2000 Accord 4 cyl occasionally gets
30+ mpg with Mad River Synergy canoe on the racks, but 27 is commoner. We got the 30+ reading on a drive from Atlanta to Balsom NC, which involves a mixture of interstate, highway, and mountain up-and-downs.
Our 97 Subaru Outback (stick) got about 27 mpg on a trip from Atlanta to the Michigan UP, one kayak on the roof. Mileage was closer to 24 with the Synergy on the racks from Atlanta to Bluff, Utah. The Suby gets about 26 in weekday perimeter commuting in Atlanta.
It’s hard to beat the Accord for gas mileage, purchase cost, room for people and gear, and reliability. The regular gas Accord gets almost as good highway mileage as the new Civic, with a lot more room and power in headwinds.
2005 Outback—28 mpg
– Last Updated: Oct-06-05 12:24 AM EST –
I've had my Suby with the 4-cyl engine since mid Auguust and have gone to the Apostle Islands (600mi round trip) and Isle Royale (700mi RT). Both trips with the kayak on J-cradles on the factory rack I have gotten 27-28 mpg. I was also rarely above 62-63 mph on those trips so that is a factor and used no A/C.
Pretty excited about that cuz those trips would have been expensive with the 2002 Yukon (now gone).
Ken
Chevy Aveo & Oldsmoldybile StationWagon
The 2004 Aveo gets 28 MPG at the worst with boats and gear and driving 70 + on highways or in the city. At the best with no roof stuff it gets 35 MPG. It has a 1.8 L with a manual 5 speed.
I usually run the AC
The 1988 MOldsmolbile Custom Cruiser with its carborated 307 V8 engine originally had only 140 horse power. Now I’m certain it has less. It is slow but has plenty of low end torque. With boats on top and towing a 24 foot sailboat it gets 9 mpg with a top speed of 65 MPH. Best mileage with only 4 pasengers and gear is 14 MPG with top speeds from 65 to 75. Mostly It tows a utility trailer with two to four boats and the same number of people and gets 10 to 12 mpg.
Suburban
1997 Chevrolet 4x4. 16mpg regardless; roofracks, kayaks, dogs(!) or none.
1998 F150 - 15 mpg load or no load.
2004 6cyl Toyota Tacoma D-cab; 15-16 mpg load or no load. In both cases , exactly what the window sticker said. A disappointment in the Tacoma.
Both trucks get a little better mileage on the interstate - loaded or not.
Ok
– Last Updated: Oct-06-05 11:00 AM EST –
2003 Chevrolet SUB 5.3L 4x4 around 20 Highway.. around 18 with boats. around 15 towing camper.
2002 Chevrolet S-10 Zr2.. 18 highway, about the same with boats.
2003 DL1000 45-47 MPG... can’t haul boats but CAN haul butt!! 0-60 in 3.7!!
94 XR 650 about 40 MPG. Indestructible! Can’t haul boats
2002 Grand Prix..3.1L? 30 highways, Don’t haul boats on it, but I suppose it could if I had too…
2002 Jeep Liberty, V6 18 MPG, with or with out boats.
I don’t do much CITY driving so I couldn’t tell what the CITY mileage is…
Gas milage?Whats that?!
2004 Toyota fourrunner.
Unloaded 22-23 highway
Loaded 22-23 highway!
And still 245 horsepower to boot and no breakdowns to worry about.Has 52,000 miles on it.
1999 Toyota 4x4 extcab truck.
Don’t know?Only has 2186 actual miles on it!!!
Stays in the garage!Never even rained on!!!
Ken - stick or auto?
I had a 2001 SOB with a 5-speed. I was able to get over 27 MPG with a kayak on the roof. My 2003 SOB had the “old” auto, and mileage dropped to 22-23 in the WV mountains. I like the new Sport Shift, and I believe it contributes to my improved numbers.
Jim
Auto…
…with the sport shift. I love this car. It’s like a go kart!
My Ranger not so good
2000 Ranger, Glass Topper, 2.5 liter 4 cylinder, automatic tranny, one kayak last week Fort lauderdale-Lake City 23 miles per gallon, speed hard to determine due I was taking the liesurely route through the small towns. I thinhk this is still pretty goo for my truck.
VW TDI sound tempting
Brian
2002 Ranger SuperCab
Mine has the 3.0 V6 and 5-speed manual. I usually get 22 mpg commuting to work 19.5 miles each way. On a long road trip, 25+mpg. Around town, about 19.7. Carrying 2 boats on top, about 2 mpg less at freeway speeds. Sometimes I drive from Fairfield to the Mendocino coast using HWY 101 at 70 mph and CA 128 to HWY 1 with a passenger and 200 lbs. of gear(no boats) and get an overall 25.4 mpg.
check this site
http://www.pureenergysystems.com/news/2005/03/17/6900069_Acetone/ I have been using this combo in my two trucks for a couple weeks now. Seems to be working well.
1200 miles Mazad b series
– Last Updated: Oct-08-05 3:00 AM EST –
Got about 24-26 mpg during a recent trip to south caralina.
thats with the the trip up the hills included. lost some power but not enegh to bother me, driving through the mountians. that was pretty good considering i was hauling two sots. not bad for a 5 speed 4 cylder.
BUt i have learned to watch the rpms closly and seldom see them go higher than 2500. plus i shift at lower rpms, and now coast to stops. if you drive the truck like its stolen, then 22mpg or less.
2004 Chevy Tracker
2.5 V6. About 18mpg on highway 65 - 75mph with or without boats on roof rack. I recently checked the tires and upped the pressure from Chevy’s recommended 24 psi to the tire mfg’s recommended 32 psi, and milage is closer to the 22 mpg epa rating that was on the sticker when I bought it. FWIW, when I have the ski rack on in the winter it knocks 2-3 mpg off. The kayak pads seem to have little effect on mpg.
1997 Outback
with blown/replaced headgaskets. This car always smells like burning oil, but still gets okay mpg.
400 mile rt to Bowling Green OH with yakima 58 inch bars but no boats or accessories. 80% highway/ 20% city: 25 mpg.
Yesterday…
Without boat or rack I got 30mpg with speeds about 58-63mph.
Ken
My Outback XT
My 05 turbo charged Outback has been modified. I put a new catless larger diameter up pipe, a larger diameter down pipe with a single racing cat., remapped the computer and put a high flow air cleaner element in the car. It’s supposed to now make around 300 crank horsepower and 340 crank ft. pds. torque. If you put your foot in it it really goes. A lot of bang for the buck. My over all mileage without racks on is 22-23 mpg. With racks it’s around 19.5-20 mpg. On the interstate with three boats on the car at 75 mph it gets around 18 mpg. What are you going to do…small price to pay for so much fun! Franklin
34 mpg at 70mph with my Saturn SW2
My sporty little 5-spd 1999 Saturn SW2 station wagon with a 14+’ Looksha Sport and a very wide 8’ Yak Board on top got 34 miles per gallon at 70mph on a nice long flat section of US 101 in central coastal Calif. – I’ve really been impressed with this car as far as value goes. It was cheap used ($6900 at a near mint 55k miles), is sort of small/unrefined and a little noisy, handles great, and it’s light enough that the little 125hp 4-banger makes it quite quick when revved up (0-60 in 8.7 or something). More typical Mileage on northern US 101 in low mountains is 32 or so going a touch slower.
Mini Cooper
Freeway with one kayak on top cruising during early morning with little traffic at about 65 MPH…gets about 34 MPG. Drops to 27 MPG at 80 mph plus.
55 saves
1997 Expedition, 2wd, 4.6 L, Mad River Monarch on roof
- Atlanta to Tybee Island - 55 mph interstate speed (passed no one) - 24.5 mpg
- Tybee Island to Atlanta - 80 mph interstate speed - 17.5 mpg
I typically drive 55-60, on cruise, in the right lane. Particularly with boats on the roof (since wind drag increases non-linearly), the additional speed really kills mpg.