Real World MPG with DSG

[Ace Deprave]

http://www.fuelly.com/car/volkswagen/passat

Look at this link, The 2013 and 2014s are now tied but the 2014s were higher a week or so ago when I looked. And they are both definitely higher than the 2012s

I wonder if it's because more 2012 owners have replaced the Hankooks with stickier, and a bit more inefficient, tires. I seem to have taken an MPG hit after replacing my Hankooks with the Michelin Primacy.

 

[Sigforty]

http://www.fuelly.com/car/volkswagen/passat
Look at this link, The 2013 and 2014s are now tied but the 2014s were higher a week or so ago when I looked. And they are both definitely higher than the 2012s

Look at the rest of the stats. The 2013's have almost double the amount of cars reporting and only slightly less mileage reported compared to the 2012's. The 2012's should have an additional year or reporting. If that is the case, I think the 2012's are reporting more short mileage trips compared to the 2013's. Thus the lower MPG.

A simple break down would be:

2014 (94 cars) has 5245 miles per car reported and 10 fill ups per car.
2013 (606 cars) has 12213 miles per car reported and 22 fill ups per car.
2012 (381 cars) has 20672 miles per car reported and 38 fill ups per car.

 

[psd1]

http://www.fuelly.com/car/volkswagen/passat
Look at this link, The 2013 and 2014s are now tied but the 2014s were higher a week or so ago when I looked. And they are both definitely higher than the 2012s

No way to filter out the transmission that I see. This is Passat specific only, not 6 Man/DSG.

 

[Tdi2]

All of the 2011, 2012. & 2013 jettas are the same way, so maybe it is the OE tires??? I just bought our car with 39000 mi on it and it has the good year eagle ls2's. Does anyone know would these be the OE tires? What tires would give me the best mpg?? If it is the hankooks that give the best mpg, they do not have a very good review. What all is it about a tire that will make the most difference??? Tire tread?? Tire weight?? The hardness of the rubber??

 

[psd1]

All of the 2011, 2012. & 2013 jettas are the same way, so maybe it is the OE tires??? I just bought our car with 39000 mi on it and it has the good year eagle ls2's. Does anyone know would these be the OE tires? What tires would give me the best mpg?? If it is the hankooks that give the best mpg, they do not have a very good review. What all is it about a tire that will make the most difference??? Tire tread?? Tire weight?? The hardness of the rubber??

Search is your friend. You will find loads of tire info in the correct areas. Welcome to the site.

Goodyears have never been an option tire on the NMS Passat. Conti's and Hankook's have been the predominant tire. There was one other tire literature in my owners manual, can't recall the brand right now, but it wasn't Goodyear.

 

[blackie passat]

Real world MPG

My real mpg overall is 41. 50% city, 50% freeway or rural driving.

 

[MarkAardvark]

Just did our first trip from San Jose, CA to LA. ~ 45MPG on the way to LA @ 70MPH, 50.5MPG on the way back @ 65MPH (measured at the pump). Very happy - either way, that's more than 2X what my 2001 Audi A6 2.7t could do.

 

[JAYFARMLAW]

38 mostly highway around 80 mph. Figured by hand.

Jay

 

[c-wagen]

No way to filter out the transmission that I see. This is Passat specific only, not 6 Man/DSG.

There is a way to filter, if you take the page source file (right mouse click on page, select "View source") and paste it in Excel, then try to look for "auto", "DSG", "SEL", or "Manual" (Thanks to the people that added these words on their car description!). As today, I can see:

2012
287 diesels (diesel L4, sedan), 151 Auto, 45 Manual, 91 you can't tell
MPG: Auto 38.97, Manual:43.36

2013
514 diesels (diesel L4, sedan), 392 Auto, 126 Manual, 64 you can't tell
MPG: Auto 38.75, Manual:42.36

2014
91 diesels (diesel L4, sedan), 49 Auto, 39 Manual, 3 you can't tell
MPG: Auto 38.57, Manual:40.77

The averages look similar. The oldest models have little better MPG, that might be because the older ones include miles after the engine break-in period, and because some of these miles were logged in warm weather (the 2014 have seen mostly fall and winter so far). Also, from the data we can see that the manual transmission gives 2 to 4 MPG more than the DSG.

 

[c-wagen]

And, of course, we can thank VOA for not selling the SEL with manual transmission (as they do in Canada...)

 

[Tdi2]

I wonder if you could sort the results by geographical location and make something like a heat map to see where the best mpg is???

 

[psd1]

I wonder if you could sort the results by geographical location and make something like a heat map to see where the best mpg is???

After owning and driving diesel vehicles for almost 40 years all around the world I can tell you that the warmer the climate, the better the MPG's.

 

[c-wagen]

I wonder if you could sort the results by geographical location and make something like a heat map to see where the best mpg is???

Tdi2, location is not included in the pages I used. I will need to go into each owners profile to check for location (at least as far as I know), and that will take a lot of time. As said in the previous post, I believe that the warmer the better, and that is the experience I'm having with summer and winter fuel consumption (I don't know if there is a point were is too hot to harm fuel economy, but I also think that above some temperature I won't drive without AC ). If I figure a way I might try.

 

[Lightflyer1]

After owning and driving diesel vehicles for almost 40 years all around the world I can tell you that the warmer the climate, the better the MPG's.

Up to a point I would imagine this to be true. At 105 or so in the summer here mine seems to lose some economy as well. At around 70 degrees F it seems to do very well.

 

[kjclow]

I'm guessing it has to do with the AC draw when you get that hot. Up until then, you're probably still tooling around with the windows down.

 

[VeeDubTDI]

Windows down makes a big dent in the Passat's fuel economy. A/C is better, especially with Climatronic and its very efficient programming.

 

[kjclow]

missed the sarcasm completely

 

[VeeDubTDI]

Yep. Missed it.

 

[Rico567]

Sooner or later, someone on this forum (or someone else) going to make a graph illustrating the efficiency of these diesels as a function of temperature (multiple lines, showing things like A/C on would be cool too), and then it can be make a sticky.

With our Passat in its first Winter, it's been very clear from several short trips we've made. We start out here when it's 20F or lower, drive 100 miles. Then drive back in the afternoon, when the temperature is well up in the '30s. The difference in mileage between the two legs is (roughly) 40 / 44 mpg, or around 10%. This is mostly at 65 with the cruise on.

 

[13PassatTDISE]

Calculated by hand I got 38.25mpg on a trip from Long Island to Vermont and back, cold temps and speeds in the mid to high 70's. Less than a thousand miles on my car. A nice improvement from my 07 explorer and needed two tanks for this trip and averaged 16.2 mpg with the same driving style.

 

[jck66]

Sooner or later, someone on this forum (or someone else) going to make a graph illustrating the efficiency of these diesels as a function of temperature (multiple lines, showing things like A/C on would be cool too), and then it can be make a sticky.

With our Passat in its first Winter, it's been very clear from several short trips we've made. We start out here when it's 20F or lower, drive 100 miles. Then drive back in the afternoon, when the temperature is well up in the '30s. The difference in mileage between the two legs is (roughly) 40 / 44 mpg, or around 10%. This is mostly at 65 with the cruise on.

I have actually been toying with doing this for my own purposes in my excel tracker (in an attempt to make myself feel less bad about <40 winter mpgs). I am not sure where to find degree-days for my location but I would not be surprised that it's out there from the NWS or something.

 

[APT]

Someone did just that, graphed average daily temps overlayed with temps.

Found it.

 

[kjclow]

I have actually been toying with doing this for my own purposes in my excel tracker (in an attempt to make myself feel less bad about <40 winter mpgs). I am not sure where to find degree-days for my location but I would not be surprised that it's out there from the NWS or something.

NWS and/or your local airport will have all of the daily weather trend charts.

 

[2014 Passat SEL]

First complete fill up last night with my 2014, calculated at the pump I got 39.76 mpg. The dealer filled it up when I bought it two weeks ago but I don't think they packed it because I only got 35 mpg on that tank. Very pleased so far, my 2009 F150 Supercrew w/ 5.4 could only muster 16/18 mpg and I was spending $600 a month on fuel.

 

[Av8r3400]

Dissapointed

I still want to know how the heck are people getting 47 mpg out of their Passat TDi cars??? The best we've ever seen was 41 last summer!

My wife drives the car. She is not (definitely) a lead foot. The car is a DSG, so shift points should be optimized by the computers.

Is there some sort of gravy that I need to be using in the fuel?

I ranted this comment in the turbo failure thread about my experience with our '12 Passat TDi SEL DSG.

To expand, my wife drives the car. She's not a hot rodder. Her driving consists mostly of commuting to work, 25 miles of interstate with about a 1 mile stretch on surface streets each way. So basically 50 miles of interstate commuting daily.

Our '01 Jetta TDi 5m consistently got 45-48 on this trip for 200k miles. Now the Passat averages 33-35 mpg. The crappy driving, stinky, gas powered Passat SE auto got nearly 30 on this route.

What is my motivation to keep this car faced with the idea that the per mile cost benefit of the TDi is lost and the risk of future turbo failures looms so ugly on the horizon.

 

[rotarykid]

One thing about the DSG, it is a computer controlled automatic that has the same faults as other automatics that cause all of them to use more fuel than any manual. It weighs more, it uses more energy through paralistic loss going through it and is limited not aided by the it's programming. Your brain if you are well trained to drive most efficiently will always beat any automatic!

If you are ever to see the higher mpgs you wish you will have to become more involved in the driving of the car. To see the mpgs you desire you will have to start using N when coasting to a stop and once terrain is available to used as fuel to keep speed. Overrun shortens the distance the car can coast without requiring energy(fuel) to cover the same distance...

There are threads full of the info on how you will have to drive, much more engaged in what the car is doing to see the mpgs you wish to see.....

I have not spent a lot of time behind the wheel of CR powered TDI but I have clocked a few miles in a 2012 Golf.
But I did own a 06 Jetta TDI-PD DSG for a while. Using efficiency driving techniques raised mpgs by as much as 10 mpgs over the same route, same weather, same time of day in similar traffic conditions. I have the records to prove it......

Because of the CRs' higher available power using increased efficiency techniques make even more difference in efficiency. I have seen evidence that a increase of as much as 30-40 % can be seen comparing a poorly trained peddle pusher to the most efficient driver in a DSG....

In that same car with a manual trans that difference is easily seen tank after tank because the normal driving of a manual requires that you use these efficiency techniques.......

But nothing in the design prevents a driver of a DSG from 90-95 % these obtainable gains by using the added coasting in N during normal driving. In Europe the DSG is programmed to automatically shift into N when you let up on the throttle so you doing it would see the same gains......

 

[VeeDubTDI]

I ranted this comment in the turbo failure thread about my experience with our '12 Passat TDi SEL DSG.

That was an MFI calculation over one trip with a 6-speed manual. Not a pen and paper tank calculation on a DSG... big difference.

To expand, my wife drives the car. She's not a hot rodder. Her driving consists mostly of commuting to work, 25 miles of interstate with about a 1 mile stretch on surface streets each way. So basically 50 miles of interstate commuting daily.

Our '01 Jetta TDi 5m consistently got 45-48 on this trip for 200k miles. Now the Passat averages 33-35 mpg. The crappy driving, stinky, gas powered Passat SE auto got nearly 30 on this route.

• 33-35 in the winter isn't terrlble... it has been pretty cold in Wisconsin this year, hasn't it?
• How fast does she drive on the highway? To get the really good numbers, you have to keep your speeds down.
• There are other big differences between the Passat and the Mk4 Jetta, including 18" wheels on the SEL vs 15s or 16s on the Mk4, higher coefficient of drag, and of course the transmission
• What sort of economy does she get in the summer time on the same trip?

What is my motivation to keep this car faced with the idea that the per mile cost benefit of the TDi is lost and the risk of future turbo failures looms so ugly on the horizon.

I can't answer that. Maybe it isn't the right car for you. All I know is that it sounds like it's performing acceptably given its specifications (30/40 advertised fuel economy), trim level, and conditions.

If cost per mile is the only factor, then you probably shouldn't have bought a bigger more powerful vehicle. The Passat is in a very different class and is more refined, quieter, and more comfortable for four passengers.

 

[Av8r3400]

We do like the car. The ride and equipment are very nice and definitely an improvement over the Jetta. I'm just a little disappointed in the fuel economy. The question is more rhetorical than anything, but if the turbo fails again, it's down the road.

I've been driving diesels for almost 30 years, so I know what to expect on summer versus winter blended fuels. The economy figures I'm quoting are an overall average since we bought the car. We got 41 mpg once last summer and I think that was a short-fill of the tank.

(edit: I just populated the Fuelly website to get the "actual" numbers to date, see below.)

 

[Sigforty]

We do like the car. The ride and equipment are very nice and definitely an improvement over the Jetta. I'm just a little disappointed in the fuel economy. The question is more rhetorical than anything, but if the turbo fails again, it's down the road.

I've been driving diesels for almost 30 years, so I know what to expect on summer versus winter blended fuels. The economy figures I'm quoting are an overall average since we bought the car. We got 41 mpg once last summer and I think that was a short-fill of the tank.

(edit: I just populated the Fuelly website to get the "actual" numbers to date, see below.)

Have you ever looked at your average speed for each tank? The computer tracks the vehicle speed on a trip and average basis. The only time I have experienced a tank MPG of 35 was on the dealer fill, which I think was short a few gallons. I normally see average speeds of 35-40 mph with each tank. I have hit a low of 29 mph, but still managed over 39 mpg.

 

[psd1]

Not so easy... "There are 460 2013 Volkswagen Passats (Diesel L4 Sedan) with reported gas mileage parked at Fuelly."


I started and here is what I came up with, I didnt have time to do ten vehicles so the top 5 DSG and manual cars are listed below.

TOP 5 DSG Passats.
1. Passat TDI SE = 48.4 MPG
2. Bar of soap = 47.9 MPG
3. First TDI = 46.9 MPG
4. The Beast = 46.8 MPG
5. lulu = 46.6 MPG
_________________________________
Average = 47.32


Top 5 6 Manual cars.
1. Silver Passat = 59.2 MPG
2. All Black = 57.5 MPG
3. Our 2013 M6 Passat = 50.7 MPG
4. No Name = 50.4 MPG
5. My Passat TDI = 49.0 MPG
___________________________________
Average = 53.36 MPG

If you throw out the top performer in each section the numbers are alot closer. 47.05 MPG for the DSG and 51.9 MPG for the 6 Man.

I ranted this comment in the turbo failure thread about my experience with our '12 Passat TDi SEL DSG.

To expand, my wife drives the car. She's not a hot rodder. Her driving consists mostly of commuting to work, 25 miles of interstate with about a 1 mile stretch on surface streets each way. So basically 50 miles of interstate commuting daily.

Our '01 Jetta TDi 5m consistently got 45-48 on this trip for 200k miles. Now the Passat averages 33-35 mpg. The crappy driving, stinky, gas powered Passat SE auto got nearly 30 on this route.

What is my motivation to keep this car faced with the idea that the per mile cost benefit of the TDi is lost and the risk of future turbo failures looms so ugly on the horizon.

I hate to quote myself, but I will. Please see the above info. Getting 47 MPG as an average in a DSG equipped car isnt going to happen for just any driver. Folks regularly beat that though, so it can happen.

As others ahve said, temp is a big factor and speed.

Good luck, enjoy your Passat!