MPG Issue

[WunWun]

2023 BS Badlands

I just crossed 1000 miles on her and I’m still not able to break even 19 mpg overall. This sounds like a problem?

Most, if not all, of my miles are city and local. My last few fill-ups are typically around 15-16 mpg according to the dash and I am starting to get concerned.

Over the last two weeks, I have been very conscious with how fast I am going and my overall rpms. Most gears shift on the low side of 2k rpm and I rarely approach 3k rpm unless I am trying to overtake someone. It stays in Normal or ECO mode. I also turn off the auto-stop/start, but that should have minimal impact in my opinion, unless I am completely wrong about that.

Any thoughts?

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[Jmuns]

Are you manually crunching the numbers or running off what the car is telling you? Plus your engine is still in the break in period. City and local miles aren’t going to yield great results either way.

 

[WunWun]

Are you manually crunching the numbers or running off what the car is telling you? Plus your engine is still in the break in period. City and local miles aren’t going to yield great results either way.

I am going to start keeping track manually.
How long is the break-in period?

 

[RSH]

Short trips around town typically net in the 19 mpg range for my Badlands.
Climate control is always on, I do not use ECO mode, I do use auto start stop and mainly use premium fuel.
I just drive normally not trying for maximum MPG.

For me to get fuel mileage in the mid to high 20 MPG range I have to be on the highway, if the highway is open and flat I can get close to 30 MPG, even then I'm usually driving faster than the posted speed.

 

[Mark S.]

The EPA says 21 mpg city for the 2.0L; you’re not to far off that. You say most of your driving is local, so I assume lots of short drives in the city. In addition, we are just getting over winter, so you’ve been driving a lot with a cold engine. In other words, the worst possible use case for fuel economy. Take some longer highway drives in warm weather and report back. My guess is you’ll see much improved mileage.

 

[Scott_Anderson_]

That seems low at least according to my experience so far with the BL. I’m averaging around 25 mpg give or take. 95% of my driving is city. I’ve tried it on eco-mode for an entire tank vs. regular mode, and the difference is slight, less than 1 mpg. I’ve also tried premium vs. regular and the mpg difference is small as well, but there is a noticeable difference in responsiveness and less lag with premium. I am just going off the dash indicator, though. Haven’t actually crunched the numbers, so maybe my numbers are off.

 

[Jmuns]

I am going to start keeping track manually.
How long is the break-in period?

About 1000 miles or so according to the manual. So you're right there. I don't think your MPG is off though. My lifetime is around 22 according to the computer. I'm running larger tires though so I don't trust what it tells me, but I also don't care enough to crunch the numbers manually.

You should calculate them yourself over the next 3-4 tanks and see what find.

 

[jofer]

Also, keep in mind that one person's version of local and city driving is very different than another person's.

Lots of 4 way stops and residential grid roads where you're doing 15mph, then city streets with stoplights every 1/4 mile? Overall trips of only a couple of miles? You're going to see very low mileage. (Mine looks very similar to yours for that reason. Usually around 15mpg in true city driving.)

Suburban city driving where you're doing 35 or 45 with stoplights every mile? You'll get way better gas mileage.

Similar with highway. Here there are a lot of 85mph speed limits on state highways. My highway milage sucks too, compared to my highway milage in other states. Driving 90mph does not make for good milage. I get about 19mpg there too.

But 55mph state highway when I visit family in other states? That can average up in the high 20's mpg.

 

[RSH]

I just did a 120 mile highway run today, my mpg average was 27.6 outbound covering 60 miles and 27.3 mpg inbound covering the return 60 miles. My speed ranged from 60 to 80 mph with the majority being 70-75 mph. This is typical of what my Badlands will do on the highway.

 

[Bucko]

That seems low at least according to my experience so far with the BL. I’m averaging around 25 mpg give or take. 95% of my driving is city. I’ve tried it on eco-mode for an entire tank vs. regular mode, and the difference is slight, less than 1 mpg. I’ve also tried premium vs. regular and the mpg difference is small as well, but there is a noticeable difference in responsiveness and less lag with premium. I am just going off the dash indicator, though. Haven’t actually crunched the numbers, so maybe my numbers are off.

With minimal difference between premium and regular fuel in the way of MPG, is there any reason you are paying extra for premium fuel? Since there is minimal difference, the cost difference would be reason enough for me to stick with regular.

 

[jofer]

With minimal difference between premium and regular fuel in the way of MPG, is there any reason you are paying extra for premium fuel?

Premium is for two things: 1) better performance in terms of HP and torque and 2) longer lifetime of the engine due to less buildup.

It's not intended to improve milage in any way and shouldn't ever be expected to. It can in some cases, just don't expect it to.

It means you can 1) operate the engine at higher compression without knocking/premature combustion and 2) keep the injectors/etc clean for longer due to the extra detergents and other additives.

Some turbocharged engines require it. The sport does not require it, according to the owners manual, but it's recommended for best performance and for towing. The HP/etc numbers advertised are with premium fuel, and regular will be lower. That doesn't mean it uses less gas, for the most part, just that the engine has more power on the same amount of fuel. Put another way, the energy density of premium is the same or lower than regular gas.

Octane rating purely measures how much you can compress the fuel air mixture before it spontaneously combust. That matters for the performance of turbocharged engines, but it doesn't mean there's more actual energy in a gallon of premium fuel.

 

[Mark S.]

...keep the injectors/etc clean for longer due to the extra detergents and other additives.

I think selecting a "top tier" gasoline is more important for longevity than using premium. There may be a difference in the amount of detergents between regular and premium at some stations, but if you purchase your gas from a station offering top tier gasoline all the gas sold there must adhere to Top Tier standards, so there's really no benefit (other than the performance gains) to using premium.

More here.
And here.

 

[Bucko]

Yea, I knew premium fuels can perhaps help in performance, but wondered if the 1.5 or 2.0 benefitted with this (could you really tell?).

 

[Mark S.]

Yea, I knew premium fuels can perhaps help in performance, but wondered if the 1.5 or 2.0 benefitted with this (could you really tell?).

I've owned EcoBoost-equipped cars for nearly a decade now. Yes, premium improves performance. How much? My last car was a2017 EcoBoost Mustang; it's 2.3L EcoBoost was rated for a maximum of 310 horsepower. I read about one enterprising owner who did before/after dyno testing with regular and premium fuel. He got rated power with premium, but only 275 hp with regular. That equates to a 12% reduction, so it's significant.

I'm running my annual does-premium-provide-better-fuel-economy test with my Badlands as we discuss this (I'm nearing the end of tank number two of three); I'll post the results on my 2.0L Fuel Mileage thread, including driving impressions.

 

[Bucko]

I've owned EcoBoost-equipped cars for nearly a decade now. Yes, premium improves performance. How much? My last car was a2017 EcoBoost Mustang; it's 2.3L EcoBoost was rated for a maximum of 310 horsepower. I read about one enterprising owner who did before/after dyno testing with regular and premium fuel. He got rated power with premium, but only 275 hp with regular. That equates to a 12% reduction, so it's significant.

I'm running my annual does-premium-provide-better-fuel-economy test with my Badlands as we discuss this (I'm nearing the end of tank number two of three); I'll post the results on my 2.0L Fuel Mileage thread, including driving impressions.

I'm a cost savings person as well. If the performance rate and/or MPG rate increases enough to warrant the change to premium and its costs, then I'll be in.

At the very least, if I were to tow the tremendous amounts of tow capacity with the BS, I'd run the regular down, then fill up with premium prior to towing. I have an F150 with its 4.6 liter that does the towing duties, and I burn regular in that.

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