Not impressed with mpg!!!

[otterhere]

Uh, I was getting 38 with my 2000 Suzuki Swift and, although I've read reports of people getting as much as 40 mpg with their new Yarises, I've gotten 30 (mostly highway) and 27 (more in-town driving) with my two fill-ups to date... What's everyone's secret out there??? I am not thrilled.

'Course, still love driving my zippy little jelly bean; had just hoped for more.

[KCALB SIRAY]

http://www.yarisworld.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=46

[marcus]

im averaging 39-40 60/40 cty/hwy..and this is me not caring about mileage.. with hypermill maybe i can average 42.

[songa]

im getting 40mpg, maybe a lil more, and im honestly not even trying that hard. i tmite just take you a couple of new driving habits to learn, like DFCO and stuff, and you'll be improving. my first tank was 36mpg, but after learning about DFCO it went up to 40. DFCO is basically coasting (not pressing gas) in gear, not in neutral. fuel is cut off completely during DFCO so you waste no fuel at all. you must be running at over 1100rpms though. check out that FE forum above!

[SIPNGAS]

It's also winter...

winter-weight fuel hurts gas mileage...and I get better gas mileage now than I did in the first 5,000 miles..give it some time.

[rningonfumes]

"Zippy" does not belong in a complaint about fuel economy.

[otterhere]

Believe me, I'm the one drifting slowly up to red lights, whereas all around me are zooming ahead and braking to a stop; I know how to drive, and my "driving style" is unchanged from a few weeks ago when I was getting 38 with the Swift. grumble

[voodoo22]

in highway conditions where your trips are over 20 kms in the winter (I've heard it can take over that distance for the engine to reach optimal operating temp), there is no reason you shouldn't be getting over 40 MPG. Unless you're going over 70 mph.

If you were going 60-65 mph and less you'd get mid 40's, but from my experience, to get over 50 mpg consistently you have to go closer to 50mph and never peak over 60.

Shorter trips in the winter will kill your FE. There is plenty of info out there on which techniques to use under which situations. If you follow these how to's you'll improve.

I still get people saying that they don't believe the numbers which I stated are possible, but those people are just not disciplined enough to get great numbers. It's not rocket science, but it does take discipline to not speed or enjoy zippyness.

Of course there are multiple factors which affect everyone differently in their driving, but most of fault for poor fuel mileage is attributed directly to driving style.

[otterhere]

I admit I drive over 60, since the highway speed here is 70; you go 60, and you'll be run over the top -- esp. in a little jelly bean!!! But I was doing that in the Swift, too... I truly didn't realize one had to drive "with kid gloves," as it were, to achieve good mpg in the Yaris. I'll concede that it's probably doable, but that it's requires so much effort and "special care" is quite disappointing. Don't drive in winter, don't take short trips, "drift" a lot, go 20 miles under the legal speed limit... Okay; 40 mpg, here I come.

[cali yaris]

is it a/t or manual?

I get 31-33 with a custom turbo set up -- there has to be a reason you're getting 27.

[otterhere]

Originally Posted by cali yaris

is it a/t or manual?

I get 31-33 with a custom turbo set up -- there has to be a reason you're getting 27.

Automatic. No "junk" inside.

[KCALB SIRAY]

Do you transport heavy items for work or just a bunch of junk in your car? Have a clean air filter? Tires at the right psi?

[TinyGiant]

if i keep it at 55 on the hwy and drift at lights and take my time getting to speed i can hit 39-40mpg easy enough.. when i drive 60 on the hwy and drive quick n town i'm closer to the low 30s

[otterhere]

I'm planning to leave the car at home and start taking the city bus to work (two mile trip each way), but that's NOT why I spent $13k on a new Yaris! Do the other subcompacts (Fit, Versa, etc.) do better??? I would think all workings would be fine, since it's NEW...

If I have to go 60 on the highway to save gas, I will, but pity I didn't have to in my nine-year-old "beater" I just sold for $1,200...

[KCALB SIRAY]

Originally Posted by otterhere

I'm planning to leave the car at home and start taking the city bus to work (two mile trip each way), but that's NOT why I spent $13k on a new Yaris! Do the other subcompacts (Fit, Versa, etc.) do better??? I would think all workings would be fine, since it's NEW...

If I have to go 60 on the highway to save gas, I will, but pity I didn't have to in my nine-year-old "beater" I just sold for $1,200...

Just because it is new, does not mean it is without problems. Have it checked out. Some things could be clogged, broken, bent etc. The smallest of things could be causing bigger unseen problems in the engine. It never hurts, that why you have the warranty. I think everyone has pretty much said what could be done plus the link I attached earlier. Good luck, let us know

[tuckevalastin]

I've averaged 33 over my last 5000 miles

[otterhere]

Originally Posted by tuckevalastin

I've averaged 33 over my last 5000 miles

That's not 40, is it? What's YOUR driving like???

[tuckevalastin]

I make 700 mile all highway trips once a month... these tanks average about 40 mpg. The rest of my driving is about 50/50 highway/city and these tanks average about 30 mpg. The other few tanks are random driving...

-I have an automatic
-I'm past the break in period
-I don't hypermile and I don't stand on the pedal at every light either, I'm completely the average driver
-the car is stock