I'm a little disappointed in the mileage my xB is getting.

My previous car was a 2000 Toyota Echo. It consistently got mid 30's to upper 30's, just depending on how much of the driving was on the freeway. On a trip from Wv to NY it averaged about 42mpg.

Now the xB is basically a slightly heavier Echo, no?

My xB... first tank of gas I got about 29mpg, almost entirely freeway driving. My second (and most recent) tank, about 19mpg, almost entirely city driving.

Altogether this thing has 777 miles on it after 3 tanks of gas (the first tank was the "complimentary" tank from the dealer and I didn't pay much attention to it). So that's about 25mpg altogether.

Not horrible, don't get me wrong, but not what I was expecting, not EPA at all, and nowhere near what my Echo got.

give it some time to break in! It will get better.? do you have a stick

give it some time to break in! It will get better.? do you have a stick

I can attest that mileage does get better over time in the XB. I was doing 27 to 30 on average after 15K miles in my automatic, but only around 22-25 to when I first got it.

Now I'm doing about 23.5 in my latest vehicle. Things could be worse. Focus on the positive.

i notcied the same thing....i figured it was cause the tank was pretty small...just outta curiosity..how many miles are u guys able to drvie on one tank...?

so far about 225miles/tank

yeah my wife is only on her first real tank after the dealer had filled it up. i didnt let it get all the way to empty. it only took like 8 gallons. she is at half a tank at 165 right now, prolly end up getting like 260 on it 280 if she lets it get real low. seems good to me. better than her lexus es300. that was 17 gallons only lasted 280 miles. sucked

That sucks. So basically your xB people are getting almost the same thing as my tC. Which isnt normal. For a mix of local and highway I get 25-26mpg, and on mostly highway Ive gotten 28.5 mpg. And that is only for the times I have kept track.

I would be ____ed if I were you guys.

i'm gettin about 290-300 miles per tank in my 05 xb auto... and i usually fill up b4 the light comes on.... one time i filled up after light came on i was at about 320miles...or so... mixed freeway/city driving....then again.. freeway driving in seattle may as well be city driving 1/2 the time

well, i'm with the break in thing. that usually clears it up a bit. but, with the agressive gearing, and the fact its a box (although the coefficient of drag isn't bad) i can't imagine we'll be getting that 35 mpg :P

I've been able to drive from Pasadena to Vegas on a tank.

My xB is getting 275-290 miles to a tank. I usually fill when the light comes on.

This weekend I got 32.5 mpg going to Phoenix from Tucson, average speed was 85 mph with a few runs up to 100 mph.

Remember we have the areodynamics of a brick!

well, how long does it take to break it in?! im only gettin like 25mpg!

im getting between 29-32mpg. mostly freeway miles. what has everyone been trying to do that has worked in getting better gas mileage?

I've been able to drive from Pasadena to Vegas on a tank.

damn that's good. did the light come on when you got to vegas? how fast was your speed on the freeway?

give it some time to break in! It will get better.? do you have a stick

the 5-spd is now rated a little worse in gas mileage then the auto was. probably due to the gearing in the 5-spd, if im correct. :relief: someone chime in to correct me if i am wrong.

As most of you know, I've been snarking about the bad mpg I've been getting too (there are a lot of threads on this issue - you can do a search). Some people are having really good gas miliage, others are gettting really bad miliage and there is nothing wrong with the cars. It just plain sucks for some of us. I'm getting 23-24 mpg right now - DOWN from 29-32. I have 6,000 on my ride.

I'm getting 25 mpg, but I average 80 on my commute to work,
with stop and go on either end of the commute.
I am not a good driver for conserving gas,
so I'm happy with that mileage.

yeah, the gas is crap crap crap. If I had known it would be this bad, I might not have bought my xB. I expected to get 34-36 but I'm getting 30. new gas tanks didn't help, stock wheels with correct pressure didn't help. going slower didn't help. crap crap crap

yeah, the gas is crap crap crap. If I had known it would be this bad, I might not have bought my xB. I expected to get 34-36 but I'm getting 30. new gas tanks didn't help, stock wheels with correct pressure didn't help. going slower didn't help. crap crap crap
same here i would have put more thought into it if i new id get 230 to 240 miles out of 1 tank....love the box hate the mpg

I've been able to drive from Pasadena to Vegas on a tank.

same here... from El Monte to Vegas in almost exactly one tank.

Hrm. I drive mine mostly in bumper to bumper traffic in the mornings. I've been getting about 300-320 miles per tank and I average about 9.5 gallons at every fill-up.

So at worst, I'm getting 31MPG on winter blend, in city driving, with a 5 speed. I'd be pretty upset too if I only got 23 MPG.

people _____ way too much about "crappy" mileage. maybe if toyota put in teh correct size motor for the weight of the car mileage would be better.

30 mpg is right in the EPA estimated range which is consistently over reality. That's very little to complain about, IMO.

Besides being heavier than the Echo, it is also geared differently and has MUCH more aerodynamic shape.

i'm averaging about 33 mpg in my auto xB with no mods.

I just turmed 5400 miles in my 05 xB and so far have avg'd 32.1 mpg. High of 37 and low of 29. Mine won't do 100, not even 90, at least in 4 mile run.

I just turmed 5400 miles in my 05 xB and so far have avg'd 32.1 mpg. High of 37 and low of 29. Mine won't do 100, not even 90, at least in 4 mile run.
very odd that it's soo slow . at least yer ____ gets good gas mileage

30 mpg is right in the EPA estimated range .

This is true, but I've always gotten at or more than EPA with every single car I've owned except this one. It's realistic in my exp. to expect the EPA estimate.

Since you bring up the fact it's a brick, I'd expect to see uch better or worse milage depending on my speed, since drag greatly increases with mph, but I don't even see any diff with that either. (when you go threw 2-3 tanks a week, you can expierement a lot).

As most of you know, I've been snarking about the bad mpg I've been getting too (there are a lot of threads on this issue - you can do a search). Some people are having really good gas miliage, others are gettting really bad miliage and there is nothing wrong with the cars. It just plain sucks for some of us. I'm getting 23-24 mpg right now - DOWN from 29-32. I have 6,000 on my ride.
These gas mileage threads almost always concern me. However it is not the possible conspiracy/ fraud angle that often pops up that concerns me.

One concern is the lack of consistency in how people who are complaining about their mileage are calculating it. If you read all those threads, looks like about 1 out of 3 is using the gas gauge to calculate their mileage or doing some other funky estimation.

Another issue is driving conditions and style. With the low power issue, this car is very prone to noticably lower mileage if you drive hard.

Another is mods. Some have done wheel and tire combos that are not good for their mileage.

As TheScionicMan points out some are complaining even when they meet the ever optimistic EPA mileage numbers. No doubt some who have no mods and drive without their right foot hitting the floor regularly and are having some kind of issue. I'm just not convinced it is like 40% as it seems in reading these mpg threads.

You have something of a different deal K9. You have a change in mileage. You might have a mechanical problem if you have a 6-8 mpg drop assuming you have done no mods and are still driving the same. That is a pretty significant drop.

All I can say is all depends on your driving style. The best mpg I can get is about 32 and average at 30 but my wife usually get at least +4 of mine.

I've got about 3000 miles on my 05 xB and get about 32mpg city. Drove to Tampa and averaged 80mph and still got about 32 - 34 mpg so I can't complain.

By the way, I've got no mods....yet..... and was running 92 octane. Switched to 87 octane and performance/mpg hasn't changed. I'm sticking with the cheap stuff....if you can call it that at $1.89 a gallon.

One concern is the lack of consistency in how people who are complaining about their mileage are calculating it.


What is the optimal way to calculate it? When I fill my tank I read the gallons the pump tells me, and divid that into my tripometer which I reset at ever filling. That seems to be the most accurate method without purchasing equipment or something like that.


Another is mods. Some have done wheel and tire combos that are not good for their mileage.


My car is totally stock, but I am interested in the effects of aftermarket wheels on mileage. I'd assume smaller wheels = worse mileage?

One concern is the lack of consistency in how people who are complaining about their mileage are calculating it.


What is the optimal way to calculate it? When I fill my tank I read the gallons the pump tells me, and divid that into my tripometer which I reset at ever filling. That seems to be the most accurate method without purchasing equipment or something like that.


Another is mods. Some have done wheel and tire combos that are not good for their mileage.


My car is totally stock, but I am interested in the effects of aftermarket wheels on mileage. I'd assume smaller wheels = worse mileage?

That is the right way, I believe he's referring to things like "I got xxx miles from 3/4ths of a tank so that would be x gallons"

You'll see a lot of theories and debate about the effects of different wheels and tire combos. Things i think have a detrimental effect on economy are heavier wheel/tire combos and wider tires. Of course, I'm willing to trade a little extra grip for a little mpg. Also keep in mind that most combos end up being close to the same overall height, when done correctly. What i mean is if you add 2-3 inches on the wheels, you usually reduce tire sidewall by an equivalent amount.

That is the right way, I believe he's referring to things like "I got xxx miles from 3/4ths of a tank so that would be x gallons".
Yes sir! The guesstimation methods like that are exactly what I meant. Guess I should have been more specific. And I wasn't directing that at any one individual but more at random comments that seem to pop up to add fuel to the fire on these discussions that make statements exactly like what TheScionicMan said. In the multiple other threads mentioned there were several who were clearly using their gas gauge to calculate mileage.
You'll see a lot of theories and debate about the effects of different wheels and tire combos. Things i think have a detrimental effect on economy are heavier wheel/tire combos and wider tires. Of course, I'm willing to trade a little extra grip for a little mpg. Also keep in mind that most combos end up being close to the same overall height, when done correctly. What i mean is if you add 2-3 inches on the wheels, you usually reduce tire sidewall by an equivalent amount.
As to the wheel and tire mods, I also agree with his comments. There are times where it turns out somebody has varied significantly from the stock diameter of the tires.

There are many factors in messing with the overall diameter of the tires, but in most cases I expect smaller would equal lower mileage due to the increase in RPM's at a given speed.

Small differences shouldn't really be very noticable. I have seen different percentage numbers mentioned as acceptable. I believe some said 3%. Stock is 23.7". 24.1" would be .4" increase which is 1.7% increase over stock for example. 3% is pretty significant. That would be about .74" difference from stock.

Another thing to consider is the method used by the EPA to arrive at the listed mileage numbers. Check some of the earlier threads to find the links that describe the totally bogus testing method. One factor they "estimate" is the drag. :roll: :lol:

i've hit 300 miles once or twice - but have also had to fill up right after 200 miles, too. not nearly as impressive as I was hoping :-/

I've calculated every tankfull for the last 1700 miles in my stock 05' auto. A low of 26.5mpg and high of 28.4 in mostly city driving. I usually run it till the light comes on and have put a max of 10.2 gal. in it. I went to the exact same pump at the station and top it off with 3 clicks only, so I think it's a preety accurate mpg reading. My speedometer reads 1.5mph high at 65 mph according to GPS but I have yet to check the odometer. I am not complaining as I have yet to own a car or truck that gets "consistantly" what the EPA rates it at. It's possible but NOT the norm in the "real world" driving atmosphere.

Mods will hurt, depending on what you got. But also look at the mph.

If you are pushing your RPM's (say, anything over 75mph for me), then you'll see a mpg reduction. I found a real difference b/t my mpg when I was going 70 mph instead of 80.

Don't Top Off Your Gas Tank!

http://www.epa.gov/donttopoff/index.htm

Don't Top Off Your Gas Tank!

http://www.epa.gov/donttopoff/index.htm



lol thats great they actually take the gas back from you when you overfill haha thats great. :rofl:

I average 29 MPG on my stock xB with about 9900 miles on it. That is about 70% highway and 30% city driving.

My xb got 34mpg on my trip to vegas and back.. I just traded it for a tc.. so I'm intrested as to what its gunna do next time i go... :nails:

You know my guess is the switch to Ethanol instead of MTBE might have caused a reduction in gas mileage. The pumps here are starting to run ethanol mix during the winter and that's when i noticed 2-3 mpg reduction in mileage. I'm waiting for them to stop running ethanol in the gas after march to see if that was the problem. i don't think it's a problem with the temperature outside being 40 and less. can anyone elaborate on this theory???

They add more oxygenating agents in the cold months. Without comparing to previous years and removing other factors, I would think it's just the agents and not one over the other. It's not like MTBE was some great solution, it just got SOLD really well as a solution... and now we all get to pay to clean it up...again...

Also, don't forget to factor in weather. Wet roads, wind, snow, increased road debris... all kinds of other factors that could have an effect...

My XB has 1600 miles on it, its an automatic and I do mostly freeway driving to and from work and average so far is about 28 mpg.

Vehicle: 05 xB
odometer: 800 miles
transmission: manual
Drivetrain: stock
wheels/tires: factory alloy wheels / stock tires

I'm getting 32 MPG city, 36 MPG Highway.

MPG formula used: Trip odometer reading divided by number of gallons filled. (Trip Odometer reset at each fill-up)

delete repeat post

Old topic... new XB owners... but way back when I felt the same way.

14,300 miles March to Now in Texas Heat and Texas (lack of) winter.
rare 5spd, RS1

My best MPG... 31-32 mostly city driving
Worst MPG.. 26.5 summer mostly highway

Because of gearing 5-spd highway MPG eats it.... with modest shifting city MPG will be better... plus 5-spd is over a second faster 0-60mph. Auto 10.5sec Man low 9s

Things that are huge factors:

Obvious:

MODS wheels, intake, exhaust

SPEED over 65MPH its trickles lower over 75MPH its a cliff ALSO KEEP THIS IN MIND THE EPA'S HIGHWAY MPG IS BASED ON AN AVERAGE SPEED OF 45MPH AND EVEN STILL INCLUDES ACCERATION AND DECCERATION TO SIMULATE TRAFFIC CONDITIONS!!!!

Not-so Obvious:

WEIGHT: with a 980lb or so payload, people and stuff add up.... I'm a 300lb dude with 50lbs of spkers and stuff in the back perhaps this is why.

The EPA milage on our cars are bull____, but by now should be well known :yawn:

Some people say all the EPA mileage stuiff is garbage... I cannot say all car's EPA milage is bull____ because I took a 2004 4cyl Honda accord to georgia in august heat with 4 big folks inside and a hella lot of luggage and avg 80mph... AND still got 31-32 MPG

New folks I sympathise with you... I know from experience I CANNOT STAND the folks with their SUV's trying to make us feel bad for complaining about getting 29MPG instead of 36MPG. I expect economy with a compact its part of the package if it say 36mpg I expect that. Those morons in the excursions get 12mpg... no surprize the sticker says 12mpg.

Alright I need to go loose to weight so i can finally hit 30mpg. Where's my damn subway sandwich... I'm with you Jared!

I live in orange county; well costa mesa to be exact. I don't know if any of you guys or ladies out there have drive ur scions to vegas but i have, and this was back on labor day weekend. Well i honestly think my average was pretty good. I used half a tank which is about almost 5-6 gallons or so. and that averages to about 45-50 miles per gallon. Now that is pretty dahm good, i was stoked about it when i got to vegas.

Well as for ur xb dude, u should really let ur car get used to ur driving. it's ptobably ur habits on how u drive it.. don't lose faith in ur box, i guess ur car needs a lil breaking in. Oh yeah, vegas was about 260 miles from my criib, and well if u divide that by 5 or 6 gallons used i averaged about 45-50. I know i already said that but believe me, u've made a good choice by buying a scion. I never imagined i'd be saving soo much money on gas myself.

Saving money on gas means more spending on toys for ur box.

Goodluck wit ur car.

Lates Ya'll

I live in orange county; well costa mesa to be exact. I don't know if any of you guys or ladies out there have drive ur scions to vegas but i have, and this was back on labor day weekend. Well i honestly think my average was pretty good. I used half a tank which is about almost 5-6 gallons or so. and that averages to about 45-50 miles per gallon. Now that is pretty dahm good, i was stoked about it when i got to vegas.

Well as for ur xb dude, u should really let ur car get used to ur driving. it's ptobably ur habits on how u drive it.. don't lose faith in ur box, i guess ur car needs a lil breaking in. Oh yeah, vegas was about 260 miles from my criib, and well if u divide that by 5 or 6 gallons used i averaged about 45-50. I know i already said that but believe me, u've made a good choice by buying a scion. I never imagined i'd be saving soo much money on gas myself.

Saving money on gas means more spending on toys for ur box.

Goodluck wit ur car.

Lates Ya'll

I live in orange county; well costa mesa to be exact. I don't know if any of you guys or ladies out there have drive ur scions to vegas but i have, and this was back on labor day weekend. Well i honestly think my average was pretty good. I used half a tank which is about almost 5-6 gallons or so. and that averages to about 45-50 miles per gallon. Now that is pretty dahm good, i was stoked about it when i got to vegas.

Well as for ur xb dude, u should really let ur car get used to ur driving. it's ptobably ur habits on how u drive it.. don't lose faith in ur box, i guess ur car needs a lil breaking in. Oh yeah, vegas was about 260 miles from my criib, and well if u divide that by 5 or 6 gallons used i averaged about 45-50. I know i already said that but believe me, u've made a good choice by buying a scion. I never imagined i'd be saving soo much money on gas myself.

Saving money on gas means more spending on toys for ur box.

Goodluck wit ur car.

Lates Ya'll

Vehicle: 05 xB
odometer: about 6500 miles
transmission: manual
Drivetrain: I think you would say stock...I have the CAI and BORLA exhaust, if that means anything...
wheels/tires: factory SIZED ENKI wheels, but not stock from SCION / stock tires

I'm getting 35-36 MPG city, 36-38 MPG Highway.

MPG formula used: Trip odometer reading divided by number of gallons filled. (Trip Odometer reset at each fill-up)

RIGHT foot to the floor factor: Sometimes, when I want to make some noise, but not often. This makes my mileage less, at those times.
I drive in city, with my car hardly going over 45 MPH. So, I am in 4th or 5th, no later then 40 MPH most of the time, which helps.

EXTRA WEIGHT: Not much. BAZOOKA sub in back. And I rarely haul stuff.

Oh, and I live in FLORIDA, with hardly any hills, and warm weather. I think that means better mileage...but I may be wrong.

no matter how I drive, I get about 28-30mpg.

i am not complaining i get 280-310 miles per tank

I think I avergae around 29mpg. If Ididnt have lead foot complex I would probab ly do better. My down side is when I get on the freeway and driving between lights I think i have to be the first one there and to leave. Any way I have 44,860 miles on the odometer (not bad for 13 months) and Im lowered on Tunabe springs with 18" wheels and 40 series tires. I have exhaust,cai and a full stereo system(weighs alot) still doing pretty good for me. (old vehicle = 351W F250 4x4 ave 6-7mpg) :eyebrow:

I've got 32000 miles on my '04 xb and the gas mileage is in the mid 20's range with town/highway driving.

let me see 24 mpg when new... 9k later 24 mpg dealer said no problems but never checked my car out...have 96 acura int bought it used got 26 since then till now and drive w/ foot thru floor dive xb like grandma still 24mpg the car never gets 300 / tank mileage sucks

theres something wrong if yer driving like a grandma and only get 24. i drive like a maniac and get 25-30 , you got 20's or something?

:pray: I keep praying it will get better in my xB. I had a glimmer of light last week when I got the best mileage ever...31.4 mpg. But normally I sit around 26-27 mpg. Guess it's just an xB thing. :yawn:

HeY I notice lithium is fromWV where are you from man

HeY I notice lithium is fromWV where are you from man wait .. who?

the person who started the thread

no 20's... had stock correct pressure 24 mpg...18's 24mpg it's 24 ...even if i shut it off and pushed it i'd still get 24 ...mileage sucks luv the car but mileage sucks

Why would anyone expect high 30's when it is rated 30/35? My first tank 25mpg mainly around town and in some light snow (3 inches or less)

On my complimentary tank the dealer gave me at delivery, I filled up before an ice storm was to hit my area and threaten power outages to everyone in the area. So I filled up with quarter of a tank to go. ....

195 miles on tripmeter divided by 8.2 gallons

equals.....

23.78 m.p.g.

Easy going driving , a little interstate cruising in the 60-70mph range.

Still on second tank,,,

WHAT HOTBOX05 WROTE IS RIGHT!
I RENTED A NEW CIVIC & DROVE IT FOR A MONTH, I WAS GETTING OVER 320 TO THE TANK. THE CIVIC HAS MORE LITERS & THIS ONE HAD OVER 20,000 MILES ALREADY. I'VE HAD MY XB SINCE LATE SUMMER, SO I WAS VERY DISAPPOINTED, I ONLY GET AROUND 280 TO THE TANK. THE CAR NEEDED AT LEAST THE COROLLA MOTOR, TOYOTA ONLY MAKES LIKE 5 DIFFEREMENT MOTORS FOR THE DAMN THING!

17.2 mpg city in the auto. crap crap crap
27.1 mpg highway in the 5spd. crap crap crap.

That's not exceptable. If I could, I would return them based on this. no lie.

to give you an idea, the Safari got the same city milage as the xB. 4.3L 190HP v6 and 8 passengers. I bought these to be nice to the environement and they suck crap.

I agree with superjeer; I get crappy milleage, never over 250 miles to a tank (and I don't let the gas light stay on too long, usually there is at least a gallon of gas left). The only thing I have working against me is my heavy ___ 19" wheels.

I agree with superjeer; I get crappy milleage, never over 250 miles to a tank (and I don't let the gas light stay on too long, usually there is at least a gallon of gas left). The only thing I have working against me is my heavy ___ 19" wheels.

Not only the weight of the wheels but more rubber on the road creates more friction reduces gas mileage. The heavy wheels also work against your braking system.

17.2 mpg city in the auto. crap crap crap
27.1 mpg highway in the 5spd. crap crap crap.

That's not exceptable. If I could, I would return them based on this. no lie.


I heard somewhere that sometimes resetting the ECU followed by some easy driving for the next tank of gas while the ECU "relearns" can help get the mileage back to where it is supposed to be.

Give it a try by disconnecting you battery (disconnecting the the negative termina cablel) for about 30 minutes. Then reprogram your radio presets...... :doh: and let us know if it worked!

'05 5 spd
4,200 miles on the odometer.
Driving style: "Spirited"
Average MPG: 25.5

My other two cars get around 14mpg, so I really shouldn't complain, but I had expected better gas mileage when I made the purchase.

Has anyone noticed whether or not higher octane gas helps the MPG?

I've run a couple tanks of 93 octane through her and MPG seems to have picked up a little. Anyone else tried this?

Single tank readings are inaccurate due to nozzle shut off and other variables. Single trip estimates are also non-representative. The EPA estimates only apply if you are driving 55 mph on the highway and the city numbers are more applicable to mixed suburban driving.

These are my real life numbers for a bone-stock 2004 automatic, based on a daily commute into Boston. For those not paying for wrongs in a previous life and thus not familiar with Boston driving, it consists of stop and go, endless traffic jams, brief open interludes of bat-out-of-hell acceleration to try to make up for all the sitting plus miserable weather. My numbers also include warming the car up on 10 degree mornings and a slow leak from a micro puncture in the left rear wheel. All this plus snow, lots of it. My driving style is not sluggish. I have calculated the MPG on a rolling calculation of the last five fill-ups (except the first four) to mitigate pump and filler neck ambiguities. I also have a life time aggregate MPG calculation. In short, these numbers reflect real life in a worst case scenario. Not shabby all things considered. I do wish that the tank was about a gallon or two larger.


DATE........... MILEAGE.... $.................. GALLONS... MPG Last 5. MPG All
.................... 0........................................ 0.000...........0.000.......... 0.000
08.30.04..... 267 ............. $17.85........ 9.600.......... 27.813........ 27.813
09.05.04..... 543 ............. $16.00........ 8.514.......... 29.977........ 29.977
09.12.04..... 787 ............. $16.39........ 8.818.......... 29.222........ 29.222
09.22.04..... 1,052 ......... $16.80........ 9.340.......... 29.432........ 29.003
09.30.04..... 1,342.......... $19.28........ 10.163........ 29.637........ 28.901
10.06.04..... 1,600.......... $18.00........ 9.378.......... 28.696........ 28.667
10.15.04..... 1,881.......... $19.15........ 9.775.......... 29.019........ 28.679
10.24.04..... 2,141.......... $20.00........ 9.906.......... 28.172........ 28.360
11.02.04..... 2,417.......... $21.00........ 10.504........ 27.408........ 28.105
11.11.04..... 2,679.......... $20.40........ 10.204........ 27.273........ 27.848
11.19.04..... 2,941.......... $16.70........ 8.438.......... 26.245........ 28.106
11.30.14..... 3,214 ......... $20.30........ 10.469........ 27.476........ 27.921
12.10.04......3,488.......... $18.85.........10.032........ 27.035........ 27.873
12.18.04..... 3,750.......... $16.75........ 8.819...........27.361........ 27.993
12.22.04..... 3,991.......... $19.85.........10.565........ 27.809........ 27.615
12.30.04..... 4,190.......... $14.04.........7.552.......... 24.470........ 27.552
01.10.05..... 4,426.......... $16.70........ 9.281.......... 25.373........ 27.430
01.17.05......4,687......... $17.55........ 9.754.......... 25.872........ 27.391
01.25.05......4,908......... $15.72........ 8.739.......... 24.682........ 27.289
01.28.05..... 5,111.......... $15.70.........8.268.......... 26.071........ 27.169
02.08.05..... 5,374.......... $17.60.........9.075...........26.303........ 27.252

it's bad when my friend gets better gas mileage than my box he drives a corolla s which has a 1.8....130 hp vvti vs my 1.5....108 hp vvti wish i had got the honda ex instead..

I have just over 3,000 miles on my stock box with 5 speed, and average a little over 30 MPG with combp highway/city driving. The worst I got was when it was around 10* for the week, and that was 25.8 MPG.

to give you an idea, the Safari got the same city milage as the xB. 4.3L 190HP v6 and 8 passengers. I bought these to be nice to the environement and they suck crap.
Actually this car will pollute alot less.

As I've said before If we had a more powerful motor stock then we would not have to rev the poor little motor to all hell to get power. If we had the 130hp 1.8 those people who drive slow would not need to gun it as much to get up to speed .The 1.8 would be at much lower rpm's and would have to work alot less than our poor little 1.5's. For all those speed demons out there we too would be much happier with both mpg and grin factor.

'05 5 spd
4,200 miles on the odometer.
Driving style: "Spirited"
Average MPG: 25.5

Has anyone noticed whether or not higher octane gas helps the MPG?

I've run a couple tanks of 93 octane through her and MPG seems to have picked up a little. Anyone else tried this?

Does a using a higher octane rated fuel give you better mileage? Possibly, but probably not. The principal reason to use a fuel with a higher octane rating is to reduce or eliminate pre-ignition or “ping” that may be encountered in a high compression engine under low RPM, high torque load.

Old school:
Back in the day of ‘60s era muscle cars you could buy a high performance car with a compression ratio 10:1 right off the show room floor. These cars required a high octane fuel or it would ping pulling away from a stop light. There were some ways to get around this such as a rich air to fuel ratio or retard the ignition timing. Although you could produce more power in the lower RPM band without destroying the engine, these adjustments would decrease the MPG. Some of these engines required fuel with octane levels not available anywhere but the airport these days. It is a pity that under street conditions the extra octane rating is not required where the engine is typically only running at partial load conditions over 90% of the time.

Middle school:
When the cost of fuel to a big jump in the ‘70s, the automotive industry began to look for ways to improve the cost of operating a car. Compression ratios dropped to run a cheaper grade of gas.

New School:
Today improved sensors and fuel management provide a range of engine performance management in inexpensive cars that were only available in exotic high end cars 30 years ago The xB has one of these sophisticated engines with variable valve timing, electronically controlled ignition and fuel injection systems all managed with an Engine Control Unit or ECU. The ECU has an ability to account for variables such as the octane rating of the fuel, engine load, RPM and enabling it to sense pre-ignition conditions and adjust accordingly. So, the recommended octane rating for the xB can be relatively low for an engine with a CR of 10.5:1 without destroying the engine.

For those of you who are still with me:
A point of interest of the xB is the VVT-i engine. For those of you who don’t know, “VVT” stands for Variable Valve Timing or the ability to change when the valves open and close in relation to the position of the piston. The “i” stands for intelligence. I have no idea exactly how this human trait applies to this engine but, by definition intelligence is the ability to learn. Makes me wonder what exactly was learned? It seems reasonable to me that those with cars that are getting considerably lower mileage than advertised may have a “dysfunctional” engine that needs to be “reeducated”. I would imagine that resetting the ECU by disconnecting the battery for about 30 minutes should do the trick. Then driving on a tank of 87 octane gas without simulating NASCAR conditions may get the mileage back to where it should be. If this works, I get 10% of the fuel savings OK? ;^)

^^ couldn't do it, sorry. I have a short attention span ;-)

Higher octane in an engine that's not pinging at 87 will not improve mileage. It's a fact. I read it at shell site. scionicman had the link in another thread, I think.

The only way the safari would pollute more than the xB is if the safari’s emission stds were lower. (very likey, it was a truck and built in '97) So, that helps a little, thanks!

Finally,

I think b!^ching works, because I got 31 last tank and this tank looks even higher. I will not rest until I see 34 though.

I will not rest until I see 34 though.
Don't count on it. Unless it's all highway and slow.

I wish it was legal to drive the car through the dealers window and demand my money back.

You really dislike the car soo much just because it doesnt get insanely high mileage?

I hate that part enough to string-up the person responsible for the deception from the high branch of a tree with a short rope.

Yeah, it ____es me off. Esp. with the Toyota ad that states "the highest mpg line up in the world" and all of their numbers are no where close to real world. I think it's BS.

And I don't need to hear that "EPA is never attainable”, because I've always gotten at or higher than EPA with every one of my 7(?) cars.

I'm not trying to be argumentative.. I'm just trying to say that I'm calling shenanigans, you get the broom!

I understand that people used to getting 13mpg are happy to get 30. I had a ’87 Nova that got 42. Not even EFI. “Shenanigans”, I call!

Finally,

I think b!^ching works, because I got 31 last tank and this tank looks even higher. I will not rest until I see 34 though.
Well, what are you doing differently? Are you buying gas at a different place? How's the weather been?

Have you tried keeping the engine at a max of 3000 RPMs for an entire tankful?

I hate that part enough to string-up the person responsible for the deception from the high branch of a tree with a short rope.

Yeah, it ____es me off. Esp. with the Toyota ad that states "the highest mpg line up in the world" and all of their numbers are no where close to real world. I think it's BS.

And I don't need to hear that "EPA is never attainable”, because I've always gotten at or higher than EPA with every one of my 7(?) cars.

I'm not trying to be argumentative.. I'm just trying to say that I'm calling shenanigans, you get the broom!

I understand that people used to getting 13mpg are happy to get 30. I had a ’87 Nova that got 42. Not even EFI. “Shenanigans”, I call! But was or was not that old nova a pos?

i think there are more positive things to say about the xb than negative,i guess the poor gas mileage comes into play when you look at the big picture that got stuck in our heads for so many years.............................for eg we say to ourselves hey it's a 4 cylinder good gas mileage,it's made by toyota known for making good gas mileage cars as with all the other jap cars out there on the market,then reality kicks in the gas mileage sucks for most of us something we never expected but all the other features we like out weights this one,sad to say i'm in that position and i'm dealing with it ,anyway the primary reason for getting this car was for good gas mileage,roomy interior,it's a four door(honda civic i traded was a coupe) and it's sleek looks, 3 positive 1 bad i can work with that...

i think there are more positive things to say about the xb than negative,i guess the poor gas mileage comes into play when you look at the big picture that got stuck in our heads for so many years.............................for eg we say to ourselves hey it's a 4 cylinder good gas mileage,it's made by toyota known for making good gas mileage cars as with all the other jap cars out there on the market,then reality kicks in the gas mileage sucks for most of us something we never expected but all the other features we like out weights this one,sad to say i'm in that position and i'm dealing with it ,anyway the primary reason for getting this car was for good gas mileage,roomy interior,it's a four door(honda civic i traded was a coupe) and it's sleek looks i think 3 positive 1 bad i can work with that...I like that but for me driving like a maniac and getting at least 25mpg is not bad gas mileage. oh well. At least you looks at the pros that this car has.

i think there are more positive things to say about the xb than negative,i guess the poor gas mileage comes into play when you look at the big picture that got stuck in our heads for so many years.............................for eg we say to ourselves hey it's a 4 cylinder good gas mileage,it's made by toyota known for making good gas mileage cars as with all the other jap cars out there on the market,then reality kicks in the gas mileage sucks for most of us something we never expected but all the other features we like out weights this one,sad to say i'm in that position and i'm dealing with it ,anyway the primary reason for getting this car was for good gas mileage,roomy interior,it's a four door(honda civic i traded was a coupe) and it's sleek looks i think 3 positive 1 bad i can work with that...I like that but for me driving like a maniac and getting at least 25mpg is not bad gas mileage. oh well. At least you looks at the pros that this car has.

I agree completely. I love my xB. I drive it & have fun. Not exactly the most enviromentally-friendly frame of mind, but see my signature for the other cars I own.
Small steps, my friend. And hey, I recycle.
It does suck that the advertised MPG was not, IMO, completely accurate/ forthcoming. But, keep in mind....we are driving a "box" down the freeway (NOT the most aerodynamic design in the world :eyebrow: ).

I feel bad for anyone who is disappointed w/ their purchase of an xB.
However, used retail on xBs is still fairly high. :blah: Suck it up, sell it/ tade it, and get something you like. Everything in life is a choice. Just my 2 cents.

I am really dissappointed if I do not get 300 miles before the light comes on. I have 10,000 on it now. Hope your mileage improves. :pray:

i get about 225 to 250 when the light comes on,what kinda suck is that i work about 30 miles one way from my home,think i'll get a second car and leave my box for the weekend driving..

this is kinda strange after installing my 18 inch wheels my gas mileage didn't change at all ,i was getting about 30 to 35 mpg combination of city and highway driving but after taking my box back to the dealer to replace my tranny gas mileage drop,on the highway about 70 mph i do have a slight drift to the left i guess my alignment might be off due to the replacement of the tranny, i also got a second opinion from a mechanic he told me in order to replace tranny your alignment will be affected no matter what,don't know if this is true or not but on 2/14 i'll take it back to the shop and have the alignment check will update you all on the result..

I didn't see a change when I switched wheels either. I was shocked. but.. it's true.

But was or was not that old nova a pos?
I would be pleasantly surprised if the xB serves me as well as the Nova. The '95 contour was even better. Keep in mind a '87 Nova is a Toyota Corolla (just better looking).
I think one of the biggest reasons I fell for the xB is because it’s interior reminded me of the spartan Nova.

Oh, and I just filled up and I must’ve jinxed myself because the last ¼ tank went quick and I weighed in at 30.5 MPG :(

My last tank was about 31mpg, which was a very nice improvement over the eariler ones. Almost entirely city driving too.

check this out a friend who also drives a xb gave me some advice on how to save gas,he told me avoid hard braking and fast acceleration(don't floor it)when taking off let the engine use the vvt-i and not the gas,it means step on the pedal light when you take off when driving in the city,on the highway don't go over 3000 rpm and try to keep it at one speed,sudden speed change will burn more fuel,this one might be hard for most of us but try and don't overtake to get ahead of the car in front of you sorry but i can't...........regular tire pressure check and alignment should help your gas mileage,well the next time i fill up i'll try mr car and drive advice and see if he's right...........

That is where cruise control really makes a difference. Keeps you at a steady speed on the highway. I don't have one yet on the xB, but I know it will make a difference when I do.

i've never gotten under 32 mpg. 90% of all of my driving is interstate(70 miles per day) and i cruise at a steady 75 mph. i drive pretty agressively and i'm quite impressed. for its lack of aerodynamics, i can't complain.

I have a 04 Xb w/auto trans and almost 9000 miles on it. I have yet to get 30 mpg from a tank. Most of my driving is mixed and i don't think i push it to hard. I am very disapointed in my MPG.

I was about to start a thread about my gas milage, but I
figure I'll just add to this one.

05 xB Manual Trans,
First tank I got 28 miles to the gallon.
Second tank I got 30 miles to the gallon.

I'm just starting the third tank, and the box is feeling
like it's got more pep, warms up very consistantly, and
once warm drives very well and getting slowly better.

I'm not sure I've done anything differently then the rest of you.
I've literally got a "flight log" where I log every fill up,
every oil change, and quick notes about the box as it ages.
I've done this with all my Porsches...it really helps the
resale value, people just flip when then can look in a log
book and see 3 years of oil changes, fuel fill ups, lubes and
flushes, and any notes about odd things the car may have
done in -20 below weather and so fourth.

Maybe a bit anal, but still it's just a record of how well I take
care of my automobile and it makes people happy.

I don't have [cruise control] yet on the xB, but I know it will make a difference when I do.
Bad news.. I got cruise too.

well folks i just started on a full tank of gas and i'm going to take my friends advice on how to save gas,so far i think it's working i drove 100 miles and burn only a 1/4 tank,my friend bought his xb the early part of 2004 so he has more experience with the car mine is 2005,think i'll keep taking his advice and see how many miles i can get on one tank...

I didn't have the patience to read this whole thread at this time, but alcohol is commonly used in winter gas to reduce emissions. Alcohol + gas = less mpg. Why? IIRC, alcohol has less BTUs than gasoline, so you need more of it to get the same amount of power (pressing the "go" pedal a little harder). Something like that. The good side is that it does burn clean and it's got some anti knock properties, too!

I don't know how many miles are on your box, but you could also check your plugs and make sure they're gapped properly. Change your fuel filter (do xBs need that? ), clean your air filter, etc etc.