Corolla Fuel Efficiency

#5
I have a 2000 5-speed and average 33-35 on my rush hour commutes (22 miles each way - 17 of them on the freeway but lots of stop & go). I usually get about 37mpg on road trips. And I'm a lead-foot...accelerate from stops quickly and when the road is open usually 75-80mph.
 
#11
Youch. It's designed to run with a catalyctic convertor and can actually not run as well without it, i.e. deliver less fuel economy. Just for informational purposes, (I'm a state licensed Inspector), doing that to a catalyctic convertor is a $4,500 fine, 30 days in jail, or both.
 
#12
well mine was cloged and glowing red after a 5 min drive. and i all so have the modal you cant keep a manafolded from cracking so with the leaks it already has and the 2 mufflers it come with factory i have plenty of back preasure and i getting 37 mpg out of a car with 295,000 miles on it I think i doing good. LOL as long as no one turnes me in for my converter but i live in MO. its not even a big issue as long as there is a shell there
 
#14
Concerning my '09 Corolla S, the car is stock. Only use 87 Octane fuel. No mods. I come up to speed gradually, let the trans shift when it wants without too much prodding on my part, and brake gradually, which, I believe, contributes to good mpg numbers. Seems to be working for me so far!
 
#15
Concerning my '09 Corolla S, the car is stock. Only use 87 Octane fuel. No mods. I come up to speed gradually, let the trans shift when it wants without too much prodding on my part, and brake gradually, which, I believe, contributes to good mpg numbers. Seems to be working for me so far!
Does your Corolla have an onboard fuel economy computer, telling you how many mpg's the car is currently getting, the average mpg's, fuel remaining in the tank, etc.?

My car does and it has taught me to be a much better driver regarding fuel economy. Accelerating up hills is a real fuel economy killer and cuts mpg's by better then half. I have also found that shifting the transmission into neutral and letting car coast down hills, (with the engine sipping fuel at idle, about 600 rpm), increases fuel economy up over 100 mpg! When the car has finished coasting downhill, I gently shift it back into Drive, let the transmission engage, (takes about 3 seconds), and then re-accelerate. No problem. I am able to get another 30-40 miles per tankful doing this and that's absolutely free. I don't recommend doing this in heavy traffic, as you may need to accelerate/take evasive action to avoid other cars, or during slippery/inclement conditions such as heavy rain or snow. But otherwise, just modifying my driving habits a little bit by coasting hills saves me hundreds of dollars a year in reduced fuel costs.
 
#16
Wifey had a 98 with a 5 speed , no problem to get 42-45 mpg highway,bit less around town of course. The 2010 with auto gets 33-36 highway.The way we drive I expected more than that auto or not with a newer car.
 
#17
Back in 1998+ we didn't have a big government *forcing* us to use ethanol in our fuel, (which reduces fuel economy about 10%). So the big government forces fuel economy to decrease and brainwashes the motorist into thinking that burning more fuel is, "good for the environment". :rolleyes: Meanwhile, reducing fuel economy 10%, this means that 10% more fuel is sold, which means, (drum roll), that the big government gets to collect 10% more in fuel taxes! A mandated 10% reduction in fuel economy also makes it much more difficult for the vehicle manufacturers to meet the, (again), federally mandated Corporate Average Fuel Economy laws, or C.A.F.E. When the vehicle manufacturers don't meet these C.A.F.E. numbers they are forced to pay millions of dollars in fines to the government. Golly gee, imagine that?! Just a coincidence I'm sure!

Meanwhile, with ethanol coming from corn, we are essentially burning our food and with a 10% federally mandated mix of ethanol in our fuel, this is also increasing the demand for corn, which means that per the laws of supply and demand, the price of corn is being artificially driven up! Corn is at the very heart of our food supplies and is used to feed cattle, pigs, chickens, turkeys, etc., and is used in virtually all bread products, etc., etc. This of course is causing food prices to skyrocket!

Amazing how that all works, eh?! :(
 
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#20
Good explanation Scott.Never thought of that of. I get this feeling your not a fan of in your face big government . ha. We have another thing in common I guess.
 
#21
Just went on a long trip and got 36.4 mpg on the way there with about 70% highway. On the return with about 90% highway i got 39.3 mpg. Needless to say I am very happy with this.
 
#24
I have a 10' and I get about 37ish highway and 32city. I'm pretty crazy about fuel efficiency and check tire pressure, keep in temperate conditions, and don't ride the brakes. It may not be a Prius but I'm happy!
 
#26
I have a 10' and I get about 37ish highway and 32city. I'm pretty crazy about fuel efficiency and check tire pressure, keep in temperate conditions, and don't ride the brakes. It may not be a Prius but I'm happy!
My car is equipped with an automatic transmission and when the car is going downhill for any length of time, I shift the transmission into Neutral, coast and then sit back and watch the onboard fuel economy gauge go zooming past 70 mpg! When the coast is done, I gently shift the transmission back into Drive, wait about 2-3 seconds for the transmission to re-engage and then just motor on down the road. Doing this can help the fuel economy average of my car about 2 mpg and gets me about 40 more miles per tankful, all for free. Note: I don't recommend doing this in heavy traffic or inclement/slippery weather conditions, as as to avoid a crash.

The Big Oil industry doesn't like me very much because I don't like donating my hard earned money to their greed and because I'm an AMSOIL synthetic lubricants dealer and this too reduces their massive profits! lol :D It's very gratifying helping motorist to save their money instead of donating it to the greed of the Big Oil industry. :)
 
#28
fuel

traded my 04 corolla s (standard shift) which had 185k miles. It regularly got 44 miles per gallon in town but dropped to 36 on the highway. I called it a miracle car!!! Just purshased a 2011 s automatic, 31.5 miles per gallon in town with 600 miles so far.
 
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#29
35 around town and 38-39 out on the open road BUT only if I'm driving carefully and using non-oxygenated gas. The Gasohol really knocks the crap out of my mpg....driving it down 10-15%...also less power overall and doen't idle as good.
 
#30
Ethanol in fuel is clearly a failed experiment and needs to be repealed. Seeing that the government collects more taxes the lower our fuel economy is driven down though, (using more fuel equates to more fuel taxes collected), that may be tough one.
 
#31
I have a 2000 5-speed and average 33-35 on my rush hour commutes (22 miles each way - 17 of them on the freeway but lots of stop & go). I usually get about 37mpg on road trips. And I'm a lead-foot...accelerate from stops quickly and when the road is open usually 75-80mph.
X2 I drove my 2000 5spd 43 miles one way to work and averaged 37mpg. Just bought a 2010 5spd with 5863 miles and waiting on the title so I can put tags on it. Hope to get the same mpg.
 

Ted

New Member
#34
I just got my Corolla S a few weeks ago. We took a round trip during spring break from Arkansas to New York state. Overall average mpg was 35.7, best was 37.9, lowest was 31.5. I'm very pleased with the performance of the Corolla on this trip.
 
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#35
I get 40.068 mpg which is roughly 10.6 per litre on a 2012 Model. My Average speed is 80Kmph. Not more and Not less, This is with the AC on all the time.
 
#36
I just got my Corolla S a few weeks ago. We took a round trip during spring break from Arkansas to New York state. Overall average mpg was 35.7, best was 37.9, lowest was 31.5. I'm very pleased with the performance of the Corolla on this trip.
Ted, did your MPG improve with each tankful?
There are several systems that work together.
It takes ten engine starts to build a table for your computer to learn your style of driving.
Also, as parts begin to break in, your mileage should steadily improve.
Just curious about your experience...
 

Ted

New Member
#37
I can't say mpg improved with every tank full. The trip to NY used 9 tanks of gas. I don't commute every day so the miles I put on are different from tank to tank. Starting the end of this week we are going to start traveling with a few trips and ending up in Wyoming in July. I'll be able to compare mpgs better at that time.
 
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#38
If you could do a spreadsheet on your mileage, make a few comments on your average speeds and traffic mixes, take a few pictures, this would make a great series for many of us. Sort of a home grown, reality forum, adventure.

Your driving style may change along the way, the price of gas might vary, roads, altitude and weather conditions will add to our interest, so keep us informed.

Wyoming is a well kept secret, so you might take a few snapshots at the Welcome sign before entering the state.

I would love to see a tumble weed.

Let us know how comfortable the rear seats were and if everyone could easily reach and could quickly find the extra clothing they had packed as the weather and altitude changed.

Also, did you have enough extra room to pack those 10 gallon hats, that each of you bought when you stopped to enjoy the local rodeo?
 
#40
I have also found that shifting the transmission into neutral and letting car coast down hills, (with the engine sipping fuel at idle, about 600 rpm), increases fuel economy up over 100 mpg! When the car has finished coasting downhill, I gently shift it back into Drive, let the transmission engage, (takes about 3 seconds), and then re-accelerate. No problem. I am able to get another 30-40 miles per tankful doing this and that's absolutely free. But otherwise, just modifying my driving habits a little bit by coasting hills saves me hundreds of dollars a year in reduced fuel costs.
Scott, My understanding is, you can not tow an automatic in neutral 50 miles, because you will burn up the transmission.
Perhaps this may have changed in the last few years, IDK.
The front wheels must be lifted, or the drive shaft disconnected.

It may not be good (Dropping your tranny into neutral).
It does more than just overheat the fluid.
There are several systems designed by Toyota to reduce the amount of fuel the engine burns while coasting.
If you had a manual transmission, you would save, but you would be constantly re-engaging your cruise control.

Just something to think about. I could be wrong (And very little would result from my being wrong).

In response to another fuel economy thread, I bet there are many ways to improve our MPG's without feeding our engines "high-fructose corn syrup" and asking it not to burp.

Note: we are not actually feeding our engines high-fructose corn syrup, I made that up, but you know what I am alluding to.

Oh My, Corn.....
Popping corn...
Argh!!!!!!!!!!!
How in the world can our leaders sleep at night?
Now, I am getting all worked up..
Genetically Modified Corn, is it safe? or is it toxic?
Lets burn it and see!
The cost of extracting a single BTU is 1.7 BTU's
So lets extract enough to feed all the cars in the USA 10 percent, no, lets make it 15%.. Yes, Yes, 15% is better, much better...
and feed the world with our surplus sugar cane. (Save the farmers)
We can convert our strawberry fields to corn fields forever!!!!


Okay, where were we? Oh Yeah, Lets drive responsibly and save the planet.
This response was made possible with funding from the real sugar cane, sugar extractors of America.
No actual animals were harmed during this testing.
 
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Ted

New Member
#41
Just got back from Wyoming. 3,058.1 miles using 85.936 gallons of gas for an overall 35.6 mpg. The highest was 38.7 mpg and the lowest was 32.1 mpg which I got while driving around Dallas. The lowest price on the road was $3.249 and the highest was $3.809. My price of gas at home today, and when I left, was $3.029. The grand, overall average for 32 fill ups is 34.2 mpg.
 
#42
I have a new Corolla about a week old. I drove from home to Dallas and back over the weekend, about 230 miles each way. I averaged 34.1 on the way up, driving about 70-80 mph and 35.3 on the way back driving about 65-75. The mpg was calculated miles/gallons, there was about a 1% difference between that and the computed, not bad.
 
#43
Have 10 Corolla S with automatic. Was getting 31-35 combined mileage depending on how I drove. Have had car sense it had six miles an I put 3 of those on myself. Changed muffler (young person style type) . Now mileage is 27-30. Coincidence or what? Opinions please! I should mention that I'm basing mileage off dash average mpguage.
 
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#44
I drove my Corolla from Pittsburgh to Hershey PA and back. Had the A/C on about half the time. Went the speed limit...65...most of the way. I calculated 41MPG!
 
#45
I also find that very impressive, as I have a 12' Corolla S (auto), with less than 1k miles on it and my past three tank fulls have averaged between (29-30) mpg. This is with 90% of the driving on the interstate with an average speed of (70 to 80) mph. I have read nummerous articles / blogs stating that it takes some time before the true fuel economy will shine through, but what kind of improvement can I expect in the future. As it is I am getting less than I did with my 99 Corolla LE (auto) that had over 230K miles on it when we parted ways.

I also noticed several "commentaries" on the impact of corn based ethanol in petrol fuel on fuel economy and I was curious if anybody had any referenced journals/peer-reviewed studies they could recommend. I live in KY and they use up to 10% ethanol as a "clean-air" additive in pretty much all of the fueling stations around my area. Thanks in advance for any input / information I can get on this!
 
#46
As a new vehicles engine breaks in, the piston rings seal better which provides more compression, more power and better fuel economy.

Ethanol contaminated gas reduces fuel economy about 10%, which is costing the average motorist over $300 per year in increased fuel costs, as well as driving up the prices of our food, as ethanol comes from corn. Burning our food/increasing demand for ethanol drives up the price of corn, which drives up the price the farmer/ranger pays for corn-based feed for their chickens, cows, pigs, etc., etc. Ethanol in fuel is a failed experiment and needs to be repealed.

I think the real reason the government has mandated ethanol in fuel is because of the 10% fuel economy reduction. Why? Because if the government can reduce the fuel economy of every single vehicle by 10%, they, (drum roll), then get to collect 10% more in fuel taxes as motorist are purchasing 10% more fuel!

When you want to know the truth, follow the money.
 
#47
2010 5-speed corolla S. I reset the av milage button the day I picked it up used and thus far have an average of 38.4 (over the 5K that I have driven since I bought it). My drive is 50 miles each way to work (highway and secondary roads) and I tend to "push" it a little harder than average......
 
#48
2013 Corolla S Manual getting 8.2 L per 100 klm round town with A/C on (it's only done 1,100 klm's) mind you I am still playing with it therefor not driving as eco as I could :D also I am pretty sure idle time effects the reading. Toyota claim 7.1/100 for it. and 6 something/100 for the auto.
 
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#49
Stock 2011 S Model w/ automatic transmission.

28 mpg fairly regularly in stop and go traffic.
33 or so on a few extended freeway trips.

This includes running AC about 8 months a year, and Defog for most of the muggy/foggy winter mornings in the South.

Some factors that you should account for:
1) Number of people you plan on hauling around. On a bigger engine it has less impact, but on a small engine if I drive a couple of family members in normal traffic the MPG drops to 26 or so. It doesn't affect highway as much.

2) Tire inflation. If you keep the tires inflated to 32 PSI you will probably get less, but if you thrash the tires up to the 35 PSI Toyota wants you to use then you will get a bit better MPG.

3) Driving style. I don't really drive mine all that hard, but I can definitely eek out up to 30 on my normal commute if I am really patient and piss off everyone around me. That doesn't mean I drive under the flow of traffic, but I definitely lay far back from the car ahead of me to lessen the start/stop nonsense by just kind of cruising.
 
#50
i have a new 2013 LE and on my first tank the computer says im getting 27.6 and its rising

126 on the OD right now 223 miles left in the tank so 350ish a tank id love to see where 30mpg will get me
 
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