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Poor Gas Mileage On 2005 Le Automatic

by Rollah, February 2, 2005



I've had my '05 LE for a little over a month and put about 1,000 miles on it. So far I've only gotten about 30 mpg. I drive mostly on the highway going the speed limit, with the occasional in town trip. I was expecting to get 38 mpg...that's the major reason I bought the car! It's been a little disappointing to see that I've been getting far less miles per gallon than I expected. Is this normal for this car? Or should my gas mileage be better? I've checked the tire pressure (put it to 32 psi) and I try to drive without the defrost on (uses AC), but I still havent seen much difference in fuel economy.

Ti-Jean

1) Car is brand new

2) It's winter. How cold where you live? Snow, winter tires?

3) How long are your drives? Mostly short or longer?

4) Automatics seem to suffer poorer mileage in town and when cold.

You just bought a new car at the worst time of the year as far as fuel economy is concerned.

Let's wait for your numbers in May...

Rollah:

My '03 Corolla LE automatic was purchased Oct. 28, 2002 and immediately pressed into a long highway trip after I was able to put only 100 miles on it. I averaged around 35 MPG for the first tank of fuel, which included the first 100 miles of in-town driving and about 250 miles of highway driving at 65 MPH. On the second tank, I was getting 42 MPG highway, with less than 700 miles on the odometer - total.

Keep in mind that the highway mileage figures are for extended highway cruising at a steady 65 MPH. ANY local driving done on the same tank of fuel will factor in to reduce your overall mileage, and it can have a pretty noticeable effect. Don't judge your highway mileage until you can fill it up, drive it 3 - 400 miles all at once, then fill it up again. Unless you're a lead foot and trying to keep up with the aggressive boy racers, you should get at least 38 MPG "true" highway mileage.

Remember if you are running the defroster the ac compressor is running, which affects gas mileage.

Guest Corollasroyce

Remember if you are running the defroster the ac compressor is running, which affects gas mileage.

He says right in his post hes not using the A/C

 

Your car is brand new, give it some time, your going to experience worse gas mileage when your car is brand new...like Ti-Jean said, all those things come into effect, wait till may when it starts warming up and then lets us see some figures...

I followed the earlier threads on mileage, but only now just logging in as a registered user.

I leased an 05 CE, 5 speed in Sept 04. My first highway trip at 60-70 mph yielded 47+ mpg (Cdn gallon, about 39+ US Gal.). There was only about 1000 km's (620 miles) or less on the car at that time.

Now with 7000 km's (4200+ miles) the engine has smoothed out some.

I don't idle excessively, but my winter mileage has varied from 36-40 mpg Cdn Gal. (30-34 mpg US Gal.). That has been with 4 winter lug tread snow tires mounted.

I have a mixed commute of about 15 miles to and from work. The variation depends on how much extra city driving I do for errands/groc etc.

I think I could hit 49 mpg under ideal highway summer conditions, and expect 38-42 during regular summer use (all these numbers Cdn Gal.).

Fuel economy was one reason I got this car. Just wanted to add my experiences.

Cheers.

Ti-Jean

I followed the earlier threads on mileage, but only now just logging in as a registered user.

I leased an 05 CE, 5 speed in Sept 04. My first highway trip at 60-70 mph yielded 47+ mpg (Cdn gallon, about 39+ US Gal.). There was only about 1000 km's (620 miles) or less on the car at that time.

Now with 7000 km's (4200+ miles) the engine has smoothed out some.

I don't idle excessively, but my winter mileage has varied from 36-40 mpg Cdn Gal. (30-34 mpg US Gal.). That has been with 4 winter lug tread snow tires mounted.

I have a mixed commute of about 15 miles to and from work. The variation depends on how much extra city driving I do for errands/groc etc.

I think I could hit 49 mpg under ideal highway summer conditions, and expect 38-42 during regular summer use (all these numbers Cdn Gal.).

Fuel economy was one reason I got this car. Just wanted to add my experiences.

Cheers.

We have identical cars that we bought at the same time and we got identical mileage figures.

 

When my car had approx. 1000 km, a one day trip at normal speeds yielded 47 mpg (imp).

My daily commutes are shorter than yours and I've been averaging around 35 mpg this winter, with 4 Toyo G02+ winter tires. But I'm only at 3500km or so.

Where are you in Canada and what winter tires did you buy?

On a good day, next summer, I can't see why I wouldn't be able to get 50 mpg.

Welcome to the board.

I drive about 60 miles a day round trip to work and back, mostly highway. It's been REAL cold up here in NH lately. Usually in the teens in the morning and in the twenties in the evening. I still have the stock Integrity tires on the car (I've noticed some pretty scary snow traction so far), but I pumped them up a little extra to keep them inflated during the cold weather. I'll post my mileage again when the weather gets warmer and my car has a few more miles on it. Right now I'm pretty happy with 30mpg I guess. I love spending only $20 once a week for gas!!

Guest Corollasroyce

I still have the stock Integrity tires on the car (I've noticed some pretty scary snow traction so far),

 

but I pumped them up a little extra to keep them inflated during the cold weather.

Stock tires are garbage...I couldn't agree with you more...

 

Adding extra air to the tires is bad when in terrible weather, you should lower your PSI if anything...adding more air makes them lose traction faster...

I cant imagine how pple drive with the stock tires in the winter, mainly in snow. When I drive with the stock in rain, it feels like driving in light snow, so I didnt even wanna try to drive stock in the snow.

Tri-Jean I am in St. John's, Newfoundland. I think the car is capable of 50 mpg, especially with the garbage stock tires...as they are made for high mpg. I think you would have to keep the speeds to 60 mph/100 kph MAX, and I don't think that I could do that.

 

I have cheap WinterMark (or something like that) winter tires. Made by Goodyear I was told..but who knows.

 

I am looking at putting on some high performance summer tires this spring.

I see Harmonys and Triple Treads are popular on this board. I like the Yokahama Avids a lot though, and considering them.

Rollah is your car an auto, or 5 speed?

Oh yeah..Tri-Jean...I thought I didn't do much driving, but I've doubled your use....your car will last forever.

I am on a 24,000 km per year lease, so I am still leaving about a 1,000 km's on the table each month so far. I'll catch up a bit though with a few driving holidays this summer.

Hey I have the same WinterMarks, even tho they r cheap, they work great. default_smile

DDragon7...Driving in the winter with the Integrity tires takes quite a bit of skill....and sheer luck! It seems like they dont shed wet snow very easily, especially at slow speeds. Important things like taking off from a stop sign, taking corners, and stopping, sometimes feel like an impossible feat in wet snow. I've already had some pretty scary experiences that in previous cars with different tires would have been no problem at all. I definitely plan on getting some better tires for next winter, but I'd like to wear these suckers out first. Hopefully they keep my car on the road until then!!

Bradolloa....My car has an Automatic Transmission.

Guest Toyota-san

Hey I have the same WinterMarks, even tho they r cheap, they work great. default_smile

Yup me too. Actually Kelly wintertracker but pretty much the same tire.

 

 

Ti-Jean

Oh yeah..Tri-Jean...I thought I didn't do much driving, but I've doubled your use....your car will last forever.

Especially now that I decided to switch to full synthetic oil this spring.

 

I will go from 3 OCI/yr to 2 and I will use Esso XD-3 full syn. 0W-30.

Your Esso bulk station has it for a paltry $3.85/liter. M1 is twice that.

Regarding tires, If you want Michelin Harmony's, you may take a look at Michelin Destiny's which is the exact same tire sold at Cdn Tire. Might be a better deal, when on sale. I would like to go from 185/65-15 to the LE/S's 195/65-15.

And I found my Corolla quite slippery on snow and in the -15 to -25C that we had all January. Acceleration on snow is good, but turning can be treacherous. Good winter tires can't turn a light car into a snow plow. I can't imagine driving on the stock Integrity's in these conditions.

I've got about 2000 miiles on my 05 manual.

Every day i drive 130 miles, all but 4 of it highway.

Get (only) 30 mpg.

But i set the criuse control at 78 mph so that's probably the issue.

Still, I got 25 in my 96 subaru legacy awd. Not a real big savings.

-Ben

Elvis:

If you're running a Corolla at 78 MPH, 30 MPG is fabulous fuel economy. I'd also suggest that you have something better than the OEM tires on that car.

Guest Corollasroyce

Oh yeah..Tri-Jean...I thought I didn't do much driving, but I've doubled your use....your car will last forever.

Especially now that I decided to switch to full synthetic oil this spring.

 

I will go from 3 OCI/yr to 2 and I will use Esso XD-3 full syn. 0W-30.

Your Esso bulk station has it for a paltry $3.85/liter. M1 is twice that.

Regarding tires, If you want Michelin Harmony's, you may take a look at Michelin Destiny's which is the exact same tire sold at Cdn Tire. Might be a better deal, when on sale. I would like to go from 185/65-15 to the LE/S's 195/65-15.

And I found my Corolla quite slippery on snow and in the -15 to -25C that we had all January. Acceleration on snow is good, but turning can be treacherous. Good winter tires can't turn a light car into a snow plow. I can't imagine driving on the stock Integrity's in these conditions.

Trust me, i am on stock integsniptys and i am ALLLL over the place in the snow, its dangerous, which is why i am taking transit to work till it starts to clear up here, but its retarded ....very scary

 

 

Y, dont u get some cheap winter tires?

friendly_jacek

I've got about 2000 miiles on my 05 manual.Every day i drive 130 miles, all but 4 of it highway.

 

Get (only) 30 mpg.

But i set the criuse control at 78 mph so that's probably the issue.

Still, I got 25 in my 96 subaru legacy awd. Not a real big savings.

-Ben

I get similar results:

 

30-31 MPG in 03 corolla and 24-25 MPG in 00 subaru legacy pure hwy 75 mph or so. Both are AT and usually loaded with people (4) and gear.

I also get 26-27 MPG in city (bad traffic) so it is not too bad.

I cant imagine how pple drive with the stock tires in the winter, mainly in snow. When I drive with the stock in rain, it feels like driving in light snow, so I didnt even wanna try to drive stock in the snow.

It's called skill

 

I rented a Dodge Caravan in Quebec, Canada (50 miles from the Maine border). daily highs were 5 degrees F, there was a permenant 1-2" layer of snow covering all roads except the freeway. I was the ONLY car I saw without snow tires. You just have to think ahead, be smooth with the throttle and steering and know your limits.

But yes the Corolla and most any car under 3000lbs seems to suffer in my expereince from poor traction. My Honda Accord is AWESOME in the snow with only OEM tires. I actually have better traction in most cases than my girlfriends 4x4 pick-up with off road tires in wet, <4" snow and gravel roads.

As for mileage. Automatics really seem to suck gas in the city. O nshort trips I only get 16-22 mpg on my 4 cylinder Accord 5 speed auto, yet I get 32-36mpg on the freeway. My city driivng is mostly short trips under 3 miles, the Accord weigh in at 3200lbs... and with the cold wweather it's abotu the worst conditions for economy.

Guest ChoBaka

On my first full tank of gas, I got around 22 mpg. I have an 05 LE auto, and driving was exclusively city driving, stop-and-go, and max speed being about 50 mph (most of the time it was 35mph or less).



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