Official Fuel Economy Thread (formerly Highway economy).

[jimbomort]

If you really want to get low figures pop it in neutral whenever you are going downhill (probably not safe or anything but the average fuel consumption then is 1.1L/100km lol.)

not only on hills and yes but only part true. On steeper hills you are actually better off leaving it in gear, as on 'full vacuum', the engine mgt system cuts fuel to the motor almost to zero, as is the case in almost all modern cars. So whenever you are free to coast your speed down or on moderate hills better to coast, but on steeper hills better left in gear. However if you could gain all the speed from the descent and coast back to crusijng speed on the flat, then better off in neutral in all cases.

I got 7.3 going into town and back today, including some hills and giving it the gas in third to waive goodbye to a holden ute behind me! This was only about a 9k trip and starting from cold. However I also cruise thru the residential area @ 45-50 in 4th and keep it in fourth down to 40 and I cruise at 55 in the 50 zone in 5th gear. I also roll a bit where it doesn't make a difference (ie going to slow down soon so I just start that a bit earlier and coast down where traffic allows. This driving suits me as makes no real difference to when I get there and most of the time I am constrained by traffic in single lanes anyway, so why rush. But not for everyone.

[MGV]

...So I'm still dumbfounded as to how some of you guys are achieving under 8l/100km in a TSI for city driving??

My local APR guy has quoted me a 10% increase in fuel efficiency if driving 'economically' using their map! I reckon if i sign up now, it will have paid for itself in no time!

I'm currently on an all-time average (city driving mainly) of 9.8, but i have got a 7.8 on a 15km freeway run into town on occasion. And thats not putting it into neutral down hills!

[team_v]

My local APR guy has quoted me a 10% increase in fuel efficiency if driving 'economically' using their map! I reckon if i sign up now, it will have paid for itself in no time!

I'm currently on an all-time average (city driving mainly) of 9.8, but i have got a 7.8 on a 15km freeway run into town on occasion. And thats not putting it into neutral down hills!

Post APR fuel consumption figures when driven for those conditions are generally better.
Normal driving (no babying but also no flooring it) will net me between 7.3-7.8 for city driving.
Babying it to the max can net me 5.5l/100km lol.
Flooring it will generally give back a 10l/100km result if i am on the gas all the time.

[jimbomort]

Normal driving (no babying but also no flooring it) will net me between 7.3-7.8 for city driving. Babying it to the max can net me 5.5l/100km lol.

Team V great to see our respective experiences are confirming each others figs. Good job on the city driving av, but assuming your city driving doesn't include much stop/start? I've got those kind of figs in 'city driving' but not with a lot of stop start - which just kills fuel economy.

on the 5.5l/100, can see how it can be done (spot fuel consumption with crusing in 5th @ 55 is in the low to mid 5's) but have you actually got that as an everage for a trip? I always find it ironic that in using the crusing at low speeds in 5th strategy thru country towns (which fits well with normal traffic flow) that my 'hwy economy' actually goes down!!

[Transporter]

Post APR fuel consumption figures when driven for those conditions are generally better.
Normal driving (no babying but also no flooring it) will net me between 7.3-7.8 for city driving.
Babying it to the max can net me 5.5l/100km lol.
Flooring it will generally give back a 10l/100km result if i am on the gas all the time.

I must admit, it's surely better than our diesel.

[ethosguy]

Our TDI shows 6l/100km neat for Cook / Canberra - Perisher and 5.4-6 return Perisher (actually Guthega for those who would know the difference) Canberra leg. Roofracks and full load. Driven to get there ASAP without running advice from left seat or interference from the law - indicated 110-115kph plus liberal overtaking. Driven smoothly without really chasing fuel economy.

Thats about the same as we see on the Canberra / South coast run too.

It'll do ~8s with a trailer + 2 dirtbikes, cruise at 140 and just touch the imperial ton on the flat.
I'd be interested to see what happens if I can convince myself to flash it with an Oettinger program. I'd like the extra go especially highway passing but $2k is a lot for a non-performance car. Not convinced about the DP 'add fuel pressure' types, especially with the particulate filter.
And...still nowhere near the fun of a TSI either.

For comparison: My 210kw (advertised) tuned WRX uses consistently about 12 with the trailer (That'd be 4l/100 more than the TDI), 10.5s round town with a mixed bag of throttle - mostly flowing with the traffic, some naughty bits. Best I ever got form the WRX was 8.6, but I was in agony...

[donweather]

Team V, are your figures based on actual litres filled up at the bowser or just off the display? I don't baby it, but I also don't floor it every where either. The figures I posted above (626km) included at least 400km highway driving and I generally use cruise control and stick it 10% above the speed limit (ie 110 in 100 zone and 120 in 110 zone). The remainder 200km or thereabouts was pretty much city driving (not a lot of stop start as I use rat runs to get to work) to and from work and around town on the weekend (less traffic so less stop start). And based on actual bowser figures as I mentioned I got somewhere in the vicinity of high 8's (l/100km). God knows how you get 7's around town?

Oh, and I generally leave it in gear and foot off accelerator down steep hills to get the 0 l/100km advantage!!

[team_v]

Team V, are your figures based on actual litres filled up at the bowser or just off the display? I don't baby it, but I also don't floor it every where either. The figures I posted above (626km) included at least 400km highway driving and I generally use cruise control and stick it 10% above the speed limit (ie 110 in 100 zone and 120 in 110 zone). The remainder 200km or thereabouts was pretty much city driving (not a lot of stop start as I use rat runs to get to work) to and from work and around town on the weekend (less traffic so less stop start). And based on actual bowser figures as I mentioned I got somewhere in the vicinity of high 8's (l/100km). God knows how you get 7's around town?

Oh, and I generally leave it in gear and foot off accelerator down steep hills to get the 0 l/100km advantage!!

Mine is based off the MFD but when i have checked the MFD vs actual fuel consumption at fill up it's within 0.3 of the MFD so i just go off the MFD now.

If you are crusing above 100km/h the fuel economy tends to take a hit, i have noticed this on runs down to the Gold Coast.

I can't explain why i manage to get low figures apart from the combination of manual + apr + using gears as soon as i can (i.e. not running aobve 2000RPM if i am being gentle)

I am hopeful of getting a mini cam to record a trip as proof.
Just gotta find one that i can attach to the underside of the dash bulge and have it record for long enough.

[Transporter]

I can't explain why i manage to get low figures apart from the combination of manual + apr + using gears as soon as i can (i.e. not running aobve 2000RPM if i am being gentle)

Perhaps the discrepancy in fill ups.

[donweather]

I am hopeful of getting a mini cam to record a trip as proof.
Just gotta find one that i can attach to the underside of the dash bulge and have it record for long enough.

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