Toyota Corolla 2.0 Excel Hybrid Enormous Fuel Consumption

[Driver69]

I own the car for three weeks. I've done so far 266 miles on both motorway and town roads. I do usually 5-10 mile trips in town. My fuel consumption so far on Eco and Normal modes has been 27-29 mpg. My own calculation shows that  fuel consumption for the last 130 miles was 23 litres.  Driving conditions: ACC on, heating on +21-22, average air temp for the last 3 weeks in the area +5 -7 C. Nowhere near advertised 65 mpg, or owner posted (122?) MPG here.  Could you guys advise me on my problem? Should I go to the main dealer A.S.A.P?

[OXYGEN]

The posted 122 was a single trip consumption which is extremely difficult to repeat.

The actual mpg of the car since day 1 is what you can see in my signature. it is still better than yours, but absolutely nowhere near the one-time 122 or even stated 65.

[rafletcher]

1 hour ago, Driver69 said:

I own the car for three weeks. I've done so far 266 miles on both motorway and town roads. I do usually 5-10 mile trips in town. My fuel consumption so far on Eco and Normal modes has been 27-29 mpg. My own calculation shows that  fuel consumption for the last 130 miles was 23 litres.  Driving conditions: ACC on, heating on +21-22, average air temp for the last 3 weeks in the area +5 -7 C. Nowhere near advertised 65 mpg, or owner posted (122?) MPG here.  Could you guys advise me on my problem? Should I go to the main dealer A.S.A.P?

I do around a 6 mile commute in the morning, and usually (because I want to get home) a 1.5 mile return trip. I do this 5 days a week, and there may be a few evening or weekend trips in there too. Averaging 36mpg.  Because - the car barely gets warmed up, never gets to cruise any distance at a constant speed, ambient is relatively cold, it's wet, etc. etc.  It's still 10-12mpg better than the 2.0 TFSI Audi that preceded it.

[TonyHSD]

Those cars should get around 45mpg at the moment and 50-55 in summer months. Something not right here, calculations or don’t know. 

[nielshm]

You need to visit the dealer, that's for sure. But I think you need to take a good long drive with no more than 50-55 mpg, just to see the best possible mpg. Hopefully with very low mpg's in every driving condition, wich means that the car has a fault.

A good long drive should return at least 50-55 mpg without any problems.

[Catlover]

You have a new car with a “tight” engine, this should loosen up a bit as times/miles go up. It’s cold weather so you not going to get best from a colder engine then the summer time, maybe 8-10mpg less. You mention +5 to -7 degree, that is cold. It going to take a good few miles to get the engine temperature up, and the computer dictates when the engine is turned on again to keep engine up to temperature.  Seems like you doing relatively short runs, no chance in cold weather and short runs to achieve any where near the quoted figure. 
How’s your right foot? If you like to accelerate briskly, and brake late you not going to achieve best mpg result.  The mpg quoted by Toyota are not made up by Toyota.  ALL car manufacturers have to submit model type for testing under the same condition. The test now is more realistic then say 3 years ago and more. So unless you drive exactly like under test conditions you not going to get the same.  Yorkshire can be very hilly in places, this will affect your figures too.                 Suggest you pay a visit to YouTube, lots of videos of how to get best result from driving a Toyota Hybrid car.             
If you were to go to a dealer with this perceived problem, I reckon they would say pretty similar to what I put above ie. ew engine, very cold weather, short journeys, driving style etc.

[nielshm]

I read the temperature interval as +5 to +7 degree °C. I see he lives in Yorkshire, so how has the winter been in the UK? If that is the case, the car should do a lot better, and if I recalculate his own measurements, the mpg's down to 25.

The worst fiil up I've ever done with my 2.0 Corolla has been 45 mpg!!

[Catlover]

 Niels, the original post definitely say +5 to -7 C.    I have gone through 2 winters in my Prius but not encountered temperatures below 0 C, but I know my engine runs a lot more even at 0 C, never mind -7 C.             
What we don’t know is how long the journeys Andy has done, nor his driving style.

[nielshm]

10 minutes ago, Catlover said:

 Niels, the original post definitely say +5 to -7 C.    I have gone through 2 winters in my Prius but not encountered temperatures below 0 C, but I know my engine runs a lot more even at 0 C, never mind -7 C.             
What we don’t know is how long the journeys Andy has done, nor his driving style.

We don't know very much. My experience is, when the Battery is charging, mpg's takes a massive drop, so maybe there some error with Battery control? Driver69, does the car ever switch into EV mode (or hybridmode with both engines operating) or is the petrol engine always running by it self?

[Timmon]

I never saw the 2.0ltr advertised as achieving 65 mpg, 1.8 ltr maybe. At the moment I am achieving around 48 mpg, in a mild spell 52 mpg, and last summer 55 mpg. I do little nose to tail driving, just a bit, mostly rural roads with 50 speed limit.

What I have found is don't use the Eco setting at all, unless you are in a city. Using the Eco setting on trunk roads will eat your fuel. Try using Normal mode only.

 

Also you say you heat to 22 degrees. That will be using much more fuel, with the engine needing to fire up to keep your water hot. I drive at 19 degrees, frosty mornings I treat myself to 20. If you need 22 degrees, that's fine, but just like at home, with a hybrid, you have to pay for having the heating on. It does make a difference, just sit on the drive when the engine has warmed up and shut down, then turn the heating up, the engine will fire up again.

As others said, the engine is also new which might reduce mpg for a while, but you also have to get used to cold temperatures reducing Battery efficiency, so on cold days, you will get less mpg. With Hybrid, you notice mpg changes far more than with an ICE only car.

That said, your mpg is low, so if you are not putting your pedal to the metal at every opportunity, and not driving everywhere in Eco mode, it is definitely worth having a word with the dealer, in case the hybrid computer is doing something odd.

[TonyHSD]

I think something is wrong here, it is not possible to get so low numbers 39mpg ok because of the obvious circumstances but 27-29 that’s not right. Maybe another calculation full tank to full tank at same garage. I keep mine heater set at 22C and don’t think consumption suffers much as in cold weather the ice will work longer to reach working temp, 22 degrees is not that high. Here we have 10-12mpg less than average expectations. 

[Timmon]

11 minutes ago, TonyHSD said:

I think something is wrong here, it is not possible to get so low numbers 39mpg ok because of the obvious circumstances but 27-29 that’s not right. Maybe another calculation full tank to full tank at same garage. I keep mine heater set at 22C and don’t think consumption suffers much as in cold weather the ice will work longer to reach working temp, 22 degrees is not that high. Here we have 10-12mpg less than average expectations. 

Agreed, it would be pretty hard to achieve 27 mpg, even if you drive like Lewis Hamilton, but I have never tried it! I do know I was shocked at how bad Eco mode is, I never use it, but would try it in London, maybe.

[Bikelife]

3 days and 300 miles in on a new 2.0 Design Tourer, a few heavy accelerations, keeping within 5mph of speed limits, 100ish mway miles, the rest 50/60/70 mph A roads and some town driving and I’m at 52mpg on the display.
I've been using the LTA and dynamic cruise a lot but don’t find the cruise quite as economical as it doesn’t read the road as well as a human. 

[Cjohnston1982]

I’d be checking my tyre pressures

[bigblock]

I have done 300 miles since delivery and getting 46 mph and the fuel tank is now 1/2 empty after starting with a full tank on leaving the dealer. I'm in normal mode and aircon is always on. Getting eco scores of 85/90 on my journeys. Being the Design version the wheels are 17inch and tyre pressures are 34 psi front and 32 psi rear. It really is all about the right foot and reading the road ahead. I keep to the speed limits. Eco icon is on a lot and Battery charge is showing close to full.most of the time. Enormous power reserve with the 2.0 lltre engine so I'm only feathering the throttle most of the time. It really is a fantastic car. Just watch that right foot.

[Louie]

My Corolla GR Sports 2L showed just under 190 miles used on half a tank. A bit measly but being a new car i understand it has to loosen up and I have to remember that winding the temp to 22c is not a good idea. I also have to get away from the mentality of driving my old Golf GTD  which delivered  its power in an entirely different "Germanic way". The Corolla is much smoother in many ways but delivers the "calhones" when required. My biggest problem is that having driven fairly nippy diesels for years and coming back to the petrol engine is a bit of a culture shock. If any one has any further hints or tips on getting the most economy out of a Corolla hybrid that would be very much appreciated.

[TonyHSD]

59 minutes ago, Louie said:

My Corolla GR Sports 2L showed just under 190 miles used on half a tank. A bit measly but being a new car i understand it has to loosen up and I have to remember that winding the temp to 22c is not a good idea. I also have to get away from the mentality of driving my old Golf GTD  which delivered  its power in an entirely different "Germanic way". The Corolla is much smoother in many ways but delivers the "calhones" when required. My biggest problem is that having driven fairly nippy diesels for years and coming back to the petrol engine is a bit of a culture shock. If any one has any further hints or tips on getting the most economy out of a Corolla hybrid that would be very much appreciated.

The hybrid cars drives different from just a petrol car which drives differently  from diesels.. we are in third category here and it’s exactly opposite to the diesel cars in terms of torque, acceleration and in general drivability. To get the most efficiency out of the hybrid technology best way is to watch some videos about Prius and how to drive economically. Corolla even in its 2.0 hybrid drive train it’s still very much a Prius under the skin plus having some extra hp when needed. Best is to avoid hard acceleration and braking, anticipating the road ahead , pulse and glide techniques are very important too., stick with speed limits and don’t race with other drivers, that’s pretty much of it. With the time you will get used to and you will find out that there is another way of fun driving experience with hybrids. 👍

[Louie]

Tony many thanks for your comments.  I am approaching 72 in March so don't do boy racing.  The only time i am heavy footed is when overtaking but  with 3 points on my licence garnered in an average speed camera zone by a 5 mph i attempt to avoid flagrant violations. I am an ex biker so speed is in my blood but my years act as a retardant.

I do quite a lot of pulse and glide round my local town albeit rather badly at present but dual carriages are my weakness however i avoid speeding for obvious reasons. My GR Sports reminds me slightly of my Honda CB750  bike namely power and noise delivery but then i have to snap out of it and remind myself its a 4 wheel vehicle i am in control of. One thing that impresses me is the Corolla's cornering ability which to my surprise is  superior to the Golf GTD MK7 i used to own which had a tendency to pitch and roll round corners weird or what. I am finding that using the brakes on my Corolla is something that takes some getting used too to put it mildly.

 

 

[nielshm]

The 18" wheels on the GR Sport cost 10% in fuel consumption. Further more, the sporty tyres takes a while to break in, before everything is running smoothly. 

I remember when I had new winter tyres fitted to my old Auris. It was like driving with the handbrake on, but with time things got better. 

[shufman]

Morning,

My old commute used to involve sitting in traffic for a good portion of the trip. It used to take me 45 mins to and hour to travel the 5.5 miles from work at rush hour! Most nights I’d go through the McDonald’s drive through for a coffee and sometimes I’d turn the car off if I needed to go in. The trip would say only 20-25 mpg over the first half hour which used to alarm me to say the least! The worst is 16 mpg over 30 minutes! 
But when getting back in and driving the rest it would say 50-60 mpg as I’d be moving slowly and the engine and heater were warm. The 2.0 is really sensitive to ambient temp, more so than the Yaris before it as when the engine actually runs, it’s needs quite a lot of fuel. 
So If you’re doing mainly short commutes in the cold then it’s probably about right - it’s taken 2000 miles or so for my engine to start to feel ‘loosened’ up - but I think as the weather warms, it’ll make more difference to the mpg than the Yaris. 
I do go up the motorway as bit now and out of that commute it’s settled at around 43-45 mpg which is fine I suppose for a 2.0 180hp car. 

[Catlover]

Some good posts above, and as Tony says, if you use the power of any car you use more fuel. The hybrid takes a different technique to get the best mpg. If an owner wants to use the power available to its full then they know they wont get any where near the quoted mpg figures. But I found it interesting picking up the knowledge to get the best out of my hybrid, and I do get very good mpg.  What I do not do is hold any traffic up to get the mpg I get. I wont be intimidated either by the tailgaters who are determined to push me beyond legal limits.  I learnt a lot from You Tube videos, mostly from America,  but apart from the lovely weather they have their most of the time, the principles are the same. I recommend newer ones to hybrid driving to take a look.               

Like Louie, I am 72, been a very keen motorcyclist in the past (raced on grass tracks), but now "calmed" down.  Like Louie I have had points on my licence for speeding, I have been on two driver awareness courses (and enjoyed them) and not looking for more. So long as I drive up to the speed limits, and most of all safely, I am happy - others can do what they like. But I dont crawl up to the speed limit just to extract the last mpg out of going slow.

[Bikelife]

4 days in and I did my first proper fill to fill fuel measurement yesterday, brand new 2.0 Design and as above it’s been a mix of 70-75 mph motorway and DC, 40-60 mph A roads and a good chunk of city and congestion, I’ve properly booted it with the CVT in sport a few times and don’t hesitate at junctions, driving mode set to normal, climate set to 19 eco & heated seats probably had an hours use, I’ve had a 65kg passenger for 200 miles of that tank, I’m 75kg and probably have 20kgs of work stuff in the boot    

The display read 50.5 mpg which compared to 50.1 mpg calculated from litres and miles, probably the closest in car display estimate I’ve seen in 27 years behind the wheel. 

I’ll definitely be more economical in the long term, once the engine beds in, and I’ve got more used to the longer distance the car needs to slow without brakes compared to my last car, I’m braking more than I’d like coming up to junctions, I’ve tried using the paddles to slow the car but that restarts the engine so detrimental to fuel consumption. 

[Driver69]

2 hours ago, shufman said:

Morning,

My old commute used to involve sitting in traffic for a good portion of the trip. It used to take me 45 mins to and hour to travel the 5.5 miles from work at rush hour! Most nights I’d go through the McDonald’s drive through for a coffee and sometimes I’d turn the car off if I needed to go in. The trip would say only 20-25 mpg over the first half hour which used to alarm me to say the least! The worst is 16 mpg over 30 minutes! 
But when getting back in and driving the rest it would say 50-60 mpg as I’d be moving slowly and the engine and heater were warm. The 2.0 is really sensitive to ambient temp, more so than the Yaris before it as when the engine actually runs, it’s needs quite a lot of fuel. 
So If you’re doing mainly short commutes in the cold then it’s probably about right - it’s taken 2000 miles or so for my engine to start to feel ‘loosened’ up - but I think as the weather warms, it’ll make more difference to the mpg than the Yaris. 
I do go up the motorway as bit now and out of that commute it’s settled at around 43-45 mpg which is fine I suppose for a 2.0 180hp car. 

My situation looks exactly as you described. Yesterday my wife did 40 mile trip, consisted from mix of country roads and traffic jams in the  small towns. She managed to get 52 mpg. It looks like that my problem is short distances I travel and may be  my right feet. Thank you guys for discussion an useful comments. Now I figured out whats happening, and definitely there is no need to challenge  the dealer.

[Driver69]

Still, the way they hooked be to by this car was 65 mpg promise. So it was just a trick to attract naive customers. The reality is always different from propaganda on the  mass media:) 

[FROSTYBALLS]

2 hours ago, Driver69 said:

Still, the way they hooked be to by this car was 65 mpg promise. So it was just a trick to attract naive customers.

At the end of the day, car manufacturers legally have to use the fuel consumption figures generated by whatever official testing regime is in force at the time.

The current system (World Harmonised Light Vehicles Test Procedure - WlTP) is supposed to more accurately reflect real world driving than the previous system (New European Driving Cycle - NEDC). However, the system cannot cater for every driving style or type of usage, is only intended to provide a standard comparison between models, and does not represent what an owner will necessarily achieve in the real world. 

The best it can provide is an indication of what fuel consumption may be achieved, and this has been the case ever since the NEDC was introduced in 1997.