Fuel economy worse than a big SUV

13317 Views 139 Replies 55 Participants Last post by lesanek, 7 d ago

riverrunner

Discussion Starter · 4 mo ago

Hi,

I've never owned a new car but after our Honda Odyssey gave up the ghost with 260k miles we splurged on an 2021 Ascent with 1200 miles. It was crazy expensive but everything is these days. Anyhow, I have also been Toyota guy but elected to not get a Sequoia because of the fuel economy and AWD Siennas are not easy to find. Instead we compromised on size for something more efficient (or so we thought).

We have only used the Ascent for running around our small town and the speed limit is 60mph on the hwy. It has was typically getting about 16mpg for our combined town and highway driving. I was pretty disappointed but thought we do so many short trips it wasn't probably too unreasonable.

We took our first road trip over Christmas break from Idaho to southern Utah. We have 4 kids so I had the roof top carrier on. I calculated the mileage for the whole trip and got as bad as 9mpg on a tank and as high as 14mpg. Overall, we averaged about 12mpg. I am extremely disappointed! I called two Subaru dealers to ask them if they had seen this before and they both said that they had not nor did they every hear of a service bulletin for the issue.

Its a nice car to drive around town in but man, what a gutless pig on the open road. After about 2 hours on the interstate I almost considered turning around and loading up in the F250 diesel work truck as it gets about 18 mpg on the open highway at 80mph. I felt like the Ascent just couldn't hold speed very well and was straining all the time if there was any grade. I ended up setting the cruise at 70 even though the speed limit was 80.

My thoughts are Subaru undersized the engine for the application? It's actually not up to the task of hauling 6 passengers and luggage on a road trip. Keep in mind we are a family with little kids so it wasn't terribly heavy. I tried everything from manually shifting for a few tanks to reducing speed and drafting a semi. Overall I'd say besides my old 1993 land cruiser, it was the worst vehicle I have ever driven on the interstate for performance and fuel economy. Oh how I missed the ratty old Honda mini van. It would do 90mph if you weren't careful and pull 20mpg.

I'm either super unlucky or somebody else has to be experiencing this too. I think I'm going to trade it off even though I will be taking a big hit.

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Packard8

· #121 · 3 mo ago

Nice dyno numbers!

My experience has been that forced induction engines, either turbo or supercharged, deliver more torque at lower RPMs and with a flatter curve than naturally aspirated engines. True whether small or large displacement. I believe this is due to NA engines needing to rev higher to achieve good airflow. I'm sure both you & Robert are aware of this.

I suppose the only "apples to apples" test would be to install an FA24T engine in the Hellcat, and the Hellcat engine in the Ascent and compare MPGs to eliminate weight and aero from the equation.

C'mon, Steve & Robert, do the engine swaps

and keep us posted.......

Reactions: 3

Robert.Mauro

· #122 · 3 mo ago

🤣 FOR SCIENCE!!! 🤪

Reactions: 4

Subalu

· #123 · 3 mo ago

Okay, question about mileage. Why is the EPA mileage lower on the Touring?

Jim_in_PA

· #124 · 3 mo ago

Subalu said:
Okay, question about mileage. Why is the EPA mileage lower on the Touring?

If it's listed lower on the sticker, it's likely weight. Most stuff installed = more weight.

Slagmi

· #125 · 3 mo ago

Subalu said:
Okay, question about mileage. Why is the EPA mileage lower on the Touring?

It's a good question, I recall that the weight difference was trivial, less than a person.

Packard8

· #126 · 3 mo ago

Subalu said:
Okay, question about mileage. Why is the EPA mileage lower on the Touring?

Perhaps the 18" wheels on the Base & Premium???

Reactions: 3

Daniel Acosta

· #127 · 3 mo ago

Subalu said:
Okay, question about mileage. Why is the EPA mileage lower on the Touring?

Models with 20" wheels are rated 1mpg lower.

Reactions: 2

lesanek

· #128 · 2 mo ago

2

Five people and fully packed with everything for seven days in middle of nowhere in WV Satisfied with the mileage

Wheel Tire Car Plant Sky

Speedometer Odometer Gauge Trip computer Measuring instrument

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dearsmiths4334

· #129 · 2 mo ago

lesanek said:
Five people and fully packed with everything for seven days in middle of nowhere in WV Satisfied with the mileage View attachment 20629
View attachment 20628

Awesome. I have a 2020 Limited. I recently checked out my highway mileage for a 400 mile trip, got 30.4 MPG, and adding in city driving, another 500 miles, average is 24.9, so pretty happy with my Ascent.

Reactions: 4

Wolverine73

· #130 · 1 mo ago

Broke 5200 miles on my ‘23 Ascent, and filled up at Valero coming back from the golf course. Checked mpg, and it was the best yet, slightly over 25 in mixed driving. So like others have posted, mpg seems to go up as you get btwn 5k and 7k on the odometer. Oil and filter and tire rotation tomorrow.

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Wolverine73

· #131 · 27 d ago

Additional: Being a 50 year reader/subscriber to Motor Trend, I’ve noticed that their long term testing of suvs (usually a year) rarely shows great gas mileage. Examples: this month’s edition, 2021 Nissan Rogue, 22.3 mpg over 11,263 miles; 2023 Mazda CX-50, 20.2 mpg over 9,578 miles. They probably aren’t being driven for economy, and rarely are close to epa estimates. Plus dealing with heavy traffic conditions. But it makes me feel better about the mpg I’m getting with the Ascent, so there’s that.😎😅

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RayP

· #132 · 19 d ago

riverrunner said:
I know, I wouldn't believe it if someone else told me either. I was having to fill up every 175-200 miles. I kept all my receipts from the trip and reverified based on the road mileage to make sure I wasn't having an issue with my odometer. The last 1200 miles of driving I have averaged 13.7 MPG. I was thinking that maybe the winter blend fuel was to blame but my Tundra just averaged about 13 on its last fill up which is about the EPA rating for it for city style driving.

I tried trading it in today for a Sequoia but the dealer would only offer me $26k....I paid nearly $40k for it just a few months ago. I know I would be upside down trying to turn it that fast but I'm pretty sure I could still be in the $30k-$35k range selling private party.

I'll check the air filter but its dead of winter with virtually zero dust and its only got 6800 miles on it.

I have had squirrels or some other rodent start to build a nest around my air filter.

lesanek

· #133 · 19 d ago

RayP said:
I have had squirrels or some other rodent start to build a nest around my air filter.

Welcome in the club 😃. Animal friendly cars😁. Our bill was over$3000 . Comprehensive Insurance covered it all .......👍

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packout

· #134 · 18 d ago

lesanek said:
Welcome in the club 😃. Animal friendly cars😁. Our bill was over$3000 . Comprehensive Insurance covered it all .......👍

next time post a sign. That always works.

Dog Dog breed Carnivore German shepherd dog Old german shepherd dog

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visorvet

· #135 · 8 d ago (Edited)

+1 atrocious gas mileage in my 22 Ascent.
I like the car otherwise but mileage is nowhere near what is stated by Subaru. I chose it over a 4Runner because the stated mileage was significantly higher - not! It was a disappointment because the 4Runner would be more capable in the rough terrain I often navigate, and probably more durable for a person who drove her previous vehicle for over 20 years. I am mystified by all y’all saying you routinely get 20+ around town, as I get 12-14. Interestingly these numbers do not change with conservative vs pedal-mash driving - after running that experiment quite a few times I have defaulted to mashing the pedal because it doesn’t worsen matters. My husband’s F150 gets close to 30 mpg in town and my previous vehicle was an enormously capable Chevy 3/4 ton pickup that got 12 mpg. A similar replacement would likely be more sensible for me - the Ascent gets essentially the same mileage but with vastly inferior load/tow capability.

I have zero issues with the car’s power - and for perspective I almost bought a VW GTI to replace the truck because I value pep. The Sube def doesn’t handle as well as the GTI, though.

I am far too lazy to trade it, and it doesn’t seem sensible to lose $$$$ on that to avoid losing $ on gas. Other than this issue the Ascent has been a pleasure to own and drive.

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Daniel Acosta

· #136 · 8 d ago

visorvet said:
+1 atrocious gas mileage in my 22 Ascent.
I like the car otherwise but mileage is nowhere near what is stated by Subaru. I chose it over a 4Runner because the stated mileage was significantly higher - not! It was a disappointment because the 4Runner would be more capable in the rough terrain I often navigate, and probably more durable for a person who drove her previous vehicle for over 20 years. I am mystified by all y’all saying you routinely get 20+ around town, as I get 12-14. Interestingly these numbers do not change with conservative vs pedal-mash driving - after running that experiment quite a few times I have defaulted to mashing the pedal because it doesn’t worsen matters. My husband’s F150 gets close to 30 mpg in town and my previous vehicle was an enormously capable Chevy 3/4 ton pickup that got 12 mpg. A similar replacement would likely be more sensible for me - the Ascent gets essentially the same mileage but with vastly inferior load/tow capability.

I have zero issues with the car’s power - and for perspective I almost bought a VW GTI to replace the truck because I value pep. The Sube def doesn’t handle as well as the GTI, though. I am far too lazy to trade it, and it doesn’t seem sensible to lose $$$$ on that to avoid losing $ on gas. Other than this issue the Ascent has been a pleasure to own and drive.

I've never heard of an F150 getting close to 30 under any conditions. I have achieved as high as 29 in our Ascent, and have also seen as low as 18 on trips shorter than 3 miles. Does your husband also get low mileage when he drives your Ascent?

Reactions: 1

Slagmi

· #137 · 8 d ago

visorvet said:
+1 atrocious gas mileage in my 22 Ascent.
I like the car otherwise but mileage is nowhere near what is stated by Subaru. I chose it over a 4Runner because the stated mileage was significantly higher - not! It was a disappointment because the 4Runner would be more capable in the rough terrain I often navigate, and probably more durable for a person who drove her previous vehicle for over 20 years. I am mystified by all y’all saying you routinely get 20+ around town, as I get 12-14. Interestingly these numbers do not change with conservative vs pedal-mash driving - after running that experiment quite a few times I have defaulted to mashing the pedal because it doesn’t worsen matters. My husband’s F150 gets close to 30 mpg in town and my previous vehicle was an enormously capable Chevy 3/4 ton pickup that got 12 mpg. A similar replacement would likely be more sensible for me - the Ascent gets essentially the same mileage but with vastly inferior load/tow capability.

I have zero issues with the car’s power - and for perspective I almost bought a VW GTI to replace the truck because I value pep. The Sube def doesn’t handle as well as the GTI, though. I am far too lazy to trade it, and it doesn’t seem sensible to lose $$$$ on that to avoid losing $ on gas. Other than this issue the Ascent has been a pleasure to own and drive.

You might want to see how the math works before you discount moving on!

For me, driving 250 miles a week costs $38.00 a week if I get 25mpg
If I get 15mpg the cost is over $63.
So for me 25$ a week. Every week.
So multiply your number by however many weeks you keep that 14mpg car.

Don't know your payments or other details but maybe you aren't saving money by keeping it.

Reactions: 1

Packard8

· #138 · 8 d ago

visorvet said:
+1 atrocious gas mileage in my 22 Ascent.
I like the car otherwise but mileage is nowhere near what is stated by Subaru. I chose it over a 4Runner because the stated mileage was significantly higher - not! It was a disappointment because the 4Runner would be more capable in the rough terrain I often navigate, and probably more durable for a person who drove her previous vehicle for over 20 years. I am mystified by all y’all saying you routinely get 20+ around town, as I get 12-14. Interestingly these numbers do not change with conservative vs pedal-mash driving - after running that experiment quite a few times I have defaulted to mashing the pedal because it doesn’t worsen matters. My husband’s F150 gets close to 30 mpg in town and my previous vehicle was an enormously capable Chevy 3/4 ton pickup that got 12 mpg. A similar replacement would likely be more sensible for me - the Ascent gets essentially the same mileage but with vastly inferior load/tow capability.

I have zero issues with the car’s power - and for perspective I almost bought a VW GTI to replace the truck because I value pep. The Sube def doesn’t handle as well as the GTI, though. I am far too lazy to trade it, and it doesn’t seem sensible to lose $$$$ on that to avoid losing $ on gas. Other than this issue the Ascent has been a pleasure to own and drive.

How many miles on your '22 Ascent? My '22 Onyx was pretty thirsty for the first 5K miles, but my current tank full reads 22.3 MPG, all city driving, and I've seen around 26-28 highway depending on terrain, headwinds etc. The MPG has increased steadily to the current 13K on the ODO. There could be something out of calibration with a sensor, weak injector(s), etc. Have you had it checked by a dealer? I assume you are still within the 3/36 warranty? I would contact SoA (1 800 subaru3) and perhaps start a case and have things checked out at the next level.

Is your hub's F150 a hybrid? I've never heard of one getting 30 MPG city, I've had ppl with the 3.5 Ecoboost complain of really poor MPG, worse than the V8. The GTI and Ascent are apples to watermelons as far as handling goes (as well as cargo, passengers, towing, etc), two different vehicles for two different purposes.

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packout

· #139 · 8 d ago

visorvet said:
+1 atrocious gas mileage in my 22 Ascent.
I like the car otherwise but mileage is nowhere near what is stated by Subaru. I chose it over a 4Runner because the stated mileage was significantly higher - not! It was a disappointment because the 4Runner would be more capable in the rough terrain I often navigate, and probably more durable for a person who drove her previous vehicle for over 20 years. I am mystified by all y’all saying you routinely get 20+ around town, as I get 12-14. Interestingly these numbers do not change with conservative vs pedal-mash driving - after running that experiment quite a few times I have defaulted to mashing the pedal because it doesn’t worsen matters. My husband’s F150 gets close to 30 mpg in town and my previous vehicle was an enormously capable Chevy 3/4 ton pickup that got 12 mpg. A similar replacement would likely be more sensible for me - the Ascent gets essentially the same mileage but with vastly inferior load/tow capability.

I have zero issues with the car’s power - and for perspective I almost bought a VW GTI to replace the truck because I value pep. The Sube def doesn’t handle as well as the GTI, though. I am far too lazy to trade it, and it doesn’t seem sensible to lose $$$$ on that to avoid losing $ on gas. Other than this issue the Ascent has been a pleasure to own and drive.

I have about 5000 miles on my 2023 Ascent. My overall average is about 20+ mpg ( I live in Denver metro area). My highway driving averages about 25mpg (typically 9mph over speed limit). My load typically is the equivelant of having three passengers in the vehicle at all times.

Reactions: 1

lesanek

· #140 · 7 d ago

visorvet said:
+1 atrocious gas mileage in my 22 Ascent.
I like the car otherwise but mileage is nowhere near what is stated by Subaru. I chose it over a 4Runner because the stated mileage was significantly higher - not! It was a disappointment because the 4Runner would be more capable in the rough terrain I often navigate, and probably more durable for a person who drove her previous vehicle for over 20 years. I am mystified by all y’all saying you routinely get 20+ around town, as I get 12-14. Interestingly these numbers do not change with conservative vs pedal-mash driving - after running that experiment quite a few times I have defaulted to mashing the pedal because it doesn’t worsen matters. My husband’s F150 gets close to 30 mpg in town and my previous vehicle was an enormously capable Chevy 3/4 ton pickup that got 12 mpg. A similar replacement would likely be more sensible for me - the Ascent gets essentially the same mileage but with vastly inferior load/tow capability.

I have zero issues with the car’s power - and for perspective I almost bought a VW GTI to replace the truck because I value pep. The Sube def doesn’t handle as well as the GTI, though. I am far too lazy to trade it, and it doesn’t seem sensible to lose $$$$ on that to avoid losing $ on gas. Other than this issue the Ascent has been a pleasure to own and drive.

You're either chasing squirrels or something is seriously wrong (computer or gauges) let dealer check the car. It MUST be better than B-9 . 😉

Reactions: 3

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