Fuel economy is based primarily on commute type and driving patterns. "City" mpg still assumes the car moves.

If they do lots of short trips, lots of stop and go, or sit in gridlock for long periods, there is really nothing they can do except try a hybrid. Cold weather also generally reduces fuel economy as the vehicle takes longer to warm up and get into closed loop. Some areas also use winter fuel, which is known to reduce economy further.

Avoid jack rabbit starts, coast in gear, leave earlier to avoid grid lock, and performing normal maintenance will all have a positive effect. There are also many other hypermiling strategies one can use to increase fuel economy.

On a 1ZZFE car in the colder months, intake gasket leaks show themselves. Consider the following:

Inspect and replace the intake manifold gasket (if not orange)

Inspect and replace the air filter (if excessively dirty)

Replace spark plugs (if they have over 120K)

Replace engine coolant (if it has over 100k)

Switch to a thinner synthetic oil if temps are really cold (0W20 or 0W30)

Inspect the front and rear brakes for dragging

Monitor engine fuel trims to see if the engine is running optimally and expose any issues (bad sensor, etc.)

Add a real time fuel usage gauge to help with managing driving habits (UltraGauge, ScanGauge, etc.)

Reduce vehicle weight (remove excess items, get lighter wheels, etc.)

Change to Low Rolling Resistance (LRR) tires

Please consult the following links:

http://www.toyotanation.com/forum/1...6-read-first-official-9th-gen-corolla-1st-gen-matrix-diy-forum-info-sticky.html

http://www.toyotanation.com/forum/1...official-ultimate-2003-2008-corolla-matrix-pontiac-vibe-maintenance-thread.html

http://ecomodder.com/forum/EM-hypermiling-driving-tips-ecodriving.php

Hope that helps.

 

.... only going 250-275 miles on a full tank in the city exclusively.

And there's the problem. In city driving with my 05 I get really poor gas mileage. Mostly because I have a lot of stop signs and red lights so I'm lucky if I get better than 24 to 26 MPG per tank of pure in city driving.

The previous poster hit all the highlights. One's driving style/habits are a key factor in how good or bad one's MPG is going to be. There is only so much you can to on the hardware side when throwing money at replacing or upgrading things. In the end, if you only drive in the city and have lots of stops while driving in that city your mileage will be on the lower side.

 

I find fuel brand has a lot to do with mileage as well... I got extra mileage when I switched to the Costco branded fuel in my area, used to do a different brand before that, but I think additives and cleaners plus "Winter" fuel had a lot to do with it.

With that being said, looks like you're getting close to what I get on my XRS with the 2ZZGE, and I use premium as well as required... Your car should be getting a bit more, from what I've read others with the 1ZZFE Corollas get.

I agree, do a tune up (plugs, filter, etc) and also I bet eventually one of your O2 sensors will finally go, could be the reason why you're getting that MPG.

 

44 PSI is way too high, it should be around 32. You'd be surprised how much of a difference that can make. Check the driver's door jamb for the recommended PSI.

 

Sidewall Pressure states 44 psi COLD. We don't live in a snowy climate. 32 is way too low despite the manufacture recommendations.

 

Please, do not buy hybrid for city only driving. I mean, Prius will get you better mpg no matter what, but as a principle, hybrid is not at its best in city only driving, no matter what they estimate it to and they already started changing that. Finally new Camry hybrid is rated LOWER mpg city than HWY.

With due respect to hardtop post, driving style, vehicle condition and load carried is about 3 major factors influencing mpg.
I mentioned this place else but it is my observation that American drivers somehow developed a strange city driving technique - pedal to the metal when light turns green, slam on brake pedal right before the next light that turned red. I witnessed this many times, various drivers, even my wife somehow soaked this into herself, though she's not even American. Must be some egregorial thing here. This driving style is devastating on mpg.
But, so drives my in law and he drives about 10 yo Corolla and she still gets around 28 mpg. I mean, I'd rather walk than be passenger in his car, yet - it's clearly better mpg. But it's dealer and yours truly serviced religiously.
That leads to second variable. Vehicle condition. That I don't know. Really, it needs to be scoped by a smart technician for hidden issues. Say, poor compression.Poor catalytic converter function. Car sort of drives but... Sort of. Like my Dodge RAM. Sort of drives but it's a drag. At this point, this is unknown factor.
Loads carried. Vehicle loaded with 5 people every time or used for deliveries, with continuous engine turn on/turn off will never give good mpg.
That said, it needs to be really investigated as, truth be it, my same RAM does 13.8 mpg. Something's not right with that Rolla.

 

The value the tire sidewall shows is the MAX pressure the tire can safely handle as per the tire manufacturer. Toyota recommended pressure on the door jamb should always be used regardless of climate for normal driving. Ask any good tire shop about this, they will confirm.

 

Wrong, the sidewall on these specific tires clearly states 44psi COLD in bold letters. Which is maximum pressure when tires are cold that allows safely a 5-6 psi rise when warmed up without being unsafe.

 

I don't doubt that but re-read the post to get its point. Here's a helpful link and quote too.

https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=8

"The pounds per square inch (psi) pressure number branded on the tire's sidewall identifies the maximum cold inflation pressure that specific tire is rated to hold. However, the tire's maximum pressure is not necessarily the correct pressure for every vehicle upon which the tire can be used (almost all vehicle manufacturers' recommended tire inflation pressures are less than the tires' maximum pressure).
Therefore when checking and adjusting tire inflation pressures, the "right" inflation pressures are those provided by the vehicle manufacturer, not the "maximum" inflation pressure branded on the tire's sidewall. The vehicle manufacturer's pressure recommendation can be found on the vehicle's tire information placard label, as well as in the vehicle owner's manual."

Wrong, the sidewall on these specific tires clearly states 44psi COLD in bold letters.

 

CA probably uses oxy fuel

 

it gets to -30C here sometimes (whatever that is in Fahrenheit is COLD lol) yet I've never put my tires at 44psi, lol... always kept them at between 30-35psi.

Stated sidewall is MAX PSI not recommended... look at the sticker on the door jamb for recommended PSI for your tire size/vehicle size. :|

 

it gets to -30c here sometimes (whatever that is in fahrenheit is cold lol) yet i've never put my tires at 44psi, lol... Always kept them at between 30-35psi.

Stated sidewall is max psi not recommended... Look at the sticker on the door jamb for recommended psi for your tire size/vehicle size. :|

-30 c = -22 f

 

I just can't understand people like this thread starter. Apparently he/she doesn't know how to determine just what fuel mileage they are getting and only going by how far they can go until refueling time. The tire sites and owners manual all say what tire pressure should be and yet they argue with people who are trying to correct their wrong thinking.

 

To the users talking about tire pressure - The problem isnt the high tire pressure. Higher tire pressures decrease rolling resistance and improve gas mileage. There are other reasons the MPGs are low, and 44 PSI is not the reason at all (if that's why you're bringing PSI up).

However, going over 44 PSI is not good, using lower than that only increases comfort while driving, decreases MPGs, and decreases tire life if the PSI is too low (same with going over). I run near those pressure with no issues at all and i get 400-500 on a tank of gas.

 

The Automatic transmission on the 05 Corolla only does well on long highway drives where 40 MPG is possible. Under most conditions, mid 20's to low 30's is normal.

The manual can do MUCH better around town, especially in stop & crawl conditions. A great car for hypermiling.