Unlike some small cars which seem to have wildly optimistic EPA highway estimates, my first LONG (3705 mile) trip in the HHR indicates 30mpg is right on the money!

No, I'm not talking about the digital readout--that came out about 1.5mpg higher than reality. I'm talking about actual gallons consumed, averaged across 14 credit card receipts, with the mileage verified by Mapquest. I got 30.09 mpg overall.

This included Rocky Mountain terrain where 4th gear (mine's a 5-speed) was used for several miles at a time, as well as some long stretches of 75mph interstate doing 75-80, and even a dab of nasty high-traffic urban driving in the SF bay area. Through all of this it somehow maintained an "honest" 30mpg.

Very pleased with that!

 

I would be pleased with that also. How many miles do you have on yours. I hear that milage will get better after a break-in period. Also, do you use synthetic oil, I wonder if it would make a difference?

BlueJackets

 

We get great mileage in ours also.. the HHR is a great all around vehicle.

What engine are you running?

 

Had basically just "break-in" miles (~500) when this trip was started. It was practically brand new, the motor bone stock, and was running whatever oil the factory puts in 'em.

Don't know if that's synthetic or not but I doubt it. It's due for a change now (normally I change at 3000 but this time went a bit over). I will be putting in syn blend not full syn and don't expect that to make much difference on mileage either way (if using an "Energy Conserving" 5W-30, regardless of whether syn or conventional, that's about all you can do to optimize the small affect your choice of engine oil has on gas mileage).

I do not expect to get 30mpg in normal "around town" driving of course, but good to know it's capable of that on long trips anyway.

 

Hello is this thing on... what engine size?

 

I have pulled out 36mpg at times on my trip to PA last yr. I have also pulled in 25mpg around the town I live in.

 

city and highway combined 26.8mpg
loaded car, two people and a dog--75mph freeways
Houston to NYC

 

stock 2.2L

 

36 is darn good! But I do motorcycle touring too (mileage of those vehicles varies wildly with the conditions even moreso than cars). That has taught me to consider only long-term mileage average as meaningful. When you're riding a bike, thinking you're going to get anywhere near the optimal mileage you've measured "at times" is a good way to end up stranded!