Real World Mpg Pretty Disappointing

[Theo87]

I am new to the Owners Club and came on here to find out if I was alone. There are so many posting "I regularly get 60mpg" or "even pushing the car I never get less than 50mpg" or "I have done 700 miles from new and averaged 55mpg in my F-Sport" that I was starting to think that my car (Executive edition with upgraded 18" F-Sport alloys) has a problem! Relieved in a way to see the posts above (because it means that my car is normal) but must say I am surprised and a touch disappointed with the economy.

I have done just 400 miles in 4 weeks since new. Hardly anything I know! Yes it has been cold (average 5 degrees Celcius, heaters and heated driver seat on), yes my journeys are mainly to and from the station (3 miles, 10 minutes, up and down quite steep hill) but I am getting 30 mpg to the station and 25mpg home. I am driving like Miss Daisy, trying to hit the sweet spot as much as I can! On a bit more of a run I got 42mpg and doing 50 motorway miles today at 70mph (cruise control) I got 45mpg. Overall a disappointing 33.5mpg from new. The dealer says the engine will loosen up at around 8000 miles :-):-)

Initially I had the car in Eco mode, but Normal is better as it gives better torque and gets you up to speed (where you can tickle accelerator to maintain speed) more quickly.

That said I love the car to bits, and that is coming from an Audi S5 Quattro 3.0 supercharged where I averaged 24 mpg over 3 years of ownership and typically 25mpg to the station and 18mpg home. The IS is a totally different drive, more relaxed but just as much fun trying to improve my fuel consumption! Sounds like a gripe but not really, I just wish there was more "real world truth" in the Department of Transport published figures (no blame to Lexus).

Would appreciate any thoughts, but it sounds like I am not in as much a minority as I thought I was!

[tinka]

Trip home from Coventry to kent today, mainly Motorway and around 10miles A roads, the dis showed, 58.9, I’m chuffed with that, around 55-70 Mph.

And only see one other 3rd gen IS, a 250. Had a little smile, knowing how much fuel he must of been using. And I still adore the 2nd gen IS250 in Messa red.

[stevet]

Short journeys when cold kill the mpg. You will see an improvement when it gets warmer.

[LeeG]

That's normal.

I do exactly the same as you, 3 miles to the station. By the last quarter mile or so, the engine is warm enough and I can run in EV. In the summer, 70% of the journey can be in EV.

Winter, I'm getting around 30-35, in the summer more like 50+.

I drove to a client site yesterday, A1/M - M25 - A3, around 50 miles each way and averaged 52mpg for the return journey.

[Theo87]

I have the knack of tickling the throttle and also I am getting up to speed quicker now so that EV kicks in (when warm enough), but still not impressed with the MPG even on a 140 mile round trip to Kent on Friday. Started out cold, by time warmed up I was on M25 doing between 55-70mph so no EV there (though I guess the Battery does combine with the petrol engine even at that speed to reduce fuel usage). Did 50 miles on M25/M20 before heading cross country where I was using the pulse and glide method. Kind of similar way home, but not a reverse of same route. A bit more cross country. Overall MPG after 3 hours of driving at average 47mph was 43.5 mpg. And I was honesty doing my best to make that trip hit the overall 50mpg

Not bad, but definitely not good.

[michaelH]

You will get much better mpg in the summer, but in any case you are getting a good saving on VED because of the low emissions and the amount you would save by achieving better mpg figures would be pretty small. Does anyone else find that the average speed display is always surprisingly low?

[tinka]

Theo87, how many miles has your car done, if its still low, that may be why your not getting high MPG. Mine is on 20k, and I got 58.9, over 130 ish mile journey, so it is possible.

[Theo87]

Brand new in January so not broken in yet! There is obviously still hope....

True about the VED :)

[Blisteringblue]

The electric still helps when on the motorway though, there is no way a 2.5l petrol would get 50+ at 70mph otherwise.

It seriously will improve. I'm getting around 48mpg now for an full month average and it was closer to 55 in the summer. Still happy with both because I'm a company car driver and at current levels this is a totally free car to me :winky: