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Hyundai Elantra Real World MPG 2012

752 messages,  Last post on Jun 16, 2013 at 12:33 AM

You are in the Hyundai Elantra Forum.

What is this discussion about? Hyundai Elantra, Fuel Efficiency (MPG), Hatchback, Sedan

Messages Page 43 of 76

#413 of 752 Re: Post avg MPH with avg MPG...here is why vs Elantra [g2iowa] by m6user

Apr 13, 2012 (11:53 am)

Replying to: g2iowa (Apr 13, 2012 11:40 am)
Avg mph can be decieiving. If one drives from a country home to a nearby small town a few miles away the avg speed may be 35mph and it may involve just one or two stop signs. But sombody else could avg that same 35mph by driving 75 on the expressway for several miles and jackrabbiting a few miles in town with alot of stoplights(idling). The one that had the leisurely drive to the small town would no doubt get substantially better mpg even though the avg mph are the same. I realize this is extreme but I'm sure there are variations of this which would make an apples to apples(mph to mph) comparison suspect. Not bad info but more info is needed for an accurate comparison of any kind.
 
I find the most convincing arguments are those that compared their mpg to previous cars driven over the same route for an extended period of time. If they had no problem achieving EPA numbers before than they would logically beliieve they could do it with their new car driving in the same manner.

#414 of 752 Re: Post avg MPH with avg MPG...here is why vs Elantra [m6user] by backy

Apr 13, 2012 (6:57 pm)

Replying to: m6user (Apr 13, 2012 11:53 am)
If they had no problem achieving EPA numbers before than they would logically beliieve they could do it with their new car driving in the same manner.
 
It'd be logical if the EPA ratings were close. It's a lot harder for car to hit a 40 mpg rating than a 25-30 mpg rating. The EPA system is set up to make those high ratings possible, but not guaranteed. We heard about the acceleration assumptions for the EPA tests, for example. Many drivers don't accelerate that slowly.
 
What I would find frustrating, and hard to explain, if I were the owner of a 2011-2 Elantra, is if there was no doubt I drive with a light foot and have no problem exceeding EPA fuel economy ratings in any car--including the Elantra I test-drove or rented and other high-mpg cars--under all but extreme conditions, then my own Elantra couldn't hit the EPA ratings. One thing I'd do if I owned an Elantra like that is take another one for a long test drive or rent one and see how it compared to mine, to check on the possibility of a problem with the car.

#415 of 752 '12 Elantra Limited - Hit 40MPG yesterday by fushigi

Apr 16, 2012 (6:18 am)

My wife & I returned to the Chicago suburbs from the Indianapolis area yesterday. While she normally uses a trip meter in the display, I had flipped it over to the Average MPG readout. Once she started watching it she really enjoyed watched the MPG inch up.
 
Here are the circumstances:
- Full tank of gas. Regular 87 octane w/10% ethanol from Circle-K / Shell.
- Occupying the car was my wife + me + 2 suitcases in the trunk.
- About 2700 miles on the odometer so the car hasn't even had an oil change yet.
- Outside temps were in the mid '70s.
- AC was on the entire trip. During part of the trip the sun was strong & heated up the interior; towards the end after the sun went down it was used to keep humidity down as it was raining.
- Cruise control was set to 71MPH. So she was speeding by 1MPH (I said to her "you're such a rebel" ). Occasionally she sped up to pass or cancelled due to traffic but CC was maintained for probably over 90% of the drive. I don't think she exceeded 80MPH.
- Towards the end of the trip we were also driving at night with the rain.
- It was windy yesterday. Winds were mostly from the west so for much of the trip it was a cross-wind. For the last 30 or 40 miles, though, it was a headwind.
- Overall trip was around 180 miles. It started with about 10 miles of pre-interstate rural driving and ended with 14 miles of post-interstate suburban roads.
 
Once we hit I65 the display noted around 34MPG. So that would cover the pre-interstate rural driving. As we cruised on I65 it kept inching up and up. Eventually it topped out briefly at 40.1MPG. I did snap a cell phone pic 40. By the time we got home it had dropped a little to 39.2.
 
We haven't calibrated the Ave. MPG readout to see how accurate it is in her car, but I'm figuring that even if it read high, we were running with E10 gas, used AC the entire trip, and part of the trip included a headwind, night driving (headlights), and wipers so the electrical load was higher. I've no doubt that 40+ is possible for her car under the right circumstances.
 
I'm not trying to counter the claims from others that their cars aren't delivering the economy they hoped for; just that, for my wife's Elantra, 40 highway is possible.

#416 of 752 Re: Post avg MPH with avg MPG... [m6user] by g2iowa

Apr 16, 2012 (12:02 pm)

Replying to: m6user (Apr 13, 2012 11:53 am)
Avg. MPH is a readily available piece of data that can provide some insight into the perception of drivers. I believe too many people underestimate that amount of time they spend sitting at stop signs and stop lights. That is a real MPG killer, and one that drops avg. MPH quickly.
 
Just fuelled up again after seeing my daughter at her college Saturday. This time my avg. MPH went from 20 mph to 30 mph and my FE went from 26.4 mpg to 33.0 mpg (149.1 miles using 4.517 gals non-ethanol). About 50/50 city/highway miles driven, but more time spent in city driving. Never had cruise control above 65 mph (also had some 50/55/60 mph segments). So that combined 33 mpg is pretty close to the EPA combined estimate.
But the computer's MPG estimate remains about 10% high. Estimated 36.9 mpg.

#417 of 752 My take by dc_driver

Apr 17, 2012 (9:46 am)

Not here to defend Hyundai, but many people have unrealistic expectations when it comes to fuel economy IMHO. If you:
- Live in a cold climate
- Don't have your tires properly inflated
- Run the A/C constantly
- Don't have fuel conserving driving habits (quick to accelerate, lots of stop and go, lots of idling, don't use the coasting method, don't drive at a constant speed, etc) you will most likely never hit the EPA numbers.
 
I have owned lots of cars.. I rarely hit the EPA numbers but I really don't expect to as I tend to have a lead foot on acceleration, and I don't coast to stop signs/red lights as much as I should. And I live in a cold climate and like to run the A/C on high in the summer.
 
In the past ten years I have owned, Mazda, Honda, Nissan, VW, and now a Hyundai (Sonata). If I really try to hit the EPA numbers in ideal conditions I am usually able to, and I can sometimes exceed it. But it is just not for me. I would rather spend more money and drive as I like to But I still get pretty close, especially on the highway.

#418 of 752 Not a magic carpet by fowler3

Apr 17, 2012 (10:21 am)

DC Driver: You are exactly right, it's a car, not a magic carpet, not a slot machine, just a real nice car Hyundai thought many would enjoy riding in and drive sensibly. Look at the HAVC controls on the center-dash, beautifully designed aren't they, but they are the three knobs found in other vehicles,
they do the same things. People begged for something really new, now they have it and they are complaining.

#419 of 752 Very pleased with MPG so far... by w_kingston

Apr 20, 2012 (11:56 am)

I've owned my 2012 Elantra Limited since the first of January, so roughly 15 weeks now. I commute 100 miles round-trip each day to work, mostly rolling hills by interstate, with the last 5 miles city travel. The actual mpg on my first tank of gas was 32.1 and with each new tank it has steadily increased. I rarely drive over the speed limit, and I try to accelerate slowly. I've found that keeping the rpm below 2000 when possible really helps, and I do use the cruise control. I only buy "regular" gas. The mpg on my last six tanks has been: 37.1, 35.9, 36.5, 41.1, 36.8, 37.2. The mpg indicator on the instrument panel usually reads 2.2 mpg higher than actual, but at least it's consistent. If it reads 40.2 mpg, then I know I'm actually getting 38. Needless to say, I'm very happy with my Elantra. I would have gone with an even smaller car, but at 6'4" I just couldn't fit comfortably into most of them. The Elantra had the combination of fuel economy and leg-room I had to have.

#420 of 752 Re: Not a magic carpet [fowler3] by knocker81

Apr 20, 2012 (9:12 am)

Replying to: fowler3 (Apr 17, 2012 10:21 am)
I don't think anyone thinks it's a magic carpet, but when it say's 29/40 you should get at least 27/35. The most I've gotten combined is 26, that's about 60%city 40 highway... it's ridiculous. It looks good but drives bad, the ride is terrible, you feel every bump the handling stinks. I know I wasn't buying a Bimmer but coming from a Corolla there's no comparison. This is a classic case of don't judge a book by it's cover.

#421 of 752 Re: My take [dc_driver] by eweiner

Apr 21, 2012 (8:45 am)

Replying to: dc_driver (Apr 17, 2012 9:46 am)
Why are you commenting on an Elantra thread when you dont own one. The Sonata is not the same car.
 
Some of your points require that you assume that people posting here have the worse habits on the planet. People run the heat in the winter, the AC in the summer. They fill their tires with air and drive as they have with ALL of their other cars.
 
A car should not require special skills to get the EPA estimates. Normal, average driving should be all that is required.
 
Most people do not achieve even desent results with the Elantra. That's why they come here. Their eperience and expectation are not being met.
 
For me, I am going to leave behind the Elantra soon. I'd rather have better handling, and a bigger car for a little lost MPG. I am told that the Optima and Sonata's fill that niche but more research is needed on my part. It seems the V6's are actually better at getting higher MPG.

#422 of 752 Re: My take [eweiner] by crankeee

Apr 21, 2012 (11:58 am)

Replying to: eweiner (Apr 21, 2012 8:45 am)
"Wiener" Your reply to DC shows us why some drivers never learn to operate their vehicle efficiently - They just can't learn from others. We have a 2012 Sonata also and monitor the Elantra board ( and others) to learn more about Hyundais and MPG tips in general. Seems the more you can learn the better you can operate your car and save $. DC's tips are not obvious to some drivers who may benefit IF they have that cherished human behavior trait - LEARNING. Good luck in your search.

Messages Page 43 of 76

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