2014 Ford Fusion MPG Question

[Jason Riberdy]

So I am curious what I am doing wrong in getting optimal mpg with my Fusion Hybrid.

I drive on average 200 miles per day, 62% Highway, 38% city

Average braking score 94% (obviously an estimate)

Almost always in the blue for: Acceleration, Cruise and Braking

I never travel more than 5mph over the speed limit

Average speed based of the standard d=rt for my average on trips is 66.54545 miles per hour

My Odomter trip average says I am getting 41.5 mpg

Fuelly says I am getting 40.3 mpg (not sure why there is a difference but it's within 1mpg so I am not too concerned)

 

But can someone explain why I am not even getting close to the 47 mpg, of all 26 fill ups, only 1 fill up has been at or greater than 47 mpg

 

I do live in Colorado, not sure if this is the main culprit but one would reason since I am doing the same round trip every day the uphill one way would negate the downhill the other way and the average should be closer to the advertised mpg. Does anyone have any suggestions on what I can do better?

 

By the way I have found that doing the exact speed limit versus 5mph over only offers a difference of approx 0.4mpg increase

 

Are others finding similar stats? Or should I stop worrying about it and be happy that I am getting 40+ mpg every day.

 

Also I try to stay in the blue as much as possible when accelerating, and am not a heavy footed driver

 

Other factors:
Oil changed, tires rotated every 5K

Regular Fuel used

11K miles on the car

Use Adaptive Cruise Control a lot with 3 bars seperation

Also have lane assist

 

 

[rjent]

The only thing I can see is that you are driving too fast. At 66 to 67 MPH is going to result in what you are getting. The EPA rated these cars at very different conditions that we usually drive them. This forum has a lot of discussion on how these car get 47 MPG (and they will) but in most real world driving, you don't. I would suggest picking an ECO route to keep your speed down to 55 and have the NAV (if you have one) pick the shortest or most ECO route available to you. These car are not about speed and getting to work, they are about a different approach to transportation. I hope I never have to go back ..... LOL

 

Just my .02

So I am curious what I am doing wrong in getting optimal mpg with my Fusion Hybrid.

I drive on average 200 miles per day, 62% Highway, 38% city

Average braking score 94% (obviously an estimate)

Almost always in the blue for: Acceleration, Cruise and Braking

I never travel more than 5mph over the speed limit

Average speed based of the standard d=rt for my average on trips is 66.54545 miles per hour

My Odomter trip average says I am getting 41.5 mpg

Fuelly says I am getting 40.3 mpg (not sure why there is a difference but it's within 1mpg so I am not too concerned)

 

But can someone explain why I am not even getting close to the 47 mpg, of all 26 fill ups, only 1 fill up has been at or greater than 47 mpg

 

I do live in Colorado, not sure if this is the main culprit but one would reason since I am doing the same round trip every day the uphill one way would negate the downhill the other way and the average should be closer to the advertised mpg. Does anyone have any suggestions on what I can do better?

 

By the way I have found that doing the exact speed limit versus 5mph over only offers a difference of approx 0.4mpg increase

 

Are others finding similar stats? Or should I stop worrying about it and be happy that I am getting 40+ mpg every day.

 

Also I try to stay in the blue as much as possible when accelerating, and am not a heavy footed driver

 

Other factors:
Oil changed, tires rotated every 5K

Regular Fuel used

11K miles on the car

Use Adaptive Cruise Control a lot with 3 bars seperation

Also have lane assist

 

 

[darrelld]

So I am curious what I am doing wrong in getting optimal mpg with my Fusion Hybrid.

I drive on average 200 miles per day, 62% Highway, 38% city

Average braking score 94% (obviously an estimate)

Almost always in the blue for: Acceleration, Cruise and Braking

I never travel more than 5mph over the speed limit

Average speed based of the standard d=rt for my average on trips is 66.54545 miles per hour

My Odomter trip average says I am getting 41.5 mpg

Fuelly says I am getting 40.3 mpg (not sure why there is a difference but it's within 1mpg so I am not too concerned)

 

But can someone explain why I am not even getting close to the 47 mpg, of all 26 fill ups, only 1 fill up has been at or greater than 47 mpg

 

I do live in Colorado, not sure if this is the main culprit but one would reason since I am doing the same round trip every day the uphill one way would negate the downhill the other way and the average should be closer to the advertised mpg. Does anyone have any suggestions on what I can do better?

 

By the way I have found that doing the exact speed limit versus 5mph over only offers a difference of approx 0.4mpg increase

 

Are others finding similar stats? Or should I stop worrying about it and be happy that I am getting 40+ mpg every day.

 

Also I try to stay in the blue as much as possible when accelerating, and am not a heavy footed driver

 

Other factors:

Oil changed, tires rotated every 5K

Regular Fuel used

11K miles on the car

Use Adaptive Cruise Control a lot with 3 bars seperation

Also have lane assist

 

 

 

Ford lowered the rating for the Fusion Hybrid to 41 highway and 42 combined, you can read the statement here.

 

http://www.ford.com/mpglabel/

Edited July 1, 2014 by darrelld

[Jason Riberdy]

Thanks DarrellD, In that case I am doing very well based off the updated estimates! Glad I posted this and glad I am getting a goodwill payment as well

[Nick Golden]

You're seeing about what I see in my 2014. At highway speeds above 65 mph, I get 41 to 45 mpg, in general. My recent trip to Central Michigan from Northeast Ohio, I got 46 mpg on the way up and 42 mpg on the way back. Both at similar speeds. Not quite sure what was different. It was hotter, so my a/c was likely working more on the way back.

 

At speeds <60 mph, I can regularly average about 50 mpg for an entire tank when it's warm out. My running average is about 47 mpg after about 6,000 miles of driving.

 

There are techniques you can do to improve highway mileage to basically outsmart the cruise control/computer settings. Hybridbear, I think, had some good tips about keeping the ICE on during downhill runs. I tried it a lot on the way to Michigan and it seemed to help. I will caution you, you can only do it safely when there is no traffic. On the way home, traffic was tighter, so safety trumped hypermiling.

[Jason Riberdy]

By the way rjent, thanks for the suggestion, only downside to the eco route is it adds 20 extra miles one way and another 60 minutes to an already 88 minute commute so sadly thats not dooable

If I were to take the ECO route I would actually use more fuel but get better mpg, not sure how that would really be more eco friendly LoL

 

 

However now that I know theyhave updated the mpg it makes me much happier to know that I am doing very well

Edited July 1, 2014 by Jason Riberdy

[corncobs]

 

However now that I know theyhave updated the mpg it makes me much happier to know that I am doing very well

IMO you were doing very well even before the recent downgrade of EPA estimates. :)

[Goody]

Jason, you're accelerating in the BLUE! Wow. If I stayed in the blue while accelerating, I'd have a mile of cars backed up behind me. As soon as I hit the accelerator the ICE kicks in.

[corncobs]

Jason, you're accelerating in the BLUE! Wow. If I stayed in the blue while accelerating, I'd have a mile of cars backed up behind me. As soon as I hit the accelerator the ICE kicks in.

I don't think he said accelerating in EV just the acceleration coach bar is in the blue basically the car is telling him his acceleration is pretty good.

[hybridbear]

Jason, you're accelerating in the BLUE! Wow. If I stayed in the blue while accelerating, I'd have a mile of cars backed up behind me. As soon as I hit the accelerator the ICE kicks in.

I think he means that the acceleration coach bar is still blue.

 

However, it takes a lot to make it change colors. My question is how high are the coach bars? Are they very close to 100%? Also, improving the brake score from 94% up to 98 or 99% will have an impact on MPG. And, lastly, which tires do you have? The Goodyear tires are higher rolling resistance and this has a measurable impact on MPGs.

[rjent]

True dat! :). I remember one member here was complaining that he used an ECO route, it was a little shorter in distance, he got LESS MPG that the other route, but he burned less fuel. None of this is written in stone, you have to find your own way in this wonderful hybrid world LOL. Anyway, play with a lot of ideas, some pay off and others don't.

 

We are retired and do a lot of traveling. We have found hybrid liberation in driving the secondary roads and federal non Interstate highways. We have seen some beautiful country and arrive relaxed (other that arguing with the B___h in the NAV system).

 

Enjoy the ride! :yahoo:

By the way rjent, thanks for the suggestion, only downside to the eco route is it adds 20 extra miles one way and another 60 minutes to an already 88 minute commute so sadly thats not dooable

If I were to take the ECO route I would actually use more fuel but get better mpg, not sure how that would really be more eco friendly LoL

 

 

However now that I know theyhave updated the mpg it makes me much happier to know that I am doing very well

[Jason Riberdy]

The tires I have on my car are the ones from the factor with the 18 inch rim combo.

How will my fusion perform in the Snow? I am slightly concerned about this because I am use to all wheel drive. Is there a better Snow tire that will help me maintain excellent MPGs?

[acdii]

The tires I have on my car are the ones from the factor with the 18 inch rim combo.

How will my fusion perform in the Snow? I am slightly concerned about this because I am use to all wheel drive. Is there a better Snow tire that will help me maintain excellent MPGs?

Those 18" goodyears suck in snow. I don't know why my first one with the Goodyears had good traction, maybe they had fewer miles at the time, but the ones on my HyTi are horrible in snow. I heard the Continental Pure Contact tires have decent snow traction, and are all season Low Rolling Resistance tires. They are on my list of replacements, at the top of the price list, Michelins Primacy, from what I understand the the best LRR tires, but may not have as good Snow traction. Have not 100% decided yet on what tire I plan to use, but these crapyear tires will be gone before the next winter.

Edited July 14, 2014 by acdii