Gas mileage

[Nautique220]

Well...I'm not that impressed with the gas mileage. I get 16/gal on the street with pretty easy driving, and on the highway we can get about 20.

When towing, this thing sucks GAS like no other. I got about 8-9 miles per gallon towing (a 22' Nautique Boat) through the desert from LA CA to Havasu AZ.

It tows like a beast and is an amazing hauler...way, way better than my Yukon Denali, the only issue is the bad gas mileage mixed with an undersized gas tank.

If you are about 90 miles from the next gas station, and the gauge estimates 130 miles until E....you are pulling over to get gas. You end up pulling over for gas more often.

The extra 5Gal in the max edition should be somehow squeezed into the non-max version.

Max has 28Gal tank.

 

[dlcorbett]

We love beatin this topic to death. I wonder how many threads of this topics been created? I really believe if you want better gas mileage out of your truck, you will need to change your driving habits fully. You cant expect it to get 22+ mpg on the hwy if your doggin it around town in sport mode. If you try and pay attention to your boost and insta fuel meter, you can get the nu.bers you want. Also, I learned, atleast with mines, that the more i drove it in town and jumped the gas, my hwy mileage would also be affected. Itd take one good full tank in eco mode on the hwy to go from 19mpg hwy to 23+ hwy.

 

[KenK]

2018 Exp MAX 4X4 HD Tow pkg 3:73 gears w 16K miles. Lifetime avg mpg is 19.5 in mixed driving. The mpg goes down in very heavy city traffic or on hwy at 80+ mph or anytime I light up those turbos. When manually calculating the mpg the computer was about 1 mph optimistic.
I am very pleased that such a large powerful vehicle is capable of good fuel mileage too.

 

[wakeboarder]

2019 4x4 MAX. ECO mode (which must be set at every start, NORMAL is default). 89 octane. Driving conservatively, gentle accelerations, 18-20.

Mine has drive mode memory now!

 

[aggiegrad05]

Was thinking today...

It would probably be instructive if we started posting our “average speed” along with our mpg on these threads. (It’s under the “Trip/Fuel” menu.) That should give a good indication of our mix of highway/city.

For instance, here’s mine (obviously I do a lot of city driving):

31,181 miles
Avg speed: 26mph
Avg mpg (dash): 17.1
Avg mpg (by hand): 15.8

All averages are lifetime

If someone has an average of 20mpg and an average speed of 58, that’s a lot of highway driving, obviously.

If someone can manage 20mpg with an average speed of 26, like me, we should probably check their pulse to make sure they’re alive.

 

[Meeker]

Just finished driving from Kananaskis Provincial Park Alberta to Victoria B.C. and back to Calgary AB. Altitudes range from 1240m (4000') in Calgary to sea level with plenty of hills in between. Fairly light load in my 2018 XLT w/ HD Tow. Here's my fuel usage:

Highway speeds: 95-110 km/h (59 - 68 mph)
From Trip display 2726 km/37.5 hours = 72.7 km/h or 45.2 mpg average speed
Total Distance: 2726.2 km (1694 miles)
Fuel used (at pump): 324.07 L (85.6 USgal)
Fuel Economy: 11.20 L/100km (21.00 mpg) - this is using the gas purchase volume, not the built-in display

Interestingly, the Trip 1 display calculated overall mpg as 11.89 L/100km or 19.79 mpg. Previously the trip display was optimistic by 1 mpg but this time it is pessimistic? I wonder what accounts for the difference. Is it inaccuracies in the vehicle calculation, or are the gas station volume measurements that bad?

 

[Going_Going_Gone]

15,54 miles
Avg speed: 21mph
Avg mpg (dash): 15.4

We didn't buy this vehicle for mileage, but for passenger capacity/comfort. If I did more freeway driving, I'm sure it would be better, but who knows by how much. I find the lifetime mileage to be better than my last vehicle, a 4X4 F-150 super crew w/5.4 -14.31 hand calculated over 80K miles...AND it's more fun to drive.

 

[keny01998]

I average about 18 with Chevron 87. It's time to change your plugs. Mine looked burned after 50k miles.

 

[TheDoug]

I get 13mpg in town because I have a heavy foot.

On trips though I get 21mpg + or - 1 mpg for wind conditions and terrain.

If I try and baby it in town for best mpg I can get 17mpg. But that's no fun

 

[SyndicateZ]

I get 12 around town (stop and go) with a light foot,no tow,, granny style driving. Horrible gas mileage imo still!

 

[rd618]

I get 12 around town (stop and go) with a light foot,no tow,, granny style driving. Horrible gas mileage imo still!

You probably have some underlying issue, might want to get it checked. Most people driving they way you say get closer to 15-16 city (30% better).

 

[LazSlate]

We love beatin this topic to death. I wonder how many threads of this topics been created? I really believe if you want better gas mileage out of your truck, you will need to change your driving habits fully. You cant expect it to get 22+ mpg on the hwy if your doggin it around town in sport mode. If you try and pay attention to your boost and insta fuel meter, you can get the nu.bers you want. Also, I learned, atleast with mines, that the more i drove it in town and jumped the gas, my hwy mileage would also be affected. Itd take one good full tank in eco mode on the hwy to go from 19mpg hwy to 23+ hwy.

Bingo! Perfect answer.

It is impossible to expect great gas mileage in a 5500 lb vehicle. Most ski boats with trailer weigh 5500 lbs also. So if you get 16 mpg and then 8 with a boat that is physics. You essentially doubled you weight. The ONLY method to tow efficiently is with a Deisel, period.

For those that want great mpg a 5500 lb vehicle may not be the answer.

 

[dlcorbett]

Right, the epa figures are estimates in extremely controlled environments at the end of the day. Out in the real world, theres way too many variables to expect to hit those numbers. It took my expy 6 mnths and 2 1k+ mile road trips to even get close to the numbers on the sticker. If you think it's too low, the truck needs to go to the dealer to get looked at but we already know what they're gonna say..."it's a big truck, it's normal"

 

[LazSlate]

Right, the epa figures are estimates in extremely controlled environments at the end of the day. Out in the real world, theres way too many variables to expect to hit those numbers. It took my expy 6 mnths and 2 1k+ mile road trips to even get close to the numbers on the sticker. If you think it's too low, the truck needs to go to the dealer to get looked at but we already know what they're gonna say..."it's a big truck, it's normal"

So many factors to alter that window sticker number.

Tire pressure. Tire Width. Tire Height. Tire tread type. Fuel Octane Rating. Altitude. Ambient Temperature. Driving Habits. Load in/on vehicle.

 

[SyndicateZ]

You probably have some underlying issue, might want to get it checked. Most people driving they way you say get closer to 15-16 city (30% better).

Ill let the dealership know that my fuel economy sux and maybe they can look into it while its there for turbo rattle on startup and accell, decel. Im not sure how they would though... what could they do to look and see if the engine is running fine? A live data logger or something?

 

[rd618]

Ill let the dealership know that my fuel economy sux and maybe they can look into it while its there for turbo rattle on startup and accell, decel. Im not sure how they would though... what could they do to look and see if the engine is running fine? A live data logger or something?

Yea, pretty much exactly what they do. They monitor live actual fuel consumption and air mixture, among other factors as the truck is used. Then compare it to baseline (essentially the “controlled environment” factory set).
There is an error tolerance, but depending on your readings it will point them to various “reasons” for your poor mileage per gallon.

 

[zak99b5]

When I want food fuel economy, I drive my 03 VW Jetta TDI, 45-50 mpgs.

I drive the Expy for family trips, towing the camper, or when I just feel like it. So the FE doesn’t matter so much, though it’s better than what I got with my Suburban but can do everything the Chevy could.

 

[Pawpaw]

I've been getting a consistent 16 to 17 mpg around town and up to 22 mpg hwy. These are doing the posted limits and live in a flat as a pancake state. Usually use 87 octane Shell or 93 when towing.