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Peace!
Thanks for starting this thread. I had made an offer on a NEW '05 Sienna AWD LE, but decided not to raise my offer after finding 11.5 MPG average on the vehicle computer during my second test drive.
I would be happy with the mileage you are getting, since my '96 Taurus wagon only gets 22 MPG in mixed driving. (OK, I have a heavy foot).
The run-flats are a nice idea, but the traction and temperature rating are only "B". I would be terrified to drive on them in Connecticut winters.
If I were you, I'd replace them, buy a full-sized spare, and figure out a way of transporting it. (Land-rover style, or maybe the roof or behind the 3rd row. :-) )
Wanna sell yours?
I went to www.fueleconomy.gov and theEPA says that the 20-28 are based on 45% highway driving, 55% city driving. I couldn't hit 20 with almost all highway.
I have about 700 miles and will check the tires, call the dealer and have tried a different brand of gas to 'get through the breakin period. But my 01 Subaru Forrester did the same type of driving on the same gas and averaged 22mpg winter and 24.5mpg summer.
What was your average speed, payload? Are you using synthetics?
Steve, Host
In my experience mileage goes down 1-2 mpg in wonter, probably a combination of different fuel formulation and denser air to ounch through.
Peace
Stoopid1
(miles driven) / (gallons pumped)
some people indicate the trip computer is "optimistic".
compare the two methods.
I would hope everyone is doing it by hand. Several times it showed I got as high as 31.1 on the over head computer and I am sure I never achieved that. Especially when it came out at 18.77
I have seen the Average Economy drop by one or 2 tenths while waiting at a stop light after having driven it over 1000 miles.
Winter driving kills overall fuel economy since it takes a lot of fuel to warm up a cold engine to operating temperature. It is impossible to compare city driving since stop lights and wait time is never the same.
I noticed
1) cruise control is very aggresive
2) Front seat heater is not working.
Its anive vehicle to enjoy
um, no.
link
(can you tell this has come up before? <g>).
Maybe when they put the Avalon V-6 in it....
Steve, Host
When my wife and I were cross-shopping between the Sienna and Odyssey, I had THREE seperate Honda employees inform me (one at a car show, and one each at two different dealerships), that the Odyssey 'only' needed regular while the Sienna required premium. I set the record straight with each one but I doubt it stuck.
Do the salesman take some kind of Honda sponsored training course in which Honda reps tell their salesmen that the Sienna needs premium?
Steve, Host
Photogeek, lots of people don't start getting close to EPA estimated mpg until they get a few thousand miles on their car. I wouldn't get too concerned yet.
Steve, Host
LOL! best line of the day....
I used to own 1996 Lexus LS400 and 1994 Mitsubishi Diamante which have the "premium fuel only" sign on the dashboard and gas tank door! The Sienna does not have any premium label on it... so it only requires unleaded fuel!
I'll admit I have a few big mountains to climb going up. But it was a long down grade coming back so it should have averaged out.
And since the Odyssey has better performance with "merely" regular gasoline, it's not much of a jump to conclude Honda's design is better than Toyota's. For this reason.
For Sienna, it also recommended premium fuel for optimizing performance for the first genneration (1997 - 2003), Toyota also dropped the requirement in 2003 for the current generation...
So both of them just need regular unleaded fuel, and that should be the norm for all cars except the sporty and luxury cars which need premium fuel to enhance performance...
As a result, many new engines are rated for both fuels. For example, the Nissan Quest V6 in our van is rated at 240 hp on premium and 230 on regular. Premium is not required. The torque peak is only five less, however. Going on a diet and taking the extra junk out of the vehicle would probably yield a better return on mpg.
Second tank driven 297 miles yielded 18.04 mpg.
Van has 610 miles to date. Sixty percent highway miles. The improvement necessary to achieve supposedly understated EPA mpg estimates seems seems a bit daunting. I'll keep driving and keep calculating!
I believe it would make a difference in city driving (constant acceleration/deceleration). However, the premise of VCM dropping three cylinders is that it requires less energy to keep mass rolling forward under highway conditions. As such, I don't think we would see dramatic differences. I'm also betting that those posting van MPGs aren't regularly driving 300 miles hauling 4 or 5 (160-250lb) occupants. I'm 180lb, wife 130lb, Kid1 40lb, and Kid2 22lb for a total of 372lbs at 18mpg. Funny how some are getting great milage of the lot and some of us are holding on in faith to this ethereal break-in phenonenon.
I have only one major concern with the Odyssey. We all know that the Odyssey tops out at over 4600 pounds and is powered by a 255 horsepower engine. However, the gas mileage difference between what is reported on the sticker (19/25 MPG) and what is frequently reported in this forum are quite different. Some are actually downright terrible and enough to make me question our decision to purchase the Odyssey.
We plan on driving the van about 12K miles annually so the difference in cost between 18 MPG and 22 MPG would be $245. If we own this vehicle for 8 years, that is $2K MORE. This is substantial and would nullify any better appreciation that the Odyssey would enjoy over the Sienna.
Any comments to this dilemma would be appreciated.
Cindy
previosly
You pointed out that it is heavy, boxy and powerful, so the mileage it does get is really pretty respectable. I doubt you wil average 4 MPG better with a SIenna, but it really depends on how and what type of driving you do.
If you are truly worried about mileage, make sure to drive slower. Keep it to 65 or below on the highway, and your mileage will be much higher.
Anyway, with the Ody, if you drive normally on the highway and aren't doing severe city (stop and go short hop) driving, you are likely to get pretty close to the 19/25 overall, at least when it gets warmer (cold temps don't help mileage much at all).
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
If you check the mileage reports which Edmunds has been getting on their long-term Sienna tester, the results are not that encouraging either (averaged 16.0 over 14,000 miles). Does this mean that all Siennas will get 16.0? Not hardly; that particular van spent a great deal of time on urban commutes.
Personally, for an individual driver, I would expect the Sienna and Odyssey, when driven similarly, to be within 1-2 mpg of one another.
And, as always, YMMV...8^)