmission
computers. Is that likely to help? Any other suggestions?
When I drive my 1993 Honda Accord, 4-cylinder, automatic
with 284,000 miles, I get 33 to 34 mpg highway at 70-75 and
24 to 26 on the country/city trips. Engines are about
the same.
Again, zero problems with the Hyundai thus far except
for the constantly same and disappointing gas mileage.
We take excellent car of all our cars, as evidenced by the
Honda Accord.
A 2006 Sonata LX V6 with only 600 miles. Having only filled twice, and all around rural (town) traffic, no highway or sustained runs yet. 1st fill was 19.0 the 2d fill was 18.9. I use the a/c about 90% of the time. (Florida) My computer and my personal notes from mile 9 (purchase miles) and with an initial fill-up the day after delivery, for an accurate reference point of beginning, were both used to see the differences (if any). These figures are the average of the computer/notes combined. The difference was negligible. I am looking forward to better mileages as the miles traveled increases.
Avg MPG:25 Highway:30-31.
Better yet, don't use A/C if you don't have to.
With the Automatic Control you can't expect more than 20-22.
Thank You
What kills the Sonata's mileage is stop-and-go traffic either because of traffic jams or suburban stop signs. I've found that getting out of my subdivision with about 12 stops over 6 miles, I get about 17 MPG. Seems as if the Sonata is tuned for very good highway mileage, but crummy city driving mileage.
First check at ~700 miles, 29.1 MPG averaging 39 MPH. Trip meter coincidentally showed exactly 29.1 MPG.
2nd check at ~1000 miles showed 27.x MPG, average 37 MPH. Trip meter was ~1MPG off.
I think hsudog is correct that the V6 hates stop and go driving. Maybe because it's hard to not accelerate hard for the pure fun of it.
That is the whole idea of gas guzzling!
Moving a heavy object from stand still requires more energy than keeping it moving (requires far less energy ... less momentum); and of course accelerating hard requires even more energy to move it quicker/ faster! (law of physics!)
I know. That's why I used the "embarrassed" emoticar.
Moderate suburb, moderate hiwayKeep speeds <60 MPH 29.2 700 miles on car
All highway averaging about 65 mph 30 MPG 1400 miles on car
All Highway Averaging 75 mph 28.6 2000 miles on car
Nice car, good price 15795 + tax and title.
On a highway traveling 55 to 60 mph I have averaged as high as 34 mph.
Also, I have found out that Chevron regular gas gets better gas mileage in my car than Shell regular gas. On my trip to my destination I used Chevron, and the return trip I used Shell. The Shell did get as many mpg. Have not tried BP gas yet.
BTW, around town stop and go traffic, I only get 17-18 mpg like most people. Otherwise, I am satisifed with the highway/interstate gas mileage and the car.
*Not at all surprising when considering that the refiners' dirty little secret is freely exchanging gasoline between themselves to cover regional and particular refinery bottlenecks that crop up. The only real chemistry differences are the type and amount of additives they add at the tank farms prior to distribution to retail stations - and even this is subject to federally mandated minimums.
**Not bad fuel economy for the time what with a 2 1/2 ton car, a carbureted engine without lean-burn technology, and no torque converter lockup on the transmission.
I'm trying to determine whether I want the four cylinder or V6. Gas mileage is important, but nit a deal breaker. All of the responses seem to be on the V6, which is encouraging, but for comparison sake, are there any owners of the four cylinder, who could comment on sufficiency of both power and MPG? Thanks!
26.10 mpg 39 mph average 70% highway 30% city
25.56 mpg 38 mph average 70% highway 30% city
26.56 mpg 39 mph average 70% highway 30% city
29.68 mpg 51 mph average 85% highway 15% city
I think it's a combo of Honda/Toyota being able to charge a premium for their vehicles based on reliablity and demand. Also I think Hyundai has a very efficient new factory and also is using price to buy market share. I doubt their making alot on each Sonata, but enough to sustain growth and raise it's presence in the US market.
Agree - plus, just maybe, Hyundai's accountants are stupid. If so, Sonata fans should pray that they remain so.
Wall Street Journal: Hyundai Motors Corp revenue fell 28% this last quarter due to revaluation of the Korean currency...does this mean that the low prices on the Hyuindais are a thing of the past?
If you've done the reprogram, please let us know how it worked for you. Thanks.
If so, they can be a real eye opener. They show you the effects of sitting stalled in traffic, where you get 0 mpg regardless of the car you drive. It's always been that way, but you wasn't aware of it without the computer.
Trip computers are a little flaky in city traffic. Always check true mileage by dividing actual miles by actual gallons.
I'm not sure if I should take it in to the dealer to have them check it out since I am getting approx 8mpg below the sticker number. However, I am driving 75 on the highway.
You average exactly zero mpg while idling at stop lights.
In the city driving I get 21-23 mpg (a lot of short 1 to 5 miles trips) which is consistent with 22 mpg EPA city.
Driving around 70-75 mph gave me 29-32 mpg highway...
I've read about the "better mileage as it breaks in" phenomenon, and am certainly hoping to see it. I'm not especially heavy footed, but the best I've gotten on any segment (a 60 mph road trip) is 26.7 mpg. I'm holding it under 60 mph for the most part due to factory recommendations (the 55 mph recommended was getting me too many middle-finger greetings).
My in-town mileage is running about 17 - 17.5 right now.