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Hyundai Tucson Real World MPG

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Comments

  • wcorgicarwcorgicar Member Posts: 2
    Hi everyone,
    Just found this forum and am learning a lot, especially about air filters and synthetic oil. Unfortunately, my 2005 4 cylinder Tucson is at the dealer for its 30,000 mile service which includes oil change, air filter and coolant change. I doubt they will use synthetic oil or a K&N air filter. Anyway, I have just finished an experiment driving 55 mph using cruise control when possible and intermittent A/C in a combination of city/suburban/highway for the last tank of gas and averaged 26 mpg. If I switch to synthetic oil and the K&N air filter, how much better gas mileage do you think I will achieve?
    Thanks.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    A clean air filter can increase your mpg by 10% or more if your current one is dirty. Doesn't make any difference whether it's OEM or an aftermarket imo. Synthetic may gain you a few extra miles a tank but I don't think it's worth it for that.

    Check out the Synthetic motor oil discussion and What Really Saves Gas? And How Much?
  • irishredirishred Member Posts: 7
    Hey! I just bought my Tucson in late February with 7 miles on it at time of purchase. I now have 3800 miles on it doing mostly town to town driving and averaging 20.9 and climbing. Not bad for an SUV considering the Jeep Grand Cherokee I6 I had was only averaging 17. I'm expecting to top at around 21.5 or so and can't wait to see what I average on the way to the shore this summer!!!! Needless to say, I love my Tucson so far!!! :shades:
  • bwaller78bwaller78 Member Posts: 23
    Hello all, just a update about my tucson gas mileage, I now have 12300 miles and have gotten 20.2-20.5 mpg in city and up to 27mpg for extended miles on hwy. My tucson is a 2006 gls vs alpine frost. I love this car,will plan on keeping it for a while.
  • itxaaroitxaaro Member Posts: 2
    I can't tell from these posts if anyone is driving an automatic or a 5-speed when they comment on mileage. Do manuals give better MPG than autos? Why?
  • badams007badams007 Member Posts: 7
    I recently bought a 2006 4WD 6 cyl Tuscon with 20k miles on it. Auto transmission.

    I use it to commute +/- 30 miles each way, and one highway trip each week.

    I am getting a steady 23 mpg using regular gasoline.

    You folks make me wonder what I am doing right !

    -Beth
  • bwaller78bwaller78 Member Posts: 23
    I just returned from memorial day trip, 830 miles, and was really surprised it only costed me 95 dollars in gas because my tucson got 26 mpg on avg, sometime even getting over 27 mpg. I got to admit I was driving little slower than normal, normally drive 80 mph but slowed it down to 70 mph, even climbing hills was only down to 24.1 mpg, the last time I made the trip only got 21-23 mpg, I now have 13400 miles, mpg seem to get alot better once hit 10000 miles, so all you new tucson owners just hang in there, I will update on any improved mileage.
  • smartsallysmartsally Member Posts: 9
    I drive a 2007 GLS FWD automatic transmission. Avg. 22-24 mpg. I have 3500 miles on the odometer.
  • jodenjoden Member Posts: 2
    Tucson GL 4WD 4 cyl. Manual Trans

    I purchased my Tucson new in July 2005. It got great mileage for about the first 1500 miles the mileage then dropped to about 19 MPG since this was late October the dealer blamed this on cold weather ( October weather in Michigan is not cold). We lived with the mileage until the July 2006 oil change and then insisted something be done. Resetting the computer was suggested and tried. The mileage improved to 25 MPG highway. I don't check city mileage because we do very little of it. Resetting the computer has been done at every oil change since and the mileage always comes back to 25 MPG and then drops to 19 about midway to the next oil change. I have tried to convince the dealer that they have a problem but their response is if it does not throw a code the computer has no problem.
  • dhr48864dhr48864 Member Posts: 19
    I'm within 36 hours of walking into a showroom here in Michigan before also buying a Tucson or Elantra. What do you recommend, quality wise. It is a loaded question I know mainly because of size and features. It's the mpg that concerns me, but it's hard to beat their warranty.

    I'm curious about "resetting the computer" to improve the mpg. How does that work?
  • bwaller78bwaller78 Member Posts: 23
    I cannot speak for the elantra, never driven one or ridden in one, but as far as the tucson goes, I am getting 20 mpg in city and 25-26 mpg on hwy. I know that elantra gives you more mpg, and if gas mileage is your top priority, I would go to the elantra. For myself I would rather spend 20-30 dollars more a month on gas on the tucson. The tucson is built on the elantra chassis so it rides basically the same, but a bit higher off the ground. I have over 15000 miles on my tucson and love it, plan on keeping till at least 2009. The tucson gives you added cargo area, versatilty on roads, if you live in the back 40 or in the hills. Good luck on your endeavour to the dealer :)
  • clayman100clayman100 Member Posts: 3
    I owned the Elantra prior to this '07 Limited Edition Tucson and you will get better mileage from the Elantra because it is lighter.

    I liked the Elantra a lot but really love the Tucson.
    I'm sitting up higher and see the the road much better.
    I feel much safer with the 5 star ratings all around.

    My mileage was a steady 26 MPG @ 65 MPH highway right from the get go. I added a K&N air filter and saw an immediate increase up to 28 MPG.

    I think it is important when reporting the miles per gallon with the miles per hour.
    Going 55 WILL save you money, even if it feels like you are standing still...... :)

    All in all I love this car. Get lots of compliments on it.
  • sdesde Member Posts: 42
    To all,

    These posts are a little scary, re: low MPG. I'm quite intrigued by the Tucson, because I'm looking for a true compact SUV, and its competitors (CR-V, RAV4, etc) all seem to be getting bigger and bigger. I don't need that much size; I just want the higher seating position that an SUV offers.

    So I'm inclined toward a 4-cylinder Tucson, because I don't really need 6-cylinders, and I'd rather save the $ on fuel. But there are so many options that aren't available on the GLS, it's disappointing.

    Does anyone think that Hyundai might offer a 4-cylinder version of the SE or Limited at some point?

    SDE
  • joe97joe97 Member Posts: 2,248
    For 2008 model year (generally begins in fall 07), you will be able to get a 4-cylinder Limited trim:

    http://www.hyundainews.com/Media_Kits/2008_Models/Tucson/Features.asp
  • sdesde Member Posts: 42
    Ah, so that's where the info was! Thanks so much!

    SDE
  • colloquorcolloquor Member Posts: 482
    One thing to consider on the 4-cylinder vs. the V6 debate is the increased maintenance cost of the V6 - any V6 for that matter. For example, although you only replace spark plugs infrequently these days, the intake plenum on the Tucson must be removed to gain access to the rear plugs on the V6. This equates to increased labor costs, and the cost of an intake plenum gasket. Also, timing belt replacement will also cost more on the V6. If you can live with the 4-cylinder, it will save you quite a bit of money in the long run.
  • sdesde Member Posts: 42
    Thanks for that info. I looked at the specs for the '08 4-cylinder Limited. The two main options that are unavailable (but are available on the 6-cylinder Limited) are 4WD and a moonroof.

    I'm prepared to live without 4WD (since the snow doesn't usually get terribly high where I live, and when it does, it gets plowed), but the lack of a moonroof is a bummer. Even my Corolla has a moonroof!

    SDE
  • jlflemmonsjlflemmons Member Posts: 2,242
    If you are an attentive driver, and have a good feel for your vehicle, you can get better gas mileage by not using the cruise control except on very flat runs. The cruise control cannot see ahead and will do whatever it needs to maintain speed. As an example, where you may see a small long rise followed by an equally long downward slope, the cruise control sees a drop in speed and will apply throttle to maintain, followed by a speed overshoot and back out of the throttle. Which is a computer operated version of "stop and go" driving. The attentive driver will let the rise scrub off a couple of MPH, and regain it on the downslope, maintaining a steady throttle.

    On the exact same trip, in the same car, same load, same conditions, I can routinely get 3mpg improvement without the cruise. And another big improvement? Drive the speed limit, and pay attention to what is happening down the road. It amazes me the way drivers in Austin, Texas will gun it away from a light when one can clearly see that the light three blocks ahead is turning red. Stop and go will kill gas mileage.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    One thing that cruise control makes you do though is take the long view of the road.

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

    The other town trick I'm sure you know about is to watch the pedestrian signals - if they start flashing, and you're familiar with them, you can get a good idea whether you need to speed up a tad to make the light or know if it's time to coast in to the red.
  • jlflemmonsjlflemmons Member Posts: 2,242
    "watch the pedestrian signals "

    True, but around here the smart pedestrians alway count to 5 before stepping off the curb with a green light. Those that don't are the one's you see on the news. ;)
  • rowdytexrowdytex Member Posts: 2
    I just got back from a 1000 mile trip and mostly HWY miles.
    I averaged 30 miles per gallon on one tank, and 28 miles per gallon on another tank. With some city miles in Dallas and Houston, I averaged 26.6 miles. My average speed on the HWY was 70 miles an hour. NOT BAD...better than the sticker said. I am still averaging 17-20 in the city...but not bad overall.
  • jodenjoden Member Posts: 2
    Sorry for missing the 36 hour deadline, I don't check this site very frequently. The first 4 times the adaptive computer was reset by the technicians using their module,I think. The last time the battery was disconnected by them to install a recall. It appears from the post here that I am the only one having this type of mileage problem or we have some hyundai management schills on the forum
  • hyundaipro07hyundaipro07 Member Posts: 5
    i have a new 07 se 2.7 liter v6 with only 1200 miles on it so far/it was getting terrible mileage in the beggining.then on a trip one day i was driving 100 miles per hour after that i filled it up and now i notice that i went almost 300 miles city driving on a full tank .big difference.
  • brettcompbrettcomp Member Posts: 1
    I was just curious and couldnt find the answer anywhere but does anyone know how many miles are left until you completely run out of gas once the gas light turns on in a Hyundai Tucson 2007? Its a 2.0L thanks!!!
  • bwaller78bwaller78 Member Posts: 23
    Well I have never run the tank till the light comes on but came close, was a on recent trip to california and ran it to the last line before "E" and the trip computer showed I could have gone about 56 miles, so I am pretty sure that the light comes on with about 2 gallons left, so you can reach gas station.
  • gunga64gunga64 Member Posts: 271
    Can anyone let me know what kind of mileage they are getting on their auto v4 and v6 Tucson? I don't see much consistancy. I am looking at the 2007.
  • smartsallysmartsally Member Posts: 9
    I have a 2007 v4, GLS FWD. I am consistently getting 23-24 mpg. This is 70% highway and 30% in town driving. Hope that helps.
  • ulltronulltron Member Posts: 10
    I am enjoying my new 2007 Tucson with V6 engine/auto transmission very much but I wanted to see if I could improve mpg (although it isn't at all bad for an SUV). With 2800 miles I was getting about 20.3 mpg city when I figured out that it is extremely easy to remove the somewhat restrictive plastic air intake piping to the air filter box. I then replaced it with a 5-inch diameter $10 aluminum clothes drier vent and attached it to the round inlet with a large hose clamp. I removed the blank panel covering the hole in the driver side front bumper under the fog lights and routed the vent to this hole. Now I have a nice bumper air scoop with 5 inch vent pushing cool air without restriction into the stock air filter and the mpg has increased to about 21.3 mpg city. Next, I will replace the stock paper air filter element (when it is due) with a high efficiency model to decrease restriction even. I also need to do some highway mpg testing to see if it has helped push my 27mpg up.

    I'm sure others will want to try this inexpensive modification to get your Tucson to breath easier and I would like to hear your results as well. This same modification should work just as well on the 4 cylinder engines as well. I look forward to hearing others comments.
  • rowdytexrowdytex Member Posts: 2
    I am getting 22 mpg in the city and 30 to 32 mpg on the highway.

    May try this later....

    Thanks
  • rainybstnrainybstn Member Posts: 5
    I have a new 2007 V6 Tucson. I am getting approx 15 mpg city. I have tracked every tank of gas from the day i purchased and average about 200 miles per full tank. I have 1800 miles so far. This is pretty bad, I think something must be wrong.
  • jlflemmonsjlflemmons Member Posts: 2,242
    Any car, any brand, will not perform it's best until the engine is fully broken in. 1800 miles is not enough. Just breathe deep and wait until around 2500 miles. :)
  • ulltronulltron Member Posts: 10
    During the break in period, I think it is good to get some highway miles on your engine. Also, if you have a heavy foot, or drive alot in heavy traffic, mileage will drop rapidly and cold weather is also a culpret. I'm still breaking in my Tucson as well. I changed the oil at 2000 and will again at 5000, then I'll switch to synthetic and follow the 7000 mile change interval. I'm told you can pick up a 1/2 mpg improvement in addition to reducing engine wear. Never run synthetic or blend until after the engine is broken in or the rings will not seat properly and you may never get good mileage.
  • contentcontent Member Posts: 6
    i also have a 2007 v6 awd tucson, 15mpg is standard if you do all city driving and live in a cold climate. I have 12,500miles on my tucson now so i'm past the break-in period. Winter and city driving kills the mileage on this vehicle.

    The best i've ever done in the summer is 23.5mpg when i did all highway driving on a tank. In order to get 30mpg you would have to be driving 60 miles/hour on a flat road in 68 degree weather and never fluctuate your speed and it might be possible in the v6, not sure about the 4.

    I've tracked the mileage on every tank of gas since i bought the vehicle 1 year ago. It did improve slightly after the first oil change, but more due to the warmer weather as it got close to summer.
  • ulltronulltron Member Posts: 10
    I think message #86 gives some realistic insight we often forget when talking mpg for any vehicle. I think this is why the new government standards for mpg reporting by the manufacturers are tougher now. When I say I get 21.3 mpg city, it is under these conditions: 2007 FWD V6 Tucson with one person no gear, little heavy throttle, flat ground (I live near the coast), average temp in the 50s – 60s, (I live in the South), air pressure high, ( I live at sea level), 80% of my driving is commuting 7 miles to work, (3 stop signs, 4 stop lights, 50 miles/hr for about 50% of the distance, ave. speed 29 mph, trip time 15 minutes. I can get 27mpg highway with two people and no gear if I do not exceed 60 mph but go higher speeds and mpg starts falling (location and temp same as above). I reset the trip computer at each gas fill (regular) and verify mpg by calculating miles divided by gallons at the pump (usually pretty close). It is fun to compare mpg with others but there are many factors to consider before you take any of this for gospel. I'm thinking the accurate average city rating for the vehicle is 15 – 22 for the FWD V6 with one person and no gear. My window sticker said 20 city, 26 highway (17 and 23 mpg city range). The same 2008 model now says 18 city, 24 highway. Be as careful comparing mpg with other models and manufacturers.
  • rainybstnrainybstn Member Posts: 5
    Thanks so much for confirming what i thought. I really thought I was crazy and people kept telling me I HAD to be getting more mpg than I was.

    I live on the East Coast so yes to cold driving, although I do garage it overnight and never drive with a cold engine. I calculate every mile and gas stop. I really do not think it's going to get much better and with gas prices the way they are I am considering trading it in already at a loss to but something better on gas.

    Thanks again for all the imput.
  • jlflemmonsjlflemmons Member Posts: 2,242
    You can take the exact same car and run it through several different drivers and get different fuel economy.

    A coworker complained since day one about the fuel economy of her Elantra. It is mecanically identical to mine. I get 32-34 on the highway, she gets 25-27. Combined driving I consistently get 30, she gets 22.

    I only had to ride with her one time to understand the problem. Gas, brake, gas, brake, gas, brake ...

    :sick:
  • contentcontent Member Posts: 6
    jlflemmons got it right in post 89. I live in a cold climate have at most a 5 minute commute to work, all city driving so my mileage is pretty bad.

    My buddy bought an 08 tucson fwd (see my specs in post 86), but he drives all highway to work, even though he's still in the break-in period not even 5000miles yet, he gets closer to 18-20 mpg. I saw a huge jump after break-in so he may get even better mileage this time next year.

    I agree 15 mpg is pretty bad and if i had known thats what i would be looking at for mileage for 6 months of the year i would have bought something different. I've also had my fair share of problems with a 1 year old car which doesn't help.
  • tucson07tucson07 Member Posts: 5
    I've got 11,500 miles on my loaded '06 Limited V6. I drive in urban traffic conditions 22 miles one-way to work and some limited highway weekend miles. My avg is now 19.8. Sure, I could be getting in the high 20's or even 30's BUT with a MUCH lighter vehicle that wouldn't have all the features and space of the Tucson and I really wanted 4WD. My vehicle weighs about 3,500 pounds and there's just NO WAY you can pull that much weight and do better mpg-wise.
    As far as the above posting about re-routing the cold-air intake, sounds good but you're really screwing with the computer, messing up your emissions and will probably burn your valves. I'd stick with stock and not risk voiding my warranty.
  • ulltronulltron Member Posts: 10
    Here is another perspective so don't trade in your Tucson yet. Let say you are getting 17mpg and drive 10,000 miles/year you will spend $1764/year on gas at $3/gallon. If you purchase a similar SUV, say the Honda CRV or Toyota RAV4 you might get 2 to 4 mpg better mileage (RAV4 is smaller, CRV has a 4 cylinder). So, let say you can get 4mpg better at 21mpg and 10,000 miles/year you will spend $1428/year on gas for a savings of $336/year. The RAV4 or CRV will cost you at least $3000 or more to purchase over the Tucson so it will take 9 years before you break even on the gas savings. If you put that $3000 in a simple investment that earned 8% a year in interrest, the earnings over 9 years would pay for the gas milage differance of 4 mpg and you would still have the $3000 left!

    Toyota is a good car, but in my mind, inferior design because you have a stupid tire hanging off the back, side opening hatch and it is smaller. I can't say anything bad about the Honda CRV except I think it is a bit ugly and they think a lot of it and charge accordingly. It is also only a 4 cylinder. Both these autos have half the warrantee and you can't beat the fold flat seats in the Tucson or the nice storage under the rear compartment lid, or the full size spare under that, or the great mp3 player, all the features and built in options and nice up-right seating position. I think that is why many of us purchased the Tucson, good value and a very comfortable and safe vehicle.
  • ulltronulltron Member Posts: 10
    I can understand your concern about modifying the cars intake for better performance – my wife doesn't like it either. But, I am an engineer and I like to tinker. The safest and least disruptive modification you can do to a modern gas engine is to improve its air intake. It does not have any negative effect on the computer or emissions because the computer senses the air flow increase and adjusts the fuel/air mixer and timing accordingly. Every auto manual warns you about diminishing performance with plugged air filters, I'm simply going the other way. All the automotive performance web sites sell high performance filters and assemblies from makers like K&N. Here is a link to WIKIPEDIA that tells you all about hood scoops and why they improve performance: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hood_scoop
  • smartsallysmartsally Member Posts: 9
    I really hope you will post your results if you modify your vehicle. We may all want instructions!

    I am getting 23-24 mpg on mostly highway miles. At the price of gas, we can all use improved performance.
    ;)
  • tucson7tucson7 Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2007 Tuscon with the 4 cylinder engine. My commute to work is about 3.5 miles. When I just go to work and do not do any highway driving, I get 17-19 mpg. I had a 97 crv that got 23-25 for the same distance, I have take a 125 mile trip and I got 21.7 on the hwy with the Tuscon. I am heading to Maryland next week and will drive about 700 miles. I will repost my results. Other than the gas mileage, I really do like this car. :shades:
  • tucsonstartucsonstar Member Posts: 1
    I purchased a new 07 Tucson in June 07. I normally avg about 335 miles to a tank full of gas. My avg mpg on the highway has topped at about 22 mpg on the highway. I have been so impressed with the vehicle (the way it drives, the comfort) but have seriously considered trading or selling it due to the poor gas mileage. I have the 4 cylinder model and it is depressing. This thing reminds me of huge Olds I drove back in the late 70's.....it never could make it past a gas station without needing a fill-up.
    LOOK very closely if its comfort you want.....if not, pass on the Tucson....it wont deliver the MPG unless you have deep pockets ! It LOVES gas !!
  • contentcontent Member Posts: 6
    Well i'm in the same boat as tusconstar above, but i've had my tucson for over a year. I get worse gas mileage (v6, awd, cold climate) but i felt it was ok since the truck is really quite comfortable and nice to drive. But things have started going wrong with my 1 year old tucson and the dealership is a royal pain in the butt to deal with. So this weekend i started shopping around, unfortunately it looks like after a year of driving the vehicle has depreciated by $10,000.

    I'm looking at the 2009 toyota matrix, hopefully it will be greener pastures.
  • bwaller78bwaller78 Member Posts: 23
    I traded in my 2006 tucson for the mileage issue and gas prices these days. I just made a trip of over 500 miles and averaged 36 mpg on the trip and got 40.26mpg in a 285 mile leg of the trip. I really liked my tucson but I am glad I got the 2007 elantra for the mileage that im getting. :)
  • greatcarsgreatcars Member Posts: 66
    Haven't calculated that for a long time. But mine (05 v6 GLS FWD) had only around 20 mpg after 5000 mileage. It sucks and won't buy any more Hyundai.
  • brit5brit5 Member Posts: 12
    I recently drove across Canada from Kingston Ontario to Vancouver BC in a brand new Tucson GL 4cyl auto 2wd. The vehicle was found to be very comfortable (great seats), quiet, has good driving dynamics & excellent brakes. I found 4 things that I disliked -- just-adequate power, racous engine at full throttle, slightly odd accelerator position & poor fuel economy. The vehicle load was 450 - 500 lbs including passengers & we cruised at the highest tolerable speed that policing would ignore (10 - 20 kph above the posted limit).

    We did not drive with economy as a priority, but neither did we try to beat the hell out of the car. We simply drove as circumstances required to get "there" from "here". The absolute best milage we noted was right on 25 MPG (Imp gal. --- about 21 MPG US gal), with 22 - 23 being more common & less than 20 as we ground our way through the rockies. My Chrysler 300C is better than that & my 3.2 L Chrysler Concord is a bunch better!! We didn't notice any particular improvement in performance or economy as the trip progressed over the 5000 km total, so I'm not convinced that break-in is an issue.

    There is ample cruise power at any sane speed, but passing on 2-lane roads requires planning & care. While it climbed the mountains without becoming a mobile road block (1 vehicle passed us in the Kootenay Pass), it sure worked hard at continuous full throttle in 3rd gear for many km in the passes. We were able to maintain at least 80 kph (50 mph) in all passes, except for 2 brief drops back to 70 kph at the 2 steepest points in the mountains.

    I came away from the trip with considerable respect for the beast & I am considering buying a 6 cyl Tucson to replace my Concord which is nearing the end of its economically viable life. However, with gasoline at >$1.30/L I might buy a used 300C for the same price -- it's cheaper to run than the Tucson.
  • luvtoscrabluvtoscrab Member Posts: 1
    My 2007 Hyundai Tucson, which I bought new, is only six months old. I only have 1800 miles on the car and drive mostly in town. The literature estimates 22 mpg for city driving. My car is getting a deplorable 12 mpg. Has anyone else had this experience?
  • jlflemmonsjlflemmons Member Posts: 2,242
    1800 miles in six months???!!!

    The problem is that your engine is probably never getting to full operating temperature, and as such is running rich. May I suggest an oil change first, because I would bet you have fuel in the oil by now. Then, at least once a week, get the thing out on the road and cruise above 50MPH for at least 30 minutes. What you are doing will not only cause the car to get miserable gas mileage, you will shorten the life of the engine by constantly running it cold and with a rich fuel mixture.

    Another point is that your engine will need at least 6000 miles on it to fully "break it in". After that point you should see your gas mileage steadily increase.

    I really don't mean to sound rude, but NO CAR will get decent mileage if only driven for short trips at in-town speeds.
  • ulltronulltron Member Posts: 10
    Your vehicle is still in the break inn period. You will not see normal milage until about 5000 to 10000 miles. My 2007 Tucson V6 is getting 21 to 22 mpg regularly in the city and 24mpg highway and has 9000 miles on it. Be aware that it you frequently use hard exceleration on these vehicles, the milage will plumet quickly.
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