It'd be great if everyone who's getting GOOD gas mileage
can share their tips here, for those who aren't.
can share their tips here, for those who aren't.
Gas Mileage Realities And Tips... post your tips on HOW TO get good gas mileage
Post your tips on HOW TO get good gas mileage - my experiences and tips are below:
This thread isn't about "gee, I got horrible gas mileage" - this thread is to assist those who are getting bad gas mileage with tips from those of us who are getting good gas mileage, so, hopefully, you can do the same.
I just did 281.6 miles, and got 27.4 mpg (27.3 mpg by the time I let the car idle while taking the photo below). And that's on my heavy BF Goodrich All Terrain T/A KO2 LT tires.
![Motor vehicle Automotive lighting Font Parallel Technology]()
Toughest thing is, people don't realize that EPA Highway Fuel Economy testing is 60 mph and less (this is the EPA's tests, not Subaru's). Even so, careful use of the accelerator (as little use of it as possible other than to hold speed) can result in great MPG.
![Rectangle Product Azure Slope Plot]()
Even though 2/3 of my trip was 70 mph (everything to NYC), and the rest was between 50-60 mph (NYC to my home exit) followed by 3 miles at 47mph, I still managed to beat EPA ratings. I was fully in "automatic" mode the entire way (no manual shifting, even though the mountains), with ACC in Adaptive mode. I did remove my roof rack for this trip (they eat gas mileage).
Things against me:
So, remember, it's not that the fuel ratings of the car are wrong. They are not. If you live in Utah, you will probably never make EPA ratings, because the speed limit is 20 mph OVER the EPA's Highway test ratings' maximum speed.
![Speedometer Odometer Trip computer Motor vehicle Light]()
If you live somewhere where you can keep the speeds at 70 mph or below, and not keep changing speeds (as traffic sometimes requires), most of you CAN make EPA ratings, especially because most of you are not running tires as heavy as mine. A friend made a nice little graph of what speeds gas mileage really starts to suffer.
![Rectangle Slope Plot Font Parallel]()
ALSO REMEMBER...
When I am enjoying using my turbo, my highway gas mileage is only 21-23 mpg. Adjusting my driving habits netted me Almost 4.5-6.5 mpg better.
KEY THINGS:
Maybe EPA Highway Testing speeds need to be updated.
Instead, they added a "High Speed" test, but that's not the data on the EPA Required "City/Combined/Highway" posts/stickers.
So, until things change, I guess it's a matter of being realistic with our expectations. Next time I go cross country, I know I can't make EPA ratings, because I will be traveling considerably faster than the 60 mph speeds that the EPA requires for testing highway gas mileage.
This thread isn't about "gee, I got horrible gas mileage" - this thread is to assist those who are getting bad gas mileage with tips from those of us who are getting good gas mileage, so, hopefully, you can do the same.
I just did 281.6 miles, and got 27.4 mpg (27.3 mpg by the time I let the car idle while taking the photo below). And that's on my heavy BF Goodrich All Terrain T/A KO2 LT tires.
MY TRIP COMPUTER IS GENERALLY
OFF NO MORE THAN ½ MPG
OFF NO MORE THAN ½ MPG
Toughest thing is, people don't realize that EPA Highway Fuel Economy testing is 60 mph and less (this is the EPA's tests, not Subaru's). Even so, careful use of the accelerator (as little use of it as possible other than to hold speed) can result in great MPG.
Even though 2/3 of my trip was 70 mph (everything to NYC), and the rest was between 50-60 mph (NYC to my home exit) followed by 3 miles at 47mph, I still managed to beat EPA ratings. I was fully in "automatic" mode the entire way (no manual shifting, even though the mountains), with ACC in Adaptive mode. I did remove my roof rack for this trip (they eat gas mileage).
Things against me:
- Very heavy BF Goodrich All Terrain T/A KO2 Light Truck tires (five of them, counting the hitch mounted spare).
- COBB AccessPort running 93 octane tune
- Hundreds of pounds of gear
- Drove through the Adirondack High Peaks Region, and made some stops (such as the photo stop for the photo I posted earlier).
- Drove through the Catskill Mountains.
- ⅔ of my trip was at 70 mph
So, remember, it's not that the fuel ratings of the car are wrong. They are not. If you live in Utah, you will probably never make EPA ratings, because the speed limit is 20 mph OVER the EPA's Highway test ratings' maximum speed.
If you live somewhere where you can keep the speeds at 70 mph or below, and not keep changing speeds (as traffic sometimes requires), most of you CAN make EPA ratings, especially because most of you are not running tires as heavy as mine. A friend made a nice little graph of what speeds gas mileage really starts to suffer.
ALSO REMEMBER...
When I am enjoying using my turbo, my highway gas mileage is only 21-23 mpg. Adjusting my driving habits netted me Almost 4.5-6.5 mpg better.
KEY THINGS:
- ACC isn't magic. Key factors involved is what the traffic in front of you is doing. If your cruise is set at 70 mph, and your Ascent has to keep slowing to 50 and then speeding back up, you will be eating gas. To get great gas mileages, I try to drive at as steady of a speed as possible.
- The Ascent has a turbo, with a quick tip-in point. Unless you learn your throttle, you're going to be burning gas.
- It's fun to floor the Ascent, but, don't do it and expect good gas mileage.
. - MOST OF YOU live in areas where the speed limit is 65, 70, 75 or higher. If you're driving over 70 mph, you will rarely, if ever, see EPA highway ratings, because the speed for the testing is 60 mph or less.
. - NO, Subaru can't just make up their own tests. Car manufacturers follow the EPA testing, as they are required to.
. - The Ascent has a massive and flat front end, as required to suck in all the air the turbo needs and to keep engine and CVT cool - so, yeah, making gas mileage ratings may have been easier on your previous, smaller, turbo vehicle. The Ascent is a big 7/8 passenger car.
Maybe EPA Highway Testing speeds need to be updated.
Instead, they added a "High Speed" test, but that's not the data on the EPA Required "City/Combined/Highway" posts/stickers.
So, until things change, I guess it's a matter of being realistic with our expectations. Next time I go cross country, I know I can't make EPA ratings, because I will be traveling considerably faster than the 60 mph speeds that the EPA requires for testing highway gas mileage.
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In the roughly two years we owned our 2019 Ascent Touring, I was always able to beat the EPA estimate for highway mileage - sometimes averaging 33-35 MPG. A few reasons for that: 1) We're both retired, so we tend to not be in a big hurry to get where we're going. Here on the Eastern Seaboard, we probably average about 60 mph on freeways (most of the freeways we drive have speed limits between 55 and 65 MPH). As has previously been noted, higher speeds create greater wind resistance which lowers MPG. That's just basic physics; 2) I never used cruise control on the Ascent. It is a very heavy car to be powered by a 4-cylinder engine - hence the need for a turbo. The Ascent's turbo tends to be "punchy" (kicking in with only moderate pressure on the gas pedal). That results in higher RPMs which lowers fuel economy. Using a light touch on the gas pedal, coasting on downhill sections, and accelerating moderately all help fuel economy; 3) Observing the speed limit on freeways has an additional benefit for MPG - everyone else is zipping by at speeds well over the speed limit. So, by positioning myself in the right lane, I hardly ever have to worry about slowing down for cars ahead of me, or, accelerating to get around someone driving at a lower speed. On one highway trip we make frequently (about 200 miles), there have been many times when I passed no one over the entire length of the trip. I guess no one else on the highways here is concerned about global warming.
I realize my driving style differs substantially from most, and probably isn't satisfactory for many drivers - especially those who like to zip along at 15-20 MPH above the speed limit. YMMV.
I realize my driving style differs substantially from most, and probably isn't satisfactory for many drivers - especially those who like to zip along at 15-20 MPH above the speed limit. YMMV.
I just posted this earlier replying to another thread but it also belongs here.
Rt I-395 in CT near the coast.
I was making a local run along a super highway today and started the the trip odometer when I was already at highway speed and on cruise control around 65. For the 8 mile trip I kept it at speed & took this photo on the off ramp coming down an incline. Depending on the driving it o'course makes a difference. I'm pretty sure my overall average will be closer to the published stats, still, this was fun to see.
![Car Speedometer Automotive design Gauge Personal luxury car]()
Rt I-395 in CT near the coast.
I was making a local run along a super highway today and started the the trip odometer when I was already at highway speed and on cruise control around 65. For the 8 mile trip I kept it at speed & took this photo on the off ramp coming down an incline. Depending on the driving it o'course makes a difference. I'm pretty sure my overall average will be closer to the published stats, still, this was fun to see.
We are in the same boat, retired, not in a hurry, know where we are going and how long it takes. Conservative driving wins the day.👍 2020 Ascent, so far just under 31mpg with cruise control, car has 9000 milesIn the roughly two years we owned our 2019 Ascent Touring, I was always able to beat the EPA estimate for highway mileage - sometimes averaging 33-35 MPG. A few reasons for that: 1) We're both retired, so we tend to not be in a big hurry to get where we're going. Here on the Eastern Seaboard, we probably average about 60 mph on freeways (most of the freeways we drive have speed limits between 55 and 65 MPH). As has previously been noted, higher speeds create greater wind resistance which lowers MPG. That's just basic physics; 2) I never used cruise control on the Ascent. It is a very heavy car to be powered by a 4-cylinder engine - hence the need for a turbo. The Ascent's turbo tends to be "punchy" (kicking in with only moderate pressure on the gas pedal). That results in higher RPMs which lowers fuel economy. Using a light touch on the gas pedal, coasting on downhill sections, and accelerating moderately all help fuel economy; 3) Observing the speed limit on freeways has an additional benefit for MPG - everyone else is zipping by at speeds well over the speed limit. So, by positioning myself in the right lane, I hardly ever have to worry about slowing down for cars ahead of me, or, accelerating to get around someone driving at a lower speed. On one highway trip we make frequently (about 200 miles), there have been many times when I passed no one over the entire length of the trip. I guess no one else on the highways here is concerned about global warming.
I realize my driving style differs substantially from most, and probably isn't satisfactory for many drivers - especially those who like to zip along at 15-20 MPH above the speed limit. YMMV.
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