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I continue to see low MPG due to low MPH. My recent tank was 26.4 mpg (all non-ethanol) but my avg. MPH was only 20.0! [Have less than 2700 miles total driven so far.] So I know I spent a lot of time at stop lights, and stop signs, and in 1-3 gears, plus most trips were short and the car rarely got close to optimal thermal efficiency. But even then, getting over 26 mpg when travelling so inefficiently seems...pretty decent.
I will say I was also considering an Elantra GT for a while. Saw it at the NY Auto Show along with the Veloster Turbo. Nice car, very roomy and comfortable, but when you factor in the MPG reports and the lack of drivetrain tech versus competition like the Mazda3 (155 HP and 40 MPG), Ford Focus (160 HP and 38 MPG) and even Hyundai's own Veloster Turbo (200 HP and 37 MPG estimated), why put up with Hyundai's 148 HP and MAYBE 40 MPG if you happen to be lucky? Why they didn't give us the 2L DI-Nu I have no idea...
The 1.8L Nu may be Hyundai's first epic fail in a while. Nothing to be ashamed of so long as they correct it quickly. And it's not like Hyundai doesn't have the Accent, Veloster, and Sonata to pick up the slack.
I find the most convincing arguments are those that compared their mpg to previous cars driven over the same route for an extended period of time. If they had no problem achieving EPA numbers before than they would logically beliieve they could do it with their new car driving in the same manner.
It'd be logical if the EPA ratings were close. It's a lot harder for car to hit a 40 mpg rating than a 25-30 mpg rating. The EPA system is set up to make those high ratings possible, but not guaranteed. We heard about the acceleration assumptions for the EPA tests, for example. Many drivers don't accelerate that slowly.
What I would find frustrating, and hard to explain, if I were the owner of a 2011-2 Elantra, is if there was no doubt I drive with a light foot and have no problem exceeding EPA fuel economy ratings in any car--including the Elantra I test-drove or rented and other high-mpg cars--under all but extreme conditions, then my own Elantra couldn't hit the EPA ratings. One thing I'd do if I owned an Elantra like that is take another one for a long test drive or rent one and see how it compared to mine, to check on the possibility of a problem with the car.
Here are the circumstances:
- Full tank of gas. Regular 87 octane w/10% ethanol from Circle-K / Shell.
- Occupying the car was my wife + me + 2 suitcases in the trunk.
- About 2700 miles on the odometer so the car hasn't even had an oil change yet.
- Outside temps were in the mid '70s.
- AC was on the entire trip. During part of the trip the sun was strong & heated up the interior; towards the end after the sun went down it was used to keep humidity down as it was raining.
- Cruise control was set to 71MPH. So she was speeding by 1MPH (I said to her "you're such a rebel" ). Occasionally she sped up to pass or cancelled due to traffic but CC was maintained for probably over 90% of the drive. I don't think she exceeded 80MPH.
- Towards the end of the trip we were also driving at night with the rain.
- It was windy yesterday. Winds were mostly from the west so for much of the trip it was a cross-wind. For the last 30 or 40 miles, though, it was a headwind.
- Overall trip was around 180 miles. It started with about 10 miles of pre-interstate rural driving and ended with 14 miles of post-interstate suburban roads.
Once we hit I65 the display noted around 34MPG. So that would cover the pre-interstate rural driving. As we cruised on I65 it kept inching up and up. Eventually it topped out briefly at 40.1MPG. I did snap a cell phone pic @ 40. By the time we got home it had dropped a little to 39.2.
We haven't calibrated the Ave. MPG readout to see how accurate it is in her car, but I'm figuring that even if it read high, we were running with E10 gas, used AC the entire trip, and part of the trip included a headwind, night driving (headlights), and wipers so the electrical load was higher. I've no doubt that 40+ is possible for her car under the right circumstances.
I'm not trying to counter the claims from others that their cars aren't delivering the economy they hoped for; just that, for my wife's Elantra, 40 highway is possible.
Just fuelled up again after seeing my daughter at her college Saturday. This time my avg. MPH went from 20 mph to 30 mph and my FE went from 26.4 mpg to 33.0 mpg (149.1 miles using 4.517 gals non-ethanol). About 50/50 city/highway miles driven, but more time spent in city driving. Never had cruise control above 65 mph (also had some 50/55/60 mph segments). So that combined 33 mpg is pretty close to the EPA combined estimate.
But the computer's MPG estimate remains about 10% high. Estimated 36.9 mpg.
- Live in a cold climate
- Don't have your tires properly inflated
- Run the A/C constantly
- Don't have fuel conserving driving habits (quick to accelerate, lots of stop and go, lots of idling, don't use the coasting method, don't drive at a constant speed, etc) you will most likely never hit the EPA numbers.
I have owned lots of cars.. I rarely hit the EPA numbers but I really don't expect to as I tend to have a lead foot on acceleration, and I don't coast to stop signs/red lights as much as I should. And I live in a cold climate and like to run the A/C on high in the summer.
In the past ten years I have owned, Mazda, Honda, Nissan, VW, and now a Hyundai (Sonata). If I really try to hit the EPA numbers in ideal conditions I am usually able to, and I can sometimes exceed it. But it is just not for me. I would rather spend more money and drive as I like to But I still get pretty close, especially on the highway.
they do the same things. People begged for something really new, now they have it and they are complaining.
Some of your points require that you assume that people posting here have the worse habits on the planet. People run the heat in the winter, the AC in the summer. They fill their tires with air and drive as they have with ALL of their other cars.
A car should not require special skills to get the EPA estimates. Normal, average driving should be all that is required.
Most people do not achieve even desent results with the Elantra. That's why they come here. Their eperience and expectation are not being met.
For me, I am going to leave behind the Elantra soon. I'd rather have better handling, and a bigger car for a little lost MPG. I am told that the Optima and Sonata's fill that niche but more research is needed on my part. It seems the V6's are actually better at getting higher MPG.
Son just returned from a 400 mile round trip from DFW/Austin.
Said he had the cruise on 80 mph and the mileage readout was 38.
Checking mileage against actual fuel added gave me 36. The mpg gage installed does seem to read about two mpg higher than what you actually pump in, but of course, actual gallons added depends on temperature, technique and several other items.
Overall, I have never gotten less than 32 in the city (my calculations based on gallons added, not the gage) and if I set the cruise on 65, I can easily average 40-41 mpg.
The car is not perfect. I think my wife's 2010 Civic has more comfortable seats and the bluetooth is better, but overall, the Elantra is a homerun in my book.
I wrote before that I use cruise control whenever I can and it does seem to make a difference.
I am sorry for others that are not getting the mileage I am. I can tell you that this car (at least mine) will get the listed EPA numbers if driven modestly. It is not only possible, but achievable.
For those who are dissatified, life is too short. Get rid of the car and get something else. Satisfied people rarely participate on these internet boards, so I wanted to be the "contrarian" and tell folks you CAN get the mileage listed. It's not a fraud or scam.
Completely made-up fact. We have as many satisfied owners, if not more, who participate on these boards than those who are dissatisfied.
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I am replying in this thread because I was researching Hyundai (amongst many other brands). The one thing I find constant in these types of threads across every single brand and model is that results are all over the place. Some people get under the EPA estimates, some people get right on, and some people go over. There are just so many variables to consider, hence my post. If nobody were able to get the EPA estimates with this car than I agree, something would be wrong, but clearly it is achievable, but it might require one to change their driving habits or have different expectations.
As for handling and ride, this I would recommend test driving lots of cars first for an extended period of time. I usually know very quickly once I get in a car how it handles. If you want a larger, better handling car, and want to stick with Hyundai, I would recommend the Sonata SE's, and also look into the Mazda 3 with the Skyaxtiv engine. Good handling and fuel economy with the Mazda as long as you can put up with the cheaper looking/feeling interior and the road noise.
Problem is, if you sell the car, you won't get full value back. And for people who took out a loan, they will owe the balance of the loan minus whatever they can sell the car for which can amount to several thousand. They will either have to eat that loss or keep the car and learn how to drive more efficiently.
How many other posters are satisfied with their Elantra mileage?
Would you not agree most (on this forum) are complaining, not extolling?
My daily commute is 63 miles one way over a variety of state highways where my speed is generally 60-65PMPH.
I traded in a 2010 Honda Civic for this car. The Civic was rated at 36 MPG and I was getting 33-34MPG.
My Elantra has been running in the 32-33MPG range over the same course for over 30K miles. Given the amount of time you spend in the car and the number of times you fill up each week gives you a lot of opportunities to 'sort out' the cars mileage. I tried coasting to stops, driving a little slower, running premium gas, windows up/down, etc. and it didn't really make a difference. Lead footed starts where the biggest killers in mileage.
Then I started reading these posts and it seemed most complaints were about the Limited model and the mileage kings sounded like they were driving the base models.
Since I was due for tires, I did some checking on tire sizes and their impact. I was a bit surprized at the speed difference between the low profile 17" tires on the Limited and those on the base model.
Since I already have 46K miles on the car in 14 months and needed some tires with a higher mileage rating (was tired of buying new tires every 25K miles!), I sprung for new 16" wheels and a tire size in the middle of Elantra's offering. The tires are 80K rated Michelin tires, but I can not attest to their 'rolling resistance', but I here to report my mileage after 6K miles on the new tires is now 2MPG higher. I am now pretty consistently running 34-35MPG.
I suspect that Hyundai only has one speedometer gear they put in the car and if you go to the physically smaller diameter low profile tire that comes on the Limited model, you will get lower mileage.
If you want to see how tire size can effect your speed, check out any tire dealer's tire size calculator. The one I use from Discount Tire will tell you how much different your speed will be off from the standard tire.
Just thought I would share some food for thought.
That is true for any new car you buy.
I usually buy used, but bought the Elantra new.
I plan to keep it for years. I did pay cash, so no loan for me.
Yes, the first owner of any financed vehicle is usually upside down for years.
If one read many different brand/model forums here and in other websites you get a general appreciation for "what is going on" with a particular brand/model. The new Elantra has had many complaints about people not being able to achieve the EPA numbers. This was not true of the old model Elantras so it isn't Hyundai or Elantra bashing. These people bought Hyundais and wanted them to be great additions to their family. Hence, the complaints when it didn't live up to their expectations.
In comparison to other cars, it is apparent that the number of people complaining here is much higher than other brands/models. People state their concerns here in looking for some sort of answer. So what kind of answers do they get?
Some people honestly try to understanda and help them while many others reply with comments that these people just don't know how to drive or maintain a car.
Listen, Braniacs. Many of these people had cars that they had no trouble reaching EPA numbers with in the past so it is not the way they drive or maintain their cars! they didn't suddenly become aggressive drivers after buying their new Elantra. Do you realize how insulting it must be for people to read "Well, my car is fine so you are just stupid or lying". People just can't seem to comprehend that some people may have cars that aren't performing correctily. If yours is, that's great and it's fine to say so. But please, in the same breath, don't insinuate that others that aren't getting the right performance don't have a clue. I truly believe that the vast majority of people that take the time to become a member of these forums and figure out how to post have the mental capacity to understand the concept "YMMV" which, for the most part, is determined by how one drives.
First, never called anyone stupid; don't think anyone on this board is stupid.
One of the pitfalls of typing verses talking is you do not see the nonverbal communication in the message.
I am truly sorry for anyone who is dissatified with whatever vehicle they are driving. I have purchased cars before that have been real letdowns. It happens. Thus, my comment about life being short and moving on.
My point in my entire posting is that the EPA figures are reasonable, at least for comparison with other vehicles. Some were getting better mileage with their older cars. I don't have a reasonable explanation.
The HOST pointed out an "untrue fact." Hmmm. Have to think about an untrue fact. What I then asked the host was (in her opinion) more people were satisfied with their Elantra mileage than not on this forum. Of course, the answer is most are NOT satisfied, thus my comment about dissatified people participating in this forum.
My guess is if we took a large sample (several thousand Elantra owners) the percentage of "mileage happy" people verses "mileage unhappy" people would be comparable to most other vehicles.
It's not personal and I am not gloating in any way. I want to drive cars I enjoy and feel I am getting my money's worth. If that is not the case, I will change my situation.
All the best.
One of my points was exactly that and it seems you missed it. This particular forum about the new Elantra real world mpg has an uncommon amount of complaints in comparison to other brands/models. I don't even own an Elantra but am interested in it and I read many forums about other makes and models mpg results. Normally, you get about the same amount of people getting better or worse. Actually, from reading these forums over the years I would say you get more that "brag" about their new cars MPG rather than bash it. That's why it's a little unusual to see the number of complaints here. Again, in comparison to other brands/models. Take a look at other forums. You will see complaints, but not the steady stream that has happened here since the "40 mpg" Elantra came out.
And I wasn't aiming my "braniac" comment at any one person. Just a whole bunch of people that say the same thing over and over without a clue as to whether the person they are "advising" may actually have a better handle on vehicle maint and driving techniques than they do or not.
The host may be have been referring to your "fact" about most people come to forums to complain. She reads more posts that most posters so I think she probably has a pretty good handle on it. You were stating it as a fact and she was simply rebutting it. I personally think most people post to either learn something or share something rather than to complain.
Think you are missing mine, but don't care.
I'm done. Wish all the best with their cars.
Yes, I know and there has been several other third party testers that did not achieve it, Consumer Reports among them. I've never said that the Elantra, if there are no problems, cannot hit the numbers. What I am saying is that when so many people can't come close to the numbers when they have done it easily with past vehicles, it indicates a problem with quite a number of them. Ergo the complaints.
And what you and Backy suggest is exactly what I would suggest, that it be checked out by the dealer until it is fixed. However, it seems that a lot of people get lip service from their dealers similar to the lip service they get from a lot of "helpful" posters within these forums.
I have a strong suspicion that the Elantra demands driving the car differently than other, lower-mpg cars in order to achieve its EPA rating. Differently than many folks are used to. Torque has been mentioned. It's not a high-torque engine. Likely demands a light foot on the gas... again something not everyone is adept at, or simply not willing to do (see comments re "granny" driving). It's easy getting 29 mpg highway on a 2006 Elantra... its EPA rating. 40 mpg is much harder for a car to achieve. If it were easy, we'd see lots of 40 mpg cars compact or larger. How many are there, non-hybrid, non-diesel? Not many.
It's very possible some Elantras with disappointing FE numbers have some kind of mechanical or digital problem. I suspect most do not. Still worth checking out if one has tried everything else to maximize fuel economy over time.
One thing I can tell you since moving to Minnesota. My Mazda 3 and Honda Odyssey saw a solid 3-5mpg drop in average fuel economy. Cold weather and shorter trips, more stops, more idiling to warm up the car, etc are to blame. I could get mad since neither vehicle are close to EPA numbers anymore, but I know why. And applying just some of the basic hypermiling techniques yields an instant gain. Problem is, I enjoy driving too much to use these techniques all the time.
I guess there is no real answer to this...at least from information that can be gathered in a forum such as we have here. I've been reading a lot about the new Mazda CX-5 and visiting specific forums about that car. It seems on the MPG issue(which is why most people are looking at this vehicle it seems) the reports are about 3 to 1 in favor of achieving the stated EPA numbers. Obviously, you have to take any report from new owners with a grain of salt but there is not anywhere near the percentage of dissatisfied owners.
I did a lot of driving in Irving, TX last summer in various rental cars--Sonatas, Jettas, Fusions, Sentras, Cruzes etc. I never got better than 20-22 mpg on any of them for a week of driving. Very hot weather, short trips, lots of stops at lights, and not driving with a mindset of best possible FE. But when I did take them out on the highway and checked FE there, I saw mid-30s even on the mid-sizers. It appears the "city" portion of the EPA cycle is not "city" driving for many people.
Satisfied people rarely participate on these internet boards
which is incorrect. In this particular discussion, there are more members complaining rather than expressing satisfaction. Across all of "these internet boards" here on Edmunds, there are probably more satisfied people, onlookers, information gatherers, etc., than dissatisfied people. In fact, in our discussions here about the Elantra, most people like their vehicle.
We see a lot of members in other Elantra-specific, and non-Elantra specific discussions who are considering buying, or in the process of buying, an Elantra, which wouldn't likely be the case if there were mostly posts from dissatisfied Elantra consumers in our forums.
Apart from the gas mileage complaints (and who knows what may be causing that issue), it gets great ratings from owners in our reviews section too:
http://www.edmunds.com/hyundai/elantra/2012/consumer-reviews.html?sub=sedan
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Another poster was mentioning that the larger tires on the Elantra Limited appear to have a factor and switching to smaller wheels and tires resulted in a 3-4mpg increase.
I do think that some car companies and dealers need to be a little more forthcoming with these city ratings for mpg. While the EPA ratings may be achievable, as the CR test points out, it will not really be seen by most people in normal driving. I am guilty of having a lead foot sometimes. I know it kills my city mpg, especially in the dead of winter in a short trip. My 2006 Mazda 3i Touring model would regularly get 17-19mpg on many of these types of trips, even though the car was rated at 24mpg city. Our Honda Odyssey was no better. It is rated at 17mpg city and we would be hard pressed to get better than 12-14 in the dead of winter in Minneapolis for city driving.
We also used the Edmunds boards to guide our purchasing timing and decision overall. saved us some money and we ended up with overall very good models initially.
Thanks for the service!
If you look at the consumer reviews link I posted for the 2012 Elantra, you see plenty of MPG complaints - yet, most of those consumers still rate their vehicles 4 -5 stars. I think that system lends itself to more overall quality evaluations, since you're required to rate individual aspects of the car separately (quality, value, fun-to-drive, etc.)
Glad you found, and hopefully continue to find, Edmunds' services useful!
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZ05rl8jjpc
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Which is ridiculous. Several other members have posted that they can achieve the EPA ratings in a new Elantra.
The only 2012 Elantra owner I've talked to in person that ever achieved 40mpg was going 50mph on I5... Any faster and he said his mpg dropped off quickly.
After 21k miles on this car I am looking to get out of it. Any other suggestions besides Hyandia?
I have always liked toyota. But the mileage numbers have not changed (actually have gone down) in the recent years.
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The suspension is firm. I suppose one might call it bouncy, but we far prefer firm to floaty. Her car's steering is dead-on. No wandering at all. Are your roads grooved by any chance?
Sounds like you're something of a power junkie so the Elantra probably wouldn't have been a good fit for you in the long run.
I hope you enjoy your Jetta. I see a base GLI costs about as much as a fully loaded Elantra Limited and about $7,000 more than a base Elantra. Comparably equipped/loaded the GLI w/nav is about $4500 more than an Elantra Limited w/Tech. So while the MPG you achieve may be marginally better, you won't make up the difference in purchase price. But as long as you enjoy the ride, paying a little more for the pleasure can certainly be worthwhile.