# 23 MPG combined...Really?!



## aufmitterspeil (Jun 24, 2008)

So, I guess my fuel-efficient driving skills are not up to the task then? I Don't mean to rant, but my wallet is getting uncomfortably lighter by the day thanks to my 2010 Golf with this motor and the 5-speed gearbox. It's a great motor, but I've been going like this for a year now, and was wondering if anyone out there might have any suggestions on how to get more MPG's out of this motor in daily driving conditions?


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## PhAyzoN (Nov 29, 2010)

That seems unusually low. Chipped with a CAI in my 07 Jetta 5spd I average 26mpg with mostly city driving. I've tried shifting late, shifting early and skipping gears and my mpg doesn't vary much (.1 or .2mpg maybe, but I consider that more margin of error). I've heard being ultra light on the throttle helps, but that's no fun and takes forever to get from point A to point B.


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## shiva916 (Apr 18, 2011)

23 seems pretty low. I am averaging close to 29mpg overall on my 2010 Jetta with 5spd. I do about 60-70% of my driving is highway and open back roads so typical cruise between 45-70 on my normal ride to and from work. All I have done to it is a Neuspeed P-Flo.
My tips are to shift early and skip a gear if possible, like the previous poster said. I almost never use 4th gear in normal driving. I try and shift around 2500rpm and no more than 3k in normal driving, and am usually in 5th gear around 35-40mph since i skip 4th. Cruise in 5th as much as you can. My best tank of gas so far has been around 32mpg average, so it can be done. And keep in mind i do enjoy getting on it on the on ramps to the highway, and like to wind it out a bit, and I still seem to get pretty good mpg.


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## lessthanalex (Oct 12, 2009)

I get about 23mpg on 100% city driving with Unitronic Stage 2, a CAI, header back w/ hi flow cat. But that being said, I don't baby the throttle either.

When babying it around I can make 26mpg, 29mpg with some highway.

At 100% highway I've made 36mpg at 65mph and usually make about 31mpg around 75mph.


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## eatrach (May 13, 2004)

i have been thinking about switching to TDI. 
Way back when gas was cheap, I didn't mind refueling often; however, now, 4 dollars a gallon hurts my pocket.


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## SocoJoe (Jul 4, 2009)

I average 28-29mpg with combined driving. I am also not "babying it either.

Edit* Forgot I changed my signature. I have a BSH CAI and AWE Catback.


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## aufmitterspeil (Jun 24, 2008)

Thanks for the info. I guess outlining my current driving climate might help as well: I've been stuck in Omaha, NE for the last 3 years where AC is a must almost constantly, which is probably the culprit for much of my MPG crappiness... But as well I've come to find out there are allot of straight roads and stop-and-go traffic in this region of the country, a far cry from my Oregonian roots to say the least


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## LampyB (Apr 2, 2007)

Omaha is about 1,100 ft above sea level, so your mpg's are going to mildly suffer in comparison to those at sea level. when i was in denver at 5,280' the car got about 23mpg's and it was awful. here in boston i get probably 25-26 at most for combined mileage, and it's about 50/50 city highway. solely city driving i'm probably at 23mpg's, but solely highway at 68mph in my 5spd i get probably 30-32. you have to take it easy during city driving or your inline 5 will readily burn gas. i also skip 4th gear a lot. whenever i'm in the range of 40+ mph i'm in 5th gear around town. i'm primarily going 1st > 3rd > 5th unless i feel like having some fun. but when i go through all gears you can tell by the torque that you're burning up a lot more fuel.


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## lessthanalex (Oct 12, 2009)

lessthanalex said:


> I get about 23mpg on 100% city driving with Unitronic Stage 2, a CAI, header back w/ hi flow cat. But that being said, I don't baby the throttle either.
> 
> When babying it around I can make 26mpg, 29mpg with some highway.
> 
> At 100% highway I've made 36mpg at 65mph and usually make about 31mpg around 75mph.


I guess I should say that in Edmonton, I'm 2192 ft above sea level. Whcih will also account for some of that.


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## vento 95 GL (May 25, 1999)

Got through my first full tank on my golf 2.5 5spd and got an overall average of 27-28mpg. the car has around 750km now. about 60% highway. 

I imagine it will improve a bit as the engine racks up more mileage.

fuel economy is better than when I had the rabbit :thumbup:


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## seanmcd72 (May 14, 2008)

aufmitterspeil said:


> So, I guess my fuel-efficient driving skills are not up to the task then? I Don't mean to rant, but my wallet is getting uncomfortably lighter by the day thanks to my 2010 Golf with this motor and the 5-speed gearbox. It's a great motor, but I've been going like this for a year now, and was wondering if anyone out there might have any suggestions on how to get more MPG's out of this motor in daily driving conditions?


Always shift around 1500 rpm, and never ever go over 60mph. Always anticipate your stops and coast in gear as much as possible. I can get 30-32mpg average doing this on the way to work. 

Otherwise, driving like I WANT and enjoy (normal), I get 22-25mpg.


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## WhatEatsRabbits (Jul 19, 2005)

I averaged about 25 mpg 75% city.I usually shift at 3,000. After my first oil change it went up to 26, cruising on the highway I get the average up to 32mpg. I like to floor it often when its warmed up.


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## thygreyt (Jun 7, 2009)

and that was with 220 city miles... i fueled 12.5 gals!


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## HIBB 304 (Nov 8, 2008)

Man I wish it was flat around here.


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## thygreyt (Jun 7, 2009)

its all about driving!


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## bigbadvoodooguru (Jul 13, 2009)

You guys are getting some pretty awesome fuel numbers... 
I have a pretty much stock engine 2009 Rabbit with an exhaust, I pretty much shift always before 3000 and I cruise around in 5th or 4th most of the time. I would say it is 50/50 city/highway, but in town I average around 55mph and freeway around 85. 

That being said I get 22.2328 MPG calculated exactly over the last two years. Lowest tank I can remember was 17, highest was 26, and I live in southern california. I do live on the top of a hill, which takes about 8 minutes to climb, so that might be it (except I don't press the throttle coming down the hill, and I leave it in 5th, so technically since I'm going over 30-40MPH the injectors shut off during this period, since our cars shut off the injectors if in gear, going over 30-40, with zero throttle input). 

I average around 250 miles per "tank", but I don't really let it down until the light turns on.


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## HIBB 304 (Nov 8, 2008)

thygreyt said:


> its all about driving!


 Not when your always climbing mountains. Best mpg I've ever got was my trip to the keys. I thought my fuel gauge was broke.:laugh:


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## 08Drabbit (Feb 3, 2011)

> thygreyt
> its all about driving!


 :thumbup::thumbup: 6spd MT must make a difference 

I drive 40 miles roundtrip mostly highway to work and still average 26-28mpg which includes climbing from 5400 to 6300ft, at highway speeds (70-75mph).


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## thygreyt (Jun 7, 2009)

08Drabbit said:


> :thumbup::thumbup: 6spd MT must make a difference
> 
> I drive 40 miles roundtrip mostly highway to work and still average 26-28mpg which includes climbing from 5400 to 6300ft, at highway speeds (70-75mph).


 with the 6 spd, i cruise at 80 or 85, and i still get 27 mpgs!  

when i feel like doing better, i just go slower... i trully love this tranny


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## jldude (Dec 16, 2009)

I've got an '07 Jetta with 2.5 auto, 77,000 miles, dirty air filter, and spark plugs with about twice the recommended gap and I can hit 30 on the highway, 23 sounds about right for all city driving if I wasn't light on the gas... 

I tend to average 26 or so, which, granted could still be a LOT better for a 150hp engine, but VWs are heavy cars... 

However, the guy getting 36 on the highway, either BS or kudos lol I donno, I know these cars love high speed driving, but the fuel gauge doesn't...anything above 70 or so and your fuel economy tanks. I do remember hitting 31 once on the interstate... 

Another thing too is this engine is sensitive to cold and hot extremes and altitudes... 
I took a drive from Mississippi to Idaho, and crossing the Rockies at 11,000 feet I must have lost 30+hp. You'd think a fuel injected car would compensate for this, whether it did or didn't I'll never know, but there IS definitely a noticeable difference in power and maybe economy too just climbing 4,000 feet in elevation vs. low altitudes...


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## eatrach (May 13, 2004)

well i learned my lesson. Not going to baby my car anymore. 
Take a look at the photos of my injectors when I took them out: 
http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthread.php?5411995-re-CEL-and-EPC-is-on-car-is-running-rough 
They were full of carbon deposits. THis crappy gas we have is pathetic


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## thygreyt (Jun 7, 2009)

i enjoy mi milage, i like doing over 30mpgs, BUT i also dont like to fall asleep driving...


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## eatrach (May 13, 2004)

thygreyt said:


> i enjoy mi milage, i like doing over 30mpgs, BUT i also dont like to fall asleep driving...


 :laugh: I do fall asleep behind the wheel; literally


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## powdercrazy (Jul 16, 2005)

Well I only get about 250 miles per tank all short trips and slow city driving


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## crosshare (Mar 4, 2008)

It really is how you drive. Just think of our I5 as the VR6's retarded cousin. A little less power with the same gas mileage.  

My 07 has about 39000 miles and for about 32000 of them I got about 19-23mpg, because I lived in a city where everything was within a few miles of each other and work was 9 miles away. 

Now my commute has drastically changed. 7,000 miles later, 135 mile daily commute and I'm getting about 27mpg. 

She doesn't get the best gas mileage, but she's a torquey little slut and I wouldn't want it any other way. :thumbup:


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## 2tnicrbbt (Jun 27, 2010)

I get about 23mpg without my rack, with rack/basket I get about 20mpg. sucks. I drive slow lane 70mph, but I do a good bit of city driving probably explains the poor fuel economy. Will be going with a c2 tune and bsh intake within years end. Hope to yield better mpg's with a tune.


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## DUSlider (Nov 15, 2007)

Lifetime MPG average of my 08 is about 24.5. Lots of city driving. Some tanks consist mostly of driving the 3.5 miles to and from work. This car definitely likes the highway miles with speeds between 60-70. On my trip to SoWo I averaged 34mpg...


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## DUSlider (Nov 15, 2007)

2tnicrbbt said:


> I get about 23mpg without my rack, with rack/basket I get about 20mpg. sucks. I drive slow lane 70mph, but I do a good bit of city driving probably explains the poor fuel economy. Will be going with a c2 tune and bsh intake within years end. Hope to yield better mpg's with a tune.


The problem with a tune and intake, your driving habits usually change for the worse which negates any mpg increases... In my experience with a 93 C2 tune and BSH intake, city mileage has suffered. Highway mileage has increased a tad as long as I don't go over 70-75.


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## aufmitterspeil (Jun 24, 2008)

This is interesting... So I have been running on 87 fuel with no ethanol added for the last while which has yielded my 23 mpg average. My last tank i decided to try 89 with 10% ethanol added and got an impressive 27 combined (with my Thule rack). Hmmm I shall continue using ethanol fuel I guess. BTW this motor' power and sound ROCKS :thumbup:


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## vince3757 (Sep 27, 2010)

Im getting 35 after I added my short ram intake. 70 bucks diy project best thing ive ever done. Also my car is still kinda new im sure that helps


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## thygreyt (Jun 7, 2009)

This weekend, with reguilar, normal citizen driving, I got 31 mpg... +430 miles on the tank.


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