Gas Mileage ...

FireTent,
It takes some time for the engine to break in so normally the MPG's will tend to be initially lower.True you should let the car warm up a for a few before driving off when the car sits for example overnight or long periods of time.Since you have had your SVTF for only 7 days one tankful reading isn't accurate so try and keep track for 2 more fill ups to get a better idea.Another thing to take in to consideration is your driving habit such as mostly local driving will yield a lower MPG then highway driving and so will freezing temperatures also agressive driving or rabbit starts from a standstill will also affect it.Just some ideas for you and also in the Focus Owners Manual there is a section that describes how to calculate MPG from each tank.
Granted my MPG are nothing great too averaging 19 MPG (improved after getting the ECU YRF0 update) but I drive mostly local with the a/c on 99% of the time here in South Florida,USA.
I hope this helps you some.

I get right around 23-24 mpg. Driving about 75% highway. I take it easy a little bit but do get on it on occasion.

I've been able to put up with all the minor annoyances this car has had except for this one: I just calculated my last tank to 13mpg!

I've got no mods and I drive the car mostly in the 3 to 5K rpm range with the odd foot plant to 6 or 7K.

I don't understand how some of you could be getting mid 20's in the mpg category.



http://www.svtownersassociation.com/svtoaforums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=5120&perpage=5&pagenumber=1

Pre YRFO I averaged about 26-27 MPG with 50-50 city/freeway.

Have not had a tank that I have not been laying into it since the flash so its hard to say what my new average may be.

I've been able to put up with all the minor annoyances this car has had except for this one: I just calculated my last tank to 13mpg!

Click to expand...

If you're getting 15-16 (I read your SVTOA post), I'd recommend getting it checked out... and I wouldn't stop until a) Ford gave me a valid reason for the way it is, b) they fix it, or c) they got me a new car (or engine).

The sticker says 21/25. 20% out of that range seems poor.

During tanks when I did a lot of city driving, I've recorded 21 mpg. My lowest recorded tank was 19.6 mpg. I have regularly recorded 26-27 mpg for all-highway trips. My overall recorded average (of 13,600 logged miles) is 23.780. (Yes I'm a geek for logging milage, but it comes in handy on occasions like this. )

I've had my car for about 2 months now.

1st tank = 22mpg
2nd tank = 24mpg
3rd tank = 26mpg
4th tank = 26mpg

YRF0 flash

I now average 30mpg a tank. I do drive mostly highway with a little city traffic. No A/C if I can help it (too enjoyable to drive with all the windows down and sunroof open) and I do hit the gas hard quite often when taking off.

On Oct 19th I drove from Tulsa to Columbia, Missouri for a G2G. 860 miles round trip. Mostly mighway miles, but some VERY spirited driving in the Columbia area where I kept the car between 4000 and 7000 rpms almost constantly for about 4 hours worth of highway and back roads driving. For the entire trip I averaged 29.5mpg! This is from a car that is supposed to get 21 city and 25 highway.

I am VERY happy.

Yeah, what is with that goofy 21 city/25 highway EPA rating? I notice that has now changed for the '04 model to 21/28 - and that's still BS. I had gotten used to EPA estimates being pretty close in my cars - wife's 2000 Passat 1.8T wagon nails them dead-on. They blew this one, though. I would have to be really nailing it in solid downtown driving for it to get 21, and 25 on the highway? - that's at probably a steady 95 mph.

In mostly highway driving, but only a 12-mile commute each way (car is starting cold every 12 miles, therefore), I'm getting 26 mpg on YRF0. RLA6 was around 24.5.

Especially on the highway, what would cause the EPA to calculate radically different mileage from that of a ZX3 or 5? Same basic engine, steady speed, gearing in high is pretty close to identical, and there's maybe a little more weight, aero drag and rolling resistance, but that's it. The ZXs are supposed to get 33 highway - which is not much different from what we're getting, which is exactly to be expected. I don't know how they could be so far off.

And for the guy who's getting 13 - re-calculate, and if that's still it, get to a dealer, fast. You have to beat this car to death to drop below 18.

http://www.fueleconomy.gov/

The fuel economy estimates are based on results of tests required by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). These tests are used to certify that vehicles meet the Federal emissions and fuel economy standards. Manufacturers test pre-production prototypes of the new vehicle models and submit the test results to EPA. EPA re-tests about 10% of vehicle models to confirm manufacturer's results. The vehicles are driven by a professional driver under controlled laboratory conditions, on an instrument similar to a treadmill. These procedures ensure that each vehicle is tested under identical conditions; therefore, the results can be compared with confidence.

There are two different fuel economy estimates for each vehicle in the Fuel Economy Guide, one for city driving and one for highway driving. To generate these two estimates, separate tests are used to represent typical everyday driving in a city and in a rural setting. Two kinds of engine starts are used: the cold start, which is similar to starting a car in the morning after it has been parked all night; and the hot start, similar to restarting a vehicle after it has been warmed up, driven, and stopped for a short time.

The test used to determine the city fuel economy estimate simulates an 11-mile, stop-and-go trip with an average speed of 20 miles per hour (mph). The trip takes 31 minutes and has 23 stops. About 18 percent of the time is spent idling, as in waiting at traffic lights or in rush hour traffic. The maximum speed is 56 mph. The engine is initially started after being parked overnight. Vehicles are tested at 68 F to 86 F ambient temperature.

The test to determine the highway fuel economy estimate represents a mixture of "non-city" driving. Segments corresponding to different kinds of rural roads and interstate highways are included. The test simulates a 10-mile trip and averages 48 mph. The maximum speed is 60 mph. The test is run with the engine warmed up and has little idling time and no stops (except at the end of the test).

NOTE: To make the numbers in the Fuel Economy Guide more useful for consumers, EPA adjusts these laboratory test results to account for the difference between controlled laboratory conditions and actual driving on the road. The laboratory fuel economy results are adjusted downward to arrive at the estimates in the Fuel Economy Guide and on the labels seen on new cars, light trucks, and vans. The city estimate is lowered by 10% and the highway estimate by 22% from the laboratory test results. Experience has proven that these adjustments make the mileage estimates in the Fuel Economy Guide correspond more closely to the actual fuel economy realized by the average driver.

I'm getting about 260-280 on a full tank. That with my leadfoot and cruise above 70-75mph. But sometime 290-310 with featherweight and cruise around 65-67mph

Side note: I use to wash my car every week but this time I waited a month. I notice some black dust covering the back of my bumper around the exhaust area.... next time I'll wait two months before washing and see how much of that black dust accumulates on the back bumper again

I don't have the new flash yet and get 21 mpg if I drive normally. I have found that if I shift from first to third and skip second and keep the rpms around 2500 or less I get about 26-28. I took a high performance driving course this weekend and got 13 mpg. Took a hit but it was well worth being able to speed legally.