Gas mileage of a 2015. 5.0

[J Dixon]

I see a lot of people quoting the listed mpg rating of the 2015+ 5.0 models which is 15city/23highway. When I first bought this car I was confident those numbers were low. Since then I have found the car capable of better mileage, so I hope this information is useful for anyone making a decision.

First of all, I don't use SPORT mode. Second, I don't treat every red light like a drag race. I drive somewhat "normal" and rarely exceed the speed limit by more that 8 mph (even less in slower zones). I also use 93 octane, although I have tried 87 and saw no significant difference in performance or mileage. If you drive "aggressively", the listed mpg ratings might be right.

Took a trip yesterday to Western Carolina. It's 165 miles one-way from my house. Heading west, it's increasing in altitude. With just myself and the wife in the car we averaged 26.1 mpg in about 85% highway conditions (during the sharpest incline of several thousand feet, the mileage quickly dropped by a full 1 mpg). On the return trip, decreasing in altitude, the car was loaded down with your usual college stuff and averaged 28.2 mpg.
I noticed that having the smart cruise on while heading down actually seemed to decrease mpg as opposed to letting gravity let the car increase speed and control it with braking. At highway speeds, Normal or ECO mode makes no difference.

Those are real life numbers and I hope they are helpful. Personally, I love this car.

 

[EdP]

. I also use 93 octane, although I have tried 87 and saw no significant difference in performance or mileage.
Those are real life numbers and I hope they are helpful. Personally, I love this car.

Your number sound good and make sense. What does not make sense to me is the use of 93 octane if there is no difference in performance. About $8 difference a fill up here. What are you getting for it?

 

[J Dixon]

Your number sound good and make sense. What does not make sense to me is the use of 93 octane if there is no difference in performance. About $8 difference a fill up here. What are you getting for it?

I agree that the price likely doesn't provide an economic answer. Here I typically use Shell, which is a top-tier gasoline. Their 93 octane is SUPPOSED to contain higher levels of detergents and I was used to needing it in my Z28. I take advantage of their program too, which saves me 10 cents per gallon (around $3.29 here for 93). I guess it's my equivalent of the Linus blanket!

 

[FlySwatter]

I see a lot of people quoting the listed mpg rating of the 2015+ 5.0 models which is 15city/23highway. When I first bought this car I was confident those numbers were low. Since then I have found the car capable of better mileage, so I hope this information is useful for anyone making a decision.

First of all, I don't use SPORT mode. Second, I don't treat every red light like a drag race. I drive somewhat "normal" and rarely exceed the speed limit by more that 8 mph (even less in slower zones). I also use 93 octane, although I have tried 87 and saw no significant difference in performance or mileage. If you drive "aggressively", the listed mpg ratings might be right.

Took a trip yesterday to Western Carolina. It's 165 miles one-way from my house. Heading west, it's increasing in altitude. With just myself and the wife in the car we averaged 26.1 mpg in about 85% highway conditions (during the sharpest incline of several thousand feet, the mileage quickly dropped by a full 1 mpg). On the return trip, decreasing in altitude, the car was loaded down with your usual college stuff and averaged 28.2 mpg.
I noticed that having the smart cruise on while heading down actually seemed to decrease mpg as opposed to letting gravity let the car increase speed and control it with braking. At highway speeds, Normal or ECO mode makes no difference.

Those are real life numbers and I hope they are helpful. Personally, I love this car.

Is your MPG based on the computer estimate or manual calculation? I have found the computer estimate to be 2mpg overly generous.

 

[J Dixon]

Is your MPG based on the computer estimate or manual calculation? I have found the computer estimate to be 2mpg overly generous.

Good old-fashioned calculator, but the car's estimated mpg was within .5 mpg as well.

 

[FlySwatter]

^^^Good to know.

 

[skipgen]

I've been pretty pleased w/ the mileage with my 5.0. Hovers around 17-18 with mostly city driving... I had seen as low as 15.6 in my old 2007 G35 sedan!

 

[jaywestgb]

I get 16mpg and split my driving on granny mode to 911 dispatch call mode

 

[Bourbonncigars]

Been getting around 19.4 according to the car. Haven't done an actual calculation yet. I drive in sport mode when I'm in town and normal on the highway. Probably a 70/30 split between highway and city.

I actually just got back from a rural backroads spirited drive. Used the paddle shifters and kept it in the higher RPM's. Was actually quite impressed with the pull out of corners from such a heavy car. Keeping the RPM's up made it act quite different. Very fun.

 

[Gen127]

I average around 18.3mpg with 85% city driving. Rarely use ‘Sport’ mode- unless I need it to merge rapidly. Usually Eco mode for most day-to-day driving. Short freeway commute. On long trips, I’ve get anywhere between 24-26mpg. I’ve found the car’s mpg display is consistently about 2mpgs higher than reality.

Premium fuel (91 octane) $4.48/gallon at my most recent fill up. For the past 58 fill-ups, the price I’ve paid for premium averages out to $3.85/gallon (thanks to the Fuelly app for keeping track of this stuff). No thanks to California & their pricey fuel!

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[armstsho2015]

I only get about 23-24.5 normally.
Extended idling kills it though.

 

[FlySwatter]

... For the past 58 fill-ups, the price I’ve paid for premium averages out to $3.85/gallon (thanks to the Fuelly app for keeping track of this stuff). No thanks to California & their pricey fuel!

I'm a fan of Fuelly too. I used to maintain a spreadsheet, but Fuelly is a much better solution.

 

[Smobien]

19-23 spirited driving. Had as much at 26 on long trips. The range computer is very optimistic when reset. 460 to a tank pftttt not likely

 

[glennk]

Inside the city, I'm clearing 16.5mpg. On extended highway trips, I'm getting 26mpg. Ironically, the same MPG I was getting on my Ford Taurus SHO with the 3.5 liter twin turbo.

 

[420Genesis]

I only get about 23-24.5 normally.
Extended idling kills it though.

19-23 spirited driving. Had as much at 26 on long trips. The range computer is very optimistic when reset. 460 to a tank pftttt not likely

Nice. Rural or city?

My 80k 5.0 in eco with a feather-touch right foot usually gets 18-20 in suburbs of Tucson, AZ day-to-day, but highway driving is usually 25+ according to the dash [auto reset off].

The instant mpg bar display reads 0-50mpg, but the displayed avg mpg records up to 100mpg (lol), so it can vary like crazy after being reset, and I think the default user option is to auto reset after every fill-up.

I like keeping it off so if I do drive like a hoonigan, it doesn't affect the larger average as much. That naturally aspirated, 5.0L Tau engine gets thirsty when you're really using all 420hp and 383 lb-ft of torque to move 5000 lbs in a breathtaking manner.

I did a few brimmed-tank mpg calculation when I first got my car about a year and 30k miles ago, and the dash avg added about 2mpg each time.
However, not every fuel-nozzle shut off is the same, and I only did how many miles i drove to half a tank divided by gallons needed to brim the tank.
1st was 179mi/9.4gal = 19mpg actual [dash reported 20.2]
2nd was 222/11.9 = 18.6mpg actual [dash reported 20.4]
3rd was 201/11.8 = 17mpg actual [dash reported 19.7]

I kinda wanna do it again now that I've put more miles on it, but this time use more fuel and the same fuel nozzle for less statistical error.

I did this on my mother's 2010 Prius when she first got it and found it was under reporting by about 6 mpg each time.
It averages 40-50 mpg tho, and it too only records up to 100mpg at any given time, even when the gas engine is completely off. and its off if the batt has charge and you're going under 42mph.
since the battery's only source of charge is the gas engine [non-plug in hybrid] it kinda makes since they did this calculation for a more realistic hybrid mpg.

Hey, at least we're not driving VWs right now, LOL

 

[FlySwatter]

Another thing I like about fuelly: Plenty of stats are provided, and not much effort on your part is required. Example screen cap below of some of the info fuelly automatically generates -- this from my 2015 from several years ago. Plus, there are a few different BBS-coded badges you can use; one of which I added to my signature this morning.

 

[Gen127]

Twenty-one cents a mile this past year. Average. (Fuelly)

 

[Jrothnet]

Wow, OP. I live in LA and am getting 15/23 in my 3.8. Granted, I drive like an idiot but I'm surprised.

 

[Bourbonncigars]

I just got the Fuelly app, but only to satisfy my inner data/numbers nerd. If I was really that interested in good fuel economy I wouldn't have actively searched so long for the right 5.0.

 

[EdP]

I just got the Fuelly app, but only to satisfy my inner data/numbers nerd. If I was really that interested in good fuel economy I wouldn't have actively searched so long for the right 5.0.

Nothing wrong with tracking, it can also alert you to a long term trend if it is slipping.

I do, however, snicker at some of the posts on any auto forum about fuel mileage. Such as:
I bought a 6000 pound car with the biggest engine available and drive in
sport mode because I can beat other cars at the stop lights. It does not get the same MPG as my wife's Corolla. What do you think is wrong with it?