08 SS 5spd (800 miles)

On my second tank of gas and I am averaging 27 mpg on my 60 mile round trip commute (42 mph average speed)

On level ground with the cruise at about 75-80 the car gets right at 32 mpg

The performance/MPG is hard to beat

 

Okay - here's a dumb question. If the 2.0 turbo gets such good gas mileage, why not replace all the V-6 engines that are getting similar HP and repalce them with the 2.0 turbo engines? Even the Solstice GXP gets better gas mileage than the base Solstice. It seems that with the Ecotec turbo you can get great power and fuel mileage. Is it because people don't want to pony up the extra money for the turbo version? Because many of the V6 cars are more expensive than the HHR SS.

 

A lot of it is just ignorance. People like cylinders, more=better....just like rims, and women...etc. I like efficiency, Period. That's what we have here, a gas sipping, powerful, large enough, small enough, 4 door, hatch, lightweight, well built thingomobobber.

 

There is also the mechanical issue of torque. A 5000# car doesn't get rolling from a dead stop as well as a 3500# car. More pistons/more displacement _generally_ gives you more torque at usable levels... so the big car gets the big motor to get it rolling.

 

Or low gearing.....lol...like a rock cawler with 35inch tires. Both bad for mileage.....