@sportsman, that's around 40 mpg so very acceptable

This weekend I drove from London to Northumberland - got 37mpg on Sainsbury's best with 2-stroke shot. Came back again - slightly more motorway but therefore driving faster - 41mpg on Jet, no 2-stroke. Range was about 620 (ie remaining range plus miles covered) on both runs. I'm not sure how accurate the computer is. Got it up to 55mpg shortly after fill-up!
That's a manual 2007 TD4, cruising at 70 where possible.

Past master wrote:

Got it up to 55mpg shortly after fill-up!.

Did you hold onto the back of a truck whilst going down hill ?

Currently done 500 miles with 1/4 tank left (which goes very fast) and comp is saying 120 miles left from a 91 quid fill up. Last brimmed to empty got 560 miles.
Not long back I only used to get 400-450 miles with no change in fuel or driving

Does anyone know why they seem to vary so much, other than driving style i mean, I have tried driving like a granny and my mpg has got worse?

£90 was getting me about 450 miles, this last fill up 380 miles.

Have checked tyres and brakes seem ok, last service was November. Only use Shell fuel yet mpg seems worse than most here.

Driving like a granny may or may not help (some grannies...). You have to bear in mind the mechanics of a turbo diesel. So while coasting at 1000 rpm will give you excellent consumption, you need to drop a gear for any sort of acceleration, in order to get the turbo working. The turbo cuts in progressively from 1500rpm. Dropping much below 1000 rpm will cause the engine to labour as it tries not to stall. I find I get my best figures by thinking ahead and NOT accelerating or braking unless necessary - at 50mph you can start coasting half a mile from a roundabout and still find you have to brake when you get there. Dragging two tons up a hill burns diesel, so on a hilly road you can back off towards the top of the hill and pick up speed again going down. That figure of 50+ mpg only ever appears when I've filled up recently, and must be a computer glitch. It settles down very quickly!

Or as others have said, you can just accept that it's not a Smart car and enjoy your driving!

Quote:

Or as others have said, you can just accept that it's not a Smart car and enjoy your driving!

My Wife has had 4 smart cars, don't believe the hype, granted one was a 700cc brabus tune and the last one an 84bhp 1000cc engine but she never got better than 40 odd to the gallon, sometimes less.

I am only getting about 37 out of my new sd4 but as that is about what SWMBO gets out of her fiat 500 and the same as she got with the last smart car, I am not complaining

If you want economy don't get a smart car, get a push bike.  SD4 Sport LE Firenze Red - no options or modifications yet, but it's early days.

Biscay wrote:

Does anyone know why they seem to vary so much, other than driving style i mean, I have tried driving like a granny and my mpg has got worse?

£90 was getting me about 450 miles, this last fill up 380 miles.

Have checked tyres and brakes seem ok, last service was November. Only use Shell fuel yet mpg seems worse than most here.

Don't labour the engine, change gear between 2000 & 2500rpm, also keep the revs up around 1800rpm with normal driving, it's a good engine but it doesn't like "chugging" and allowing it to do that will drink the fuel  ______________________
2011 Full Fat RR 4.4 TDV8
2012 FL2 SD4 Auto HSE
2013 Kawasaki Versys 650

Thanks Dave, I think your right.

Went out today and instead of changing gear when the green indicator came on I drove in my normal more aggresive manner. My mpg went from 26 to 32 and the range started to climb!

She does 'pink' a bit if you trust the 'eco' light.

well fuzzcaz
"If you want economy don't get a smart car, get a push bike."

I bought a new 5dr Citreon C1 with the change I had left over buy buying a GS model instead of an HSE, saved neartly 7 K and I get between 60 -70 MPG great little car and the best bit is that its a toyota with a citreon badge so reliabilty has been first class in 3 years

Don't get me wrong we still love the smart cars, and SWMBO loves her Fiat 500 Abarth too, I was just pointing out that in life you usually have to pay for your pleasures somewhere down the line, with the pot holes on the A road I drive daily I am happy to drive the Freelander, if only to avoid spinal injury.

Nowt wrong with the C1 infact most little cars these days are fine, I just fancied somethig a little chunkier this time round. SD4 Sport LE Firenze Red - no options or modifications yet, but it's early days.

Fuzzkaz wrote:

I am happy to drive the Freelander, if only to avoid spinal injury.

I guess it is all relative, compared to a clio 200 with the extra stiff cup chassis, then trust me the Freelander is so much better. I still slow for speed bumps, it is just the 2 to 3 inch deep pot holes that appear overnight that I can now float over, where before the crash when you hit them used to wrench the wheel out of my hands SD4 Sport LE Firenze Red - no options or modifications yet, but it's early days.

Changing to a Freelander from my earlier Impreza has been a revelation. I can now look ahead when driving rather than needing to scan the road surface immediately ahead to make sure that there wasn't a small pot hole in my path which would necessitate a visit to a chiropractor for me and a new strut for the Scooby. Probably my own fault though - lowered suspension and 19 inch wheels with low profile tyres didn't exactly help the Impreza to ride over the bumps. The map is not the territory

2011 TD4 GS Manual - Gone
2014 SD4 XS Auto - Gone
2018 Jaguar E-Pace R-Dynamic 180 AWD