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Dodge Caliber MPG-Real World Numbers

221 messages,  Last post on Jun 09, 2009 at 5:10 PM

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What is this discussion about? Dodge Caliber, Fuel Efficiency (MPG), Wagon

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#155 of 221 Re: Air filter test for mpg [lexan1965] by jhknight Feb 08, 2007 (4:58 pm)
Replying to: lexan1965 (Feb 08, 2007 3:50 pm) My MPG is down to 23. Probably because of below zero temps. Dodge sucks gas!
#156 of 221 no difference... by lexan1965 Feb 13, 2007 (10:48 am)
Well, I've gone through one tank with the K & N air filter and it has made no difference as far as m.p.g. yet. Will it ever? Doubtful, but it's nice to feel some more "pep" on the gas pedal with the cloth filter. Will keep all updated.
#157 of 221 getting better by lexan1965 Mar 03, 2007 (1:51 am)
My last 2 tanks of gas I've averaged 28.67 mpg. ( 2.0 w CVT ) I'm also having cruise control installed next week so that should help also.
#158 of 221 5 Tank Average, 34 mile freeway commute, 1.8 Stick Shift by micweb Mar 07, 2007 (11:29 am)
5 Tank Average, 34 mile freeway commute, 1.8 Stick Shift:   31.15 mpg   This is a commute so it has some slow and go stretches plus my surface street stretches to get to and from the freeway (about 1.5 miles on each end).   I am very pleased with this mileage. Replies to this message: caliberchic (Mar 07, 2007 11:34 am)
#159 of 221 Re: 5 Tank Average, 34 mile freeway commute, 1.8 Stick Shift [micweb] by caliberchic Mar 07, 2007 (11:34 am)
Replying to: micweb (Mar 07, 2007 11:29 am) Not too shabby, it's better than I average with my 1.8.
#160 of 221 pathetic mpg by jhknight Mar 15, 2007 (1:41 pm)
This is part of the problem, people seem to consider 30mpg acceptable. the old epa est mpg for the caliber sxt 2.0 cvt was 26-30, the new epa figure is 23-26. Pityful, but accurate. I had based my expectations on admittedly optimistic and naive assuptions; that something 10 years newer might be improved, and I also underestimated government complacency and greed in allowing technology to be withheld from the people. I just sold a 1996 6 cylinder minivan! that got 24 mpg,and bought a 2007 "all new"? 4 cylinder GAS GUZZLER that is even worse than my minivan was!!!!!!!!! Get active, vote with dollars, BUY A PRIUS! Replies to this message: micweb (Mar 20, 2007 7:56 am)
#161 of 221 Re: pathetic mpg [jhknight] by micweb Mar 20, 2007 (7:56 am)
Replying to: jhknight (Mar 15, 2007 1:41 pm) I don't think your criticism is fair. It doesn't take into account how much cars have grown.   For example, I had a 1993 Honda CX, their "low tech" high mileage version that year. Here are some key specs from Edmunds:   2094 pounds; 70 horsepower; 91 pound feet of torque; 42 city mpg, 46 highway mpg   Ok, want to know what kind of mileage I got when I drove between LA and San Francisco? 32 mpg. Pretty disappointing, huh? I can assure that zero, zip, nada has happened between my driving habits then and now - conservative, easy driver.   Want to know my overall LA to San Francisco gas mileage on my 2007 Caliber, which weighs 3089 pounds, has 140 hp, 129 pound feet of torque, side curtain airbags, and a "big" profile (tons of front and rear seat head room and legroom, four doors, bigger hatchback storeage area)? Almost 33 mpg.   So I'd call that progress. I have owned a large variety of economy cars in the last 9 years. A 2003 Civic Coupe stick shift gave me 35 mpg on the same run; but so did a 2006 Chevy Cobalt stick shift, and it was much faster and quieter. I tend to average about 30 mpg on that run, except for a couple of VW Golfs which dropped to 26 mpg due to the low 5th speed gearing, and also a Focus hatchback with auto that got the same mileage (their stick shift hb's returned 30-33 mpg - the current Duratec motors are more efficient).   It's very hard, imho, to hit the really high mileage numbers. Consumers demand quick acceleration, to manufacturers don't gear their products high. Automatics are very inefficient, they recapture part of that with extra tall gearing but it still doesn't make up for friction losses.   In short, the Caliber is, for all intents and purposes a midsize car but matches the fuel economy of the "compact" (more like "mini" compared to today's vehicles) cars of the 90's. To me, that's progress despite all the rants I see.
#162 of 221 More SF to LA Gas Mileage Numbers by micweb Mar 20, 2007 (8:10 am)
I set off to LA last weekend expecting to take a mileage "hit" from the high speeds that are common on the San Francisco to Los Angeles run. Earlier in the break in cycle, I seemed to be getting 28-29 mpg on that run vs. 31-32 mpg on my commute (the variation resulting from the amount of city street errands mixed in with my freeway commute).   Instead, mileage came up. The only factors that have changed since my last report are (1) I sometimes accelerate harder, running up the rpm (supposed to use more fuel); (2) I sometimes accelerate harder, but by flooring it in a lower gear (supposed to use less fuel than running up the rpm in a lower gear, since the butterfly valve in the throttle body is in the more efficient, wider open position); (3) the car has 5,000 miles on it; and (4) I changed to full synthetic (Pennzoil Platinum 5-20) vs. semi-synthetic (Motorcraft/Conoco 5-20). From all reports I have read, synthetic oil per se does not increase mileage, but on the other hand different makes tend to fall into slightly different viscoscity ranges (all within the 5-20 spec, though) which may affect mileage, but shouldn't affect it by more than a couple of percent.   Here are the tank by tank numbers. I wouldn't read very much into the tank by tank variations, since I was on the road and obviously unable to follow my "at home" routine of using the same gas station, same pump, same vehicle to pump orientation (levelness affects fill considerably).   32.59 mp - fill up before I hit the road, this represents my normal "commute" mpg, although it is about 1 mpg above average, probably a fill variation.   34.44 mpg at Kettleman City;   35.14 mpg in Burbank after arriving (probably a fill variation, esp. considering the "hill climb" over the mountains on the last stretch into L.A.);   31.32 mpg in Buttonwillow on the drive back (all my L.A. driving was freeway, very little street mixed in, this leg also includes up the mountains and back down to get out of L.A.);   30.28 mpg from Buttonwillow back to SF (this was the highest speed portion of the run, people were maniacs on the way home on Sunday).   Average - 32.75 mpg.   Awfully darn good.   I suspect a stick shift with a 2.0 would match this mileage - the 1.8 is geared necessarily low due to its small displacement. It makes good hp, but only at high rpm. This car simply won't "pull" at low rpm the way my Cobalt with a 2.2 would - on the other hand, the engine is much smoother and rev's very freely. More of a European experience - small displacement, high rpm for performance.
#163 of 221 My mpg by ouwxguesser Mar 22, 2007 (11:02 pm)
My Caliber now has nearly 15k on it. Overall, it's working out great although the suspension is a bit noisy. On my latest road trip ~2k miles, I had the majority of my tanks above 28mpg with the 2.0 CVT driving at 70-75mph. One tank even registered a hair over 32. Works for me! One thing to note... it has a pretty high drag coef. so anytime you drive into a decent head wind (10mph+) kiss fuel economy goodbye. It will typically drop into the mid 20s then.   While I would love to have a hybrid, the $$$ wasn't there for it for me. Caliber offered the best bang for buck + decent mileage + versatility I was looking for.
#164 of 221 At 10,000 miles by caliberchic Mar 30, 2007 (7:54 pm)
I am getting almost 30 mpg.

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