real world fuel economy for 1.8TSI DSG (wagon)

[zach]

hi all tried to do a search but not much on the 1.8TSI on fuel economy.

what is real world fuel economy like for the 1.8TSI with DSG. eg: can you achieve the 5.5L on open road? on a test drive I couldn't get below 9L mostly in 60k zone though no traffic.

also in wheels their average consumption is 11L. even if they were in traffic for most part, this is high!

I'm now really considering the TDI or the Pug 308 HDI (manual) which can easily achieve 6L in all conditions and get 5L or less on the hwy.

[onyertod]

Octavia 1.8TSI DSG Wagon - 5,500 klms travelled - average 7.0 l/100klms on
98 RON fuel.

Took me a while to get my head around how a car this size can have so much go and still return great fuel consumption.

Mainly commuting from Helensburgh NSW to St George area of Sydney so a good mix of driving conditions. Also some short trips and some weekend runs west to Penrith area.

I have driven the oiler and I know diesel will get better fuel economy but IMHO the combo of the 1.8TSI (Maximum torque from 1500 rpm in a turbo petrol engine!) and the seven speed DSG box makes for a much more enjoyable driving experience.

[spellbound]

ECONOMY

My rs tfsi manual city cycle 8.3l per 100 ave since 08/08

rural cycle 6.5 per 100 sitting on 110 k limit

once nudged it just on 6 in rural victoria on 100 k limit roads

You should be able to blitz that , and i dont really drive carefully , although i can slot it into 5th in adelaide city , no big traffic snarls here .

[Jake02]

zach -
Get the TDI if it's such a problem (although my 2008 RS achieves roughly 10 around 10l/100km in a week around town) and do not goto Peugeot either. You pay alot more for less reliability, quality, features and a much worse drive. They are more stylish though...

Also, as you all know, Wheels Mag's 1.8TSI DSG had it's tranny replaced so maybe thats why the car used so much petrol...

[brad]

hi all tried to do a search but not much on the 1.8TSI on fuel economy.

what is real world fuel economy like for the 1.8TSI with DSG. eg: can you achieve the 5.5L on open road? on a test drive I couldn't get below 9L mostly in 60k zone though no traffic.

5.5L/100 is possible under free flowing motorway conditions if you are willing to keep the engine off boost (about 1300-1400rpm) which is about 70-80kmh. I can average 5.3L/100 in my manual if I go to those extremes.

Realistically, you'll get more like 6.0L- 6.8L on the motorway depending on traffic, your own speed & your driving style. My wife gets crap economy out of the Octy as she is always in a lower gear than needed & is on boost & throwing the passengers around the inside of the car (she normally drives an auto Outlander and has trouble transitioning).

I bought the 1.8 because I didn't think I could live with the narrow powerband of the diesel. It's been a good choice but if you want consistent diesel like economy then a diesel will be the better choice.

[zach]

thanks Brad the DSG supposedly is more fuel efficient so will have to wait and see as I've ordered one!

[brad]

thanks Brad the DSG supposedly is more fuel efficient so will have to wait and see as I've ordered one!

Great
Don't try for good economy in the first ~5000km. Drive with a bit of vigour (you might have to force the gearbox into a lower gear than it wants) so that the turbo gets some gasses in behind the piston/oil rings & forces them onto the bore for better sealing/break-in.

The engine will be quite tight for the first 15,000km. My economy was noticeably better after 15,000km - coincided with the first service using Castrol Edge Sport 5w30 but I think their was more to it than just oil.

[zach]

thanks for the advice Brad, noted. should I take it across the rev range or limit to 3500rpm?

[brad]

thanks for the advice Brad, noted. should I take it across the rev range or limit to 3500rpm?

You can feel when it is getting tight/unhappy.

I don't subscribe to the run-in procedure (motoman? or something to do with snowmobiles) like some do but when I picked my car up from the dealer (outer SW suburbs of Sydney) and drove the 45km along the motorway back to the coast I left the car in 3rd/4th & deliberately let it slow to 1500rpm then accelerated at half throttle back up to 3000rpm & continued doing this all the way home (traffic allowing). The next day was a 400km round trip down the coast with all the family on board. Driving slow-->fast would make the kids car sick so I just forgot 5 & 6 were available & drove accordingly, increasing the revs all the time & using half/threequarter throttle. By the end of the trip it was only feeling tight at 4500rpm onwards. I just kept pushing it a couple of hundred rpm more all the time without thrashing or over-extending it.

Seems to have worked for me. No oil usage, good power, good economy, spins to redline like a turbine.