49 MPG with a 2010 HHR LT2?
Senior Member
Joined: 01-13-2006
Posts: 3,000
From: Superior, WI - Over the Hill Warranty Club member
You can get really good mileage if you string a rubber band to a silverado and coast.
Really the instant MPG changes with every wind that hits you, each time you move your foot or every incline/decline hill grade.
Really the instant MPG changes with every wind that hits you, each time you move your foot or every incline/decline hill grade.
Coasting down a very long grade in gear on I-77 I reset the instant mileage and for about five miles I was getting an indicated 109 mpg. It was amusing but the mileage settled back down to the usual 32-34 once the grade leveled out and I was back under power for a few miles. Nope I didn't get a picture, I never try taking pictures of anything while in motion. Just imagine the fun of explaining to the officer on scene that you hit that semi, bounced off a minivan, and landed in the trees because you were taking a picture of your DIC at 75 mph.
Instant is exactly that INSTANT. What you should be concerned about is the average. Mine will average around 35, the instant is probably something over 60 at times. I don't have instant MPG with a 2007 but even if I did it wouldn't mean anything at all to me. There is a very good reason instant MPG wasn't included on any vehicles until pretty recently. My 22 year old Bronco with more than twice as big of motor as my 4 year old HHR probably gets instant mileage over 50 once in a while, but it averages about 12.
I have found the on board fuel computer to be very optimistic. It shows up to 3 mpg higher than the actual mileage (computed by measuring actual gallons of fuel consumed, not what the computer says.) That said, our HHR gets good mileage and we average about 28-30 for our rural "local" driving and consistently get over 30 on the highway. I have found that driving 55 to 60 on the interstate gets probably 3 mpg better than driving 70. Car must not be too streamlined. I usually drive 70 for interstate travel. We have an 08 LS with the 2.2 engine and 0 options.
Coasting down a very long grade in gear on I-77 I reset the instant mileage and for about five miles I was getting an indicated 109 mpg. It was amusing but the mileage settled back down to the usual 32-34 once the grade leveled out and I was back under power for a few miles. Nope I didn't get a picture, I never try taking pictures of anything while in motion. Just imagine the fun of explaining to the officer on scene that you hit that semi, bounced off a minivan, and landed in the trees because you were taking a picture of your DIC at 75 mph.
In connecticut, in the winter time mind you. 90% Freeway 10% in town I was getting 27-28 driving 75ish. But no heavy pedal, and keeping it consistant and not letting the car sit and idle to "warm up".
Maybe in the Summer I can beat that but we will see.
Maybe in the Summer I can beat that but we will see.


