getting better gas millage on my 2005

[benalexe]

My 2005 avalon does not get good gas millage around town. I maybe average 17 or 18 on the display and from what I understand the display is actually better than real world.

Anyway to improve gas millage. Would love to get 20.

My buddy has a brand new Lexus ES 350 and he gets around town 21, 22. He does use premimum though.

[MikeS.]

I'd say you have a problem. My 05 LTD gets 27mpg on 87 octane in mixed freeway and in town driving. Work is 13.6 miles away, almost exactly 50/50 split. I run the freeway at 70mph about 2200 rpm. The last 3 tanks I've averaged 27.4 mpg. I have about 55k miles on the car.

[limited05]

1 trick Ive noticed with my 05 is in the city if you can get up to 46 MPH and the tranny shift into 5th then slow down to about 40 and your RPMs will be about 1300. I have not documented it but it seems to work

[benalexe]

If i go on a road trip the car does very well. If I fill up before I leave and then hit the highway I will get about 30.

I do live close to my office 2.5 miles and then I may go on some round town trips etc. so I do not go highway that much.

[ManyMods]

Originally Posted by benalexe

If i go on a road trip the car does very well. If I fill up before I leave and then hit the highway I will get about 30.

I do live close to my office 2.5 miles and then I may go on some round town trips etc. so I do not go highway that much.

That's your problem.... The car is not even warmed up by the time you get to your office. You need a Smart Car

My wife drives 11 miles to work and she says we are getting 27-28 mpg. She does not go over 50 mph. She computes the mileage the old fashion way (gallons into miles driven between tanks). We get about 30-31 on the highway if we stay around 65-70 mph.

- Peter

[Amaury]

I don't think there's something wrong with benalexe's car as long as it performs within specs (or better) on the highway. What makes things go wrong is the city driving, which can varies tremendously depending on how congested one's city is.

I live in the heart of New York City where EVERY SINGLE intersection either has a traffic light or a stop sign not to mention gridlocks, which is an every-day thing. Under these circumstances no matter how conservative I want to be with my driving style I just can’t get any higher than 18 MPG at best. My brother lives 100 miles north of NYC; somewhat a busy town but not as much as NYC is, and when I spend a couple of days up there I notice the improvement in my MPG, sometimes reaching about 25 MPG.

Driving to Montreal back and forth from NYC the other day, in the first leg of the trip the avy averaged 33.1MPG; in the return trip, it averaged 34.1. Both trips included many stops (fewer in the return). Speed was about 70 mph for most part of the trip, one passenger and luggage for two in the trunk. Also all the numbers posted are the ones displayed by the trip computer.

Amaury
’08 Limited

[benalexe]

I could be wrong but i think the newer avalons are better on gas then the 05 I have .

[kraky]

how fast you pull away from the stop sign has a HUGE effect on mileage around town. We do great with our 06' but can take time pulling away from stops because of light traffic in our small town in rural wisconsin. ALSO--when the engine is warmed up it will upshift much quicker and keep the rpm low which adds once again to better mileage. I think your problem is related to having to keep up with faster traffic and an engine that isn't warmed up enough to let you "baby"the upshifting.

[Tom in Tacoma]

I think the 2.5 mile trip to the office is what's causing the poor mileage. The engine really doesn't get a chance to come up to operating temperature.

[Tigmd99]

Agreed with above...2.5 mile trip is what is getting you. Remember, the NEW (more accurate) EPA rating for the Avalon is 18 mpg city and 28 mpg highway. So, in essence, you are dead on with EPA rating. For combined (city/hwy), the EPA rates at 22 mpg.

[mandiees]

I think it is the short trips that are killing you, I have the same problem with mine... What does warming up the car do to help get better gas mileage?

[tonystewart]

Ever since our local station started using E10 blended fuel our fuel economy fell 1.9 mpg

28-30 before, 26-28 now

Anyone else?