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Post Your Van Gas Mileage Here

1887 messages,  Last post on Mar 23, 2013 at 10:55 PM

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What is this discussion about? Mazda MPV, Nissan Quest, Kia Sedona, Chrysler Town and Country, Honda Odyssey, Toyota Sienna, Van

Messages Page 167 of 190

#1655 of 1887 2004 Kia Sedona (now with 24,000 miles) averages 22 mpg highway by joe131

Jun 02, 2007 (11:48 pm)

Replying to: averigejoe (Sep 11, 2005 12:02 am)
Hey, my Sedona's gas mileage has improved! Maybe they get better with more miles on the odometer?
Recently, it averaged 21.9 mpg during a 1,600 mile round trip from 1,100 ft. above sea level to 11,300 ft. above sea level and back. The 1600 miles includes 100 miles of all in town driving at 10,000 feet. New air cleaner element, 850 lbs. of people and cargo, A/C used about half the time, nothing on roof rack, no trailer, half interstate, half rural 2-lane. Average speed during the time the motor was running, including gas stops and food stops and going through small towns on the rural highways was 63 mph for the 1500 miles of highway use. That average speed was attained by going about 8% over the speed limit as traffic permitted, usually around 70 to 80 on the highways with several spurts above that for passing. Temperature varied from 105 degrees to 50 degrees F.
The van is rated 16/22 city/highway mpg by EPA.
The previous long trip was 1000 miles when the odometer read 11,000 miles. The elevation change was from 1,100 ft. to 20 ft. above sea level and back again. The MPG was 16 on that round trip in 100 degree weather with the A/C on constantly.
If this rate of improvement with mileage (and other factors?) continues, I will be averaging 30.25 mpg on the highway when I get 37,000 miles on the odometer, and by 50,000 miles I'll be getting 41.6 mpg.
I can hardly wait. Maybe I should up my use of the van beyond 9000 miles driven per year?

#1656 of 1887 Re: - [dudleyr] by ateixeira

Jun 04, 2007 (8:36 am)

Replying to: dudleyr (Jun 01, 2007 12:28 pm)
That's just it - I didn't get the JBL sound system. Mine is the standard one for the LE, still a 6CD changer.
 
Some time I wish I had sprung for the built-in entertainment system, because it comes with that JBL system, plus you can fit a Solara's NAV system right in the dash, plug-and-play.
 
It was $2300 more for that package, plus $1700 or so for the NAV, so that would have been $4 grand more.
 
I could have afforded it, but I decided to spend less and go aftermarket. Got a 12" Jenson movie player (kids love the huge screen) and a Garmin portable NAV.
 
Any, I am supposed to get an antennae, so I called the dealer and they said they'd get me one. Haven't had time to go in yet but I will this week.
 
Let me drift back on-topic - my mileage has crept up to 24mpg!

#1657 of 1887 Compare those EPA numbers! by joe131

Jun 04, 2007 (9:51 pm)

This is so neat! Have you all noticed yet?
The EPA website now has converted all the EPA mileage estimates for vehicles all the way back to 1985 so they are directly comparable to the new 2008 standards.
As most of you know, the 2008 numbers will be adjusted downward from earlier years to more closely approximate the actual MPG that average drivers are getting in city and highway driving.
http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/bymake/Hyundai2006.shtml

#1658 of 1887 Re: Compare those EPA numbers! [joe131] by ateixeira

Jun 05, 2007 (7:57 am)

Replying to: joe131 (Jun 04, 2007 9:51 pm)
Interesting, now the Sienna is rated at 17/24, same as the higher-end Ody with VCM. The Ody LX and EX get 16/23, as do most other competitors.
 
The Sedona and Entourage actually match the Ody LX now, too.
 
This all may be due to rounding errors.

#1659 of 1887 Re: Compare those EPA numbers! [ateixeira] by joe131

Jun 05, 2007 (11:45 am)

Replying to: ateixeira (Jun 05, 2007 7:57 am)
While I too (and for good reason) often automatically assume the government is making errors , here I am not inclined to think it made any rounding mistakes. It is pretty simple math any 4th grade school kid should be competent to do.
So a number on any particular car should be an accurate estimate (oxymoron?) within one half mile per gallon of the number it would have been if carried to the tenths place, right? So even between two different cars the MPG figures should be no more than nine tenths of a MPG off from the more accurate figures carried to the tenths place. No big deal really.
I like that EPA has made the numbers directly comparable again. Good job government! Hahaha! Hardly makes up for any of the myriad of past blunders though, eh?

#1660 of 1887 Re: Compare those EPA numbers! [joe131] by ateixeira

Jun 06, 2007 (7:02 am)

Replying to: joe131 (Jun 05, 2007 11:45 am)
Yep, but if one gets EPA combined of 22.4 and another gets 22.5 (not a significant difference), one will round up and the other will round down.
 
Since they round to the nearest whole number, we should pretty much assume a +/- 1 mpg error.

#1662 of 1887 Re: - [ateixeira] Sienna Owner's Manual by hansienna

Jun 09, 2007 (10:19 pm)

Replying to: ateixeira (Jun 01, 2007 12:05 pm)
2006 Sienna LE 29.2 MPG on last round trip of 1386 miles. Cruise set at 70 MPH but had to drive faster in California on I-15, I-210, and CA 57 (prevailing speed at least 80 MPH).
 
Question for other Sienna owners: Have you used the MP3 connection? Will your stereo controls work as described in the owner's manual?
 
I have tried both MP3 and a genuine iPod and the dash controls do NOT do anything but change volume. I think the fine folks at Toyota have deceived us by the fancy write up of the Sienna stereo system.

#1663 of 1887 2006 Sienna 29.2 highway MPG...[hansienna] by joe131

Jun 09, 2007 (10:42 pm)

Replying to: hansienna (Jun 09, 2007 10:19 pm)
That's great mileage for a van rated 17/24 under the new '08 test measure.

#1664 of 1887 Re: 2006 Sienna 29.2 highway MPG...[hansienna] [joe131] by hansienna

Jun 10, 2007 (2:03 pm)

Replying to: joe131 (Jun 09, 2007 10:42 pm)
Proof that the old system was accurate for highway driving. Too many people confuse "Highway" mileage with all types driving between refills and "City" ratings with idling to warm up in the winter or running A/C in the summer in addition to the actual driving within a city.
     We can easily exceed Highway ratings but when there is little or NO driving except idling and short trips of less than one mile, the mileage drops to the mid-teens on a tankfull of gasoline...lower than the 17 rating under the new system.

Messages Page 167 of 190

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