Seeing as I seem to be getting the worst mpg for an auto on the forum I thought I'd share with you a few observations I've had while driving. Setting off in 'Drive' the car naturally sets off in 1st gear and changes through the gears as smooth as an auto should do. It does not however, necessarily change into the highest gear possible in order to get the best possible mpg and seems to holding the car in a higher gear than really required so that it will give me the instant acceleration should I need it. For example, if i've been cruising along at a steady 35/40 mph in 'Drive' for a while letting the car do what it wants (very gentle on the gas) and I then select the manual change option it shows on the display 4th gear, I push the gear lever forward and instantly it changes into 5th with the appropriate drop in revs (and therefore more fuel efficient) a gentle squeeze on the gas to increase the speed further and I can manually select 6th and it drives along very comfortably in this gear - I've tried this many times now and it just would not have done this by itself. Similarly, cruising along at speed and the slightest release of the gas pedal either to stay with the slowing flow of traffic or when approaching a distant roundabout it drops down a gear almost instantly, is this normal? I've spent the last week or so going everywhere in 'manual' and I have genuinely now recorded just under 30 mpg on the display where as in full auto I get 22/23mpg. I'm told it's an intellegent gearbox which adapts to your style of driving, could this be a computer software fault maybe stuck in the 'towing the caravan' mode (from Nov. last year) or 'lets floor the gas' mode (hardly ever, but definately months ago). Sorry its a long post but I wanted to explain as much as poss.
Any auto box technicians reading this could advise if it's normal - Thanks v much.

I do this a lot

Being an intelligent auto it decides on its gears based on a few different factors...the first being your driving style. If you're quite heavy with your right foot it'll stay in a lower gear more often. However, changing up to a higher gear isn't always (with some exceptions) best in any way. The reason for this is as follows. The car isn't necessarily more fuel effiecient because it is running at lower revs. What matters is how much the throttle is being pressed. The freelander makes maximum torque (not power which isn't that important in this instance) at about 1750 rpm. The gearbox will try to keep the revs around this point at steady cruising, unless at very low speed for a couple of reasons, 1 is that if you want to accelerate it will accelerate hard, the second is that compared to lower revs (for example 1100 which is what I'm guessing the tacho approximately drops to when you manually change up) the throttle doesn't have to be pressed as hard.

There are some exceptions, as an electronic system arguably can't be as good as a human. When I'm in 50 mph motorway roadworks, the car will stay in 6th for the duration, however as soon as it drops below 50 it changes to 5th...all fine so far. However, after accelerating, it doesn't change back into 6th until doing nearly 60. This is where the 'intelligent' part of the system takes over. Because the speed is fluctuating, and constantly changing gear uses more fuel overall that staying in one gear, it won't change up at the same point as it changes down.


I hope this answers your questions, sorry for the long winded answer.

BTW, my 09 HSE auto has never dipped below 30 mpg, whether that's in town, or 90mph motorway cruising. Mine: 2012 Golf GTI Edition 35
Family's: 2009 Freelander 2 HSE TD4 Auto, Stornoway

Yorkshire - God's County

Thanks for the comments Doc & BD . BD is yours left in auto all the time ? yet you still get 30 mpg

the auto often sets off in second gear, unless you floor it and it drops to first

Try driving in Sports mode, by keeping the car in a lower gear, with slightly higher rev's than a too higher gear some have found that helps, especially on lower speed start stop journeys Former Mod/Member, with the most post & Chicken George Arch nemesis

Driving style is normally the problem with MPG

Yep always in Auto...I lied slightly...in the deep snow we've had it's dropped to the high 20's. But ye, I very rarely use manual except in said situations, and if I want so engine braking.

How many miles has your car done mcphersonstrut? Mine: 2012 Golf GTI Edition 35
Family's: 2009 Freelander 2 HSE TD4 Auto, Stornoway

Yorkshire - God's County

Mileage +/- 15k (march 08 car)

Doc driving style most certainly related to mpg....if we were booting it everywhere then I'd accept to pay the price on mpg but really were not. In fact I don't think it is possible to drive anymore sedately than we are
Thinking about this more, last year I had an auto on loan for a couple of days while mine was in the dock and that did around 30 mpg (3000 miles 'ish' on the clock)

Last year, the dealer did a routine ECU firmware update on mine and I noticed a significant drop in economy. I took it back some weeks later and asked them to revert to the old version. They said there'd been another release since so they loaded that instead. Economy then returned to almost as good as previous.
If I were you, I'd be asking the dealer to check your version and replace as necessary. Get them to inspect your air filter while they're at it.

mcphersonstrut - whats your MPG and what is the vehicles duty?

Doc - 150 miles per week with a round trip of 30 miles on a Mon, Wed & Friday ('A' roads speed 30/40/60 Not motorway) then about 50 or 60 miles at the weekend but I think that could be the bit that is hurting it (Kids drop off pick up, shopping etc 5 or 6 mile journeys).
clocked mpg (mileage vs actual fill up) 23.00, 22.05, 23.81, 22.02, 23.15, 22.64, 21.63, 21.84, 23.08, 20.47
The above kind of journeys will never get it to do it's maximum mpg, I totally accept this but we can't be much different from most other users on the forum and they are recording +20% on our numbers.
Looking at dates v's mileage very carefully, pulling 1500kg caravan makes no difference to the mpg
Whatever - still wouldn't change the car for anything, love it

I think I'd be checking your car for faults - maybe air flow meter

What RPM is it changing at if you drive normally i.e. 25% throttle?

I recommend driving "briskly" while short shifting your gears to get to your desired speed V's your current style, theory behind it is your into the highest gears faster hence you save fuel!

i.e.

Changing @ 2500 rpm 1---2---3---4---5---6

Changing @ 1750 rpm 1--2--3--4--5--6

PS tell me to go boil my head if you like

Mcpherson Strut, I have an auto XS with 5K on clock and solo averages 26.5 mpg (mainly short distances to golf club etc. with occasional burst up M5 to see number 2 daughter, but never above 75-80 mph) . With the 1500kg caravan on the hook the mpg falls to 22-23.5 mpg.
I would be concerned that your fuel consumption does not vary even with the van on the back as the weight of the van must make a difference to the fuel economy Ralph
Zurmatt Silver, Diesel, Automatic, side steps, mud flaps, mats, boot liner, TomTom Start 60 installed, rubbing strips, removable Brink tow bar, after market tinted glass, front styling bar, Rear spoiler, Motorlicious tail pipe trim. Wood Company centre armrest

I've got 4K on my auto now never dropped below 30 mpg and my commute to work is 4.5 miles, i think you may have a problem . I did get about 38 tn 40 mpg with the manual so it could be due to driving style.
My auto change up a gear at about 2000 rpm so quite often i accelerate to 2000 rpm then when the gear changes i ease off he throttle this means that 30 mph is 1500 rpm in 4th.
If i accelerated to 30 mph steadily it would still be in 3rd at just under 2000 rpm.
I almost never use command shift, or sport mode.