chevy cobalt 37 mpg

[vector9mm]

The new cobalt xfe is rated at 25 city and 37 hiway. My question is how does a car with probably 200 pounds extra and putting out 155 HP beat my yaris on the hiway? I love my yaris but for the small car it is and the HP output, I don't see how it only is rated at 36. I know some of you say you're getting 45 mpg but that only means that someones cobalt is getting 46. I just think that Toyota didn't want the Yaris taking sales from the more expensive prius.

[thebarber]

gearing

[Rich k]

I'm getting nearly 50 mpg spring summer fall, so the yaris can best the Prius, hopefully the cobalt can't do this as well.

[tuckevalastin]

I know some of you say you're getting 45 mpg but that only means that someones cobalt is getting 46.

I'm glad you put that in the first post since many people would say that when they are hypermiling they can get 50 mpg so the Cobalt isn't actually achieving anything.

My opinion, good job GM!

[voodoo22]

I know some of you say you're getting 45 mpg but that only means that someones cobalt is getting 46.

I'm glad you put that in the first post since many people would say that when they are hypermiling they can get 50 mpg so the Cobalt isn't actually achieving anything.

My opinion, good job GM!

Exactly. If you're getting 10% over epa in our Yaris, you'd probably get 10% over epa in any other vehicle.

Even with those numbers, I wouldn't consider a chevy at this point, but it's great news for those who would.

[nsmitchell]

My 09 Honda Fit Sport is rated at 33MPG Highway.
I just got 42MPG on a trip that was 50% highway and 50% back roads.
My Yaris also kicks butt by getting around 42 highway.

Also, have you ever driven a Cobalt? I have and .... :barf:

[thebarber]

new cobalt ss > all. screw mileage.

[marcus]

i do 45mpg on my yaris on hwy run. averaging 38 mpg 50/50

[360cubes]

The Ecotec 2.2L cruises at 2200rpm @ 60mph (96km/h) with automatic. The XFE model which I test drove a couple weeks back (manual 5 speed only) is a terrible variant. The EPA rates it only slightly better than the automatic version and there is a light on the dash that acts as an 'economy meter' and lights up when your suppose to shift to gain maximum fuel economy. I eased off from a stop light and the 'ecolight' came on at 1700rpm! Up-shifting at that speed on a hill would be impossible as you'd bog the engine down as it tries to turn around 1000rpm. Driving normally and filling up afterward I didn't get better than 7L/100km with split city/highway driving. One thing, is that it can be had for a couple thousand dollars less when compared to a Yaris sedan with convenience package.

[SilverGlow]

I'm getting nearly 50 mpg spring summer fall, so the yaris can best the Prius, hopefully the cobalt can't do this as well.

Not true!

If YOU drove a Prius the way you drive your Yaris, you would get much more then the Yaris. It is not fair to compare what you get from your Yaris againsts EPA numbers for the Prius.

[SilverGlow]

As to why the Cobalt does so well, I think it uses variable valve timing with both the intake AND exhaust valves, like the 2009 Corolla, and other newer cars. Our Yarii uses VVT just with the intake as far as I know.

[NJBob]

Funny, the Chevy Web site doesn't offer a "Build it" page for the LS XFE and the car has a starting price near $15,600
Chevy introduced the XFE (XFE stands for “Xtra Fuel Economy”) package for the 2008 Cobalt. For an extra $600, the ’08 XFE package came equipped with a 148-hp, 2.2-liter four-cylinder mated to a manual transmission, low-rolling resistance tires, a taller final-drive ratio (3.74:1), and a fuel-sipping engine calibration. Fuel economy jumped from 24 mpg city and 33 highway to 25 mpg in the city cycle and an impressive 36 mpg on the highway.

That makes sense.....paying $600 extra to get better mileage. CRIPES! Yeah, sarcasm doesn't come off easily in print.

[daf62757]

Not true!

If YOU drove a Prius the way you drive your Yaris, you would get much more then the Yaris. It is not fair to compare what you get from your Yaris againsts EPA numbers for the Prius.

Very true. It an apple and orange argument. I considered the Prius, but there was like a 10K difference in price and for 10K...I could drive my Yaris for three years and still be ahead in price.

[360cubes]

Funny, the Chevy Web site doesn't offer a "Build it" page for the LS XFE and the car has a starting price near $15,600


That makes sense.....paying $600 extra to get better mileage. CRIPES! Yeah, sarcasm doesn't come off easily in print.

That's nothing! The Silverado/Sierra SFE truck package runs close to $2100 for that extra 1mpg highway and wimpy (read: un-truck like) 3.08 axle ratio. Unless one drives 100% highway, these vehicles are useless as the taller gearing makes the transmission more likely to hunt/shift for the correct gear which can impact mileage negatively when driven around town.

XFE (GM)/SFE (Ford) just found a way to get more money from the consumer. It's like spending money on a light hybrid vehicle, but will take 2-3 years before you'll recoup the 'possible' fuel savings rather than going with a standard model. Not worth it in my book. If I buy a truck, it'll be used as a truck, not as a mileage commuter just to carry my fat arse around.

The Cobalt 2 door and 4 door are the same price but have a 80lb weight difference and the sedan is over an inch taller. The only thing I like about the Cobalt (non-SFE) is the fact that the interior is well laid out, gauges are in front of the driver and there is enough space to feel relaxed while taking long trips. Not to mention the engine turns under a quiet 2500rpm at 75mph. Anyway....

[stuffy]

chevy is charging more for variable valve timing?

at least the new aveo/wave is finally getting better mileage than a pick-up truck now.

[mutatio]

As noted, gearing. IMO Toyota doesn't want to put 5-6 speed transmissions in the Corolla and Yaris. If they did the Yaris would likely be in the 40+ range as might be the Corolla. While I love my Yaris, it's annoying in the automatic to be at ~3,000+ RPMs at 72mph. Our recently acquired '06 Civic with the 5th gear on the AT coasts along at ~2,500 at 75mph. If Toyota decided to do 5-6 speed transmissions like Honda they'd likely have the Corolla and Yaris eating into their Prius sales.

FWIW, in doing some research recently before picking up the Civic for my wife, I found out that it seems like everyone besides Toyota and Honda have CVT transmissions and VVT as premium features and even then they don't typically match them in MPG.

[roxy1]

i dont know how much higher gearing would really help mpg in a corolla or yaris. at 60 mph, the rpm's are reasonable. at 60 mph, my yaris was at 42+ mpg easily and 40+ in my corolla at that speed is pretty easy also. when you get up to 70+ mph, you are increasing wind resistance exponentially, and that will kill your mileage regardless of rpm's.

i also believe in the real world, some cars really do better at beating epa estimates than others. take that 5 speed auto in the civic. now, take a look at real world numbers here:

http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/calculatorCompareSideBySide.jsp?column=1&id=23502

most of the entries are a majority of highway driving for that 5 speed auto, and ONE single driver out of 88 drivers achieved 40+mpg and the average of 31.3 is nothing special. that same car in a 5 speed manual (which revs higher than a corolla or yaris in high gear) actually averaged 1 mpg higher than the 5 speed auto. thats real life.

now, take a look at the yaris. it seems the epa estimates are much more easily achieved, with the auto averaging 34.8 mpg and the higher revving manual transmission averaging 38.9 mpg.

so, 2 things. the gearing on these cars did not help real world effieciency, and some cars do beat epa estimates more easily than others.

and those cvt transmissions. im seeing only miserable mpg numbers on eco cars using them thus far (versa, sentra, caliber..)

ill take a 5 speed manual any day and beat what any cvt or 5 speed auto will give me in mileage.

[Woody_Woodchuck]

Before I decided on a Yaris I wondered about the real life mpg’s folks were getting versus the EPA estimates. In my internet investigations the Yaris’ real life mpg’s beat all the other smaller economy class vehicles. And it beat the EPA estimates more than the other new vehicles like the Aveo, Smart and Cobalt.

Was it that folks who bought them tried harder to get better mileage or was it just more capable of better mileage? I do not have the answer but I know I try to get better than EPA and can do it easily. Breaking 50 mpg on a tank is a bit harder for me. As pointed out just look around at others who are posting their mileage and what they are actually reporting. Maybe fewer Aveo, Smart and Cobalt folks try to get the best they can and more Yaris drivers are?

[yaris-me]

gearing

Yup! :wink:

[TLyttle]

Could be, but there is more to it than that. The myth that lower rpm is the key to good mileage has been around for a long time, but throttle management is more important. Goosing it to hold speed on a hill, participating in the ol' Stoplight GP, slowing for corners, stuff like that hurts FE, as we all know.

I had a car (Morris Minor) that spun along at 4 grand at 60mph, and I still got 50-60mpg Imp. It was 400lbs lighter than the Yaris, shorter, narrower, and lower, and there lies the difference. Minis (not the BMW lump) got great mileage, no matter how hard you thrashed them, and were way more fun to drive. Again, look at the dimensions to see why. Would I trade either of these vehicles for the Yaris? If it was strictly my decision, I sure would...

[SeaYa]

Before I decided on a Yaris I wondered about the real life mpg’s folks were getting versus the EPA estimates. In my internet investigations the Yaris’ real life mpg’s beat all the other smaller economy class vehicles. And it beat the EPA estimates more than the other new vehicles like the Aveo, Smart and Cobalt.

Was it that folks who bought them tried harder to get better mileage or was it just more capable of better mileage?


Cobalt may have 37 hwy, but it also has as low as 25 city. Since real life MPG's will be a blend of both city and hwy it makes sense that (with identical drivers doing 50/50 city/hwy) the Yaris with 29/36 (for 09) would average slightly better than 33 the Cobalt with 25/37.

[tetzyamis]

The new cobalt xfe is rated at 25 city and 37 hiway. My question is how does a car with probably 200 pounds extra and putting out 155 HP beat my yaris on the hiway? I love my yaris but for the small car it is and the HP output, I don't see how it only is rated at 36. I know some of you say you're getting 45 mpg but that only means that someones cobalt is getting 46. I just think that Toyota didn't want the Yaris taking sales from the more expensive prius.

I agree.
How is Yaris rated at 36 mpg highway and that Cobalt is rated 37 mpg highway.

I've never thought of it, but I'm actually about to think same as you do:
I just think that Toyota didn't want the Yaris taking sales from the more expensive prius.

[bkrownd]

I was surprised to get 35 MPG in a rented cobalt recently, but my corolla gets nearly 44 MPG doing the same trip.

[mutatio]

i dont know how much higher gearing would really help mpg in a corolla or yaris. at 60 mph, the rpm's are reasonable. at 60 mph, my yaris was at 42+ mpg easily and 40+ in my corolla at that speed is pretty easy also. when you get up to 70+ mph, you are increasing wind resistance exponentially, and that will kill your mileage regardless of rpm's.

i also believe in the real world, some cars really do better at beating epa estimates than others. take that 5 speed auto in the civic. now, take a look at real world numbers here:

http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/calculatorCompareSideBySide.jsp?column=1&id=23502

most of the entries are a majority of highway driving for that 5 speed auto, and ONE single driver out of 88 drivers achieved 40+mpg and the average of 31.3 is nothing special. that same car in a 5 speed manual (which revs higher than a corolla or yaris in high gear) actually averaged 1 mpg higher than the 5 speed auto. thats real life.

now, take a look at the yaris. it seems the epa estimates are much more easily achieved, with the auto averaging 34.8 mpg and the higher revving manual transmission averaging 38.9 mpg.


Um, the same car traveling at 75mph with 3,000 rpm will get less mpg than when it's going 75mph at 2,500rpm. Wind resistance being the same, less RPMs = less work by the engine. If you've got a manual, feel free to test out 75mph in 4th versus 5th. ;-)

FWIW, the Civic is beating the older EPA estimates. We have yet to get less than 32mpg in combined driving with highway speeds at ~72mph. We live in Miami so the highway miles can quickly turn into city driving in the rush hour to and from work. If my wife will trade for a week maybe I'll see what I can get in the 60mph range. I'd say Hondas and Toyotas have tended to be more true to their EPA estimates than other brands in my experience. My old Saturn L200 was supposed to get 32/24 and I was lucky to get 22, usually around 20 on average. Driving habits are king. If I drive with no clue as to gas consumption in the Yaris I can easily dip below 30. With half a brain at work to keep in mind the gas, I'm easily at 32+, and that's with numerous starts/stops due to my job during the day. Yes, I'd very likely be above the old EPA estimates if I had a simple drive to and from a static location.

[roxy1]

[QUOTE=mutatio;263473]Um, the same car traveling at 75mph with 3,000 rpm will get less mpg than when it's going 75mph at 2,500rpm. Wind resistance being the same, less RPMs = less work by the engine. If you've got a manual, feel free to test out 75mph in 4th versus 5th. ;-)

FWIW, the Civic is beating the older EPA estimates. QUOTE]


3k rpm isnt that high for an eco car at 75 mph. im not sure at 2500 rpm's it would get significantly better mileage to make up for the doggedness it would have at lower speeds in fifth gear. i would like my corolla to rev about 200 rpms lower at hwy speed (i said the same thing w/ my yaris), but not because i think the mpg would be very much higher. id just like a more sedated sounding engine for longer stretches of highway.

YOUR civic may beat epa estimates, but there are plenty of civic drivers on fueleconomy.gov driving mostly highway miles who are not achieving the highway estimates(and i am certain people who post there are conscientious of their driving styles). the automatic civic revs pretty low at highway speeds, so if it were about rpms only, drivers should be easily beating epa estimates.


i do agree that some makes seem to achieve/beat/come close to epa estimates more easily than others.