We just finished a road trip from Salt Lake City to Pagosa Springs, CO, in our 2002 MPV LX. We were traveling with our 3 kids (10, 6, and 3) plus my wife and I and about 100 lbs worth of luggage. The outdoor temperatures were not that hot so we only needed to use the AC about 25-30% of the time. We broke up the trip into 230 miles/day to see the sights and keep the kids from driving us crazy.
SLC to Moab; All highway, ~65 mph, no stops - 25 MPG
Moab to Pagosa Springs; Mostly highway but includes stop and go tourist driving through Arches National Park and a couple pit stops, ~60 mph - 23 MPG
Pagosa Springs to Grand Junction; Mostly highway but includes stop and go tourist driving through Mesa Verde, around town driving to get dinner and breakfast, and mountain driving over 11,000 ft summit at Molas pass and at Red Mountain Pass (several photo-op stops) w/ lots of twisty mountain roads and speeds around ~40 MPH average,- 22.5 MPG
Grand Junction to Salt Lake City; All highway, two rest stops, a bit hotter so more use of the AC ~65 MPH, - 24.5 MPG
Over all the total trip was 1,119 miles and we averaged around 24 MPG. Traveled from altitudes as low as 4,000 ft to as high as 11,000 ft. Very pleased with the performance of the MPV and how well it drove. Previous mini-van was a short-wheelbase Caravan w/ the 3.3L V6. The MPV is a much better long distance cruiser and gets around the same fuel economy.
Cross country WI to AZ loaded 21/26 mid grade fuel 70-80mph highway (7200 on car).. I bet driving style has a lot to do with poor milage.... (slow and easy, chillen, slow and easy)
My daughter is doing a science fair project on the fuel efficiency of our new 2004 Nissan Quest. She is determining the accuracy of the published mpg (19 city/ 26 hwy), based on our driving results. The dealer suggested that peak fuel efficiency may not be achieved until the engine has been "broken-in" until 5,000-10,000 miles. Does anyone know if that is documented somewhere? Does anyone have knowledge or experience with that? We've noticed that fuel efficiency is improving with each tank of gas. We've primarily put city miles on the Quest and currently have calculated the following in fuel efficiency: 0-244 miles - 15.89 mpg, 244-513 miles = 17.39 mpg, 513-848 miles = 19.9 mpg. In all cases we've put in 89 octane. We do plan to test highway miles, different driver and other octane levels as well. If anyone has calculated fuel efficiency with their new 2004 Quest, please share your results (indicating the octane level used and type of driving). Thanks for helping us out. Regards, Karen
My spreadsheet for my '99 Quest shows that my mpg didn't really hit its stride until ~10,000 miles (and it has continued to creep up fractionally over the years and miles).
I don't know of any studies to support this theory off-hand. Let me know if you want a copy of the spreadsheet; I've recorded every tank since day one :-)
Of the gas mileage as indicated on the computer vs the actual calculated gas mileage. Also what are your tires inflation pressures. Thanks. I was initially getting 14 mpg city and now am up to 17 on the trip computer. Sure hope it gets better. Odometer is now 1550 miles
diesel fuel is not lot cheaper than petrol here. the last time i filled up i think it costs around 3.00/gal compared to 3.75 for regular petrol and my mpg is low since i do lots of hilly drive. i got as high as 38 mpg on more flat terrains when we were down by milano, italy.
We just finished a 4,000 trip with our new ES. We are gentle drivers, no fast starts or stops. We averaged 27.5 mpg. At times we got as high as 31 mpg per fillup. Of course, at times we got much lower. We are very happy with Sage (our van).
Is this the place to open a discussion of fuel types vs manufacturer recommendation? TomJ has opined that mid-grade cleans fuel injectors better. Click and Clack over at cartalk say you gain nothing by feeding your car anything higher than what the owner's manual recommends - and they say that using a higher octane (when not needed) actually increases pollution. So what are you really buying for the extra cost - a nice warm fuzzy feeling, or something that can actually be quantified?
A little topic drift in here about octane is fine too. I've heard that running higher octane in cars not designed for it can hurt the mileage and performance, and maybe even damage the engine.
OK, here is a conversation starter. The following came from a USAToday article from this past July. If you want to read the whole thing, google on USATODAY PREMIUM FUEL. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>&- gt;>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>&g- t;>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Premium, in fact, sometimes is worse fuel than regular. It resists knock because it's harder to ignite than lower-octane fuels. As a result, some engines won't start as quickly or run as smoothly on premium, notes Gibbs, the SAE fuel expert.
High-test does have a potential fuel economy benefit. It is slightly denser than lower-octane gas, meaning there's a little more energy in a gallon. But the small difference is hard to measure in real-world use, and that same density can contribute to undesirable buildup of waste products inside the engine.
No data show that engines designed strictly for regular run better or longer on premium.
The Federal Trade Commission, in a consumer notice, emphasizes: "(I)n most cases, using a higher-octane gasoline than your owner's manual recommends offers absolutely no benefit. It won't make your car perform better, go faster, get better mileage or run cleaner."
There is "no way of taking advantage of premium in a regular-grade car," says Furey.
"There is no gain. You're wasting money," insists Jim Blenkarn, in charge of powertrains at Nissan in the USA.
"No customer should ever be deluded into thinking there's any value in buying a higher grade of octane than we specify," says Toyota's Paul Williamsen, technical expert and trainer.
I don't care what the so called experts say, I use 89 octane because it runs better in the MPV. I can tell a difference when you punch it, 89 is better for high performance engines. My local Independent Shop says that the higher grades keep the injectors cleaner. He showed me the difference... Of course you could run a can of injector cleaner every so often (when engine feels a little rougher than usual). I do that with the 160K+mile Expo(around town only car) and use low octane in it.
"I can tell a difference when you punch it, 89 is better for high performance engines."
I didn't realize the Mazda MPV had a high performance engine. Also how did your mechanic "show" you the difference?
I'm glad the your MPV runs better on 89 octane but it is widely known in the industry that there is no benefit to putting higher octane gasoline in your engine then is required by the manufacturer.
I have had the MPV over 100mph several times(peaks at 120). Fantastic at passing cars. It will snap over 100 faster than most cars... Beautiful engine/tranny!!! The higher octane makes a difference in response time and high rpm smoothness.
The MPV runs on crap gas, but that is not my choice... Don't pay attention to a bunch of overpaid magazine hacks that lie for money... Tj
<<Don't pay attention to a bunch of overpaid magazine hacks that lie for money...>>
So I shouldn't trust the car magazines that have reviewers with decades of experience and access to the best laboratories and mechanics but i should trust some unknown person on Edmunds. Yeah, that makes sense.
If you choose to use higher octane gasoline, that is fine. But there have been numerous tests done by people far more knowledgable in cars and fuel then you and I that have determined that you should use the octane of gasoline recommended by the manufacturer.
BTW, I am test driving a MPV later today. I'll let you know how it feels over 100 mph on regular gas..if the slaesmen lets me go that fast.
There was a good article by Bryant Urstadt for The Baffler that I ran across a few years ago (1999). He wrote about his experiences being invited to go to Phoenix for 3 days and stay at a first class hotel to review the C70 intro. All Volvo wanted in return was a mention in a national publication.
In addition to the trip he got, other perks included a boutique bag filled with Ray-Ban Wayfares and other goodies, a windbreaker, use of a convertible, cocktail parties, etc.
Don't hold your breathe looking for journalistic integrity - when a full page ad in a major magazine costs $10,000, a little weekend trip to Mexico or Alaska with some free clothes or CDs thrown in for a dozen or two journalists is quite the bargain in exchange for a free mention in a story somewhere.
When you read a bunch of these reviews, you'll notice that many read alike. That's because some of the hacks are so lazy they just regurgitate the press packets they get upon arrival on these junkets.
Of course, none of the editors here stoop to such shenanigans (link).
No one publication gives you all the information about a car. You have to do a lot of research to arrive at the facts. Publications such as Consumer Reports are part of the drill. Edmunds' Forums is a very important informational link for me. Questions get answered. Folks here tell it like it is.
You may have a hard time passing up my ody, that does 0 to 60 in 7.9 seconds, and uses that awful 87 octane gas. Once we get to 85 though its all yours cause I am a bit old fashioned, and don't care to drive a minivan faster than that.
Will the odometer on my Ody show more miles than actually travelled? Odometer adds 200 miles while my GPS shows the vehicle has travelled only 194.5 miles. I wonder which instrument is correct? Am I missing some thing?
OK, I've started to track the mileage a bit to find out if any gas brand is better than other. It will be impossible to be accurate as it depends on the type of driving done on the fill up, but I'll try. I sort of got scared as the last MPG is low, but perhaps no wonder as I know that the last fill up was driven 99% city daily short trips about 2 miles to drop the older one in and out of the preschool and some shopping around.
The best average I have gotten (approx. 3 tanks of gas, 768 miles on the car) is 22 mpg on the highway. Met someone today at a dog show with the exact same van, same trim level, color etc. She said she has had it for a month (maybe 2 weeks longer than I) and she is getting 27-28. I am jealous! Why is this? Do I need the dealer to tune something differently? What are you getting on your '04 Sienna?
Everyone drives differently, like how hard on the gas pedal, how soon to ease off the gas pedal, the MPH on highway, the gas octane used, etc, so the result of MPG is different.
Just got 23.8 mpg on a 250 mile trip. Some slow down and stop and go traffic for about 50 miles as I approached the big city. No A/C and averaged about 72mph when able to maintain speed. Used regular unleaded from BP. Full of luggage and family of four. Quite pleased.
Just drove from NY to DC and averaged 19.1 MPG. Highway driving, 4 adults, child and luggage. Did not use AC, used regular unleaded and averaged 70 MPH. Average 16 MPG on typical country roads. Note... Van lacks passing power and am considering 04 Sienna but am aprehensive of 91 octane recomendation. Would appreciate any comments from 04 Sienna drivers using only regular unleaded.
in #345 lovemyaccords writes: The best average I have gotten (approx. 3 tanks of gas, 768 miles on the car) is 22 mpg on the highway. Met someone today at a dog show with the exact same van, same trim level, color etc. She said she has had it for a month (maybe 2 weeks longer than I) and she is getting 27-28. I am jealous! Why is this? Do I need the dealer to tune something differently? What are you getting on your '04 Sienna?
My response:
Unless you have a lead foot and always drive uphill in the teeth of a gale, I'd say something is wrong. Could be an engine adjustment, or could be a poorly calibrated mileage meter (overhead display).
You can check my computing mpg from the miles you drive and the amount of gas you use between fill-ups.
You should also check your odometer and speedometer calibrations. To do that you need a measured distance, say 1-3 miles, on level, open road. Pick a day when the wind is light or calm and drive it at two speeds, at least (30 and 60 mph, for example), and note the results. There has been some discussion on these boards about speedometer accuracy when a Sienna is equipped with 16" tires. If I recall correctly, the speedometer is more accurate with 17" tires. If so, the odometer probably is, too.
I got 26-27 mpg with our new LE on an 870 mile trip to visit relatives over the Thanksgiving weekend. Less than 1000 miles on the van when we returned. Lightly loaded vehicle with two adults and two small children. Good mix of open road/highway/freeway driving with speeds ranging from 40 to 70 mph. Mostly rolling terrain with some steep climbs and ascents. Strong cross-wind on a small part of the trip.
I expect mileage to get very slightly better as the engine break-in progresses (over the first 1500-3000 miles), but any increase may not be noticable.
I'd been using 85 octane (I live in Colorado at 6,500 ft. elevation...this is the same as 87 octane below 4,000 ft. elevation) for the first 4,000 miles. I was getting 23 mpg for highway trips. I recently tried a tank of premium (91 octane for us high altitude folks), and mpg jumped to 26.5 mpg. Both figures are for driving 75-80 mph (we have 75 mph speed limits on I-25).
This advantage has remained over the next couple of tanks. It is not quite enough to offset the premium paid for higher octane fuel, but the van clearly runs stronger while getting better mileage, and the total fuel cost is close enough that I will run premium for now on.
I live in the Bronx, New York. The follwoing is the mile per gallon I got using octane 87 gas in the past 11 months since I bought it new last January. It appears that it is not going to get any better. Most of the time, there was only one passenger (my 4 years old son). The third raw seats had been removed (to save some gas).
Tank No. 20 to No. 23 involved a 240 miles interstate round trip plus a one hour idling with A/C on. I got 10 - 11 mpg in the city with a little bit of local highway milages. I got 13 - 14 when there was 1/4 to 1/3 of highway milages. It is quite rediculous to see a tank of gas can't even run 200 miles in the city.
Through 6,800 miles on '03 Odyssey: 19.1 average, best 22.1 (highway plus some traffic, 6 people and luggage), worst 14.2. I graphed it, and its getting worse as I drive it. This seems counter-intuitive, but as it is broken in, I'm standing on the gas more because it's so much fun to accelerate like that in a minivan. The Odyssey truly is the sports car of minivans. Keep in mind that my two previous minivans were a '85 VW Vanagon (88HP?) and a '93 VW Eurovan with 109HP, and the Odyssey has 240. BTW, I came close to buying a new Sienna until I drove both (liked the Honda better) and then got the "real world" price comparably equipped, and the Honda was ~$6k less. I love my Odyssey (EX-L with DVD).
I just finished an 800 mile trip this weekend. Average mileage for the mostly highway trip, going over 70mph most of the way, was 26.4 MPG. I am very pleased.
People need to post what city/state they are from when stating MPG. A person who is in a cold climate will not be getting the type of MPG as someone living in a warm area.
It helps to have more facts when MPG is important to some people. Thanks!
Comments
SLC to Moab; All highway, ~65 mph, no stops - 25 MPG
Moab to Pagosa Springs; Mostly highway but includes stop and go tourist driving through Arches National Park and a couple pit stops, ~60 mph - 23 MPG
Pagosa Springs to Grand Junction; Mostly highway but includes stop and go tourist driving through Mesa Verde, around town driving to get dinner and breakfast, and mountain driving over 11,000 ft summit at Molas pass and at Red Mountain Pass (several photo-op stops) w/ lots of twisty mountain roads and speeds around ~40 MPH average,- 22.5 MPG
Grand Junction to Salt Lake City; All highway, two rest stops, a bit hotter so more use of the AC ~65 MPH, - 24.5 MPG
Over all the total trip was 1,119 miles and we averaged around 24 MPG. Traveled from altitudes as low as 4,000 ft to as high as 11,000 ft. Very pleased with the performance of the MPV and how well it drove. Previous mini-van was a short-wheelbase Caravan w/ the 3.3L V6. The MPV is a much better long distance cruiser and gets around the same fuel economy.
Tj
Tj
We've noticed that fuel efficiency is improving with each tank of gas. We've primarily put city miles on the Quest and currently have calculated the following in fuel efficiency: 0-244 miles - 15.89 mpg, 244-513 miles = 17.39 mpg, 513-848 miles = 19.9 mpg. In all cases we've put in 89 octane. We do plan to test highway miles, different driver and other octane levels as well.
If anyone has calculated fuel efficiency with their new 2004 Quest, please share your results (indicating the octane level used and type of driving). Thanks for helping us out.
Regards, Karen
I don't know of any studies to support this theory off-hand. Let me know if you want a copy of the spreadsheet; I've recorded every tank since day one :-)
Steve, Host
Steve, Host
TomJ has opined that mid-grade cleans fuel injectors better. Click and Clack over at cartalk say you gain nothing by feeding your car anything higher than what the owner's manual recommends - and they say that using a higher octane (when not needed) actually increases pollution. So what are you really buying for the extra cost - a nice warm fuzzy feeling, or something that can actually be quantified?
What about fuel types?
A little topic drift in here about octane is fine too. I've heard that running higher octane in cars not designed for it can hurt the mileage and performance, and maybe even damage the engine.
Steve, Host
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>&- gt;>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>&g- t;>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Premium, in fact, sometimes is worse fuel than regular. It resists knock because it's harder to ignite than lower-octane fuels. As a result, some engines won't start as quickly or run as smoothly on premium, notes Gibbs, the SAE fuel expert.
High-test does have a potential fuel economy benefit. It is slightly denser than lower-octane gas, meaning there's a little more energy in a gallon. But the small difference is hard to measure in real-world use, and that same density can contribute to undesirable buildup of waste products inside the engine.
No data show that engines designed strictly for regular run better or longer on premium.
The Federal Trade Commission, in a consumer notice, emphasizes: "(I)n most cases, using a higher-octane gasoline than your owner's manual recommends offers absolutely no benefit. It won't make your car perform better, go faster, get better mileage or run cleaner."
There is "no way of taking advantage of premium in a regular-grade car," says Furey.
"There is no gain. You're wasting money," insists Jim Blenkarn, in charge of powertrains at Nissan in the USA.
"No customer should ever be deluded into thinking there's any value in buying a higher grade of octane than we specify," says Toyota's Paul Williamsen, technical expert and trainer.
That was simple enough for me to understand.
35,000 Miles
26/27 MPG Highway
21 City
90% highway driving......
not bad.....
Please report back in eight or ten tanks, and double-check the mileage computer manually once or twice. Thanks!
Steve, Host
Tj
I didn't realize the Mazda MPV had a high performance engine. Also how did your mechanic "show" you the difference?
I'm glad the your MPV runs better on 89 octane but it is widely known in the industry that there is no benefit to putting higher octane gasoline in your engine then is required by the manufacturer.
I have had the MPV over 100mph several times(peaks at 120). Fantastic at passing cars. It will snap over 100 faster than most cars... Beautiful engine/tranny!!! The higher octane makes a difference in response time and high rpm smoothness.
The MPV runs on crap gas, but that is not my choice...
Don't pay attention to a bunch of overpaid magazine hacks that lie for money...
Tj
So I shouldn't trust the car magazines that have reviewers with decades of experience and access to the best laboratories and mechanics but i should trust some unknown person on Edmunds. Yeah, that makes sense.
If you choose to use higher octane gasoline, that is fine. But there have been numerous tests done by people far more knowledgable in cars and fuel then you and I that have determined that you should use the octane of gasoline recommended by the manufacturer.
BTW, I am test driving a MPV later today. I'll let you know how it feels over 100 mph on regular gas..if the slaesmen lets me go that fast.
100 MPH for the MPV? Better have the speedometer checked for accuracy!
In addition to the trip he got, other perks included a boutique bag filled with Ray-Ban Wayfares and other goodies, a windbreaker, use of a convertible, cocktail parties, etc.
Don't hold your breathe looking for journalistic integrity - when a full page ad in a major magazine costs $10,000, a little weekend trip to Mexico or Alaska with some free clothes or CDs thrown in for a dozen or two journalists is quite the bargain in exchange for a free mention in a story somewhere.
When you read a bunch of these reviews, you'll notice that many read alike. That's because some of the hacks are so lazy they just regurgitate the press packets they get upon arrival on these junkets.
Of course, none of the editors here stoop to such shenanigans (link).
Steve, Host
Total miles : 45K
Milage: 24 Hwy
21 City
Have always used 87 octane
Problems : nada
Here is my table:
Wendy
Everyone drives differently, like how hard on the gas pedal, how soon to ease off the gas pedal, the MPH on highway, the gas octane used, etc, so the result of MPG is different.
Steve, Host
The best average I have gotten (approx. 3 tanks of gas, 768 miles on the car) is 22 mpg on the highway. Met someone today at a dog show with the exact same van, same trim level, color etc. She said she has had it for a month (maybe 2 weeks longer than I) and she is getting 27-28. I am jealous! Why is this? Do I need the dealer to tune something differently? What are you getting on your '04 Sienna?
My response:
Unless you have a lead foot and always drive uphill in the teeth of a gale, I'd say something is wrong. Could be an engine adjustment, or could be a poorly calibrated mileage meter (overhead display).
You can check my computing mpg from the miles you drive and the amount of gas you use between fill-ups.
You should also check your odometer and speedometer calibrations. To do that you need a measured distance, say 1-3 miles, on level, open road. Pick a day when the wind is light or calm and drive it at two speeds, at least (30 and 60 mph, for example), and note the results. There has been some discussion on these boards about speedometer accuracy when a Sienna is equipped with 16" tires. If I recall correctly, the speedometer is more accurate with 17" tires. If so, the odometer probably is, too.
I got 26-27 mpg with our new LE on an 870 mile trip to visit relatives over the Thanksgiving weekend. Less than 1000 miles on the van when we returned. Lightly loaded vehicle with two adults and two small children. Good mix of open road/highway/freeway driving with speeds ranging from 40 to 70 mph. Mostly rolling terrain with some steep climbs and ascents. Strong cross-wind on a small part of the trip.
I expect mileage to get very slightly better as the engine break-in progresses (over the first 1500-3000 miles), but any increase may not be noticable.
This advantage has remained over the next couple of tanks. It is not quite enough to offset the premium paid for higher octane fuel, but the van clearly runs stronger while getting better mileage, and the total fuel cost is close enough that I will run premium for now on.
Nay
Tank No. 20 to No. 23 involved a 240 miles interstate round trip plus a one hour idling with A/C on. I got 10 - 11 mpg in the city with a little bit of local highway milages. I got 13 - 14 when there was 1/4 to 1/3 of highway milages. It is quite rediculous to see a tank of gas can't even run 200 miles in the city.
--------------------tank-------------tank----total--total
tank--meter--miles--gallons--mpg---gallons--mpg
1-----190----240----17.42----13.8---17.42---13.8
2-----430----216----15.04----14.4---32.46---14.0
3-----646----232----18.45----12.6---50.91---13.5
4-----878----250----18.02----13.9---68.93---13.6
5-----1128---197----14.51----13.6---83.44---13.6
6-----1325---250----17.95----13.9--101.39---13.7
7-----1575---251----18.23----13.8--119.62---13.7
8-----1826---242----17.08----14.2--136.70---13.7
9-----2068---232----16.52----14.0--153.22---13.8
10----2300---254----17.52----14.5--170.74---13.8
11----2554---198----17.07----11.6--187.81---13.6
12----2752---188----18.72----10.0--206.53---13.3
13----2940---261----18.62----14.0--225.15---13.4
14----3201---215----18.17----11.8--243.32---13.3
15----3416---185----18.10----10.2--261.42---13.0
16----3601---171----15.45----11.1--276.87---12.9
17----3772---223----16.08----13.9--292.95---13.0
18----3995---169----15.84----10.7--308.79---12.9
19----4164---168----16.51----10.2--325.30---12.7
20----4332----14-----1.92-----7.3--327.22---12.7
21----4346---114----15.04-----7.6--342.26---12.5
22----4460---257-----8.88----28.9--351.14---12.9
23----4717---225----18.85----11.9--369.99---12.8
24----4942---185----16.58----11.2--386.57---12.8
25----5127---196----16.71----11.7--403.28---12.7
26----5323---183----15.56----11.8--418.84---12.7
Best car we ever owned...
Tj
It helps to have more facts when MPG is important to some people. Thanks!