[blueboy]

Does anyone have noticed a MPG decreased?
I was getting on average of 25 combined in the beginning (I was OK with that).
I drive the same was I always have, now I'm getting about 22 MPG average.
Mind you, I drive about 70% Hwy and about 30% city.

I noticed the changed after I had the Christmas tree lights on my XT about six months ago (previous thread/CVT overfilled claimed by the stealership).

I was getting about 28 MPG Hwy, but lucky to get 24 MPG now.
I'm in Denver CO, high altitude but I was getting great mileage the entire first month.
I'm at 3,500 miles.

I drove the other day after a fill up an a Hwy, conservative drive at 60-62 MPG, managed to get 24. Previously I got 28-30 MPG.

really!

I used same gas (two different brands).

 

[pdaeng]

Does anyone have noticed a MPG decreased?
I was getting on average of 25 combined in the beginning (I was OK with that).
I drive the same was I always have, now I'm getting about 22 MPG average.
Mind you, I drive about 70% Hwy and about 30% city.

I noticed the changed after I had the Christmas tree lights on my XT about six months ago (previous thread/CVT overfilled claimed by the stealership).

I was getting about 28 MPG Hwy, but lucky to get 24 MPG now.
I'm in Denver CO, high altitude but I was getting great mileage the entire first month.
I'm at 3,500 miles.

I drove the other day after a fill up an a Hwy, conservative drive at 60-62 MPG, managed to get 24. Previously I got 28-30 MPG.

really!

I used same gas (two different brands).

Winter gas?
If not, then maybe carbon deposit on engine (just kidding)

 

[blueboy]

Winter gas?
If not, then maybe carbon deposit on engine (just kidding)

Not Winter gas yet, I seen the problem in the last few months or so.

 

[kenboots10]

I've been somewhat disappointed with the mpg of the new forester xt. Since I've had it since September it been very hard to claim the mpg ratings for what i normally get. Here's a little background also to claim its not my driving style:
1993 toyota pickup averaged 30mpg - way over highway mpg rating
1998 toyata corolla averaged 32mpg - over highway mpg rating
1999 mazda miata averaged 33mpg - over highway mpg rating
2000 toyota echo averaged 45mpg - way way over highway mpg rating
2007 honda civic si averaged 34mpg - over highway mpg rating
2010 subaru outback average 31 mpg - over highway mpg rating
2012 subaru forester xt averaged 23-24 mpg - on par with highway mpg
Keep in mind this is all AVERAGE, not high.. And now:
2014 subaru forester xt never reached advertized highway miles of 28 by the end of any gas refill trip. It is extremely sensitive to any uphill slope. I was averaging just under 28mpg for my trips to work when it was warm when i tried my best to baby it grandma style, but since its been cold 25 mpg I'm getting going the same. If i drive how i normally drive and how i drove with all my previous cars above i tend to hit only city mpg of about 23mpg. I've even hit as low as 15mpg in some in town driving.
So i know the car looks like it might be able to achieve very high highway mileage in perfect conditions, it is much harder with this version. I would say on average it gets 1-2 mpg better than the 2012 it replaces. Hope it gets better as engine breaks in more as i only have just over 2k miles on it.

Also note i only hand calculate my mpg. This new forester is about 1.7-2.3 mpg optimistic.

 

[GeoJosh]

Not Winter gas yet, I seen the problem in the last few months or so.

Winter blend fuel usually starts going out mid-late September.

What You Should Know About The Fuel You'll Be Putting In Your Car Soon

I posted about the decrease in MPG due to winter blend in these 2 threads, and others have noticed the decrease as well.

http://www.subaruforester.org/vbull...ge-does-your-forester-get-118680/index13.html

http://www.subaruforester.org/vbulletin/f107/real-world-mpg-14-fxt-2-0-a-135745/index9.html

 

[Doug_ID]

I believe the XT wants premium fuel. I know a few stations in my town that sell pure premium gas without ethanol. See if you can find a station in your area and give that a try to see if it makes a difference.

 

[GeoJosh]

So i know the car looks like it might be able to achieve very high highway mileage in perfect conditions, it is much harder with this version. I would say on average it gets 1-2 mpg better than the 2012 it replaces. Hope it gets better as engine breaks in more as i only have just over 2k miles on it.

Also note i only hand calculate my mpg. This new forester is about 1.7-2.3 mpg optimistic.

The turbo on the smaller engine makes this car get good fuel economy.

When not in boost, you are getting the MPGs of a 2.0 liter motor... very good. But when in boost (hills, acceleration) you get poor MPGs. Unless you are always driving up hills (never down) and you are accelerating hard, your MPGs should be fairly good.



Check out my fuelly above to see my MPG trend over the last 2-3 months. Until early October, I was averaging around 27.5 to 28 MPG, with almost all highway driving. Once winter blend fuel hit, my MPGs have dropped significantly to around 25-26 mpg.

 

[RedImpreza07]

26.5 mpg 180 mile trip. 75% hwy and 25% rural roads. couple full boost 100mph runs and 75mph on the highway. Can't complain here. I can get 30 at 50 mph traveling to work. or 10 when having fun. Perfect balance. does better then my 2011 forester.

 

[blueboy]

I believe the XT wants premium fuel. I know a few stations in my town that sell pure premium gas without ethanol. See if you can find a station in your area and give that a try to see if it makes a difference.

Thanks for all the info provided guys.
I've using the same gas from day one.
When I had the issue with the XT, the stealership did reset the ECU. So when I drove the XT for the first two weeks, I was getting excellent gas (learning mode) not anymore.

I'm somewhat OK with the MPG, just bothers me that I cannot reach the 28 MPG Hwy while driving gently, lucky to get 25 MPG.

Keeping good tire pressure (4-3 Lbs over per tire).

 

[Fate]

You say "the same gas" but not which gas... octane, specifically, and E content.

While at your elevation (presuming you are always driving in Denver or thereabouts) your octane requirements are less than at sea level, given the design of the FA20DIT it is my opinion that it "wants" as high an octane as it can get.

Since experiential evidence suggests that this engine gets its best MPG with higher octane, you could verify or eliminate that factor for your own situation by trying a couple of tankfuls of your area's highest octane gasoline, and quantifying results. Couldn't hurt, except for a few dollars, and would say something about your particular Forester.

 

[Goshi]

Colder temps and winter fuel are probably the misfits here. I've been trying to granny drive my '09 XT and the L/100km unit on the dashboard can't go much lower than 13.0... Used to get around 11.0 - 12.0 driving the same way.

 

[GeoJosh]

Having a higher Butane content in the fuel during the winter than the summer makes the fuel cheaper to produce (I saw $2.64 for 87 octane yesterday) when running winter blend.

Butane has fewer carbon atoms in its structure, which makes it burn less efficiently. This is the main reason winter blend fuel results in reduced economy.

I can almost assure you that when the summer blend fuel starts coming back out (by June 1 at the latest, by law) we will see our fuel economy numbers come back up... along with the price of gas.

Here is another good article about the difference between Summer and Winter blends. HowStuffWorks "Summer-grade versus Winter-grade Fuel"

 

[tonyford]

Here is a map of the winter blends used in certain parts of the country. According to this map, not all states switch over to a winter blend which seems odd to me, but must be a reason they don't:

 

[GeoJosh]

Here is a map of the winter blends used in certain parts of the country. According to this map, not all states switch over to a winter blend which seems odd to me, but must be a reason they don't:

From what I can tell, that map is showing the "Boutique fuels" used in certain areas.

Those special fuel blends are only used during the Summer Blend time period, which is standard across the country (with the exception of some hot areas such as Arizona which get a longer summer period)

Here is a chart from the EPA showing each area with a "Boutique fuel standard" and the months they apply... all of which only apply from May 1st -Sept 15th.

Guide on State Summer RVP Standards | Fuels and Fuel Additives | US EPA

So, I believe all parts of the country still do have to use winter blend, and the switchover date is regulated by the government (universal except for warm states).

 

[blueboy]

You say "the same gas" but not which gas... octane, specifically, and E content.

While at your elevation (presuming you are always driving in Denver or thereabouts) your octane requirements are less than at sea level, given the design of the FA20DIT it is my opinion that it "wants" as high an octane as it can get.

Since experiential evidence suggests that this engine gets its best MPG with higher octane, you could verify or eliminate that factor for your own situation by trying a couple of tankfuls of your area's highest octane gasoline, and quantifying results. Couldn't hurt, except for a few dollars, and would say something about your particular Forester.

I understand what you're saying, I currently use the highest octane in Colorado, 91 not 93 like other parts of the country.

What I meant was, I've been using the same gas from day one (Shell and Costco). I've switched back and forth and I gotten same MPG.

I understand the that the MPG are lower in the Winter, octane, etc.
BTW, I do the calculation based on gallons + miles and it's almost the same as the computer on the XT.

I remember I drove about 10 miles from the stealership on a flat Hwy and averaged 32 MPG. I've driving same route, same speed (65) and only got 25 MPG.

Also, I rarely use the Sport mode, I keep it on the (I) all the time.

Do I like my XT, do I love the power? the answer is YES.
Just wish the MPG was closer on what I was supposed to get as I did in the beginning.

Again, I'm currently averaging only about 22 MPG combined (70% Hwy and 30% City).

 

[Fate]

I understand what you're saying, I currently use the highest octane in Colorado, 91 not 93 like other parts of the country.

What I meant was, I've been using the same gas from day one (Shell and Costco). I've switched back and forth and I gotten same MPG.

I understand the that the MPG are lower in the Winter, octane, etc.
BTW, I do the calculation based on gallons + miles and it's almost the same as the computer on the XT.

I remember I drove about 10 miles from the stealership on a flat Hwy and averaged 32 MPG. I've driving same route, same speed (65) and only got 25 MPG.

Also, I rarely use the Sport mode, I keep it on the (I) all the time.

Do I like my XT, do I love the power? the answer is YES.
Just wish the MPG was closer on what I was supposed to get as I did in the beginning.

Again, I'm currently averaging only about 22 MPG combined (70% Hwy and 30% City).

Now that is complete. No flaws in your thinking or driving either.

It's a yearly ritual, the threads on winter gas, but none the less painful and frustrating. Part of me wants to see it as Big Oil looking out for us Little People and providing the best gasolines for our winter season. Another part of me has a dark conversation involving conspiracy theories. The balance is toward the latter.

One agency of power mandates better gas mileage from vehicles. Another takes it away on the back end.

Funny stuff. Not.

 

[tonyford]

blueboy's drop in MPG, in my opinion, is more than just the gas. That is a big drop from 32 to 25 mpg. And 22 mpg combined is not right either.

Maybe have the vehicle inspected by a good mechanic. I wouldn't know where to start, but I would have everything connected with MPG in the engine checked out. Could be one of many things, but for drop that drastic, in my opinion, something ain't right.

If driving habits have changed, thats another story. When the turbo kicks in the MPG go way down. Not saying that is the problem, but could be.

 

[blueboy]

blueboy's drop in MPG, in my opinion, is more than just the gas. That is a big drop from 32 to 25 mpg. And 22 mpg combined is not right either.

Maybe have the vehicle inspected by a good mechanic. I wouldn't know where to start, but I would have everything connected with MPG in the engine checked out. Could be one of many things, but for drop that drastic, in my opinion, something ain't right.

If driving habits have changed, thats another story. When the turbo kicks in the MPG go way down. Not saying that is the problem, but could be.

Hey Tony, my driving habits have not changed and I drive very conservative, I babied all my cars. I know about the turbo but again, I even rarely use the S mode.

 

[msmith46]

I understand what you're saying, I currently use the highest octane in Colorado, 91 not 93 like other parts of the country.

What I meant was, I've been using the same gas from day one (Shell and Costco). I've switched back and forth and I gotten same MPG.

I understand the that the MPG are lower in the Winter, octane, etc.
BTW, I do the calculation based on gallons + miles and it's almost the same as the computer on the XT.

I remember I drove about 10 miles from the stealership on a flat Hwy and averaged 32 MPG. I've driving same route, same speed (65) and only got 25 MPG.

Also, I rarely use the Sport mode, I keep it on the (I) all the time.

Do I like my XT, do I love the power? the answer is YES.
Just wish the MPG was closer on what I was supposed to get as I did in the beginning.

Again, I'm currently averaging only about 22 MPG combined (70% Hwy and 30% City).

I just completed a 1700 mile round trip, Kansas City to Ohio and back. I averaged 28.8 mpg for the entire trip. I averaged 30+ on several tanks. This was across Interstate 70. Where I could, I usually tried to run 5 to 7 mph over the limit using cruise control, which means usually cruising 75+.

I am happy with the mileage. In heavy local traffic, I am averaging around 23 / 24 mpg, depending on how heavy my foot is.

I have a 2014 Venetian Red FXT Touring. My wife has a 2014 2.5i Limited. In similar driving conditions, my wife's car averages 32 on the highway and 27 in mixed conditions. We are very happy with the mileage on both cars. Even though both cars look similar, the FXT is an entirely different vehicle, performance, handling, smoothness, and quiet wise.

 

[GeoJosh]

Hey Tony, my driving habits have not changed and I drive very conservative, I babied all my cars. I know about the turbo but again, I even rarely use the S mode.

I think part of your large MPG discrepancy is because the 32 mpg average you are talking about was a fluke. I drive all highway, and even on tanks where I saw 38MPG on the digital display at times, my actual MPG was right around 28.

I just completed a 1700 mile round trip, Kansas City to Ohio and back. I averaged 28.8 mpg for the entire trip. I averaged 30+ on several tanks. This was across Interstate 70. Where I could, I usually tried to run 5 to 7 mph over the limit using cruise control, which means usually cruising 75+.

Are these numbers you are reporting hand calculated, or are they based on the number displayed on the multi-function display?