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Saturn Vue Real World MPG

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    horatiohoratio Member Posts: 5
    Thanks
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    silvernickel07silvernickel07 Member Posts: 1
    I guess I should have done more research on the vues gas milage.This is my 4th saturn but first vue I just bought my 07 5spd 4cyl vue first tank 14.8 mpg second tank took a hiwghay trip got 16.9. Ive read the post about better gas milage after it breaks in but these numbers just scare me i know the epa is never right but this model is rated 23/29 14/17 is ridiculous . Thinking about using there 30 day 1500 mile gaurantee and getting a different vue if I still get that bad of gas milage it will be back to the ions or auras for me
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    kaynkayn Member Posts: 3
    I get less than 12 mpg around town and about 23 on long freeway trips. BAAAADDDDD !!!! I agree that it was misrepresented when I purchased. I wouldn't have purchased at 11! Anything under 15-17 around town is rediculous.
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    kaynkayn Member Posts: 3
    Sparky, you are one of the lucky ones!!!
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    speedingticketspeedingticket Member Posts: 33
    I am averaging 21-23 mpg city with my '06 FWD V6 Vue. The trick with the Vue is to keep the revs under 2000 rpm, drive like there is an egg under your foot. If you push it it will suck gas back to the 17-19 mpg range in the city. Overall I am happy with it, I hear the '08 V6 is about 500 lbs heavier is alot thirstier on gas and has about 20% less cargo room. This will be my last Saturn. :(
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    deucedowndeucedown Member Posts: 4
    Hi, new to this site. I was looking at either a 06 or 07 vue. What is the real mpg diff. between the 4 and 6 cyl. Is the 6 cyl. only the honda engine. Anyone have this for a while and could mention on reliablility?

    Just lookin for a reasonably priced, fuel officient, good sized suv...is that possible?
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    johnnyreb2johnnyreb2 Member Posts: 5
    I went for a ride on Route 95 in Florida today. I filled the fuel tank up before leaving and here are my results.
    Total trip was 159 miles. Vue is V-6, FWD, automatic transmission.
    Drove 47 miles in stop and go traffic.
    Drove 112 miles open highway. (95)
    Average speed on open Highway was approx. 63-64 MPH
    RPM was around 1750. Filled fuel tank up on return which took 6.27 gallon of regular fuel. MPG was 25.4.

    I don't think that is too bad for my first trip. The Vue has only 1,450 miles on it. Purchased new the end of August 2007. Not a bad vehicle. You just have to learn not to put the pedal to the metal because it will suck up fuel in no time. Very spunky for a V-6 engine. Around town I get 17 to 19 MPG average.

    I can't wait to take it on a longer trip to see what kind of MPG I can get.
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    michaellnomichaellno Member Posts: 4,120
    Wife and I took a road trip last weekend - Denver to Provo, UT and back. 1200 miles round trip. The 4 tanks of gas I measured were as follows:

    tank 1 - Denver to Grand Junction, CO. I-70 all the way; speed was between 60-80 MPH, depending upon conditions. Two trips above 10,000 feet. MPG = 22.3

    tank 2 - Grand Junction to Provo, UT. I-70, US 6 and some local driving. MPG - 19.2

    tank 3 - local driving (to Park City, UT), then to Price, UT on the return trip. MPG = 19.4

    tank 4 - Price, UT to Grand Junction, CO. US 6 and I-70 again. MPG = 22.9

    EPA numbers are 16 and 22, so I feel we did pretty well. The VUE started the trip with just over 2000 miles on it.
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    ocmike3ocmike3 Member Posts: 232
    Got 06 VUE FWD, V6 which we have about 20k miles now. Consistently getting 20-22 mpg to/from work which is mixed drving. I found my mileage improved with each tank until I got 5000 or more on it. I've gotten 28-29 mpg on several tanks.
    Relaibility has been good, no issues to fix in almost 2 years. It does develop more buzzes than I'm used to hearing. Overall I'm extremely satisfied.
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    deucedowndeucedown Member Posts: 4
    How did you get 28 - 29 mpg? Highway probably. I have the same exact saturn as you, I just bought it 2 weeks ago. I have 15500 miles on it. I love the suv, I bought it off a private owner for 16,500. It was a steal, it has all the upgrades, chrome package, tv's in headrest and leather. My first tank of gas I drove half highway (on a windy day) and half city and I got 22.3 miles. I'm on my second tank which is all pretty much city so I will update. Thanks for any info!!
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    nmlobonmlobo Member Posts: 1
    Excellent H/W mileage!! I drove from Yorktown VA to Park Ridge NJ to Hardford CT and then back to Yorktown VA. The Vue averaged 33.2 MPG. I started the trip with less than 1K miles on the vehicle. My driving since has been mostly city driving and short trips 5 miles to work etc. My Vue averages 20.2 mpg around town.
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    rjkinindyrjkinindy Member Posts: 1
    We traded an '03 V6 4wd Tracker for an '07 fwd L4 Vue a month ago. Went with the Vue because of its dingy towing capability. Have been very pleasantly surprised with both mileage and performance. EPA sez 26/32. We got 31 at 70 mph against brisk head wind going from Indianapolis to Toledo. Got 33 coming back. Typical urban driving gets me mid-20s so far. The OHC L4 cruises quietly at 2500 rpm at 70 mph. The Tracker wound up to 3500 at that speed. Only issue I've got at the moment is notchy steering. Most noticable at off-idle, but it's there all the time. Still and all, a great pleasure to drive.
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    roadwarrior4roadwarrior4 Member Posts: 5
    I have 4000 miles on it so far. I Have yet to do any distance driving, its mostly city. I get 20 mpg.
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    brenner45brenner45 Member Posts: 5
    My mom is looking for better fuel economy from an SUV/CUV, and is considering multiple makes/modesl. Her 2001 Envoy is averaging 15-ishMPG around town, which is the only driving she does. Needs something all-weather. Can anyone comment on the new body-style of Vue, and it's performance/MPG?
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    speedingticketspeedingticket Member Posts: 33
    2006 V6 FWD Vue, outside temperature 34 degrees
    90% highway, 10% city, Mostly at 75 mph: 23.1 mpg
    100% flat highway at 70 mph; 33.9 mpg
    100% highway up and down long hills at 70 mph; 30.6 mpg
    Am I pleased? you bet!
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    brenner45brenner45 Member Posts: 5
    Given the luxury of heated leather seats in my mom's current Envoy, and it's quiet ride, in your opinion, would she be disappointed in the lack of those things in the new Vue? The mileage would be a vast improvement over her current situation. I'm going to go onto Saturn's website as soon as I post to see available options. Just need a real owner's opinion on the "ride" factor. :D
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    brenner45brenner45 Member Posts: 5
    My mom needs an all weather "Northeast" vehicle, and would need 4WD. Does anyone have the 2006+ AWD Vue that can comment on MPG?

    Thanx, tho, speedingticket.
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    sapphire_1203sapphire_1203 Member Posts: 2
    I just purchased an '06 AWD V6 Saturn Vue with 15,000 miles. I was promised 19/25 MPG but have been averaging 10-14 MPG with a combination of city/hwy driving.
    I talked with the dealer today and complained and they couldn't figure out what was wrong but agreed it was terrible gas mileage. He tried to tell me it's the cold weather (its in the 20s) but I find it hard to believe it would drop this much.
    Has anyone else run into this problem?
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    deucedowndeucedown Member Posts: 4
    I bought an 06 fwd with 15000 miles on it about 4 months ago and in warm weather city driving was arouind 17 to 18 mpg. Next time I refill I'll measure it but I believe it is around 15 now, which I am not happy with either, what did the manufacturer tell you to do???
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    somemacsomemac Member Posts: 1
    My wife and I purchased a new 06 FWD V-6 Vue in April of 2006 with the intent of her being the main driver because I mostly drive my pick-up. It now has about 11k on it. The fuel economy of the Vue is a major disappointment to us as we downsized from a sedan with a larger engine that got better fuel mileage. Our average combination of 80% city & 20% hwy MPG for the Vue is 16 to 18. We have taken it on several trips and got as much as 24 MPG on the hwy with the a/c on. The dealer explained this variance from the suggested sticker 20 city / 28 hwy MPG as the engine not being broke-in, poor fuel and driving habits, which I took with a grain of salt as being a routine explanation. We are elderly and my wife drives the car mostly for shopping which are generally short city round trips of 5 to15 miles. I drive the car when we go together, again generally short trips, which I feel, is the main reason for the poor city mileage. I feel the engine is a little cold-blooded and doesn't get hot quick enough to lean the fuel mixture for much of the short trips. However, we live near Dallas Texas so the hot weather should help somewhat in this regard. We intend to keep the Vue for now because other that the fuel mileage, we love it. Can’t say I’d buy another though.
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    sapphire_1203sapphire_1203 Member Posts: 2
    They took it in and ran a bunch of tests on it and said everything was completely normal. They also printed off a bunch of information that basically you can't trust the EPA gas mileage ratings...they are usually at least 10% off. Mine is over 10% off but they say it's because of the cold weather conditions and any SUV will get between 17-18 MGP. I've never had it drop that much with any other vehicle, so I'm pretty disappointed. They did offer to purchase the vehicle back though. What have you been getting on the hwy?
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    johnnyreb2johnnyreb2 Member Posts: 5
    Sapphire,

    I purchased a 2007 Saturn Vue FWD, V-6 new. At first the gas mileage wasn't that great at all. After putting a few thousand miles on it my gas mileage improved greatly. I now have just over 4,000 mile on it and I am getting 17 to 19 MPG around town with local traffic and on a trip I took last week end of about 150 miles I got 25.7 MPG. The best mileage so far to date has been 28.1 MPG.

    I have found out with the V6 that is will SUCK GAS if you put the metal to the pedal. I drive on open highways at 63 to 65 MPH using cruise control. This option has been working fine for me. If you like to take off quickly at signal lights this will also hurt you local mileage. I find at taking off slower at lights and just let the unit do its thing my mileage is much, much better. Try this as suggested above and see what happens. As you may or may not know this V-6 engine is the same engine that is in the big Honda SUV. My neighbor has a Honda with the same engine and his gas mileage is not so great.

    This V-6 engine will, I mean will suck gas if you dog get it and also if you have a heavy foot. People pass me like I am setting still but I pass a lot of them at gas stations stopping to get gas. Very satisfied with my Saturn. Better then the 2001 Chevy S-10 extended cab 4.3 V-6 pick up I had by all means.

    Hope this will help you to get better mileage out of your Saturn Vue.
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    jclnickjclnick Member Posts: 7
    I now own a former dealer demo Vue with less than 2500 miles on it. I took possession on the 22nd with a full tank of gas from the dealer. I filled up yesterday after doing mostly in-town driving and got 20 MPG. I hope to take a short road-trip this weekend utilizing cruise control and am hoping for more than 22/23 as was usual for my 2005 4 cylinder 5 speed. Anyone else have a 2008 XE 4 cylinder to report on? Thanks!
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    homer39homer39 Member Posts: 3
    Bought my Vue used about a month go with 18,000 miles on it. Since then I have put 3000 miles on it and checked every tankful for mileage. It breaks down like this. First trip (1300 miles) we averaged 26-28 MPG with me driving 75-80mpg and daughter driving 70-75. I definitely notice poorer mileage when the temps drop below 30 deg F...lowest has been 23mpg with 80% highway. I attribute this to mostly cold start conditions. Average cold weather mileage has been 24mpg my last 2 or 3 tankfuls. I drive more then 500 miles a week to work so I am checking mileage constantly. I am a little disappointed with the cold weather mileage, but love the vehicle and the power it has to offer.
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    johnnyreb2johnnyreb2 Member Posts: 5
    Saturn Vue, 2007, V6. Purchased my Saturn last August. I now have 5600 miles on it. It seem like the gas mileage is getting much better the more mile's I drive it.

    I live on the east coast of Florida. This past week end, wife and I drove up to Ocala, Florida which is about a 185 mile trip from out home. On trip up I got 27 MPG (80% open highway, 20% off main highway). On return trip I got 29 MPG
    (85% open highway and 15% off main highway driving. I drive at 62-65 MPH with crusie control on. At this speed I seem to get much better gas mileage then going 70-75 MPH.
    Very satified with my Saturn Vue so far. Finally broke the sticker window estimate for gas mileage of 22 to 28 MPG.
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    thimmakerthimmaker Member Posts: 33
    Does anyone have any specs. on the acceleration of the 08 greenline hybred??
    Is there a 0-60 figure given anywhere? Just curious, the mpg is much more important to me. George
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    mudder304mudder304 Member Posts: 3
    I have a 06 Vue 3.5L V6 AWD. The issue that I'm having is with what I believe is second or third gear. At 1400 RPMs the engine sounds like it wants to stall as if I were driving a standard tranny in too high of a gear. Trying to find anyone else with similar symptoms or any advise Thanks
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    ar15ar15 Member Posts: 58
    My 2008 Vue XE 4 cylinder only has 3700 miles, so I'm hoping the gas mileage improves after a few thousand more miles.

    So far the best mileage I've gotten was 25 mpg, all highway, 73 mph with cruise on and a/c off. I think the hills on the interstae lowered the gas mileage as the transmision downshifted frequently.

    I'm averaging 22 mpg city and highway.

    Will premium fuel help my gas mileage?
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    johnnyreb2johnnyreb2 Member Posts: 5
    You mileage should get better the more miles you travel. I have a 2007 Vue V6 and the best mileage I have gotten so far has been 29.1 MPG. I average around town 17 to 22 MPG depending on traffic.
    On open highways, I travel at the speed of 63 to 65 MPH and use cruise control as much as possible. My mileage seems to be much better when I travel those speeds but yet other have reported driving in the 70 or faster MPH range and stated that they got better MPG.
    Since my Vue is a V6, I have learned not to try and beat the car next to me at a traffice light when it turns green. I just let the tranny do it ownshift thing with a little help from me and that help me on my gas mileage alot.
    As far as using premium gas I have never tried that but I have read a few articles on this matter and feel at the price of gas today its not worth it. You can try it for a few tanks fulls and see if it makes a difference.
    Hope this is helpful in your quest for better gas mileage
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    luvcars7luvcars7 Member Posts: 4
    Yes, I have a 2004 Vue that only gets 20 mpg and when I brought it in to see if it needed a tune up or maintenance, the service rep. responded like, I really shouldn't even need to bring it in before the 100,000. mark. Another mechanic friend, said the calibration of the spark plugs affect the fuel efficency, but I guess it's a new car world, and I'm stuck with 20 mpg. I really don't get any better mileage on the freeway either- other than this, I love the car and have enjoyed it.
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    luvcars7luvcars7 Member Posts: 4
    Uga91 I am so glad you are amused that those of us who get the lower amt. of gas per mileage from our V 6 Vues, are upset, and "must not have done our research". Your amusement is offensive. Did "you" not read the posts that were talking about how "misrepresented" the figures are? Did you consider maybe that's a factor at our surprise at the "lower" mileage we ended up experiencing? And, yes I did LOTS of research and read LOTS of reviews. At that time, I did see any big negative reviews. I have always owned Toyotas (was that ignorant of me?) but this time, I wanted to have something different. It has alot of pluses, including passenger and driver side airbags, which are difficult to find, when you must choose a car that is less than $15,000. Or perhaps your amused, that many ppl can't afford cars more expensive than that. We all must be ignorant ppl. according to you. You are above us, please bear with us.
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    luvcars7luvcars7 Member Posts: 4
    I have a 2004 Vue, I start off from stop lights slowly, and don't go above 65 now.
    I still only get 20 mpg.
    Has any one used any gas treatment products or have any other ideas on how to get better gas mileage? I love the car, but like many, not happy with the mpg.Thanks for your ideas! :) Oh and P.S.if you are interested in buying gasoline at stations that buy theirs from American owned companies and NOT the middle east...here's a few...Valero, Conoco/Phillips, Murphy USA (Walmart), Flying J (truckstop).
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    matrixgirl09matrixgirl09 Member Posts: 28
    I had the 2003 v6 awd vue. Gas mileage was not that great.

    Prob 19 - 23 mpg maybe 60% freeway 40% city but it probably was less than that

    Got rid of it because I wasn't going to put any more money into repairing it, oh and now get about 32 mpg and using half the amount of fuel

    It wasn't uncommon to use a quarter tank of gas in one day, just driving to from work, and I don't drive aggressively.
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    luvcars7luvcars7 Member Posts: 4
    Matrixgirl09

    You said you get 32 mpg...what is the vehicle you drive? VW? Prisis? I would love to get a hybrid and "go green" but the price tag is still too high for my budget. When I was shopping for an SUV last Spring, professional reviewers...several of them gave the RAV4 a bad review, (I've always had Toyotas) and without spending alot more gas and time, the one dealership I found that had a used CRV Honda- was actually sold before I got there, they are so popular! I love my Vue, it's just the mpg. Oh, well at least it's supporting Americans since it's built in America. :)
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    matrixgirl09matrixgirl09 Member Posts: 28
    I traded the vue in for a 2009 toyota matrix (1.8 Liter base model), a hatchback. I have had too many reliability problems with Saturns so they did not get me to look at the Astra or Aura that I could have purchased. I have owned two Saturns, and the long term reliability isn't there in my experience. Also the trade in / resale values are really low for Saturns.

    My 2003 vue was built in spring hill tennesee but they are now made in Mexico. (see wikipedia)

    A Ford Focus will get you similar gas mileage. There are several small cars that will get you 30-35 mpg (estimated freeway) if you need an "american" car. But if you need an suv then yes you won't get that kind of gas mileage.

    The Hondas are made in Ohio and Canada though.
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    gkonradgkonrad Member Posts: 2
    Hi I just read your blog and I am having the same problem.I just purchased a 2006 vue and was promise better gas milage .I am only getting 11mpg city.that stinks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.I am so upset.I have change my air filter and still not any better.I was wondering if you have been able to fix your problem.?
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    deucedowndeucedown Member Posts: 4
    11 mpg would upset me too no end. How many miles on your 2006. Once I made sure my tires were inflated to 35 psi I improved my gas mileage...a little.

    I would take it back to dealer, it still is under waranty right?
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    gkonradgkonrad Member Posts: 2
    Thanks for the tip.I have 27000 miles on the car.I bought the car used from and indepenant dealer.bergeys.can I still take it back.It is not even a month old.

    thanks
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    mikeburekmikeburek Member Posts: 4
    2004 4-cyl fwd Manual 108k miles.

    Normal city driving around 20.5-21.5.

    I've been trying to shift with the dummy light - at barely 1.8-2k RPM. Seems crazy. Fairly slow starts :( And also staying around 45-55 on freeways and open roads. And lowering the temperate control so it's not dialed to far left. After the cab cools down, I usually have it about 10 o'clock.

    This has got my mileage up to 23.5.

    LONG freeway driving is great. I get some 30+ mpg, but that's just for the long constant speed drives, even at higher 65+ speeds! Once in the city, it goes back down very quickly.

    So obviously, it's not the air drag of the car, it's the way I drive in the city. I love driving stick, but somehow gotta learn to drive it leaner on the gas.

    About to change the spark plugs. The mileage hasn't declined over the life of it, so not expecting a boost with new plugs. I'm not sure about these Pulsar Spark Plugs, at $25 each. Heard a reliable car guy / mechanic have lots of very happy customers. Or might just do regular ones for $5 each. I've got to decide quick.

    Anyone been able to find a Haynes or Chilton manual for the 2004 and later Vues?
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    442dude442dude Member Posts: 373
    I'm always between 24 and 28 MPG on every tank - 2004 Vue, 4 cylinder, 5 speed manual trans.

    Don't bother with the Pulsar plugs, you won't notice the difference except for the lightness of your wallet.

    There are no Haynes or Chilton books for the Vue/Equinox/Torrent. You have to buy the factory service manual from GM...you can also find them on Ebay cheaper...
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    rube125rube125 Member Posts: 1
    I own a 2008 VUE with a V6. Car makers lie about the mpg you can expect. They have written many stories about that, so why the surprise attitudes. I am getting 18.333 After filling the tank and driving 200 miles I am 18.333 MPG. They claimed I can expect 22-24 MPG.
    In there defense at the change of the light I move quickly, I do not drive slow. On the freeway I mostly drive about 70 MPH. I have driven faster at times. But, its a real nice vehicle. I previously owned a 2002 Toyota RAV 4 which is not soft riding and no power when I need it. I paid about the same price cause the Japanese companies don't give bargains. They may now cause auto sales are down. I went to three Toyota Dealerships in Ventura county and felt I couldn,t wait to get out of there. The Saturn dealership made me feel comfortable and not pushy. I am not getting great mileage and but I would choose the VUE over the rav4 any day and I love ONSTAR.
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    mikeburekmikeburek Member Posts: 4
    At my last oil change, I happened to only get a chance to fill up 1/2 way, but still used a full bottle of STP. And my next fill up was from Shell, when I've been exclusively using Exxon.

    Somehow, I found a combination that did something and upped my mileage to around 25 mpg overall, up from the 22 I was able to get thru driving slower.

    I used the same oil (75k+ Castrol Synthetic) and oil filter (Fram). So pretty sure that's not it.

    But the only differences were using STP on a half tank, ~8 gallons instead of 16, and using Shell instead of Exxon.
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    tstuckerttstuckert Member Posts: 4
    Hi all:
    This is about mileage and shifting. I have an 08 Vue XE 4cyl FWD with about 5000 miles.
    I have been VERY disappointment in the mileage. The best I get around town is 18 -- the best highway 20. This seems to be WAY off from the sticker. Folks I know who have the old style pre-08 Vue seem to get a lot better mileage. I took it to the deal and of course they said that everything was OK. Is this what you all have experienced in terms of mileage?

    Shifting: Every little molehill or overpass I come to in the road causes my Vue to downshift. The engine revs very high. This is very annoying and it can't be good for mileage. Is this normal for the 4 cyl or should I have the dealer check it out?

    I guess I should have bought the 6 cyl engine.

    thanks

    TS
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    susv2005susv2005 Member Posts: 2
    Hi everyone! We recently have been trying to improve the MPG in our 2005 Saturn Vue. We were averaging 16 MPG city and high 18s MPG highway. Because of cost in gas pricing, we started to add on after-market parts to the vehicle for more gas mileage. So far it's been successful. We added a K&N intake, which increased gas mileage in the realm of high 19s and just the other day, we added a performace chip and surveying how much more we're going to get from this. Any thoughts? Comments? Recommendations? :shades:
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    susv2005susv2005 Member Posts: 2
    Hey there, we've also have been using shell and it did make a big differance in the MPGs. shell gas has been the only gas that get the most MPGs out the car. but still is lookin to improve. :shades:
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    steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Time to plug the mpg articles here. :shades:

    We Test the Tips - What Really Saves Gas? And How Much?

    We Test the Tips Part II - Save Gas with Smart Driving and Slick Aerodynamics
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    superbrbsuperbrb Member Posts: 3
    :( I bought the 4 Cyl looking to get at least 18mpg around town - In the first 600 miles it is averaging 12.6 MPG - What's the deal? Anyone have similar experience?
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    mikeburekmikeburek Member Posts: 4
    It's possible that in Austin, TX, they switched over to 10% ethanol around March/April. At the same time, and since, I've had a decline in mpg of about 15%.

    But I have also changed to a job that is only 2 miles away in Nov last year. So it's possible that in combination, such short trips are hurting the mileage, also.

    I'm having a hard time finding out concrete info about the ethanol in Austin.
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    LASHAWNLASHAWN Member Posts: 303
    Could be the fuel your're using. Then again, the vehicle is supposed to average anywhere between 15-23 in the city and 21-31 on the highway according to the Malroney Label.
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    seniorsruleseniorsrule Member Posts: 6
    Just picked my Saturn VUE (07) last week. Love it so far; how do you like a V4. My husband wanted me to hold out for the 6, but I only work five minutes from my home and we don't go on alot of long trips, very, very few. Your gas mileage sounds great to me. What color is yours? I wasn't crazy about the light silver; but it was a good deal; overall.
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