Urban Cruiser Diesel Fuel Consumption

[hector46]

My UC has around 1200 miles on it and is averaging 46mpg. I'm driving it carefully and thought the mpg could be better. It's cold just now (snow today) and I do a 17 mile rural commute to work with the usual crawling along in 1st gear to and from the work end of the journey. Using the tank brim and mileage way of checking gave 47/48 mpg so the computer is pretty close (the Tucson fuel computer was in dreamland) . What are others averaging for winter driving.

Thanks

[A9er]

Hi Hector

Around this time last year I was getting between 47 to 54 mpg mixed driving around the village and up and down the A9 to Perth,in May I fitted all weather tyres.

I am now getting around 47 to 50 mpg doing the same journey, when I go down to my home town of Sheffield I get around 55mpg.

Compared with the Rav 4.1 26 to 41 mpg and around the same with the 4.2 Rav doing the same sort of journey's.

Regards

David

[Manxrav]

Hi Steve is your U/C petrol or diesel?

Regards Clare

[cabcurtains]

They look like very solid figures for a very tight engine.

Clare, read the topic title

[hector46]

Yes it's diesel and I'm sure it will get better when the engine settles although not by how much. To be fair it's only the past week that I have not been setting off in minus temps so that will help too.

[Manxrav]

Hoops Blond Moment!!!!!!!

The fuel consumption on my U/C is round the 50/54 MPG at the moment. We are not having any frost, just bitterly cold winds. Summer gives me well over 60MPG driving carefully.

Regards Clare

[hector46]

Just done my second 350 mile round trip. MPG was 53 (just) that is going no faster than 75mph on mostly dual carriageways. Pretty pleased with that. I'm starting to realise how few of these are around, I saw two black ones on the trip but so many RAV 4's couldn't count them all Cruise control is achieved by jamming my foot accross the eccelerator on to the footwell :-)

[dixon11111]

Hi just i have had my u/c for about a month now. It is the 1.4 D4D and am wondering how you all get such a good MPG I'm only getting about 37MPG and am not driving like a an idiot. I try to keep my revs below 2000rpm in every gear but it does not seem to improve my MPG, I've done about 500miles town and dualcarriage ways, this is my first diesel car. I have always had petrol, my last car was a 2003 1.8 vvti avensis and that could do anything from 38MPG to 60MPG depending on where i was driving.

If someone could give me some advice on the following i would be most grateful:

• Do you drive diesels different to petrol cars to achieve better MPG
• Could my car or computer be faulty
• How could i improve my MPG more
• Is a tuning box a good or bad idea

P.S i am doing a 580 mile A road and motorway journey at the weekend lets see if i can improve this drastically to at least 47/50MPG or more.

Thank you in advance

Dixon11111

[A9er]

Hi Martin

Hope you enjoy your U/C.Hope you managed to try it out in the snow!!!! I have had plenty of fun in mine in the last couple of months in Highland Perthshire.

Regarding your MPG I would have thought you would get mid 50s, I have had mine over 3years and regular get 55ish going up and down the A9.

I don't do the mileage as much as I used to but driving from home to work and golf course which is only around a 3mile there and back I get in the mid 40s.

Only way to check if the computer is faulty is fill it to the brim then do the same when you next fill up and check your mpg manually.

Regards

David

[dixon11111]

Hi David,

I have already done what you said for my last tank of fuel and used a fuel calc online and it told me i was getting about 55mpg gonna retest my computer this week as im going up north a 299 mile trip one way in the morning see what it tells me. I was just thinking i have been doing a lot of short trips less than 2 mile just getting in and going most of the time my engine isn't even warm would this affect my mpg a lot? Apart from this i love my u/c its a great car and keeps surprising me like what you can fit in the boot i managed to get a high chair seat, travel cot and mattress, buggy and two big bags i thought i was gonna have to take the shelf out but no it all fitted nicely.

P.S sorry if sounds geeky just really shocked at what you can get in for such a small boot (compared to my old avensis).

[Awebb180]

Hi David,

I have already done what you said for my last tank of fuel and used a fuel calc online and it told me i was getting about 55mpg gonna retest my computer this week as im going up north a 299 mile trip one way in the morning see what it tells me. I was just thinking i have been doing a lot of short trips less than 2 mile just getting in and going most of the time my engine isn't even warm would this affect my mpg a lot? Apart from this i love my u/c its a great car and keeps surprising me like what you can fit in the boot i managed to get a high chair seat, travel cot and mattress, buggy and two big bags i thought i was gonna have to take the shelf out but no it all fitted nicely.

P.S sorry if sounds geeky just really shocked at what you can get in for such a small boot (compared to my old avensis).

The short trips will have quite an impact on economy. The engine won't be getting up to working temperature.

Alex

[A9er]

Hi David,

I have already done what you said for my last tank of fuel and used a fuel calc online and it told me i was getting about 55mpg gonna retest my computer this week as im going up north a 299 mile trip one way in the morning see what it tells me. I was just thinking i have been doing a lot of short trips less than 2 mile just getting in and going most of the time my engine isn't even warm would this affect my mpg a lot? Apart from this i love my u/c its a great car and keeps surprising me like what you can fit in the boot i managed to get a high chair seat, travel cot and mattress, buggy and two big bags i thought i was gonna have to take the shelf out but no it all fitted nicely.

P.S sorry if sounds geeky just really shocked at what you can get in for such a small boot (compared to my old avensis).

Yes the boot is quite compact but you still can get a full size spare and trolly jack plus your weekly shop from Tescos and other named supermarkets!!!!if you put the seats down in the rearas well sit is suprising what you can get in.Regarding the mpg thats what I would have expected I have not quite managed the 60mpg yet in the 3yrs I have had the U/c.

The U/c is a fun car just apity they have stopped making them I would have bought another one no problem,but I will have to look into buying another make of 4x4 if Mr T do not bring a smller model out even though I like the new Rav4 it is just to big for us and of course the mpg is a iffy compared to the U/c

[Hadrian]

Hi all U/C owners.

just to confirm that I have 2010 Diesel model with 30k - which returns on average 53 to 55 mpg.

This is combined town and dual carriageway driving.

Problem!!! - - - I have the following 3 yellow dashboard lights come on within the last week? Tried all ways to turn lights off...but they are on ALL the time after I start the car?

VSC

ENGINE

4WD

Can this be that I am not letting my car warm up in short local driving distances? As i car share to work, (40 miles) my longer journeys happen when its my turn to drive every 3 weeks..

Please advise if there is a quick fix on this? car has been serviced and all brakes changed within last 2 months.

Main dealer wants £50 for diagnostic check!

All your advise is welcome..

Many thanks in advance.

[Awebb180]

it could be anything from egr valve,turbo,abs system engine malfunction. I would ether by a decent code reader or pay the dealer for the diagnostics

Alex

[Parts-King]

Is it not under warranty?

[Hadrian]

Hi all,

Unfortunately my U/C ran out of its 3 year warranty in February 2013, so I have booked it in for Diagnostic on 11/07/13 and lets see what problems are listed for this?

Its a real pain having to push the accelerator on a hill and get no response. On a straight I can get decent speeds though. Never the less its a far cry from the TURBO acceleration I used to get!

p.s

VSC / ENGINE / 4WD lights constantly still on when i'm driving.

many thanks

Hadrian