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Ford Escape Real World MPG

98 messages,  Last post on Nov 27, 2012 at 7:26 PM

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What is this discussion about? Ford Escape, Mazda Tribute, Fuel Efficiency (MPG), SUV

    

Messages Page 7 of 10

#59 of 98 2006 Tribute I 2.3 auto front drive gas milage by bobsw1

Nov 09, 2007 (6:46 pm)

Recently bought 06, with 30k miles, and calculated first 3,000 miles for gas milage. Mostly country roads, very careful use of gas pedal and RPMs. Full average 28mpg. Not bad but for all the effort, wanted more. Will try removing cross bars. Any new ideas?
 
thanks
bob

#60 of 98 03 Ford Escape, V6, 4WD, Improving MPG? by twolford

Nov 17, 2007 (7:00 pm)

I have the above (03 Ford Escape, V6, 4WD) which I recently purchased. It has the heavy duty Luggage Rack. I am looking for ideas on how to improve my MPG. Anyone out there have any? I get about about 16-17 MPG average combined highway/city. Have yet to get 300 miles from the 16 gal tank but have taken no roadtrips yet but will over Thanksgiving so I'll soon know what my Hwy MPG will be, I am happy with the vehicle overall but had hoped to get better MPG when I purchased.

#61 of 98 Re: 03 Ford Escape, V6, 4WD, Improving MPG? [twolford] by fjb37

Nov 23, 2007 (11:31 am)

Replying to: twolford (Nov 17, 2007 7:00 pm)
My wife drives an 05 Escape V6 w/AWD and got about 13 mpg in combined city/suburban (Chicago area) driving when we first got it from CarMax. The vehicle was a Hertz rental from LA and how and why it ended up in Chicago is anybody's guess but it looked like new and had 13.5K miles on it so we bought it.
 
I had no idea what kind of oil CarMax put in it so when oil change time came around I used the 5W-20 Motorcraft semi-synthetic as recommended in the owner's manual. The mileage increased to the 15 mpg range. The next oil change I used 5W-20 Mobil1 full synthetic and sucked 5 qts. of fluid from the tranny and replaced it with Mobil1 synthetic tranny fluid. The in dash mileage computer is now in the 18 mpg range for city/suburban driving. You might want to try full synthetic oil if you are not using it now and use 5W-20 as recommended by Ford.
 
My wife loves this vehicle, I do not care for it. I prefer our 94 Dodge Grand Caravan.
The Caravan has what the Escape has not. A comfortable leather seat, foot room, a comfortable gas pedal angle and enough room between the gas pedal and brake pedal so I don't hit both with my size 11/4E New Balance shoes. It also does not have cheap hard plastic where I rest my elbow! I will admit that the Escape does quite well when the snow flies. The auto AWD works beautifully in the snow.and the vehicle goes where you point it without slipping or sliding. Other than that, Ford could have done better. Just my $0.02.
 
FredB

#62 of 98 Escape-Tribute 2006-4cyl auto by bobsw1

Nov 23, 2007 (5:19 pm)

Just an update from 10/8, now another 1,500 miles approx, milage still holding between 26 &28 over country roads, and hwy.
 
Suggestions: Drive by the Tachometer, try and attain 30mph at no more than 1250rpm, 45mph at 1600rpm, and 55mph at 2000rpm. Dont use cruise control on hilly areas, carefully raise the speed, and country roads use OD on any hills. Take your foot over the gas any down slopes, dont idle the car, dont warm up and no jack rabbit starts.
 
Keep tire pressure mfr specs, and of course find the shortest distances to where you have to go.
 
good luck.
bob

#63 of 98 Thanks by twolford

Nov 24, 2007 (7:40 pm)

Thanks Fred and Bob for the input to my question.
 
Fred,
 
I had planned to go to synthetic as you had done and see if that helps but was wondering if there were any aftermarket add-on's like headers/exaust bolt or a chip that might help but so far have not seen any for the escape. I'm thinking of replacing all the oil's in the vehicle with Red Line and see what that does but the oil is fairly expensive and harder to find so may to to Mobil synthetic instead.
 
I have just returned back from a Thanksgiving trip (525 miles one way) and on the way up was able to acheive 20 mpg without babying the vehicle and running 70-75 most of the way. My vehicle is a V6 automatic and I have previously tried running 65-70 on the interstate in overdrive but when I go up any hills the vehicle will downshift and the RPM's jump from about 2200 to 3000 which I assume reduces my MPG. I seem to have to only run about 63 MPH to keep the vehicle from downshifting up small grades. I'll keep expiermenting and see what works best. We like the Escape so far. We have the leather seats and electric drivers seat and padded console so it's all pretty comfortable and there seems to be plenty of space between the gas pedal and brake so no issues there for me. I think I would have liked the 4 cyl model better as I'm more into saving fuel than having the extra power but will make the best of what we have.
 
Terry

#64 of 98 27 MPG w/ V6 AWD!!!! by kam327

Jun 29, 2008 (2:21 pm)

I have a 2008 Mazda Tribute V6 AWD. It now has about 9,000 miles. I have been averaging around 19-20 mpg overall with mostly suburban driving and some highway driving. Max highway economy was about 22.5 mpg. I just took a 450 mile road trip this weekend after doing the following to try to boost fuel economy: 1) Remove roof rack cross bars, 2) Install a K&N air filter, and 3) keep speed below 70mph and try to avoid hard accelerations at all costs (even turning off cruise control while on up grades to prevent transmission from downshifting and increasing engine rpm's). To my shock, on the way out I calculated 25.8 mpg and on the way back 26.7 mpg. I thought on the way up it was a mistake, like somehow I didn't as much gas back in the tank at the end of the trip. But since I did even better on the way back a mistake is much less likely. I'm going on another road trip this weekend and will try to confirm these numbers, but so far it looks like making a few simple modifications and changing your driving habits really does make a huge difference in fuel economy.

#65 of 98 Chat night by pf_flyer HOST

Jul 01, 2008 (4:42 pm)

Tuesday means Mazda chat night! The chat opens at 8:45 pm ET and runs until 10 pm ET. I hope you're able to join us tonight to meet and greet with your fellow CarSpace members!
See you there!

#66 of 98 Tribute 2008,V6 AWD in Quebec city, Canada by chiricano

Jul 28, 2008 (5:12 pm)

I got my Tribute on 2008/03/08. We had a record snowfall this year in Quebec city area, around 4.8 meters (15 feet) of snow.
 
I got around 14 MPG (U.S gallon) up to early May, 2008. The last tank I got 17 MPG (July 2008). Modifications done: I put 5W-20 mobil one syntetic oil and I just put last weekend a K % N air Filter and I got an "scan gauge II" recently as well.
 
Average around 15.5 MPG up to know with 80 % city and 20% highway driving.
 
Please note that temperature in the winter in Quebec city can go below minus 30 degrees Celcius January, February and March.
 
I love the car so far, but fuel consumption is overrated by Energy Canada (23MPG city/31 MPG highway) in Imperial galons, not U.S. gallons.
 
I hope the mileage improve with the K & N filter and changing my driving habits. .
 
The Mazda dealer told me around 5000 miles are required to break the engine.

#67 of 98 escape-tribute mpg by bobsw1

Jul 28, 2008 (6:20 pm)

hi chiricano
 
we have Tribute 2.3 front drive auto 2006 with just over 50k miles now. For the past 6 months, I have getting a steady 29-30mpg (us), The key is careful use of the tachometer, keep your rpms as low as possible to get to your target speed. Don't be afraid to drive at 55mph even if the MAXimum speed limit is 65, No jack rabbit starts, ease off on the gas just before topping a hill, and use overdrive on level or near level grades. keep the tires properly inflated and the SUV well tuned.
 
I rarely top 2900 rpm.
 
I enjoy the car, and in the land of $4.25 us gas, the SUV goes a long way for a moderate amount of money.
 
good luck.
bob

#68 of 98 Re: Tribute 2008,V6 AWD in Quebec city, Canada [chiricano] by explorerx4

Jul 29, 2008 (3:31 pm)

Replying to: chiricano (Jul 28, 2008 5:12 pm)
you mileage does seem low.
since you replaced the air filter, we can rule that out. how did the original filter look when you replaced it?
i would check the tire pressures and bump them up a couple of pounds(or whatever) over the number on the door sticker. if the ride is too harsh for you, knock it down a bit.
on a street with a slight slope(not a hill!), i would put the windows down and coast a bit in neutral. do you hear any noises that sound like something could be binding or dragging?
i might take off the roof cross bars if you have them, but i don't think they make much difference in primarily city driving, and be careful you don't scratch the roof if you do.
check the odometer over a long run 20-40 miles if you have a chance.
none of these things will result in a big upswing in mileage, but they might help a bit.
let us know how things go as time goes on.
my wife has an '04 with part time 4x4, which has averaged i tick over 19 us mpg over 60k.

Messages Page 7 of 10

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