6k miles.
975 mile all-highway drive, I95 from DC to Bradenton, FL.
50-70f ambient, intermittent rain, some real downpours. Hankook Optimos at 35psi (started out at 50f ambient) (on the return trip, I'll bump them to 40psi)
Cruised at 70-75.
45.6 mpg.
I've proved to myself, at least IMHO, that steady-state cruising on flat terrain is NOT going to return the best MPG. I'm a bit disappointed by my mpg, as I achieved repeated 52mpg loops (undulating) of the DC area beltway, and was hoping to do the same with the long cruise.
It's a bit silly to be "disappointed", as at 45.5, fully loaded (2 adults, 1 teenager, 1 child, completely full trunk) I'm still ahead of EPA estimates...and only 6k on the clock!
Full-size sedan trunk, back seat. Full-size road manners. 45mpg? Outstanding.
Rotarykid: It would be a very cool test to cruise side-by-side, DSG vs. manual, and observe the difference. This would be the only way to "prove" the difference. As for driving a DSG a "real penalty" vs. the manual? I've driven manuals for 40 years, thinking that an automatic was truly revolting. Now, at 57, I'm enjoying the flexibility of the DSG, and the comfort it affords my wife and me, that we can switch cars w/o evening thinking about it...that means more to my wife than it does to me, but still, the incredibly smooth 2012 Passat DSG is a true luxury.