# New 2.0T MPG issue, is something wrong?



## audifan22 (Jul 22, 2009)

Recently purchased a 2.0T SE with tech. It's been driven by me approximately 40 miles, car has 50 miles total. About 12 of the miles is highway. Nothing heavy in the back and normal driving. 

The car is saying I have averaged a total of 14mpg, no where near the sticker or other members experiences. 

I was expecting somewhere around 22 to 25mpg. Any idea what could be wrong? Even the V6s do way better than this.


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## Phil37 (Jul 5, 2015)

I’d do at least a full tank and report back.


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## KarstGeo (Jan 19, 2018)

Good lord. Dont even worry about your mpgs for a few thousand miles and when you do look at it over a longer period. Your car is brand new...let it break in.

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## Andre VW (Dec 12, 2018)

Reset your average. The car may have been sat idling for quite a bit of time at the dealer for whatever reason (checks, inspections, etc). And that can be throwing off your calculated average. 






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## snobrdrdan (Sep 10, 2008)

karstgeo said:


> good lord. Dont even worry about your mpgs for a few thousand miles and when you do look at it over a longer period. *your car is brand new...let it break in*.


^^
all of this


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## GTINC (Jan 28, 2005)

audifan22 said:


> Recently purchased a 2.0T SE with tech. It's been driven by me approximately 40 miles, car has 50 miles total. About 12 of the miles is highway. Nothing heavy in the back and normal driving.
> 
> The car is saying I have averaged a total of 14mpg, no where near the sticker or other members experiences.
> 
> I was expecting somewhere around 22 to 25mpg. Any idea what could be wrong? Even the V6s do way better than this.


The only way to accurately check fuel mileage is to do a "fill to fill" check.


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## audifan22 (Jul 22, 2009)

Now at 1300 miles, last tank 14mpg....mix of city and highway rpms never really going over 4k....no error codes etc. any ideas?


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## rocknfreak (Jul 10, 2018)

audifan22 said:


> Now at 1300 miles, last tank 14mpg....mix of city and highway rpms never really going over 4k....no error codes etc. any ideas?


14mpg .. Wow.

I would do some tracking apps with mileage and gas pumps. 

at the end of the day I would take that data and the car and bring it to the dealer/service.


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## KarstGeo (Jan 19, 2018)

Again, patience. Have you hand-calc'd a tank i.e. fill it up, write down the odo, drive it, fill it, write down gallons and odo and do the math? Do you have your mpg on the info/dash set to "since start" or "since refuel?". The 2.0 should be doing really well around town (at least 20) and closer to 30 on the highway. Also, please have a realistic expectation of what "city" driving is - what is your average speed over the tank? The info system tells you on the "since refuel" screen. I'd wait until at least 5K miles before I started heading to the dealer.


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## Andre VW (Dec 12, 2018)

audifan22 said:


> Now at 1300 miles, last tank 14mpg....mix of city and highway rpms never really going over 4k....no error codes etc. any ideas?


Run this quick test:

1. Drive at steady state speed at 70mph
2. Set cruise control.
3. Read instantaneous economy for MPG. Should hover around 30mpg. My VR6 can do this. 

If could be as simple as driving style to tire pressure to vehicle/engine issue.





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## ice4life (Nov 6, 2017)

KarstGeo said:


> Again, patience. Have you hand-calc'd a tank i.e. fill it up, write down the odo, drive it, fill it, write down gallons and odo and do the math? Do you have your mpg on the info/dash set to "since start" or "since refuel?". The 2.0 should be doing really well around town (at least 20) and closer to 30 on the highway. Also, please have a realistic expectation of what "city" driving is - what is your average speed over the tank? The info system tells you on the "since refuel" screen. I'd wait until at least 5K miles before I started heading to the dealer.


I was going to say- you can NEVER fully trust the OBC. To truly determine fuel economy you need to measure how many miles between tank fill ups and then divide by the amount of gallons on your receipt.


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## Hfqkhal (Oct 14, 2018)

ice4life said:


> I was going to say- you can NEVER fully trust the OBC. To truly determine fuel economy you need to measure how many miles between tank fill ups and then divide by the amount of gallons on your receipt.


My OBC has been accurate. One really needs to also look at the average speed too. I do agree like was said before and what I do is to reset of current trip based on the trip like when on a highway stretch for a good amount of distance and do that calculation. Do the same for city driving. I found it to be dead on 


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## audifan22 (Jul 22, 2009)

I always calculate the miles by hand. Last tank 14.1 mpg, mostly city a little highway. 

Did the 70mpg flat highway cruise control instantaneous economy read out hovers between 25-28 mpg. 

Wheels are 20" oem mejorada at 35 psi. 

Clearly something wrong, dealer will just try to blame driving habits although its driven at less than 3500 rpm pretty much at all times. 

Dont think "break in" for next few thousand miles will make any significant impact. Any ideas on what I can advise the dealer to troubleshoot?


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## Andre VW (Dec 12, 2018)

Your highway MPG appears correct so engine is healthy. The engine will only get better as you break in.

If your city MPG is so bad I think it is your driving style. Heavy accelerating and late braking. Dont take it offensively as I am just stating what the numbers you providing are kind of alluding to.


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## GTINC (Jan 28, 2005)

audifan22 said:


> I always calculate the miles by hand. Last tank 14.1 mpg, mostly city a little highway.
> 
> Did the 70*mpg* flat highway cruise control instantaneous economy read out hovers between 25-28 mpg.
> 
> ...


:screwy: Something wrong? Based on what?


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## kkress (Sep 11, 2017)

We have a set of Prizma and Mejorada wheels. The prizma will do better than Mejorada, maybe 10% +/-. Lower profile tires are generally not as good on economy. And the Mejorada's are very heavy. Even with those, we've never had any trip except from garage to the road as bad as 14 mpg. Must be doing some significant idling, running E85, hill climbing without descent (tough to do), or just a heavy, heavy foot. We're usually closer to 28-32 in the summer months and 26-28 in winter months. Mostly country drives.


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## audifan22 (Jul 22, 2009)

kkress said:


> We have a set of Prizma and Mejorada wheels. The prizma will do better than Mejorada, maybe 10% +/-. Lower profile tires are generally not as good on economy. And the Mejorada's are very heavy. Even with those, we've never had any trip except from garage to the road as bad as 14 mpg. Must be doing some significant idling, running E85, hill climbing without descent (tough to do), or just a heavy, heavy foot. We're usually closer to 28-32 in the summer months and 26-28 in winter months. Mostly country drives.


It just doesnt add up. Calculated new tank by hand again this morning, exactly 14.1 mpg, mix of highway and city. As stated prior rpm rarely exceeds 3500 rpm. My wife does have it idle with remote start while loading up the kids in the car seats, so there is idle time but not crazy amounts. No hill climbing this is in Florida. 

Even if I have a "heavy foot" which isnt the case here I dont think anyone else has reported continuous 14mpg now with over 1500 miles on the car. 

Going on a trip in a few weeks mostly highway, I'll test it then, but are there actual things a dealer can look at to diagnose and possibly solve the issue such as oxygen sensor etc..


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## kkress (Sep 11, 2017)

Sounds like a trip to the dealer. Not sure what they'll do but I'd expect anything from, "your driving style" to, "we actually found an issue and are waiting on parts to arrive". I'm surprised a MIL isn't displayed if something is wrong. Or the trip will definitely tell you for sure of a problem. The first part of any trip is poor mileage, as the engine is warming up, thicker oil, etc. It's after that the mpg really climbs. So if you're driving 5 mile trips and then it's off for awhile, I'd expect something low like 14. If you're doing 30 mile trips, I'd expect low 20's to low 30's.


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## Pnvwfun (Jan 22, 2018)

audifan22 said:


> It just doesnt add up. Calculated new tank by hand again this morning, exactly 14.1 mpg, mix of highway and city. As stated prior rpm rarely exceeds 3500 rpm. My wife does have it idle with remote start while loading up the kids in the car seats, so there is idle time but not crazy amounts. No hill climbing this is in Florida.
> 
> Even if I have a "heavy foot" which isnt the case here I dont think anyone else has reported continuous 14mpg now with over 1500 miles on the car.
> 
> Going on a trip in a few weeks mostly highway, I'll test it then, but are there actual things a dealer can look at to diagnose and possibly solve the issue such as oxygen sensor etc..


It seems like your calculated mileage agrees with the computer. It should be doing better than that for city only driving. What does it show for average speed?


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## KarstGeo (Jan 19, 2018)

How many miles are on this vehicle now? Have you done a 100% highway cruise with it where you reset the "since start" average once you are cruising on the highway (zero acceleration in the dataset)?


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## Hfqkhal (Oct 14, 2018)

KarstGeo said:


> How many miles are on this vehicle now? Have you done a 100% highway cruise with it where you reset the "since start" average once you are cruising on the highway (zero acceleration in the dataset)?


Also what where the weather conditions and what is the A/C is set at?


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## *DesertFox* (Sep 26, 2017)

Did you have a headwind......low tire pressure....leaking gas tank... was the car dirty....were your windows open.....


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## SPAAtlas (Jun 25, 2019)

KarstGeo said:


> How many miles are on this vehicle now? Have you done a 100% highway cruise with it where you reset the "since start" average once you are cruising on the highway (zero acceleration in the dataset)?


This will be the most telling. My Explorer OBC regularly tells me that I am getting 14mpg around town, and even tells me I have 50 miles to empty when the fuel gauge shows a shade over 1/4 tank. A fill up at that notification only required about 10.5 gallons in a 17.9 gallon tank. Different vehicle, but same results. The algorithm for the computer calculation isn't exact, and frequent stop/starts in town do consume more fuel. Even with a lead foot and an aftermarket tune I get 26mpg on the highway cruising at 80mph.

We are taking the Atlas to Boston next week, so this will be my first time on a road trip with it.


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## OsirisTDI (Jul 2, 2007)

audifan22 said:


> As stated prior rpm rarely exceeds 3500 rpm.


You are lugging your engine... it has a turbocharger... wind up those RPMs... Spool up the turbo... it’s all about the boost pressure.


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## GTINC (Jan 28, 2005)

OsirisTDI said:


> You are lugging your engine... it has a turbocharger... wind up those RPMs... Spool up the turbo... it’s all about the boost pressure.


Wrong. the VW engines have high torque at low RPM. Lugging the engine at 3500 RPM...not bloody likely.


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## VW/Porsche Fahrer (Dec 14, 2011)

OsirisTDI said:


> You are lugging your engine... it has a turbocharger... wind up those RPMs... Spool up the turbo... it’s all about the boost pressure.


That is not lugging. You cannot lug the engine if you have an A/T and leave it in drive. More boost and higher rpms leads to lower mpg, by the way.


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## KarstGeo (Jan 19, 2018)

VW/Porsche Fahrer said:


> That is not lugging. You cannot lug the engine if you have an A/T and leave it in drive. More boost and higher rpms leads to lower mpg, by the way.


Yeah - not sure there, you aren't really lugging it but the TCU map will favor lowering RPMs as much as possible and sometimes you just have to really get on the gas to have it shift down to jump the RPMs up...in those cases you may lug it somewhat.


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## GTINC (Jan 28, 2005)

KarstGeo said:


> ........in those cases you may lug it somewhat.


In you mind maybe, but not in a technical sense.


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## OsirisTDI (Jul 2, 2007)

A neighbor stopped by to “show-off” his new (same build as the OP) Atlas... my first up-close look at the Atlas... it made me think of this post when he told me that his fuel consumption is higher than expected. I noticed the 20 inch wheel and tire set-up... that is a lot of unsprung weight for a 4 cylinder. 

Maybe try Porsche spec tire rubber... the Atlas OE tires are 8-9 pounds heavier than a N spec tire for the 20 inch wheels.


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## kkress (Sep 11, 2017)

The 20" VW setup will hurt economy, but not that much. I've ran both stock 18" and 20" Mejorado and it may be ~10% hit with our driving, not 50%.


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## GTINC (Jan 28, 2005)

kkress said:


> The 20" VW setup will hurt economy, but not that much. I've ran both stock 18" and 20" Mejorado and it may be ~10% hit with our driving, not 50%.


I very much doubt it is even close to 10% "hit". You data?


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## OsirisTDI (Jul 2, 2007)

You have the OE rubber. I am suggesting lighter N spec rubber for either size wheel. An 8 pound lighter tire... each tire, is a significant reduction in the rotational mass for a wheel/tire.


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## audifan22 (Jul 22, 2009)

OsirisTDI said:


> You have the OE rubber. I am suggesting lighter N spec rubber for either size wheel. An 8 pound lighter tire... each tire, is a significant reduction in the rotational mass for a wheel/tire.


It's not OE rubber, its Nitto 421Q 20" with the oem mejoradas. The car is rated for 22/26. Windows always up, in florida so no hills and not windy. temperatures in 80s to 90s. Just did another tank hand calculated 14.4 mpg. Tire pressure at 35 psi. 

Going about 130 miles highway tomorrow. Will see how it performs. Have 2k miles on the car now, bought it new with less than 10. Very disappointing that its performing worse than the v6 in mpg and 8mpg less than sticker.


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## audifan22 (Jul 22, 2009)

highway driving only 73 mph average, mostly ACC, was 24mpg hand calculated. Not impressed.


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## *DesertFox* (Sep 26, 2017)

audifan22 said:


> highway driving only 73 mph average, mostly ACC, was 24mpg hand calculated. Not impressed.


That's not good. 80/highway 20/city on board computer 24.9 with the VR6. I know my actual millage will be a little less.

https://ibb.co/7ppzQV5


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## audifan22 (Jul 22, 2009)

*DesertFox* said:


> That's not good. 80/highway 20/city on board computer 24.9 with the VR6. I know my actual millage will be a little less.
> 
> https://ibb.co/7ppzQV5



Correct not good, very disappointing. I got the 2.0 just for the gas mileage. If I knew this would be the results i would have just gotten the v6 which sounds much better.


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## OsirisTDI (Jul 2, 2007)

audifan22 said:


> highway driving only 73 mph average...


At an average speed of 73 mph... you pay a price to push the Atlas through the air. 
Also, those Nitto’s are 6 pounds heavier each than N-spec rubber. Reducing unsprung weight by 24 pounds in your situation would be a noticed reduction in highway fuel consumption.


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## PZ (May 9, 2002)

audifan22 said:


> highway driving only 73 mph average, mostly ACC, was 24mpg hand calculated. Not impressed.


 Most of my long distance trips result in an average of 71-72mph. That is with cruise set at 80. For you to hit 73, what was your normal speed? 25mpg for a large SUV at 80+mph is good.


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## Anderson75 (Aug 22, 2019)

On my second tank of gas. Averaging 22.4mpg in mixed driving. So far, I am pleased with the MPG return.


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## audifan22 (Jul 22, 2009)

almost 3k miles now and no improvement, last tank 70/30 city to highway, highway cruise at 70, 15.5 mpg on the tank. This isnt the V6 this is the turbo we are talking about rated at 22/26. Still can't believe this is deemed "acceptable".


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## KarstGeo (Jan 19, 2018)

audifan22 said:


> almost 3k miles now and no improvement, last tank 70/30 city to highway, highway cruise at 70, 15.5 mpg on the tank. This isnt the V6 this is the turbo we are talking about rated at 22/26. Still can't believe this is deemed "acceptable".


Hand calc'd? Yeah, something is way off. Plenty of folks getting 30 with that motor on the highway. Can you get a ~50 mile highway cruise with cruise control on, reset the "since start" driving data, and see what that looks like?


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## *DesertFox* (Sep 26, 2017)

You did 70% city driving 30% highway.....What city? NYC....Philly....La......15.5 average is good. What city are you driving in? I lived in NYC and never got close to manufacture's mph. Very aggressive driving...stop and go....4 way stop signs or traffic lights on almost every corner. Now the speed limit on every street (not highways) in all of NYC is 25mph.


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## audifan22 (Jul 22, 2009)

KarstGeo said:


> Hand calc'd? Yeah, something is way off. Plenty of folks getting 30 with that motor on the highway. Can you get a ~50 mile highway cruise with cruise control on, reset the "since start" driving data, and see what that looks like?


Yes all have been hand calculated. I have a 19 SE with tech, how do I reset the since start driving date for what you're stating? 

Will probably do the 1st oil change at 5k and have them take a look then but it sure is frustrating.


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## audifan22 (Jul 22, 2009)

*DesertFox* said:


> You did 70% city driving 30% highway.....What city? NYC....Philly....La......15.5 average is good. What city are you driving in? I lived in NYC and never got close to manufacture's mph. Very aggressive driving...stop and go....4 way stop signs or traffic lights on almost every corner. Now the speed limit on every street (not highways) in all of NYC is 25mph.


Suburb of West Palm Beach, light traffic.


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## samuelrh (Feb 4, 2017)

Now I don't know what kind of numbers you'd be getting with the VR6, but I get 6-8 MPG during my daily commute with the VR6 Atlas, as indicated by the car itself. And I'm not driving like a maniac. On the same route, I got roughly the same numbers with a Dodge Caravan, and only got 10 MPG with an MQB Tiguan 4motion.

It's a very short distance, in bumper to bumper traffic, with a big hill to climb at the end. So many factors can bring fuel consumption up - and the synthetic EPA numbers are just complete garbage. If you're really concerned about what you're getting, try comparing it to a similar vehicle on the same route.


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## KarstGeo (Jan 19, 2018)

audifan22 said:


> Yes all have been hand calculated. I have a 19 SE with tech, how do I reset the since start driving date for what you're stating?
> 
> Will probably do the 1st oil change at 5k and have them take a look then but it sure is frustrating.


It's in the menu where you can change what is shown on the dash display if you scroll down in that menu you can reset the since start and extended period driving data calcs.

car/settings/instrument cluster - scroll down


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## GTINC (Jan 28, 2005)

audifan22 said:


> .....how do I reset the since start driving date for what you're stating?.....


You have an OM, open it and read.


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## bogich (Nov 5, 2013)

*Recorded every fuel-up for 15k miles*

Here is my 2018 Atlas 2.0T for reference. I have hauled a trailer for about 2000 miles of the total 15k there and I have recorded every fuel-up.
http://www.fuelly.com/car/volkswagen/atlas/2018/bogich/848181
Typical highway drive was with 4 or 6 people inside at about 30 mpg. Really happy with the gas milage and the car overall.


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## foofighter28 (Aug 4, 2000)

I've got the V6 and I average 17 mixed driving and it's 4motion on the factory 21's I've seen 24.8 on a 30 mile drive on the freeway with no traffic. something is off with your car


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## vbrad26 (Oct 18, 2009)

Took ours on it's first roughly 1200 mile round trip road trip over the weekend.
This is what I ended up with while coming home. 
Trip was from Mississippi back to Florida, so mostly flat, hilly at best in some places.










It is a '19 SE w/Tech and 20" wheels. Was not really loaded down with luggage either, but I was still pretty happy with that!


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