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Sedans Nissan Altima Nissan Altima Real World MPG
195 messages, Last post on Sep 25, 2009 at 6:11 PM
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Replying to: busiris (May 16, 2008 8:07 pm) No wonder Al Gore is making millions on his giant scam. Get ready to be restricted by stupidity and 'carbon credits' as the brainwashed masses allow our country to be governed by international bodies. Control carbon output, you control their economy. Control an economy, you control their country. Very simple - yet the lies and scams continue.......and here we are - paying $4 per gallon for fuel. |
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I now have almost 20,000 miles on my Altima and I have been somewhat dissappointed with the gas milage, but I need to clarify that statement. I drive quite conservatively and I routinely get 10-15% better gas milage than the EPA estimate. For example, I had a 94 Sentra 5 sp that was rated 38 mpg highway but I almost never got less than 42 mpg and many times got 44-46 mpg. We also have a big 2001 Mercury with V-8 rated 25 mpg highway and we can routinely get 28-29. Also, when I say I drive conservatively, by that I mean on the highway I usually get into the right lane, set the cruise on 65 (if the speed limit is 65) and try to stay out of everyone's way. I bought the Altima to replace the Sentra (235,000 miles and still going strong when I gave it to my son tof use as a commuter car). I have not routinely checked non-highway milage but on the highway I can usually get low to mid-30's; on a recent trip from north GA to Frederick, MD I averaged 35 mpg (based on 1,051 miles) in mostly highway drivingl and yes I checked it the proper way, i.e. # miles divided by # of gallons. As one posting observed, air pressure can make a significant difference, the tires on my 07 Altima are rated as 44 psi maximum, yet Nissan recommends 32 psi if I'm not mistaken. In my opinion that is far too low and is designed mostly to give a softer smoother ride. I usually run tire pressure at about 90% of maximum on all my vehicles. Not only does it improve gas milage but the tires seem to wear longer (but you do have to rotate regularly). On my old Sentra (which came with much better Michelein tires), the original tires lasted well over 100,000 miles before needing replacing, again I kept them inflated to 90% of max. I think one reason for lower gas milage on the Altima is the CVT transmission. I have noted when going down some hills -- usually at nonhighway speeds -- the transmission will go to a lower setting (downshift), and the engine speed will increase from around 1,200 rpm to almost 3,000 rpms. This does not happen with a normal AT with gears and certainly is not fuel efficient. But most car manufacturers are going the CVT transmission route these days. I'm sure they are cheaper than 5 and 6 speed AT's still found on many cars but I'm not convinced they are more fuel efficient. I would be interested in learning if anyone else has observed this when driving their Altima. |
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Replying to: nosmoking (May 19, 2008 6:16 am) No, they really aren't (not to sound snippy  ). Nissan is very unique in this regard. The only place you'll see a large number of CVTs is in Hybrid vehicles (Civic Hybrid, Camry Hybrid, etc) because a CVT is in fact more fuel-efficient than a geared transmission, since they can find the perfect RPM for what the driver wants, while a geared transmission is always trying to put you where your right foot tells the car you want to be. I do believe the Dodge Caliber offers a CVT, but it is an anomaly. Otherwise, Ford, GM, Toyota, Honda, Mazda are all using 4, 5, and 6-speed automatics, depending on model.
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Replying to: nosmoking (May 19, 2008 6:16 am) Isn't that about 10% better than the EPA estimate? I thought the 2.5 Altima was rated at 32 HWY. Also, remember the EPA recently revised its method for determining mileage estimates, too. Also, I think you will see more and more CVT's in the future...less moving parts from a manufacturing point of view, and the infinitely variable number of gear ratios will give the best mileage overall. The big question to be answered is long-term reliability. I can't say why you aren't doing better MPG wise, but for the average driver, if they drive a CVT in a conservative manner (staying at or under 2000 rpm), they will get better mileage.
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Replying to: busiris (May 19, 2008 5:31 pm) So, if you are getting 35 MPG, you are within your expected parameters, aren't you? Altima Rated 31 MPG, you get 35 MPG-12.9% over. Sentra Rated 38 MPG, you get 42 MPG-10.5%...44 MPG-15.7% Mercury Rated 25 MPG, you get 28 MPG-12%...29 MPG-16% Or, am I missing something here?
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Replying to: busiris (May 19, 2008 9:32 pm) |
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Purchased this car a couple months ago with 30K miles on it, now at 34.5K. My commute is 37 miles, 30 of it freeway w/ light traffic. I have read on these forums how others have gotten better mileage and have been implementing these measures over the past few weeks...tires inflated to max rating; buying 100% gasoline (no ethanol); slower acceleration from stops; keeping HWY speed at or near the speed limit (65mph). Last fill-up was 33.3mpg, the one prior was 32.9mpg (calculated by miles driven divided by gallons used, NOT trip computer which is proving about 1 mpg optimistic). These numbers are eroded due to my wife's driving habits--she drives this car a couple times a week on her 17-mile commute and the computer always reads a couple mpg's lower after those trips. Probably at 34-35mpg just on MY commute. Prior to using those gas-saving tips, car was getting 29-30 mpg. Recently tried a science experiment and drove my entire commute no faster than 55mph. Trip computer loved it--37.3mpg. Car also seems to love warm weather (which we have gotten precious little of in Wisconsin this spring)--mpg's seem noticeably higher at temps above 70 degrees. |
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Replying to: nosmoking (May 19, 2008 6:16 am) High RPM's don't necessarily mean more fuel used. PRM's are just how fast your engine is turning. in the case of the cvt braking, your RPM's aren't shooting up because the engine is getting more gas, its actually getting much less. The PRM's are going up because the cvt has switched to a higher gear, and the wheels are now turning the transmission. This provides resistance on the wheels, and slows the car. its the same was as if you take a MT and put it in 5th while going 30mph. the rpm's will nose dive below 1000, but you'll have to stand on the gas to get it to move thereby using much more fuel than if it were at 2500 rpm in 3rd gear. |
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Replying to: thegraduate (May 19, 2008 10:07 am) Only in the US. both toyota and honda use them quite extensively outside the US. where nissan is unique is in designing one that will work well with a larger, more powerful engine.
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Ok I'm was maybe babying it a little because it's new but I just burned my first tank. About 80% city/suburban 20% highway. Highway speeds 70-75. Averaged 26.312 MPG. Not bad really. I'm hoping it'll get even better as it gets broken in. This is in Virginia running 87 octane with 10% corn syrup (known as ethanol). A couple of observations. The MPG computer showed 28.6 which was off by over 2 miles. Another thing was my low gas warning came on and showed I had about 60 miles left to drive. When I filled it up it took 16.6 gallons. Assuming I have the 20 gallon tank as advertised when it gives the warning you still have about 4 gallons left.
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