Just bought the car in September. Noticed in the first three months that I've had it, the mileage calculator hovers around 18mpg. I do not drive it hard, trying to keep it under 3000 rpm when accelerating. Average speed around 60km/hr or 37mph driving in the city.

Do engines need time to "break in" before they hit their optimal efficiency? Or is something wrong with my tC?

 

Unless you sit in a lot of traffic, start your car and let it run for long periods of time and/or drive with your parking brake on that sounds low. I drive mostly city and get mid twenties (26-28 mpg). Highway trips net me over 30mpg, sometimes as high as 33.

 

Thanks Thermos, I just wanted to confirm that this is indeed abnormal. It seems like even V8 pickups trucks get 18mpg.

Any clues on what's going on with it? I'm afraid to take it into the dealership and have them say it's my fault for having a lead foot... which I know I do not.

 

try resetting the mpg counter on the dash and see where its at after a week

also that counter isn't super accurate. you can try to calculate mpg on ur own and see how that is (use one of ur trip counters for millage and how many gallons u fill up at next time at the gas station)