ECO mode? Gas Consumption...

[pducharme]

Ok, I can see now that it's normal behaviour to get my Gas Mileage. Luckily, the wife just bought (rent) a new Nissan Sentra 2013 with the best Gas Mileage (even better than Toyota they say). I'll use in city until my wife return to work after the year at home with our baby. I'll use the SF on snow day and for long drive if I require the big Cargo space

[Don67]

Originally Posted by Mayobeach

I was wondering if there is a way, other than being lighter on the throttle to improve on gas mileage?

Does an K&N filter make any difference?
Has anyone tried open source tuning on the 3.5L?
Does a higher octane fuel make any difference?

Hyundai already spent millions trying to optimize fuel economy.... no $50 gadget is going to improve on that.

Best tips include:

- Pretend there's an egg under your brake pedal. The less you brake, the more you save.
- Cruise at 90-110 km/h maximum. 80 is best. You're driving a brick in the wind.
- Keep tires inflated to 30 psi or whatever's on your door sticker.
- Avoid roof racks, sand bags, and any other baggage you don't need.

[thomwalao]

I always thought the satellites couldn't keep up but now it is being mentioned here.

[skoot]

I have an 09 SF Limited V6 3.3 and I average 10.6 - 11L/100km with snows on. I too watch the instant display/average display and it really does make a difference now, with gas prices as they are, on how I drive. 110km with cruise on highway, put in neutral at lights, that sort of thing. But as dta721 states, when I need the power, I get it with not a care.

[canderson]

Originally Posted by Mayobeach

I was wondering if there is a way, other than being lighter on the throttle to improve on gas mileage?

Depends on where you are driving. On the highway, lowering the speed helps since the drag coefficient of these vehicles is akin to that of a flying brick. However, in town, it's the left pedal that will hurt you far more quickly than the right. Try to avoid using your brakes any more than necessary, anticipating the need for slowing and stops as early as is reasonable. In town, it's not the drag coefficient that hurts you (not enough fast moving air to matter), it's the 4,000 lb (give or take) that you have to keep accelerating to speed all the time. No point in wasting fuel just to keep your brakes warm

[canderson]

Originally Posted by Don67

Hyundai already spent millions trying to optimize fuel economy....

A handful $ more for time in the wind tunnel wouldn't have hurt the highway mileage, that's for sure. Last I checked, the Santa Fe still has a somewhat higher CD than everything else in this class.

[dta721]

Originally Posted by pducharme

...

I always drive with Eco mode ON and I keep it with the ECO light on almost all the time.

When I do highway, I can get about 9L/100 km if I set the cruise at 109km/h (the GPS says it's really 104km/h).

...

From what I learned in my latest trip between Ottawa - Toronto this weekend: I set the cruise control at about 115 km/h (GPS reading as well), as this is a good compromise (not too fast, not too slow) for fuel economy. Given the snowy & windy road conditions on Friday when starting and ending from the Ottawa end, and relatively wet roads in Toronto area with my winter tires (did not bother check the pressure), it averaged out at 12 l/100km going, and 10.4 l/100km return.

I am happy with those figures, when factoring in winter driving conditions and others (the SF was loaded with 5 persons and enough belongings).

FWIW, using the cruise control seems to achieve a steady speed and rate of acceleration when observing the "instant" fuel consumption -mostly hovering in the 10l/100km range. But if I accelerate normally with the gas pedal, not sure if mine is "heavy footed", the instant reading seems much higher, may have not achieved the same results with the cruise control?!

In short, I must use the cruise and set it at 115km/h to feel "good" about my 09 SF !