Fuel consumption

[peter3696]

I'm sorry if this subject has been covered before but I have only just joined. Last weekend I picked up a 2013 rav 4 2.2 dcat invincible awd automatic. After reading various reviews and forums, the suggested average mpg for my car should be 42mpg. Having driven it like a granny all weekend, I have just filled the tank and done a brim to brim check and was horrified to find it's only doing 34mpg. Is this normal for this model? 

[FROSTYBALLS]

Where are you getting the 'suggested average' from?

If you're using the figures from the official EU fuel consumption tests (ie those used in advertising, brochures, etc), these aren't meant to represent the consumption owners will actually acheive. The EU fuel consumption figures are obtained using a laboratory based testing regime, and are meant to provide a standard comparison between models.

Have a look at Honest John Real MPG, which will provide a more realistic picture - http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/realmpg/toyota/rav4-2013/22-d-4d-automatic

[peter3696]

Well thanks for that information. I appreciate fuel consumption will be different from toyota's figures but I didn't expect it to be that much of a different.  For the sake of such a great Well equipped car, I suppose I can live with 34 mpg. Thanks for your help.

[Heidfirst]

If you look at more of HonestJohn's RealMPG you will see that the gap between the test mpg & the real world figure has been growing year by year (& not just Toyota) - it's particularly bad for hybrids & PHEVs. These days it is typically over 20%.

There is a new European test cycle due (next year iirc) which should close that gap but I expect that there will still be a difference between the test & what the average driver achieves.

[Mark O]

You are perhaps to consider that you are driving a fairly large vehicle equipped with a fuel sapping automatic box and extra transmission for the AWD. It therefore isn't really surprising that fuel consumption is perhaps nowhere near 42 mpg -  around the true figure for a 2WD manual diesel saloon. Therefore yes, 34mpg seems normal. However that is is not to say it couldn't be improved - EGR clean, change the engine oil/filter, change air filter, check MAF sensor, use decent fuel etc etc.     

[D-Ben]

Hi

relating to the topic Peter3696 brought up, i would highly appreciate an opinion over my "issue" with the Rav 4, 2006, 2.2 D-CAT engine with 180000 km, manual.

Being completely new to Toyota, i bought it three days ago.

 Fuel consumption very high in my opinion. I drive it very gently highway and urban and it does not drop under 10-12 litres per 100km. (23-24mpg). Is this normal or should i be thinking over any possible injector problem. 

On iddle is very smooth, when reving up the engine also fine, however when throtlle up in gear (any gear) i hear in the cabin a strange rattling sound, coming from the engine. Is this normal too?

On dash board i have no engine light nothing litten beside a flashing tire pressure sensor, which i have inflated according specs and the sensor still keeps on flashing. I have no spare tire, is the model without the spare hanging on the trunk. Any advise how to fix this???

 

thanks in advance

[Heidfirst]

58 minutes ago, D-Ben said:

 Fuel consumption very high in my opinion. I drive it very gently highway and urban and it does not drop under 10-12 litres per 100km. (23-24mpg).

10-12l/100km is 24-28 (Imperial) mpg. Seems low but things like fuel, tyres, road surface etc. can also have an effect. Where are you?

Also, which power output?

[D-Ben]

6 hours ago, Heidfirst said:

10-12l/100km is 24-28 (Imperial) mpg. Seems low but things like fuel, tyres, road surface etc. can also have an effect. Where are you?

Also, which power output?

Hi

I am in Macedonia/Europe.

the power output is i believe 130kW/177ps. The tires are Toyotas stock, 18".  Do you think this might have an effect.

[peter3696]

Well thanks for that information. I appreciate fuel consumption will be different from toyota's figures but I didn't expect it to be that much of a different.  For the sake of such a great Well equipped car, I suppose I can live with 34 mpg. Thanks for your help.

[philip42h]

16 hours ago, peter3696 said:

I'm sorry if this subject has been covered before but I have only just joined. Last weekend I picked up a 2013 rav 4 2.2 dcat invincible awd automatic. After reading various reviews and forums, the suggested average mpg for my car should be 42mpg. Having driven it like a granny all weekend, I have just filled the tank and done a brim to brim check and was horrified to find it's only doing 34mpg. Is this normal for this model? 

With the same engine, transmission and model year I have achieved an average of  38 mpg over 40,000 miles (from new). That said, and as you will appreciate, the consumption will vary considerable on how one drives and the nature of one's journeys - much of my mileage is at motorway speeds (70) on journeys around 100 miles. Best and worst figures per tank are 43.8 mpg and 31.4 mpg respectively. Average over the recent winter months (mostly shorter journeys) is 35.2.

So 34 mpg out of one winter tankful seems well within the range of what I would consider 'normal' and you might hope for better once the weather improves ...

[Heidfirst]

4 hours ago, D-Ben said:

Hi

I am in Macedonia/Europe.

the power output is i believe 130kW/177ps. The tires are Toyotas stock, 18".  Do you think this might have an effect.

The 180 is the thirstier version, so yes. Others can probably suggest the effect of different sizes of tyre on that platform.

I imagine that Macedonia is quite cold at this time of year? That will have an effect as it will take longer for the engine to reach operating temperature - even here in the mild west of Scotland I notice a drop of ~2mpg in the winter.

[bluerav4]

12 hours ago, D-Ben said:

Hi

relating to the topic Peter3696 brought up, i would highly appreciate an opinion over my "issue" with the Rav 4, 2006, 2.2 D-CAT engine with 180000 km, manual.

Being completely new to Toyota, i bought it three days ago.

 Fuel consumption very high in my opinion. I drive it very gently highway and urban and it does not drop under 10-12 litres per 100km. (23-24mpg). Is this normal or should i be thinking over any possible injector problem. 

On iddle is very smooth, when reving up the engine also fine, however when throtlle up in gear (any gear) i hear in the cabin a strange rattling sound, coming from the engine. Is this normal too?

On dash board i have no engine light nothing litten beside a flashing tire pressure sensor, which i have inflated according specs and the sensor still keeps on flashing. I have no spare tire, is the model without the spare hanging on the trunk. Any advise how to fix this???

 

thanks in advance

Can't help you with the engine noise I do drive a T180 and I get the same sort of figures but I don't think you'll get what your expecting according to the Toyota manual.

as for the flashing tyre symbol that's a faulty sensor. Best way to check which one it is. Release the pressure on each tyre to around 25psi that will cause the light to stop flashing but stay on. That'll show that this Sensor is ok. Keep trying it on all the tyres the ones that are working correctly won't flash but light will stay on till the correct pressure is applied and start flashing again. 

The tyre that has the faulty sensor or sensors will continue flashing even if you release the pressure identifying that it's a faulty sensor.

hope that helps

[Avalon]

You will struggle to calculate an accurate figure off the back of one tank, it needs to be brimmed to brimmed fills, ideally averaged over multiple tanks to allow for air locks/discrepancies and ideally at the same pump to ensure maximum accuracy. 

[peter3696]

Well as an update to this post, I have now used a further two full tanks of fuel, doing a mixture of town and predominately motorway driving. Using supermarket diesel over 2 tanks I have managed to achieve 40.5 mpg. I am Well pleased with that. For a 2.2 automatic, that's brilliant. I had a series 2 Land Rover Discovery 2.5 td5 automatic some years ago. Lovely vehicle but I had to get rid because no matter what I did, I could never get more than 18 mpg! So, all in all, it looks like the RAV4 was a good buy. Thanks everyone for their comments on this post.