Fuel Economy

[nsmitchell]

Originally Posted by 07WYarisRS

Keep in mind when the tets are done for in town and hwy mileage they are done in a strait time with few cold starts and shutting the car off. if you fill up you car and drove it intown for a full tank of fuel without shutting it off you will easily hit the toyota mileage claims. Same with the hwy. If I fill the tank and drive it until empty with no stops or cold starts I can easily get toyota's cliamed mileage or better.

So much depends on the driving style, when you drive, where you drive and how often you start your car.
During the week our mileage sucks because the is driven 5 minutes from the house, at lunch the wife drives home, an hour later she drives back, then home again. 4 cold starts = 4 cold 5 minute drives. The car barely gets up to normal operating temps before it's parked again and this KILLS the fuel economy. but it's a far cry better then our truck was LOL.
The more short trips or in town the worse the mileage will be.


Also I get FAR better mileage driving then my wife does and we both follow the posted speed limits most of the time.
The difference is I tend to accelerate slower and coast longer, where she uses the brakes a lot more and has a heavier foot. When she drives the car is shifting aprox 500 rpm higher then when I drive.
Also the speeds you drive on the hwy make a huge difference. Drive 100kph and you will get better mileage them driving 120kph.

There are a few things you can do to improve the mileage as well. The biggest difference for our car was switching the fluids over to synthetics
Amsoil 0w-30 engine oil and Amsoil ATF. I can get crazy mileage (over 50mpg) if i drive on the hwy and keep it at 100-105kph and that's with an auto and car full of camping gear.
Do not over inflate the tires... so many people do this and think that it helps, follow the mfg's recommended tire pressure, it's on the inside edge of the driver door.

So how's that Amsoil ATF? Did you change it yourself? I want to do this but I'll probably pay a shop to do it.

[Jem_hadar]

Originally Posted by 07WYarisRS

Keep in mind when the tets are done for in town and hwy mileage they are done in a strait time with few cold starts and shutting the car off. if you fill up you car and drove it intown for a full tank of fuel without shutting it off you will easily hit the toyota mileage claims. Same with the hwy. If I fill the tank and drive it until empty with no stops or cold starts I can easily get toyota's cliamed mileage or better.

So much depends on the driving style, when you drive, where you drive and how often you start your car.
During the week our mileage sucks because the is driven 5 minutes from the house, at lunch the wife drives home, an hour later she drives back, then home again. 4 cold starts = 4 cold 5 minute drives. The car barely gets up to normal operating temps before it's parked again and this KILLS the fuel economy. but it's a far cry better then our truck was LOL.
The more short trips or in town the worse the mileage will be.


Also I get FAR better mileage driving then my wife does and we both follow the posted speed limits most of the time.
The difference is I tend to accelerate slower and coast longer, where she uses the brakes a lot more and has a heavier foot. When she drives the car is shifting aprox 500 rpm higher then when I drive.
Also the speeds you drive on the hwy make a huge difference. Drive 100kph and you will get better mileage them driving 120kph.

There are a few things you can do to improve the mileage as well. The biggest difference for our car was switching the fluids over to synthetics
Amsoil 0w-30 engine oil and Amsoil ATF. I can get crazy mileage (over 50mpg) if i drive on the hwy and keep it at 100-105kph and that's with an auto and car full of camping gear.
Do not over inflate the tires... so many people do this and think that it helps, follow the mfg's recommended tire pressure, it's on the inside edge of the driver door.

Thanks for that man.
Great comments, glad you posted that so I could read it.

[foober]

It really appears most of the gas will be used in acceleration. So go easy on the acceleration. You can cruise when your up to speed on the highway and get probably close to 45+ miles to the gallon. But where most of the gas is used up is as I've mentioned in the acceleration to a cruising speed.

[Racer X-8]

TYPICAL TECHNICAL PROPERTIES
Revised as of 12/06
AMSOIL Synthetic Universal Automatic Transmission Fluid (ATF)

Kinematic Viscosity @ 100°C, cSt (ASTM D-445)

6.8

Kinematic Viscosity @ 40°C, cSt (ASTM D-445)

33.5

Viscosity Index (ASTM D-2270)

168

Noack Volatility, % weight loss (ASTM D-5800)

10.2

Flash Point °C (°F) (ASTM D-92)

222 (432)

Pour Point °C (°F) (ASTM D-97)

-52 (-61)

Four Ball Wear Test, Scar in mm; 40 kg, 75°C, 1200 rpm, 1 hr (ASTM D-4172B)

0.40

Brookfield Viscosity (cP)

-20°C = 1298

Brookfield Viscosity (cP)

-40°C = 9326

The question that I have is that it says "AMSOIL ATF is recommended for transmission, hydraulic and other applications requiring any of the following specifications:" and it goes on to list "Toyota Type T and T-IV"
BUT
The manual says "When changing the automatic transmission fluid, use only "Toyota Genuine ATF WS" (ATF JWS3324 or NWS9638)."

wuddup wit dat? doesn't seem to match-up...

[captainzerocool]

Because this is the fuel economy thread I'll post my last tank from my Camry.

I finally broke 30mpg. In the 5 years I've owned the car, this is the first time. That is nearly 95% highway at around 85mph. Nothing above 3000rpm. I've impressed myself with that feat.

And the car has 228,000 miles....

[Racer X-8]

I remember some testing results yielded a general statement that you use less gas by accelerating moderately than by accelerating very lightly.

Sure, accelerating moderately uses more gas than accelerating very lightly, but what makes it win-out in the end is THE AMOUNT OF TIME it takes to get you to your cruising speed. Overall, the amount of gas you use to get you to your cruising speed (the integral, or "the area under the consumption rate/time curve") is least if you accelerate moderately.

Besides that, you stand less chance of getting run-over by the cars behind you! O.o

[ECHOKnight2000]

I hope this isn't too off topic but where i live (Minnesota) its just under $2.00 US dollars for gas! Imagine that! I thought I never ever see that again! Probably won't last long. I'm sure this will put a damper on Yaris sales...

[captainzerocool]

Originally Posted by ECHOKnight2000

I hope this isn't too off topic but where i live (Minnesota) its just under $2.00 US dollars for gas! Imagine that! I thought I never ever see that again! Probably won't last long. I'm sure this will put a damper on Yaris sales...

I don't think many people are running out to get "SUV's" that still only manage 15mpg...

[ECHOKnight2000]

Originally Posted by captainzerocool

I don't think many people are running out to get "SUV's" that still only manage 15mpg...

You'd be surprised, this is America, land of the house on wheels, but then again it could be just suburbia.

[Racer X-8]

agreed. you know, we americans are pretty stupid, you ever watch Jay Leno doing his Jaywalking thing on the tonight show? ah, nevermind,,, ppl all live for the moment, and at the moment, there's gas at all the pumps and enough cash in their pockets to buy some, that's all there is to it. sorry huh?

[Yaris TTE JWRC]

Originally Posted by Racer X-8

agreed. you know, we americans are pretty stupid, you ever watch Jay Leno doing his Jaywalking thing on the tonight show? ah, nevermind,,, ppl all live for the moment, and at the moment, there's gas at all the pumps and enough cash in their pockets to buy some, that's all there is to it. sorry huh?

Im glad im a Chinaman, not American, but i love my American GF

[mkaresh]

My site has a real-world fuel economy survey that is more detailed than most. Results so far:

Real-world fuel economy survey results

Just a couple results for the Yaris so far. Far more for most competitors, such as the Fit and Versa. But I'm just getting started. When I have plenty of results for most models, I'm going to statistically analyze the data to separate out all the variables and get clean city, highway, etc. stats.

[Racer X-8]

Darn, why did I post this question in another thread?...

Why does the Corolla get the nod for best MPG?

[Jem_hadar]

Just filled up yesterday. I got 25 MPG (US) on my last tank.

This tank had absolutely no hwy driving, it was all in-town driving over a 2 week period.

Wow, Im kinda shocked at how weak that last tank was... I wonder if its largely due to cold weather and lots of snow we have recently received?

(I guess usually even with hwy driving clicks on my tanks (often 1/2 or 2/3rds of it) I'm only getting around 29-31 MPG (US) so I shouldnt really be surprised I got 25 on in-town only?)

Jem

[swng]

Originally Posted by Jem_hadar

Just filled up yesterday. I got 25 MPG (US) on my last tank.

This tank had absolutely no hwy driving, it was all in-town driving over a 2 week period.

Wow, Im kinda shocked at how weak that last tank was... I wonder if its largely due to cold weather and lots of snow we have recently received?

(I guess usually even with hwy driving clicks on my tanks (often 1/2 or 2/3rds of it) I'm only getting around 29-31 MPG (US) so I shouldnt really be surprised I got 25 on in-town only?)

Jem

Your numbers are still way better than those produced with some less fuel efficient cars.
I am just curious. Do you drive short trips very often Jem?

[Jem_hadar]

Originally Posted by swng

Your numbers are still way better than those produced with some less fuel efficient cars.
I am just curious. Do you drive short trips very often Jem?

Around town? Yes. From home to work, 5-7 mins. Out for lunch, another 5 mins there and back. Home from work.
Then maybe go out to get dinner or a movie.
So in town, yes all very short trips.

But since the summer, I've been traveling to Toronto a lot, about 200 km down the 400 or 404.

To Toronto and back will use something less than a full tank. I also speed on the 400-series highways though. My usually speed is 120km, but I'm often up around 140 or 150, which I figure is what contributes to my avg MPG (US) of about 29 on tanks that do include around 75% or more maybe highway driving.

That last tank where I got 25 MPG was purely small town driving, I'm pretty positive.

Originally Posted by fearturtle44

Yeah, 25MPG for in town driving is low for the Yaris. Snow and bad weather will definitely hurt the MPG. You might also ensure your tire pressure is correct. And only check when tires are cold and car has not been driven in 2-3 hours.

Kevin

I think I'll check after work to make sure my tires are still at the ideal 32 PSI I think it was. I'm sure, now that you mention it, that they've dropped, since last time I checked was approx a month or more ago, and we didnt have snow then and it was keeping around +5 - +10oC out, instead of the usual now of -20 - -5oC out.

Thx for reminding me to check my pressure w/ the temperatre/weather change.

Jem

[Jem_hadar]

Originally Posted by swng

Your numbers are still way better than those produced with some less fuel efficient cars.

Yeah, If I'd gotten the VW Rabbit as could have been a very real possibility if I'd been out when I was car shopping at the beg of May, I'm sure my efficiency would have been worse than the last 25MPG I got on my last tank.

[mutatio]

Originally Posted by Jem_hadar

Yeah, If I'd gotten the VW Rabbit as could have been a very real possibility if I'd been out when I was car shopping at the beg of May, I'm sure my efficiency would have been worse than the last 25MPG I got on my last tank.

yeh, my goal with getting the Yaris was to basically aim high with the fuel estimates. that way, assuming i got less i'd still be heads and shoulders beyond what i was getting in my old car. :)