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Ford Focus: MPG-Real World Numbers

77 messages,  Last post on Dec 04, 2009 at 9:05 AM

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What is this discussion about? Ford Focus, Ford Focus SVT, Fuel Efficiency (MPG)

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#53 of 77 '07 Focus still came in wagon model?... by 0311vn Jul 27, 2008 (7:28 am)
Replying to: jupp (Aug 25, 2006 4:06 am) I have an '01 Focus wagon. Several people have asked about it and I told them it no longer come in wagon model. Heading east on US 50 from Reno recently I was surprised to clock a tank at 38 mpg, the highest I have ever achieved with this car. Driving with the wind may have helped as I have noticed before that sometimes driving west to east with a noticeable wind coming from the west that I got better mileage. Dropping from the elevation near Lake Tahoe may also have been a factor.   On US 50 from Reno to Gunnison, Colorado I consistently clocks tanks at 34 to 36 mpg. I kept the cruise at 65 mph and cut the AC when going up grades.   The NY Times of 26 Jul page B1 has an article about how ethanol may reduce mileage with car with smaller engines. I suspect in Nevada and Utah that I was running 100 percent gasoline that got me those 34 to 36 mpg tanks. In South Dakota running with "corn pone" (as I call it) blend a tank dropped to 32 mpg.
#54 of 77 Scientific Fact by mschmal Jul 29, 2008 (7:52 am)
1 gallon of E85 has less energy than a gallon of regular old gas which has less energy than a gallon of diesel.   Fact is that there is less energy in a gallon of E85 than was spent turning dirt and seeds in to E85 and getting it to your tank.   Corn farming requires fertilizer made from Oil. Corn farming requires tractors that burn oil. Corn has to be transported to an Ethanol plant by trains or trucks that burn Oil. Ethanol requires production in a plant that uses Electricity made from Oil/coal Ethanol then has to be transported by a truck or in a tank car by rail again burning OIL!!!!!   At every stage of production, Ethanol is less efficient than plain old OIL. Corn can't be transported in Super Tankers or pipelines. and neither can Ethanol.   Ethanol is a GIANT SCAM!   Mark
#55 of 77 Update on 2005 Ford Focust ST at 65,000 miles by basiliskst Aug 04, 2008 (9:20 am)
I previously reported mileage after about 2,000 miles of experience with my used 2005 Ford Focus and 27,000 total miles. At that time I was getting about 27 MPG. Now with 65,000 on the clock, it is time to update that report.   It's all good. Over the 40,000 miles of driving, I'm averaging slightly better than 30 MPG. The ST is still rock solid and a joy to drive. I decided to update today after realizing just how much fun the Focus ST is on a beautiful morning drive. It still makes me grin. No squeaks, no rattles. Perfectly composed handling and steering. Zero unscheduled maintenance costs. It still looks and performs as new. I've gone through P6 tires at about 30,000 miles for each set. I've used Valvoline pure synthetic oil. I've performed all factory scheduled maintenance. And that's it. Absolutely great car. I've since bought a 2008 Mercury Milan Premier with the same engine for my wife's primary car and it yields 27.7 MPG average in the bigger car with a 5-speed automatic. Very impressive. My experience matches the recent quality and reliability surveys that suggest that Ford is now on par with Toyota. The Focus is remarkably competent for an affordable economy car. The purposeful styling hides a driver's car that is truly a blast to drive and is still easy on fuel, more important now that gasoline is a $4.00 per gallon. I thank my lucky stars I test drove the Focus. I think it had languished on the dealer's lot because not that many people can drive manual transmissions any more. It fit me perfectly and was fun then. Nothing else I was looking at then would be saving as much money today and still be as much fun. Thank you Ford. Replies to this message: wjtinatl (May 08, 2009 5:11 am)
#56 of 77 Re: First gas check on my new 04 ZTW 2.3L, AT [fapar47] by tlworkroom Aug 07, 2008 (4:45 pm)
Replying to: fapar47 (Sep 15, 2006 4:36 pm) I know that 34K miles isn't that much, compared to when these cars can go over 200,000 miles easily on their engines if taken care of properly. I'm a firm believer in using oil cleaners and gas additives to make sure engines are properly clean.   I used to drive for courier company in New Mexico, USA, and we use Focus ZX3 with 5 sp manual tranny. When brand new, they were rockets!! I was lucky that I wasn't caught checking how fast it would go on interstate, like some of other drivers did. But most of these cars were driven HARD, and I was able to make 33-35 mpg at 75 mph speed limit on freeway, which is where I always drove my car, with very little city driving. But that was because I always used gas additive to clean engine. I also changed oil myself many times, occasionally using "Motor Flush" to clean out oil completely. Some might feel I wasted my money, but I got the mpg I desired from it.   But even your car probably wouldn't gain great benefits from what I've described above. Seems like something else might be the problem, possibly mechanical. I know that automatic transmissions don't get as good mpg as 5 sp tranny's, but I've gotten my beatup 1991 Geo Prizm with 240K miles on it to go from 28 mpg to 35 mpg highway by cleaning up engine inside and out.   Only other suggestion I might make is to try Bosch "+2" plugs. They burn the gas mixture more effectively, and is what allowed my junker to finally achieve the 35 mpg on highway.
#57 of 77 What was your best recorded mpg on a Focus?... by 0311vn Aug 08, 2008 (6:34 am)
My best ever clocked tank was 38 mpg while driving west to east on US 50 in Nevada. I think several factors may have been in play: A) driving east with the wind. B) Descending a bit in elevation from Reno while driving toward Fallon. C) The possibility that I bought a tank of 100 percent gasoline in Nevada without ethanol bringing down my mileage as happen later in South Dakota. And, D) keeping the cruise control at 65 and turning off the AC while going up grades.   I'm not a mileage geek as portrayed on ABC Nightline a few months ago where one fella never exceeded 20 mph while driving to work in Chicago on tires 10 to 20 pounds over inflated. But I am curious if anyone has ever cracked 40 mpg in a Focus.
#58 of 77 48 mpg by misa Aug 13, 2008 (9:06 am)
I have a 2003 Ford Focus ZX3 manual. I drove 380 miles from Binghamton, NY to Pittsburgh, PA going mostly the speed limit or under, ranging from 45-50 mph in construction zones, 55 mph zones and 65 mph interstate. I got 48 mpg with gasoline from Mobil. I didn't use A/C or the cd player. I had the windows up and the fan going at 2.   On the way back, I used gasoline from BP and got all the way back to Binghamton without having to stop for gas. I only used 8.8 gallons of gas for 382 miles so I got about 43 mpg. There were alot of stop and go construction on the way back on 80 E. I was amazed I could get so much mpg from a Ford Focus.   I didn't use the brakes very much and was able to coast down the hills without using the accelerator.   When I used to go 75-85 mph, I only got 30 mpg. When I went 95 mph, I only got 26 mpg. For regular city driving, I get about 29 mpg. Replies to this message: 0311vn (Aug 16, 2008 8:42 pm)
#59 of 77 Anyone swapped out the airfilter? by mschmal Aug 15, 2008 (3:19 am)
I was wondering if anyone who swapped in a K&N Air filter got better fuel econ.   Mark
#60 of 77 Misa, what does a CD player have to do with mpg?... by 0311vn Aug 16, 2008 (8:42 pm)
Replying to: misa (Aug 13, 2008 9:06 am) I advise using your AC since you paid for it and it doesn't cut mpg much. Also, from what I read an air cleaner does not effect mpg much when it becomes dirty. Using a electronics such as a CD player in a car will not drop your mpg due to using battery power.
#61 of 77 08 Focus by justinj Sep 24, 2008 (11:29 am)
I have an 08 Focus, 5 spd...mostly expressway driving, usually 75 mph, and usually get 33-34 mpg (display usually says 35). I think driving around the speed limit, you should be able to get 38 or so- my wife took it to SC, and said she thought there were times they averaged 40. I usually accelerate briskly as well...someday, I'll try to have patience and just see what I can average for a week...80 miles round trip to work.
#62 of 77 Re: 2005 Ford Focus Sedan [comp386] by greenpony Nov 25, 2008 (5:59 pm)
Replying to: comp386 (Oct 09, 2006 5:55 am) >>Wow my MPG suffered after going to 100% highway. I recently moved and I go about 70 (yeah I follow the speed limit) on the freeway for my entire commute and I'm down to 29-30 MPG. I was getting better fuel economy going local with some minor gridlock. Very odd >>   Not odd, really. This actually sounds just about right. Don't underestimate the effect of excessive speed on fuel economy. You may not think 70 is excessive, but try dropping to 60 and see your fuel economy dramatically increase. I'd say about 10% better.

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