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GMC Acadia Real World MPG

251 messages,  Last post on Mar 20, 2013 at 8:45 AM

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What is this discussion about? GMC Acadia, Fuel System, SUV

Messages Page 9 of 26

#78 of 251 Re: Recent highway MPG [jebutler848] by hockessin

Dec 27, 2010 (8:08 pm)

Replying to: jebutler848 (Dec 05, 2010 6:17 am)
I bought an AWD 2011 Acadia in the summer in Newark, DE. The salesperson told me to expect 16 - 24 MPG. On average, I get 13 -14 MPG, whether city or highway. After 3 months of driving, I called the GMC service department to see if there was a problem with my car and they told me that 13-14 MPG is typical. I'm very upset!!! I would have never bought the Acadia if I would have know it was a 13-14MPG SUV. I will never buy a GMC again. The car is nice, but overall I'm dissatisfied. The horrible gas mileage makes the smaller issues seem worse (there are quite a few). For a $40K+ car, I was expecting much more. Stay away from the Acadia and GMC manufactured autos.

#79 of 251 Re: Recent highway MPG [hockessin] by surprenant

Jan 02, 2011 (10:10 am)

Replying to: hockessin (Dec 27, 2010 8:08 pm)
I was planning on ordering an Acadia this month.
My assumption was it would get better milage than my 07 Tahoe 15-17 MPG. Is the 2011 better MPG than older Acadia's? Its rated at 24 on the highway, from what I'm reading in the forum, I shouldn't expect to get in the high teens low 20's. HELP

#81 of 251 Re: Recent highway MPG [surprenant] by jebutler848

Jan 02, 2011 (1:12 pm)

Replying to: surprenant (Jan 02, 2011 10:10 am)
I am not getting as good as mileage as I would expect nor what I was led to believe. My 08 Tahoe was better than my 2010 Acadia, but I have grown to like it regardless. I might keep it another year and go to either a Yukon or another Tahoe, but not another Acadia. Hope that tells you what you wanted to know. Dealership did do some work on my computer (supposedly) and it does do better than it did when I first brought it......

#82 of 251 Re: Recent highway MPG [surprenant] by legalbgl1

Jan 05, 2011 (2:01 pm)

Replying to: surprenant (Jan 02, 2011 10:10 am)
We just traded in our 08 Honda Pilot for the 2011 Acadia AWD SLT1. My wife's biggest complaint is the gas mileage. The Pilot killes the Acadia in mileage. However, in every other way the Acadia is far and away the more comfortable SUV and IMHO a better SUV. Going to talk to the dealer about the computer fix though and see if that does anything.

#83 of 251 Mileage stinks by nojob

Jan 06, 2011 (2:52 pm)

Have 2011 Acadia, 1200 miles. Took a trip at 75 mph, under 2000 rpm, flat ground, speed control,and only got 19.7 mpg. My previous 2 vehicles (Fords) got the advertised mileage from the first day. I bought this truck because of the advertised 24 mpg. Has anyone reported that they got the advertised mileage?

#84 of 251 Consider yourself lucky by stdavis

Jan 06, 2011 (4:25 pm)

I drive an 08 bought new Jan 08. I have never been able to get any satisfaction about the MPG. You get precisely the same results I get.
If you drop down to less than 70 MPH you will see that you also drop below 2k RPM's the MPG will go to about +22.1 MPG given enough miles. That is probably the best you will ever see unless you can stand to drive 60MPG where you might see 24MPG.
I think the only people reporting that they get 24MPG or anything near it are people that live in areas where the typical highway speed is 65 or less. I think for everyone in the midwest that can go 70+ MPH on the highways and 75+ on the turnpikes for extended periods will never see less better than 20MPG.
In addition the mixed highway and in town low speed and highspeed driving will be less than 17MPG. I think the best we ever see in town is 12-13 MPG.
 
This is the results we have always gotten with the AWD SLT 2. We have tried a few techiques for improving mileage with no results. Running only pure GAS with no ethenol keeping the tires aired up to 34 or more with nitrogen, etc, ect, ect...
 
I think the whole programing the transmission for different shift points is bogus as well. The fact is the V6 is just under powered for this heavy a vehicle. Obviously the shifting in and out of overdrive on the highway with just the slightest incline on the road to maintain 70+MPH on cruise control is a contributing factor, but if you change the shift points the vehicle won't be able to maintain the cruise setting within 5MPH, but it might not be so irratating.
 
This is extremely disappointing, there are other factors that make this a nice vehicle, but when you have given up a loaded Tahoe that was a fantastic vehicle for 10years and got better MPG and more horse power with better performance on the road it is hard to feel like you made a good decision.
 
All I can say is the AWD was FANTASTIC in the blizzard of Christmas Eve 09 in OKC and that alone has paid for the decision to go AWD in an area where I didn't really think it was necessary, but I don't believe the AWD is a factor on the MPG anyway.
 
I recently drove a 2011 Chrsyler Jeep Grand Cherokee on a long road trip and got better than 25 MPG on the trip. I couldn't believe how much Chrysler has improved this vehicle. Never been a Chrysler fan but that vehicle almost changed my mind.
 
It had great performance and I think it was a V8. Lot of horse power and get up and go. Very comfortable ride plently of room for a big guy and nicer fit and finish that I have ever seen before in a Chrysler product. For the price of a loaded Acadia I am sure you can get a comparably loaded Jeep Grand Cherokee. I haven't looked maybe I am way off base.
 
One of factor that makes a difference for me is that Bob Howard Chevy has a service manager that has always been great to us, and that is worth a lot. Not that I have needed him for much, but it always helps to have someone you can count on, on the service side.
 
The rear hatch shocks have failed twice and the heated water reservoir for the wind shield had a recall, but other than the leaky sun roof that took a couple of time to correct if has been trouble free over 3 years.
 
If GM could just get the MPG right this would be a 8+, but in my mind it will never be better than a 7 unless they come out with a V8. Maybe the new Denali?

#85 of 251 Re: Gas mileage experiance? [jebutler848] by balky

Jan 11, 2011 (9:23 pm)

Replying to: jebutler848 (May 24, 2010 8:14 pm)
could you share what the dealership changed in the programming to get your mileage up? I recently bought a 2010 AWD, picked it up at the end of December have gone through about 3 tanks of gas so far with 1600km on the odometer. I am not sure why you would have to wait for an engine to be "broken-in" as every new vehicle i have owned over the last 10 years ( has been 4 so far- 2 fords - 1 toyota - i honda) all gave excellent mileage off the get go. The CSR told me that i need to have at least 10k to then consider there is a problem if i still see this mileage issue. I am going to take it back to the dealer and have them check it out . it just seems that the engine is burning to "rich" for some reason any suggestions??

#86 of 251 Re: Recent highway MPG [stanley07] by happyowner09

Jan 30, 2011 (11:45 am)

Replying to: stanley07 (Dec 04, 2010 9:59 pm)
I have a 09 AWD. Honestly it gets better mileage than I would have thought. I am on the Canadian prairies, so we have some pretty cold weather, which does decrease my mpg. I average about 20 mpg in winter, driving about 40 miles per day. In warm weather, I average 25+ and have even done as good as 30 when I drive a little slower. Typical speeds here are about 70 mph. I am absolutely happy with my Acadia and have had several friends buy one after seeing mine. Luckily I have had no mechanical issues at all, and I have over 50000 miles on it since I bought it new in Dec 08. Hope this helps some of you to know it is possible to get better mileage. Oh, and it seems that of people I know that drive Acadias, the 08's did not get as good of mileage as the newer models.

#87 of 251 Re: Gas mileage experiance? [balky] by nmydst

Feb 02, 2011 (12:48 pm)

Replying to: balky (Jan 11, 2011 9:23 pm)
I own a 2011 SLT-1 FWD Acadia that we did a buyback with GM on our 2009 SLT-1 FWD Acadia. Both were brand new vehicles, but with our 2009 we only got to drive it for 4200 miles before it was released to the dealer. During our ownership the average gas mileage we got was 16/17 and that was with me driving half city and highway with speeds averaging between 45-70 daily. With the 2011 I have 4800 miles and I am lucky if I see 15. I don't know if it has to do with weather because I am auto starting the car to warm it up, then you have the heater running constintely. In the summer once in awhile i will auto start the car to cool it off and yes we ran the air conditioner, but we also had the sunroof open and windows open alot of the time too. I think gas has gotten crappier too. In the 2009 I could fill the car up and it would last me for 2 weeks. Now I fill the car up once a week and I'm going about the same amount of distance as before. Right now my car is reading at 12. I used to own a Pontiac Grand Prix GTP and thought that it getting 17 in the city and 24 highway( sometimes on a really good trip my husband could push it to 30) was hurting but this is ridiculous! I'm afraid to start letting someone mess with the computer in my car and tinkering with other things..sometimes that leads to creating problems then solving problems. I got rid of a big problem in August I don't know if I want to mess with the new car, but I sure want to do something about this gas mileage issue though!

Messages Page 9 of 26

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