[sbpark]

So I have about 1,200 miles on the car, posted a little while ago about my disappointing gas mileage, others suggested that I needed to break in the motor a while longer, others suggested switching to 87 octane instead of 89 (i used 89 octane in my '06 Forester 2.5X for 6 years before trading it in and would get 24-26mpg and drive it like it was stolen.) I also changed my driving style to be more conscious of my right foot on the gas pedal.

I let the low fuel light come on, filled it up with 87 octane, and believe it or not, regardless of how I drive, I am still getting 21.7-22 mpg from the onboard mileage calculator, and verified by hand calculating. I know others will say give it more time to break in, but I have read about others getting much better mileage from day 1.

FWIW, I drive about a 60/40 split between freeway and around town, commuting 35 miles each way to work three days a week, the other days driving to the gym, surfing, running errands, etc. I usually drive 70-75 on the freeway. I am starting to think the 3.6i would be a better option if I am going to continue to get such crap mileage. The engine wouldn't be working as hard and may be more efficient for my driving style perhaps? It sucks because aside from the mileage, I am happy with the car.

 

[Boogie3478]

Patience, grasshopper

 

[wutbürger]

So I have about 1,200 miles on the car, posted a little while ago about my disappointing gas mileage, others suggested that I needed to break in the motor a while longer, others suggested switching to 87 octane instead of 89 (i used 89 octane in my '06 Forester 2.5X for 6 years before trading it in and would get 24-26mpg and drive it like it was stolen.) I also changed my driving style to be more conscious of my right foot on the gas pedal.

I let the low fuel light come on, filled it up with 87 octane, and believe it or not, regardless of how I drive, I am still getting 21.7-22 mpg from the onboard mileage calculator, and verified by hand calculating. I know others will say give it more time to break in, but I have read about others getting much better mileage from day 1.

FWIW, I drive about a 60/40 split between freeway and around town, commuting 35 miles each way to work three days a week, the other days driving to the gym, surfing, running errands, etc. I usually drive 70-75 on the freeway. I am starting to think the 3.6i would be a better option if I am going to continue to get such crap mileage. The engine wouldn't be working as hard and may be more efficient for my driving style perhaps? It sucks because aside from the mileage, I am happy with the car.

This cannot be overstressed; some people have certain driving styles which are more suited to loads of low-end torque- if you're constantly revving the 2.5i, you'll never get great mileage. FWIW, I average 26-28MPG and I do roughly 80%hwy/20% city driving at 70-75mph. If I keep speeds to about 60mph or so, 30+ is EASILY achievable for me, but again, that's with mostly highway.

Gas mileage is made up of so many variables that it's hard to give you any solid, sure answer. Tire pressure, driving style, traffic, amount of stops in your commute, idling, load, winds, hills, the list goes on. If you feel there truly is an issue, take it to the dealer for diagnosis as they can do more than we can on an internet forum :29:

 

[DieselOx]

We drive the same as you, and can't get below 25, 30 freeway. 4000 miles, been doing this since new.

We almost never floor it, shift around 3000 unless on a hill or on ramp.

I did set the rings properly @ 30 miles on the ODO, can't think of anything else (8 WOT runs from 2500 to 4000 RPM's in 1st through 5th gear, engine warm).

 

[Dzd]

How much corn are they putting in gas down in Cali these days? May be a factor.

 

[4wheeldog]

I got 28.8 for my first tankful (Verified). I only have 800 miles so far, second tank is around 28 even (Gauge).......I am gradually driving a bit harder to make sure the rings are in.

I would not sweat it until after the first oil change. But, whatever you do, if you have the warm-it-up habit, stop doing that. Not good for break-in, and very bad for gas mileage.

 

[subiesailor]

I'm in California we have a 2010 Legacy 2.5 CVT and a 2010 OB CVT. Both were returning about 21-22mpg till we hit about 10,000 miles on the clock.

Idling in stopped traffic or sitting in say a parking lot with kids in the car waiting for mom will wipe out your average mileage in just 15-30 minutes.

 

[sbpark]

I got 28.8 for my first tankful (Verified). I only have 800 miles so far, second tank is around 28 even (Gauge).......I am gradually driving a bit harder to make sure the rings are in.

I would not sweat it until after the first oil change. But, whatever you do, if you have the warm-it-up habit, stop doing that. Not good for break-in, and very bad for gas mileage.

I get in, start it up, and go. My car is a CVT and is PZEV. I just don't get it if the CVT is supposed to be more fuel efficient and what not, and I drove my Forester much harder than this car and still got better mileage.

 

[foxrider68]

I get in, start it up, and go. My car is a CVT and is PZEV. I just don't get it if the CVT is supposed to be more fuel efficient and what not, and I drove my Forester much harder than this car and still got better mileage.

Watch the tach, don't let it go above 3k and see what happens.

 

[sbpark]

Watch the tach, don't let it go above 3k and see what happens.

you really have to drive this car like a slug fi you don't want the tach to go over 3k. With my Forester I rarely let the tach go over 4k, same with the new OB, but 3k is just not enough when you are merging onto a freeway on a short onramp.

 

[foxrider68]

you really have to drive this car like a slug fi you don't want the tach to go over 3k. With my Forester I rarely let the tach go over 4k, same with the new OB, but 3k is just not enough when you are merging onto a freeway on a short onramp.

Its not ideal but an experiment to try if you can. If I'm just driving from point a to b I don't go above 2500 in town and most on ramps I don't go past 3500. But the OB weighs a little more than the Legacy too.

 

[myethreesuns]

you really have to drive this car like a slug fi you don't want the tach to go over 3k. With my Forester I rarely let the tach go over 4k, same with the new OB, but 3k is just not enough when you are merging onto a freeway on a short onramp.

I agree....I have a 2012 Premium 6 speed, and if I baby the throttle and never go above 3000 rpms I average about 26 mpg. I'm a little bummed as I really thought the 2.5 would be fine for me, but if on the highway with just a gradual incline or wind above 8-10 mph the car struggles to get more than 24-25mpg on the instant readout...and thats going at like 60-65 mph.

 

[shurtman]

Based on my own experience and everything I'm reading here, I really think its coming down to driving styles. I rarely see my 2012 2.5i go above 3000 RPMs and I feel like I'm taking it a little easy on the car, but by no means do I feel like I'm baby-ing it. But I guess I'm not nearly as aggresive of a driver as you. Also, at 70+ mph on the freeway I get around 22-25mpg. At 65 or 60 I get 30+ mpg. Anything above 70mph is a mileage killer.

 

[sbpark]

Based on my own experience and everything I'm reading here, I really think its coming down to driving styles. I rarely see my 2012 2.5i go above 3000 RPMs and I feel like I'm taking it a little easy on the car, but by no means do I feel like I'm baby-ing it. But I guess I'm not nearly as aggresive of a driver as you. Also, at 70+ mph on the freeway I get around 22-25mpg. At 65 or 60 I get 30+ mpg. Anything above 70mph is a mileage killer.

There is not enough time in the day to drive like a slug. I would not consider myself a fast driver, but ****, i am not going to creep along to get 30mpg! I think I may take advantage of the GTP and just get a 3.6 next year. If i am going to continue to get $hitty mileage with the 2.5 I might as well be getting $hitty mileage and be able to have fun with the car.

 

[subi dooby do]

check tire pressure? (don't wait for the idiot light)

 

[sbpark]

check tire pressure? (don't wait for the idiot light)

tires are all at 35psi.

 

[Bassman]

There are a combination of factors, one of them being that you only have 1200 miles on the odometer. The other is possibly poor gasoline (if you fuel up at Arco or another "discount" fueling station, you may not get the best mileage). I have noticed that if I fuel up at Arco, which is by far the least expensive gas in my area, I get anywhere from 1 - 3 MPG less than if I fuel up at Chevron or Shell.

 

[GasGuzz]

21-22, wifey gets that (in CO).
Where in SoCal are you?

 

[elvisdog]

do you have anything on top of the car? My gas mileage took a big hit when I put a Thule box on the factory rack. The small engine / big car trick relies on aerodynamics to work.

here in Tucson, with the box off & racks folded, I'm getting 28-31 mpg on a combo of fast interstate driving and in-town. Streets here are posted at 40-45 so that helps but on the highway I drive 5 mph over the limit and the limit is 75 here -- and I still turn 29-30 mpg at 80.

 

[Aeteocles]

I have a 2012 2.5i CVT in SoCal as well. I average 24+ in my daily mix of mostly city driving and stop and go traffic. I've gotten over 30 mpg on my last trip to Palm Springs. I have 4200 miles on my car now, and I have adjusted my trip computer over a period of 4 or 5 tanks (same station, same gas pump) so that my mileage readout is accurate.

A) It may be the car. It's not likely, but it might be. In any case, most people say mileage will improve at around 10k miles, so I'm hoping mine goes up. I broke my car in hard. Several runs at wide open throttle, in manual mode, letting the engine rev up near the red line in each gear. Then, several runs of engine breaking from 80mph down each gear. Everything seemed normal at my first oil chagne at 3750 miles.

B) It's more likely the way you drive. First, speed kills mileage. Wind resistance increases geometrically at speed. That is, wind resistance at 70mph is 4 times more than 35mph, not twice as much. In any case, I cruise at 70mph+ and I still post better mileage than you, so lets exclude that for now.

The other factor then, must be engine load under acceleration. Previous posters say keep the engine below X engine speed. That's not completely accurate. People often use engine speed as a shortcut when they really mean ENGINE LOAD. This is mostly because cars don't come with a good way measure engine load, and in the past you could guestimate engine load based on engine speed and gear ratios.

However, with the CVT, you have NO IDEA what gear ratio the car is using at any giving moment. Engine speed, by itself then, means ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. You could be running the engine a 1800 RPM, but at 100% engine load, wide open throttle, and be ruining your fuel economy. Conversely, you could have the engine humming along at 3000 rpm, at 70% engine load, throttle open to 40% and be cruising along at 40mpg.

Okay, given the above, the car gets the best mileage while cruising at about 65% engine load (I use a scan guage to estimate engine load). That usually means around 2000 rpm, top gear ratio, at about 67mph. The PROBLEM of course, is that the CVT's programming cannot predict what gear ratio you want, it can only guess as to what would best suit the situation based on your PAST driving habits, and your CURRENT manipulation of the gas pedal.

So, try this. See if this helps your mileage. Give the car cues as to where you want the gear ratio to be by being DELIBERATE with your gas pedal. Don't baby it. Get on a freeway on ramp, give it moderate throttle, and accelerate up the ramp like normal. Continue to accelerate to speed on the freeway. Notice that your instant mileage reading should be in the low teens, and the fuel economy needle should be near the bottom. When you get to 70mph, let off the gas for a second. Blip the throttle. TELL the CVT's computer that "Hey, I'm done accelerating. This is where I want you to cruise." Then ease back onto the gas to maintain speed and hold the throttle there. You should immediately see the fuel economy needle jump up to about the halfway mark as the CVT uses the sudden blip in throttle as a cue to shift to the highest cruising ratio.

Do this. Do this for many, many miles. Your car will adapt, and will be more responsive. My car is much more responsive now than it was when I bought it. It accelerates quickly uphill, and settles into cruising speed alot sooner than it used to. The increase performance is likely a blend of engine braking in, as well as the CVT adapting to my driving habits.