What MPG do you get at 70mph?

[bmp]

Hi, I was just wondering what MPGs do you get when driving at 70mph on the highway?
Let's assume all highway trip using cruise control with no city drivnig, stop & go traffic bad weather and other MPG killing things.

With my PD140 engine there is no way I get over 52MPG under such circumstances but I have seen people here getting 60MPG tanks on long trips so I just wanted to know if there is some hypermiling involved or if it's a regular thing with older TDIs.

 

[Mnwelsh]

I just drove Minneapolis to Duluth and back, 70 to 75 mph and got 47 mpg.

 

[mountain lion]

I drive anywhere from 600-1000miles a week all interstate. Just did a careful test last tank now that warmer weather is here...no AC, cruise control at 2500rpm/70mph. Got 55.0 mpg. Tank is vented, etc. 55-60mph brings me closer to 60mpg.

 

[k^2]

In the summer time I get the advertised between 43-42 mpg. Mine is 2010 Station Wagon with a 6 speed DSG and 2.0 CR. The engine revs at 2300RPM at that speed. I guess the Jetta Sportwagens with the DSG get the lowest mpgs from all the TDI's in North America.

 

[ruking]

I would hesitate to draw any conclusions from country to country models, let alone more importantly model specifications for each market (US vs Slovakia for example).

There is no doubt in my mind that @ a steady 70 mph, it can post 60 to 62 mpg. My main issue with a steady 60 to 65 mph is road hypnosis (safety issue). Even as I know mph would be better.

However on a US market 03 Jetta TDI 5 speed M/T @ 75 mph with spurts of up to 85 mph on road trips, posting 59 mpg is both consistent and almost effortless (12.1 gal fill /14.5 gal 715 miles). A/C was functioning. The reason for the EXACT 75 mph speed was a multi state highway enforcement effort @ that time 5/6 highway patrol packs with a radar gun unit shooting in both directions. That appeared to be the speed given the chaos and @ which they would not call one a "CUSTOMER" My radar detection unit was going off almost every other rise.

Having said that, I am just fine with 48 to 52 mpg. (the signature has the other TDI's and their RANGE of mpg's)

(605 miles @ 50 mpg or 12.1 gals. the nexus with 12.1 gals is when the low fuel lamp/buzzer goes off)

Keep in mind, two separate records were set with 2012 Passat TDI's @ 84+ mpg (one full tank)/77+ mpg (8,500 miles trip)

 

[pparks1]

People reporting 60's are hypermiling and most likely doing less than 60MPH. That's my experience with the newer models 2009+

I just did a 100 mile road trip this past weekend. On the way there, it was cold, and windy and I was traveling with a buddy and had the cruise set at 72MPH and according to my MFI, got 37MPG. There was some idling at a drive thru before we had left and some idling at the school where we met before we kicked off the trip.

On the way home, it wasn't windy, was about 20 degrees warmer (around 55F), and I set the cruise at 68 and was around 52MPG (according to the MFI). Had 2 adults in the car and 2 kids (9 and 6). No idling here, and no stops.

These numbers are from my 13" Passat with DSG.

 

[Tuco]

It varies greatly, because there are so many factors involved. Ambient outside temperature, vehicle operating temperature, fuel quality, prevailing wind direction, drafting behind other vehicles, grade resistance (other than high points and low points on vertical curves, there is no such thing as a flat longitudinal slope on a roadway), and I'm sure there are others I'm missing.

Average at 70 mph for long stretches in my 2010 will be somewhere between 46 to 54. Frankly, anything over @ 42 mpg average for the tank amounts to tip money unless you log some serious mileage.

 

[colourfastt]

My 2013 Beetle Conv. is averaging 39.5mpg which I think is what VW advertises for that model. My best has been 41.7, but that was over New Year's which meant no A/C, ambient temps of about 15F and double-dosing PS White.

 

[Dragracerzzz]

My home to Milwaukee is almost exactly a 3 hr trip. A full tank fillup was $59 and doing roughly 72 MPH I got about 43 on the way there and 47 on the way back. just under 3/4 tank used for the round trip.

DRZ

 

[PressEnter[]]

I would estimate a bit under 50 mpg.

My 56 mpg tank was at an average speed of 56 mph. Some of that was in town driving, but I was still under 65 for most of the highway portion.

 

[30_Yr_Dsl_Veteran]

. If I hypermill by speeding up on the downslope and bleeding off the speed for the uphill I can get 47-49.

That does NOT yield higher MPG. You best bet is to keep it set at 60 MPH on the cruise control the whole time.

 

[duwem]

45-47ish I bet if it was 100%. I drive a tad faster and get 40-45 on mixed driving.

 

[Ski in NC]

2001 Jetta 5sp gets 50mpg consistently at 70mph in good conditions. Drops a few if faster, if wind, heavy ac use, traffic, etc. Interesting that light ac use seems to have no noticeable effect. USA model car.

 

[boertje]

I get about 48 on winter fuel with my bug on the freeway with mountain driving involved at 70+.

 

[psyphy]

I just upgraded or downgraded, depending on perspective. My 2010 JSW TDI got just over 40 mpg at highway speeds & my Touareg is getting around 30.

 

[skyking1]

Only one trip of data to ponder here.
I did a 590 mile day, most at about 67. I was driving 70 on the speedo but it is off.
It was right at 50 MPG in the 2003 beetle 5M

 

[993er]

Conditions: 2013 Jetta 6MT, just below freezing, dry roads, speed 65 MPH true (not indicated), 624 miles on the tank of which about 60 to 90 miles were city.

45.4 MPG (US).

I am hoping for an improvement.

 

[40X40]

I just drove Minneapolis to Duluth and back, 70 to 75 mph and got 47 mpg.

Pencil and paper, or dashboard display?

Bill

 

[2.2TDI]

If the temps are warm, roads fairly flat, winds fairly calm and keeping it in the 70 range, my scangauge has reported anywhere from 46 to 51 mpg and it's pretty accurate.

 

[bmp]

Thank you for all your replys.
Judging by your figures my fuel consumption is fairly average so I guess there is nothing wrong with my car.
That's a good start

I have been learning about engine management systems lately and I would like to try to do some changes to improve my fuel economy.
My goal is to get 60MPG at 70mph with just cruise control and maybe some downhill coasting in neutral but no drafting pulse&glide and other hypermiling techniques.

I will start with some basic aerodynamic mods and see where it gets me.
Thanks again for your replys and I will definitely post here if I get some good results

 

[Shaeet]

70MPH on my 2012 w/DSG isn't the greatest, around 40-42 and rapidly decreases as you speed up. 50-60 seems to be the sweetest spot for mpg on my car. I wish the damn DSG's weren't geared so short in 6th

 

[30_Yr_Dsl_Veteran]

I just upgraded or downgraded, depending on perspective. My 2010 JSW TDI got just over 40 mpg at highway speeds & my Touareg is getting around 30.

You should get WAY better than that.

 

[k^2]

70MPH on my 2012 w/DSG isn't the greatest, around 40-42 and rapidly decreases as you speed up. 50-60 seems to be the sweetest spot for mpg on my car. I wish the damn DSG's weren't geared so short in 6th

I don't know what the heck was VW thinking gearing it this short for a motor with this much torque!

 

[Scoutx]

Assuming a reasonable trip length (1 hour or more) and depending on the time of year....47 to 55 mpg.

 

[VeeDubTDI]

Thank you for all your replys.
Judging by your figures my fuel consumption is fairly average so I guess there is nothing wrong with my car.
That's a good start

I have been learning about engine management systems lately and I would like to try to do some changes to improve my fuel economy.
My goal is to get 60MPG at 70mph with just cruise control and maybe some downhill coasting in neutral but no drafting pulse&glide and other hypermiling techniques.

I will start with some basic aerodynamic mods and see where it gets me.
Thanks again for your replys and I will definitely post here if I get some good results

I would start with skinny low rolling resistance tires.

 

[puntmeister]

Like everyone has said, there are a lot of variables.

But, in my 2004 manual BEW, the best I've ever gotten was 60 mpg - and that was 100% flat, straight, interstate, cruise control at 55mph. With intermittent air conditioning - so, perhaps could have squeezed 63 or 64 mpg, at best.

In my car, anyway, I don't think 60 mpg at 70mph is remotely possible, no matter what mods were made. There is only so much to be done about wind resistance.

 

[Smooth_Puddin]

I've done nothing but 70mph on the interstate the past few days. My speedo is 5mph off.

So far so good. Hoping to top 50mpg for the first time, but I've only had the car a short while.

 

[PressEnter[]]

T
I have been learning about engine management systems lately and I would like to try to do some changes to improve my fuel economy.
My goal is to get 60MPG at 70mph with just cruise control and maybe some downhill coasting in neutral but no drafting pulse&glide and other hypermiling techniques.

Good luck. I think it's a good goal, but will require more extreme modification and/or driving techniques than you might like. For comparison, here's someone who reports 85 mpg at 70 mph, just so you can see what it takes: http://aerocivic.com/

 

[bvencil]

I've really only taken one long trip that approximates the CC on 70MPH highway scenario. I did however, spend several hours travelling from Virginia to New York with the cruise set to 73MPG. That tank was 47MPG.

Also, over the last couple of days, I did a little experiment:

Drove 15 miles south on my usual interstate trip. Set trip meter as soon as I got up to 70MPH. When I got off the interstate, the computer indicated 51.5.

Same trip north the next day: 48.3.

Same trip south the next day with CC set to 65MPH: 53.3

Air temp was 60-64F and weather was sunny on both days.

 

[bmp]

I would start with skinny low rolling resistance tires.

I already have those.
195/65 R15 Michelin Energy Savers on steel rims with some nice smooth wheel covers.

My main focus will be on ECU tuning, aerodynamic mods will be only very basic such as grill block, underbody panelling, smooth wheel covers and that's it.

Not only are extensive aero mods horribly ugly but in my country you are not allowed to modify your car in any way so I can only do mods that are not visible at the first sight so that police won't bother me over them.

I'm not planning to set any MPG records, I just want a reliable, silent and comfortable car that will get me where I need to go and won't use any more fuel than is absolutely necesarry without using hypermiling techniques.

I'm expecting to get 2MPG from aerodynamic enhancements and about 6MPG from ECU tuning.
Looking at the factory maps there is a lot to be gained from reprogramming ECU so at the moment I'm pretty optimistic about my 60MPG goal