driving on the highway today i reset the mpg meter. about 20 mph hi 50s to low 60s for temp and cruise set at 70. end result was 41 mpg, only mod is my home brew cai.

 

GM doesn't determine the fuel economy figures, the EPA does. GM just has to post what the EPA says the cars are capable of achieving.

 

Yep, keep driving at 20 mph and you mileage will increase..... Be sure to take a good minute or so to get to speed also.

 

EPA ratings are based on average driving over a variety of conditions. They take into account stopping and starting as well. So while its easy to push the reset and show 40MPG, the reality is that over a tank full, or more important, several tank fulls, your average mileage is what you need to be looking at. That's the number that affects your wallet. Its going to be a different number for each of us.

FWIW, I've gotten as high as 48 mpg at 60mph when resetting the DIC at highway speeds. My tank to tank average is 27 mpg.

 

My tank average in winter is about 28mpg, during the summer it has been as high as 34mpg (with spikes of 37 or 38mpg). Of course my mileage is 85% Interstate and flat, so that helps.

 

You illustrated my point exactly. You are not the average driver that the EPA is rating for. My driving is mixed city/freeway/hwy.

 

Exactly. The EPA sticker usually says something to the effect that, "vehicles in this class typically achieve between 26 and 41 highway...blah, blah, blah..." on the bottom of the sticker, but most people just see the two big numbers and think the car will get what they say, no matter the circumstances. Then they get mad at GM/Ford/Honda when the car fails to get that number, even though the owner may ride the brake, run the A/C constantly, fail to upshift or make jack-rabbit starts at every light. "Your mileage may vary."

 

i was just looking at highway mileage. my average is usually 29.4 or so a tank. 85 miles on the freeway today freeway average was 40.7 at 70. who needs a hybrid anyways.

 

My tank average is 34mpgs. Ofcourse I drive 90% highway miles. Still you can beat an HHR on utility and fuel economy combined. Sure a Mini or Smart car gets a few mpgs better. But can you haul lumber in them. I think not. I paid 13,999 for my 07 hhr new. Talk about best bang for buck car on the market!

 

Define lumber. I imagine you could carry enough wood in the back of a smart fortwo to build at least 10 houses......if you used Lincoln Logs.

I wouldn't mind having a fortwo, though. It's a different vehicle for a different purpose, it was never meant to haul anything but 1 or 2 people and some groceries/weekend luggage. It's a "smart" idea, no pun intended, for minimal transportation needs. The MINI is just hellacious fun to drive. It's like a go-kart with a windshield and comfy seats. Don't get me wrong, I loves me HHR and I am finally happy with a vehicle that I intend to keep, but the fortwo and MINI are also two cars that I wouldn't mind having. Gosh. I've rambled and completely lost my train of thought.