62 replies to this topic

[dja55]

Don't get me wrong - I really do like the car. Also, if you accept that all manufacturers are doing the same - then we should still benefit from a Fiesta quoted at 67 rather than a.n.other quoted at 55 (for example)

What I am going to try and find out though is how they (not just Ford) are allowed to use such (accepted) misleading figures in their literature. Surely this goes against some kind of Trading Standards guides. There must be paramaters that they are required to stay within (or they may as well quote 100 mpg) - I am just curious to find whether this is +/- 30%

Please also don't assume I am simply very naiive on this - I have had a large No of cars that averaged from as low as 18mpg to 50+ ..... I have honestly been surprised that this Fiesta, ignoring the claimed 67 for a sec, is not getting any higher than 47!!

There allowed to do it as all cars are tested from the same standard. Yes the figures are unobtainable but you just have to use the same set of figures for each car to compare
So youll find most manufacturers are probably 20% out so knock that figure off all cars whether it be a VW, Alfa, porsche etc and whether it is a 1.25 or 2.5 or 5.0 litre

In saying all that, i still drive my clio 2005 1.5dci 100bhp and it never ever drops below 54mpg no matter how fast i drive it and on what roads. On the motorway i can get 62mpg if i stay between 60 and 70mph. Now those figures are not that far off the official figures. So i suppose sometimes you can drop lucky
ill keep you all posted as to what the wife and i get out of the fiesta 1.6TDCI but remember ive found the fuel computer to be 2mpg out. Tested it 3 times.

[hedgepig]

There allowed to do it as all cars are tested from the same standard. Yes the figures are unobtainable but you just have to use the same set of figures for each car to compare
So youll find most manufacturers are probably 20% out so knock that figure off all cars whether it be a VW, Alfa, porsche etc and whether it is a 1.25 or 2.5 or 5.0 litre

In saying all that, i still drive my clio 2005 1.5dci 100bhp and it never ever drops below 54mpg no matter how fast i drive it and on what roads. On the motorway i can get 62mpg if i stay between 60 and 70mph. Now those figures are not that far off the official figures. So i suppose sometimes you can drop lucky
ill keep you all posted as to what the wife and i get out of the fiesta 1.6TDCI but remember ive found the fuel computer to be 2mpg out. Tested it 3 times.

On a positive note my 1.6 has done 1100 miles now and I'm getting 40 mpg.

This is a combination of town / country driving but the book says 47.1 so I'm a bit lower at present.

However, it does take a few thousand miles (allegedly) for the engine to bed in and so I'm prepared to be quite patient with it.

When we went to Suffolk last week I got 44mpg and there was a lot of 70mph motorway driving in that.

I reckon you're right about the fuel computer though--best to check the old fashioned way!!

[ToolBox]

Hi I had a brand spanking new one of those whilst in the I.O.M working recently, what a superb motor, I loved it, my own car is a Focus, anyway whilst thrashing it around the TT course for a few laps (as much as the snow and ice allowed) I couldent get it to show below 61 mpg, I suspect your car is faulty, my old 1.6 tdci
focus on long trips 600miles round regurlaly returned 72mpg when driven concervatively with ecconomy in mind
Brian :

[dja55]

Fiesta 1.6TDCI 2800 miles and upto 51.2 mpg with mostly town driving around gateshead and a little a1 and motorway.. its improving slowly with normal day to day driving.

[Inked]

I've now done just over 3200 miles and am still getting around 48mpg on average.

[dja55]

I've now done just over 3200 miles and am still getting around 48mpg on average.

Try resetting your trip computer/mpg status back to 0 and see what happens. also try maually calculating it as it seems to be about 2mpg out mainly. ive done this 3 times and every time its been 2 mpg out

[Inked]

Try resetting your trip computer/mpg status back to 0 and see what happens. also try maually calculating it as it seems to be about 2mpg out mainly. ive done this 3 times and every time its been 2 mpg out

In car computer is saying 44mpg, worked mine out myself

[Malc Tulloch]

In car computer is saying 44mpg, worked mine out myself

I'm surprised that trading standards don't have a say on misleading fuel economy figures, if I sold you a bag of potatoes & told you there was 67 in it, you'd expect what was advertised, not 47 just because my neighbour's selling them at 47 per bag.
To me, that is a load of waffle, if they advertise 67 mpg, they should be able to tell you how you could achieve a similar figure.
We have a 2005 Fusion 2, 1.6 auto we bought 6 months ago & the mileage per gallon is a lot lower than the 1.6 Honda Accord auto we part ex'd for it, but we're stuck with it now.
Regards,
Malc.

[dja55]

I'm surprised that trading standards don't have a say on misleading fuel economy figures, if I sold you a bag of potatoes & told you there was 67 in it, you'd expect what was advertised, not 47 just because my neighbour's selling them at 47 per bag.
To me, that is a load of waffle, if they advertise 67 mpg, they should be able to tell you how you could achieve a similar figure.
We have a 2005 Fusion 2, 1.6 auto we bought 6 months ago & the mileage per gallon is a lot lower than the 1.6 Honda Accord auto we part ex'd for it, but we're stuck with it now.
Regards,
Malc.

Its not the poor mpg i would be worried about, it would be the fact that you bought a FUSION.

As for the mpg well we all know the truth about the figures by now so knock about 20% off the claimed mpg and just use the official figures for comparison.
enough said really unless someone wants to start a petition up

[Flash]

Hi all

I can report mine has crept up to 51 for a long Motorway journey (about 250 miles).

I think the next fill though is going to report a fall back to the 49 mark. I am going to take it back for the garage to run it over the diagnostics....see if that gives any joy.

Flash

[SierraYankee99]

Firstly you'll find Fords figures are formed on a rolling road not actual driving. This in mind, they wont have uphills to contend with, wind resistance, differing road surfaces. They also wont have any electricals on which undoubtedly you have. Tyre pressures affect MPG, fuel affects it even the damn weather affects it. Short answer is you will NEVER achieve near the figures quoted by Ford, well not unless you drive in a test area all the time. Worth remembering too, it can take a good 10,000 miles for a diesel engine to loosen up and get better mileages.

[dja55]

Hi all

I can report mine has crept up to 51 for a long Motorway journey (about 250 miles).

I think the next fill though is going to report a fall back to the 49 mark. I am going to take it back for the garage to run it over the diagnostics....see if that gives any joy.

Flash

Do not waste your time...
They will do absolutely nothing about it and say to you what has already been said on here.
I enquired about mine when having a few niggles fixed and he gave me a booklet on how manufacturers achieve the MPG. Fascinating read that clarifies that the only way to meet the official fuel consumption figures is.............. Oh actually You wont ever !!!!!!!!!

[hedgepig]

Firstly you'll find Fords figures are formed on a rolling road not actual driving. This in mind, they wont have uphills to contend with, wind resistance, differing road surfaces. They also wont have any electricals on which undoubtedly you have. Tyre pressures affect MPG, fuel affects it even the damn weather affects it. Short answer is you will NEVER achieve near the figures quoted by Ford, well not unless you drive in a test area all the time. Worth remembering too, it can take a good 10,000 miles for a diesel engine to loosen up and get better mileages.

I'd heard that the same is true of petrol engines as well?

[SierraYankee99]

Its the same for any engine. Manufacturers dont get their figures on the road they get them in the test lab under ideal conditions. We as drivers never have ideal conditions because a) theres always weather b ) road surfaces differ rollers on a rolling road are nice and smooth, no excess of friction.

[T13]

To stand up for the fiestas economy.

I have a new 1.6 diesel, and last night i was doing an economy run and managed to get 96mpg, this was on a straight road over a distance of 20 miles, driving along mostly sitting behind a lorry. mostly on a motorway but also included pulling off and going through my local village, also the car was low on motion lotion hence the frugalness of the driving.

Again today i was driving economically and over a 125 mile trip which was 90% motorway and included crawling in traffic for 10 miles i got an average of 64mpg.