cant good enough MPG

[spock072]

I have a 2008 Hyundai Elantra GLS purchased it in November 2008 and i have never ever gotten more then 30 mpg ,,and my car is primarily highway driving ( I have a long commute) i wonder if Hyundai mislead myself ( and possibly others ) about their mileage that their cars get..i used to have a 1998 staurn SL2 and would frequently get 35 mpg..and rarely below 30 mpg....help..how can i get my hyundai to get the mileage that it is suppose to

( sticker said 25/33 city/hwy )

[bowtieguy]

is this an auto or manual transmission? i'll assume it's an auto. the 33 mpg is based on non aggressive driving 55 mph and under. do you drive faster than this? also, does your city driving consist of many stop and go scenarios(and lots of idling)?

the biggest gains are achieved via driver mods(research here at GS), but you may also...
fully inflate tires to max sidewall recommendations
install a grill block
maintain your vehicle FULLY
shut you vehicle off at long red lights
use a/c sparingly
and more-again research here

i have a honda accord, bigger and less efficient than your elantra that averages OVER 30 mpg using tips here. using "hypermiling" many(most?) of us here EXCEED epa ratings for fuel economy. good luck and welcome!

[theholycow]

Originally Posted by bowtieguy

the 33 mpg is based on non aggressive driving 55 mph and under.

For 2008 the EPA changed the fuel economy tests to be more realistic including 70mph driving (with a peak of 80mph).

Not everybody gets all of the EPA rating, even the new 2008-style ratings. There's just so many things that can vary. The advice bowtieguy suggested is good.

It is certainly possible that Hyundai failed at accurate testing, or purposely fudged the numbers. The EPA doesn't test every model; in fact, even the manufacturers don't. The EPA spot-checks the manufacturers' testing, and the manufacturers don't test every configuration like they should. However, in my experience the EPA ratings are a pretty decent way to compare cars.

[spock072]

No the car is an automatic transmission...i keep the tires infalted properly...i do drive fast though....but i just think to have a 2008 hyundai and only get 28 mpg...when they claim 33 is just inaccurate..oh well..

[Dr. Jerryrigger]

Originally Posted by spock072

No the car is an automatic transmission...i keep the tires infalted properly...i do drive fast though....but i just think to have a 2008 hyundai and only get 28 mpg...when they claim 33 is just inaccurate..oh well..

Well stop driving so fast! Keep it between 50 and 60. Stop "properly" inflating your tires, and start inflating them to the max sidewall pressure. With these two things you'll likely get much better than 33.

[kamesama980]

going from "proper" 30 psi to sidewall max 44 psi on my moms buicks BOTH went from 28-29 mpg (cruise control 70 mph the whole tank) to more like 34 with 3 people and luggage for a week. speed aside, little things like how much you move the gas pedal to go up a hill or get around people make a BIG difference.

If you do even a little city driving badly (poor mileage) it'll throw off the whole tank and you'll average low even if your highway mileage is high.

[FrugalFloyd]

I average ~40 mpg in my wife's 2006 AT Elantra GLS on long trips - more in the Summer. See the following graph. Cruising at 55 mph gets ~40 mpg in all of my family's cars. Pushing them to 70 mph lowers all their fuel economy to the low 30s. 80 mph puts them all below 30 mpg.

[theholycow]

Since everybody is mentioning tire pressure (and I am the biggest fan of it myself), it is of course necessary to mention that you should do it cautiously; if increasing the pressure results in unsafe handling, intolerable ride, or excessively uneven wear then you should back it off a few PSI and see if that helps.

[bowtieguy]

Originally Posted by spock072

...i keep the tires infalted properly...i do drive fast though....

these are relative statements. as other members have eluded to, tire inflation could be a huge factor, and so could speed.

to clarify, you could benefit from using the max TIRE pressure recommendation, NOT what's recommended on your driver door. ie, your door sticker may state "35 psi" where as your tire could be as high as 44 to 51 psi.

driving fast, let's consider that: pure, excessive speed is detrimental in itself, but do you speed to red lights? do you accelerate WOT(wide open throttle) often?