jftjr

Well, i drive about 75% highway, it's plenty cold here (Philly area), I'm using premium gas (of course), I use the cruise control a lot, there's 6500 miles on my car.... and my mileage sucks.

It always has -- when I first got the car, it was getting 12 MPG.... it's gotten a LITTLE better but not much.

Both times I've asked the dealer to check it they've said "no problem found" but I call bogus. It's just one more problem in this very problematic car.

lindros2

I've found that short drives (< 10 miles/day) cause most new cars to have crappy mileage.

Case in point: my G35 (second car) was only being driven (literally) 1-2 miles/day. If we broke 9-10 MPG we were lucky.

Now it has a longer commute - about 15 miles each way. Gas mileage is up around 19-23 depending on a lot of factors (weather, traffic, acceleration, etc.).

I blame part of the reduced mileage on the transmission logic. When you only drive a short distance all the time, the new computer-controlled "learning" transmissions adjust for that. However, if you mix in highway mileage, it begins to relax and provides a shift program more condusive to gas mileage.

You can also blame decreased mileage on the car not warming up enough (maximum mileage is when the engine is warmed up).

catsailr

I just completed a trip of about 1,100 miles. The RL averaged 28.2 MPG at an average speed of 64 MPH. Most of my driving on the interstate was 70 to 80 MPH and a lot of it was in the mountains.

My 04 TL that I traded for the RL would have probably gotten around 30 MPG under the same conditions.

kjb_AZ

I was interested to see what others are getting after reading a comment on Miata board about an RL getting poor fuel mileage. Overall (about 14k miles), I'm averaging about 23 mpg and on trips it's generally over 28 mpg. I've made runs from Prescott, AZ to Tucson, driven around town and back on a tank. It's about 210 miles one way. Prescott is at 5000' so I'm sure it's running leaner here, but I haven't noticed a significant drop off in Phoenix at 1500' elevation.

In the past year I've made probably twenty trips to Phoenix and Scottsdale and the mileage has always come in at 28 mpg, including the climb back up which kills mileage. I'm surprised to see some people averaging in the teens. I had a Lincoln Navigator, so just getting the EPA numbers would be a huge improvement. My other car is a six speed Miata and it really doesn't do that much better considering it weighs about half as much. I don't drive like an old lady...really!

vluu

I'm getting about 16-17 MPG. I drive about 10 miles a day, round trip.. from home to work. My commute is basically city driving...with some stop and go traffic, not the greatest mileage, but not surprised. In my pass car, I did not have a MID, so I don't know if I was really doing any better.

I heard as the car gets a little age on it, the mileage is suppose to improve? I just hit 1K.

jcb-memphis

If I use D, 14mi commute....24-27mpg. On the highway, 26-30mpg. If I shift with the paddles and keep the engine at 3k+, 16-21mpg...not bad considering the fun and 290hp...

Getting about 1mpg more with Mobil 1 than with the stock when new...might just be the engine breaking in and have nothing to do with the oil. I don't care. I like Mobil 1.

JB

neuronbob

Good use of an old thread!

I keep track of my mileage with every tank of gas. I fill up about once a week. I drive 60/40 highway/city. Much of the highway driving is spent in rush-hour traffic, so that certainly drives the mileage down.

For the last few weeks, according the RL's trip computer:

miles driven on tank/mpg
320 miles 17.6 mpg
325.4 miles, 17.4 mpg
307 miles, 17.4 mpg
333.8 miles, 17.4 mpg
295.1 miles, 17.0 mpg
302.5 miles, 17.2 mpg

My 2004 TL got 21-22 mpg under similar conditions.

jftjr

Truth. I was re-reading my comments.... I had forgotten how bad the mileage was on my '05!


When I traded my '05 in on the '06, my gas mileage improved tremendously. My '06 gets about 20-24 MPG on average, and on the long highway trip I took with it (NJ to western NC and back) I averaged almost 28MPG, with cruise and lots of AC and a trunk full of luggage.

There was just something *wrong* with my '05....

kjb_AZ

What sort of range does it show when you fill it? Mine shows something close to 500 miles. I think the worst mileage I've seen was 21 mpg or more. On the last tank I drove 190 miles in town, went to Scottsdale and back, then filled it the next day. The total was just over 400 miles before the light came on. I wonder if it's something with regional gas formulas. This time of year we're on 10% ethanol, which doesn't help.

edit: ^ hmm, can there be that much variation from one car to another?

Ernie Golfs

My 05 RL with 15,000 miles:
16 - 18 MPG city
25 - 27 MPG highway

My 06 TL with 4,800 miles:
20 - 22 MPG city
28 - 30 MPG highway

I think the TL can do better, if I drive carefully on a long trip. The RL won't, it is what it is.

kenny5

I only have 2k miles on my 06 TL. In the past 1.6k miles, I avg 19 mpg, mixed driving. Today, Saturday, I took it out for a spin (95% hwy) where there wasn't much traffic. I drove 55 miles, avg 60 mph, and my mpg was 31 mpg. Not bad for a car with with 258 hp and performance to boot!!

Mike_TX

I took the TL on a 3300-mile trip a few months back, and never did break 30mpg. Mostly in the 29 range as I recall.

OTOH, a 4200-mile trip in the RL last month returned mpg's in the high 28's. So, I don't consider the highway mileage to be different enough to matter.

In town, though, the TL does a good bit better than the RL. TL: 21.5-22.0 / RL: 18.4-18.8. For a car of its weight, and with AWD, the RL does a pretty good job. Take it on the road, though, and it's essentially as good as the TL.
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NJ06RL

I've got 4000 miles on my 06RL and it's 50% city 50% highway. I get aggressive with the throttle only when I need it ( about twice a trip on average ). I get about 17.8-18.2 mpg but this is with mid-grade gas.

lflorack

I'm sure you know (since you mentioend it) that Acura advises premium fuel (91+) and that using mid-grade fuel is costing you both performance and mileage. I know it's a matter of choice, but I'm curious as to your choice. I'm pretty sure that the cost difference is minimal and (to me) not sufficiently worth it. Too much to lose for so little gain. Again, just curious.