2010 JSW TDI real-world mpg

dcplumer

New member
Joined
Oct 12, 2009
Location
Austin, TX
TDI
2010 VW SportWagen TDI
I picked up my new JSW (w/DSG) a couple of weeks ago, and I filled the tank for the first time this morning. I put in 13.117 gallons of diesel, and the odometer read 495. That gives me an mpg of 37.7 combined. My driving is probably 70/30 highway/city, so the real-world mpg isn't too far off the EPA estimate.

Note that I can't swear that the fuel tank was actually full to start, since I didn't fill it myself, but I have no reason to think it wasn't. On the contrary: the stated capacity is 14.5 gal., so I should have had over a gallon remaining, but the console indicated that I had a range of only 20 miles. The console may be telling me a little white lie for safety reasons.

My husband and I were probably driving a little more aggressively than normal, too, as we played with the new toy. The mpg will only get better!

Danielle
 

chadwick

Member
Joined
Aug 3, 2009
Location
Sugar Land, TX
TDI
N/A
That's pretty close to what I'm getting so far, Danielle. I was driving mine pretty aggressively between Austin/Fredericksburg/Utopia/Houston all weekend and over two tanks I got 32.9 and 36.9 MPG.

Experimenting a bit on the freeway stretch back to Houston it looked like 38 MPG would be easy to get going 75 and 42 MPG at 65.
 

StaceyR

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 21, 2009
Location
Orange County, CA
TDI
'10 Jetta Sportwagen (ordered)
JSW mpg

Danielle - That's not too shabby for a first tank. The displayed "range" usually is conservative and should always factor in a reserve for those who find themselves near zero with no gas (and especially diesel) stations around.

Do you have the 17" Porto wheels on your JSW? I bet they subtract a couple MPG compared to the stock 16" (narrower & lighter) setup.
 

Derrel H Green

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jun 2, 2002
Location
Murrieta, California
TDI
An '05 MBZ E-320 CDI (W-211) replaced the '10 TDI JSW
Not Really Full to Start . .

dcplumer said:
Note that I can't swear that the fuel tank was actually full to start, since I didn't fill it myself,
but
I have no reason to think it wasn't. On the contrary: the stated capacity is 14.5 gal., so I
should have had over a gallon remaining, but the console indicated that I had a range of
only 20 miles. The console may be telling me a little white lie for safety reasons.

My husband and I were probably driving a little more aggressively than normal, too,
as we played with the new toy. The mpg will only get better!

Danielle
:)

Since you have fueled it yourself for the first time, you are indeed aware of
how much time it really does take to get it completely filled, are you not?
Doesn't diesel foam more than you expected? :confused:

Do you, in your wildest dreams, think that the peon at the agency took that
much time to really get your car completely filled? Of course he did not! :(

Also, that rated capacity is probably not enough, at least in many cars.
In other words, your car may take even more than the rated capacity and it not run out of fuel.
Our A***a took 21.03 gallons the other day without the warning
light coming on yet, but the capacity is only 18.9 gallons.
I have put as much as 22,7 gallons in it before without it running out first.

Since you now have filled it really full yourself, you can go from there with your F E testing.
If possible, always fill it at the same pump with the car in the same position each time.

Who is a nut for details? Please keep all of us posted!

:D
 

Derrel H Green

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jun 2, 2002
Location
Murrieta, California
TDI
An '05 MBZ E-320 CDI (W-211) replaced the '10 TDI JSW
Agreed . .

StaceyR said:
Do you have the 17" Porto wheels on your JSW? I bet they subtract a
couple MPG compared to the stock 16" (narrower & lighter) setup.
:)

Should be interesting! I will bet she has the stock 16 inchers. :p

:D
 

dcplumer

New member
Joined
Oct 12, 2009
Location
Austin, TX
TDI
2010 VW SportWagen TDI
Yes, I have the 17" Portos.

Derrel, thanks for the reminder about using the same pump consistently. As I tend to tell my students in XML classes, "it doesn't matter if you're wrong. As long as you're always wrong in the same way, we can fix it easily."

Like chadwick, the mileage gets better when I go a bit slower - 60 mph seems to be a sweet spot for me. The console's average trip mpg has told me that I'm getting as high as 45 mph when the commuting is good, but I don't believe it.
 

Derrel H Green

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jun 2, 2002
Location
Murrieta, California
TDI
An '05 MBZ E-320 CDI (W-211) replaced the '10 TDI JSW
Thanks . .

dcplumer said:
Yes, I have the 17" Portos.

Derrel, thanks for the reminder about using the same pump consistently.
As I tend to tell my students in XML classes, "it doesn't matter if you're wrong.
As long as you're always wrong in the same way, we can fix it easily."

Like chadwick, the mileage gets better when I go a bit slower - 60 mph seems to be
a sweet spot for me. The console's average trip mpg has told me that I'm getting
as high as 45 mph when the commuting is good, but I don't believe it.
:)

Guess we will never know if those with the smaller narrower tires will get slightly
better F E. It is probably too small of a difference for the average owner to
be able to measure anyway.

As pointed out above, as the miles build and the new car gets
broken in, you'll most likely see a great deal of improvement.
Some people say that it takes upwards of 50K miles to get a TDI fully broken in.
Never had that many miles on mine to discover if that is the case or not. :(

Best way to figure your F E is the old fashioned way, using miles covered and
fuel actually consumed. Of course, those instant and average F E
readings are nice to view as one motors along, right? :p

So enjoy you new ride you lucky one!

:D
 
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ctmom

Member
Joined
Sep 11, 2009
Location
CT
TDI
2010 Sportwagen (to be delivered)
31.5 city

I've got 17" wheels, DSG, and a lead foot. I drive 6 miles of stop and go city driving to get to work one way and I've been getting 31.5 mpg according to the computer. On a trip on back roads, got 38 (which included going through the city.) One night of highway driving, I averaged 46.
 

ptcflyer

Member
Joined
Jul 18, 2009
Location
Peachtree City GA
TDI
Jetta SW 2010 - Blue/Cornsilk Pano / DSG / Porto
I have around 1,600 miles on my Jetta 2010 SW.

I have been 80% Hwy miles... and keeping the pace a reasonable 65 MPH.

I am at 41.5 MPG on the display.
Calculated averaging right around 40.5 mpg by hand calculation.

Typical hwy trips of around 80 miles will show 46.8 mpg on the display.
 

hammersc

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 10, 2009
Location
SC
TDI
Golf TDI soon
Chadwick

Thank you for posting mpg at 75 mph - that is good to know. All I hear is "well when I go 62 on the interstate I get 45 mpg". Well that speed will get me killed on I-95. 75 mph - 80 mph is the flow of traffic in my world. I still haven't heard but 1 report what mpg is at those speeds.
 

chadwick

Member
Joined
Aug 3, 2009
Location
Sugar Land, TX
TDI
N/A
hammersc said:
Chadwick

Thank you for posting mpg at 75 mph - that is good to know. All I hear is "well when I go 62 on the interstate I get 45 mpg". Well that speed will get me killed on I-95. 75 mph - 80 mph is the flow of traffic in my world. I still haven't heard but 1 report what mpg is at those speeds.
yep, I think realistic speeds are pretty important. I've done the slow drivin' thing many times, but it's agonizing. :)

My Tahoe can get that 21 mpg figure when you drive 55, but that makes me want to poke my eyeballs out with a sharp stick, so instead I drive 75 or 80... in which case it drops down to its happy 16 mpg ;) Not quite the same...
 

grek

Active member
Joined
May 7, 2009
Location
SoCal
TDI
2009 Jetta SportWagen
I know this is the MK VI forum, and I have an '09 JSW, but I wanted to contribute my real world mileage. Fallbrook (North of San Diego) to Phoenix and back approx. 725 mi. at 75-80 mph with the A/C on I calc'd 39.5 mpg. My JSW just turned 9000 miles.
 

Exmasonite

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 7, 2009
Location
SE Michigan (formerly in NW CT)
TDI
2009 JSW 6spd manual, 68K and counting...
Just wanted to chime in some similar info (i have an '09 JSW but figure it's pretty close):

I usually go 85/15 hwy/city in michigan (pretty flat) and was cruising 75-80 after my break in. I was consistently averaging ~40 mpg.

Over the last 2 tanks, i've been taking conscious efforts to stay in 65-70 MPH (giving myself 10-15 min on my commute) and my MPG has jumped to 42.5-43.

I'm only at ~ 11K total miles so engine is still breaking in.

also, not sure if somebody mentioned but be sure to check your MPG manually based on miles travelled and gallons taken. the MFD's accuracy just isn't that precise.
 

sjones

Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2007
Location
Brandon, FL
TDI
2012 Jetta Sportwagen TDI; 2009 Jetta Sportwagen TDI (totalled by flood)
I have a 2009 JSW TDI I purchased at the end of November 2008. I just had the 10K service done and have a little over 11,500 on the odo (I changed the oil and filter myself @ 5K as I felt waiting for VW to do it @ 10K was way too long for a new motor). My driving is about 75/25 city/hwy with very little idling at lights. I live in the Tampa Bay area of Florida and the roads are very flat for the most part. I drive about 25 miles round trip to work and back each day. My first tank got me almost 37 mpg, but since then the mileage has gradually decreased to a 33.75 mpg average regardless of how I drive it. Of course, it is still 93 degF outside here and I use the a/c pretty much all the time which I'm sure has an effect. On the highway, I get right @ 40 mpg @ 70 mph but I have gotten 50 mpg @ a steady 55. I seriously doubt the engine has broken in at all since it takes a LONG time to break in running high grade synthetic oil; in fact, I'm a firm believer that you should break a motor in using dino oil and then make the switch. The rings will seat a LOT faster that way. While I would love to see higher mileage, I think this is realistic for the JSW with greater exterior wind drag due partly to greater surface area and the roof rack rails. We'll have to wait and see. I do know the MFD is always WAY overly optimistic, especially in lots of short city trips per tank of fuel.
 

740GLE

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 19, 2009
Location
NH
TDI
2015 Passat SEL, 2017 Alltrack SE; BB 2010 Sedan Man; 2012 Passat,
Not comparing Apples to apples, but my 2010 Sedan 6M is getting around 45.5 MPG calculated for the past two tanks, probably 70% highway or 50MPH back roads.

I've seen trips with the MFD giving 50-53MPG, but I haven't just done highway miles on a fill up yet. I find the MFD reads best milage at 65-70 in 6th or 55 in 5th depending on traffic/roads.

I think there is a bigger difference in FE comparing DSG to the Manual then the EPA and VW want you to think.
 
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sjones

Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2007
Location
Brandon, FL
TDI
2012 Jetta Sportwagen TDI; 2009 Jetta Sportwagen TDI (totalled by flood)
I should have mentioned that my 2009 JSW TDI is a 6 sp manual FWIW.
 

sinfony78

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 20, 2005
Location
houston, tx
TDI
2010 sportwagen
over the very first 2 tanks, i averaged 33 and 35mpg respectively

here is my drive:

daily work commute to downtown is about 5 miles...warm up engine first 2 miles (30-35mph driving at 2k rpm), then i hit a 2 mile stretch of road where i hit 50-55mph...i push the car through acceleration at this time for break-in...last mile is downtown lights and i try to push acceleration through there as well

on weekends, when i hit the hwy, i have experimented going 65mph and 60mph and get a few extra mpg that way, but 60mpg is a little too slow for me...not sure if i'm cut out to be a hypermiler

i'm hitting way below what everyone seems to be averaging, but it might be due to how hard i push the car because of break-in (first 1,000 miles, use firm 75% throttle often), so i am using the engine pretty good

guess we'll see how this pans out after 10k miles or so
 

sinfony78

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 20, 2005
Location
houston, tx
TDI
2010 sportwagen
oh an one thing i noticed...first 2 tanks i had 16" wheels, and i just put on 18"s...the gauge telling me how far i had left in the tank used to start off at 500+, when i refilled yesterday, it started read 420...not sure if i filled up all the way or what, but it looks like i did...not sure why it's so low right now
 

ruking

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Mar 27, 2003
Location
San Jose area, CA
TDI
2003 VW Jetta, 5 M, Reflex Silver: 09 Jetta, 6 Sp DSG, Candy White: 12 VW Touareg, 8 Sp A/T, Flint Gray
sinfony78 said:
oh an one thing i noticed...first 2 tanks i had 16" wheels, and i just put on 18"s...the gauge telling me how far i had left in the tank used to start off at 500+, when i refilled yesterday, it started read 420...not sure if i filled up all the way or what, but it looks like i did...not sure why it's so low right now
This is not meant as a criticism, but larger wheels and tires will almost be a guarantee of less mpg vs the so called " oem stock" wheels and (low rolling resistant) tires.

There are also a host of variables and things going on.

So for example, it takes app 300-500 miles for any new set of tires to so called break in. (one variable being: less mpg) I am guessing you just did that. Since you changed to 18 in wheels and tires, you are repeating/extending the process, (another 300-500 miles of lesser vs greater mpg) AND getting less mpg structurally on top of the 2nd tire break in results.

In addition, TDI's can take from 30,000 to 60,000 miles to really achieve full compression. (full break in)

The only real questions would be the swags of what it (mpg, etc.) happens to be for your particular situations. All the best.
 
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sinfony78

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 20, 2005
Location
houston, tx
TDI
2010 sportwagen
yeah i know i will have some lower mpgs with the 18"s, but it seems that with my 16"s, i am avg'ing a lot lower than other people on here...might be my commute
 

StaceyR

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 21, 2009
Location
Orange County, CA
TDI
'10 Jetta Sportwagen (ordered)
Mileage reduction with +2 change from 16" to 18" tires

sinfony78 said:
oh an one thing i noticed...first 2 tanks i had 16" wheels, and i just put on 18"s...the gauge telling me how far i had left in the tank used to start off at 500+, when i refilled yesterday, it started read 420...not sure if i filled up all the way or what, but it looks like i did...not sure why it's so low right now
I'm planning the same swap. What tire and wheels did you get? Did you go with 225/40x18" or something different? I agree about the breaking in of new tires. I just replaced the tires on my Lexus IS350 with new Hankooks and my mileage plummeted at first also. You could literally smell the tires breaking in. It was back to normal after a tank, but of course I stayed with the same size as before.

Please continue to post updates on your fuel mileage, I know there will be a penalty but I'm curious how much that penalty will be. Post pics with the new tires and wheels if you can.
 

Derrel H Green

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jun 2, 2002
Location
Murrieta, California
TDI
An '05 MBZ E-320 CDI (W-211) replaced the '10 TDI JSW
As I've posted before, and you can verifiy what I said by using your handy search feature,
some have posted that they had seen as much as a five (5) mpg penalty for changing
from the their stock 195/65-15 tires on the factory alloy wheels to
the 17 inch San Francisco wheel and tire combinations.
 

ruking

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Mar 27, 2003
Location
San Jose area, CA
TDI
2003 VW Jetta, 5 M, Reflex Silver: 09 Jetta, 6 Sp DSG, Candy White: 12 VW Touareg, 8 Sp A/T, Flint Gray
Derrel H Green said:
As I've posted before, and you can verifiy what I said by using your handy search feature,
some have posted that they had seen as much as a five (5) mpg penalty for changing
from the their stock 195/65-15 tires on the factory alloy wheels to
the 17 inch San Francisco wheel and tire combinations.
I also neglected to put a border around "new tire change" (195/65/15) and that can be anywhere from .5 to 3 mpg. Combined with your post, this can be as much as 8 mpg !!??:eek: :eek:

When I changed out the oem GY LS-H's @ 112, 300 miles to Toyo TPT's, I experienced a range of - minus .5 to 1 mpg difference. Now I can't quantify what %'s were due to new tires and different vendor. After break in the mileage is almost identical to the oem GY LS-H's.... BUT the Toyo TPT's are advertised as oem replacements (mpg wise)
 
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sinfony78

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 20, 2005
Location
houston, tx
TDI
2010 sportwagen
so i also have a graphite blue SW and the titanium colored wheels...at nite, they look like ordinary black rims, but during the day, if the sun hits them, they look almost the same color as the car...a bit of a purplish hue as well

with the bigger wheels, i feel like there is a bit of loss of power during acceleration...but i don't know if it's my imagination or what...i hate the MFD, it's f***ing with my head!! i'm constantly trying to track mileage and get the most out of it while driving it somewhat aggressively to break it in
 

Dusty Sidewinds

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 2, 2008
Location
Langley, WA
TDI
2006 Jetta
Not to throw sand in your gearbox but my 06 DSG has been getting 46mpg all Summer running around locally. It does have 50,000 miles now and that helps a bit as it used to get "only" 43mpg doing the same rides.

I pulled all the spark plug wires off and that helped. BG
 

ruking

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Mar 27, 2003
Location
San Jose area, CA
TDI
2003 VW Jetta, 5 M, Reflex Silver: 09 Jetta, 6 Sp DSG, Candy White: 12 VW Touareg, 8 Sp A/T, Flint Gray
sinfony78 said:
so i also have a graphite blue SW and the titanium colored wheels...at nite, they look like ordinary black rims, but during the day, if the sun hits them, they look almost the same color as the car...a bit of a purplish hue as well

with the bigger wheels, i feel like there is a bit of loss of power during acceleration...but i don't know if it's my imagination or what...i hate the MFD, it's f***ing with my head!! i'm constantly trying to track mileage and get the most out of it while driving it somewhat aggressively to break it in
No it is not your imagination. There is no LOSS of power. However it does TAKE more power to achieve the same acceleration than with oem sized tires. In addition, bigger tires and wheels take longer to stop. (0-60 mph)
 
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