2010 C30 1.6 start/stop fuel economy query
 

After 11.5k miles and just returned from a driving holiday in Bavaria (adding 2k miles) - driving from Munich to Calais at a steady pace in one go, we have reached an average mileage in the low-mid 50's, this is way off the 'claimed' mileage. I was reading with interest the fuel curve thread, but to be honest baffled me a little so need to re-read. It has just been booked in for its first service and the service guy made an off the cuff remark that we shouldn't expect the car to start achieving any more than we are now.

I find it really amazing, that although the cars for the tests have been fully optimized, how the claims can then be so wildly out - being upto 35% out - surely that is against some falso marketing/statement protocols?

The blurb states that the mileage for our model is as follows:
urban 60, combined 70, extra urban 80 and the marketing stating that with the new 2010 1.6 start/stop drivE models you can go from London to destinations upto 857 miles away on 1 tank (based on combined cycle): http://www.volvocars.com/uk/all-cars.../5-things.aspx

My stepfather had a large, heavy Mercedes C220 with the very heavy dual (manual/auto) gearbox and he is averaging 56mpg, which for an 8 year old car of that size is pretty amazing I think. Also, we have a 2001 Skoda Fabia 1.9tdi which is about to clock up 160k, but still averaging 54mpg (spreadsheet kept since 2002, of all tank fills and mpg) which is why I'm so flabberghasted that with engine development/start-stop technology/effeciancies the C30 drivE models are pretty inefficient, and a consequence of the times - over hyped marketing statements?

Although it doesn't seem like it, we love the car very much, we are just pretty dismayed at the mpg, and we could have spent 1/8th price to get the same mpg.

We do not have the aero wheels, and yes we do use the aircon, but not to freezing temperatures - generally about 20/21 degrees.

Is anyone else having the same thoughts and has anyone any comments?


Previously read, and to re-read:
http://www.volvoforums.org.uk/showthread.php?t=66660&highlight=mileage+start+sto p&page=5

also just found this site: http://www.vcacarfueldata.org.uk/sea...s.asp?id=24227 states a higher mpg by 1mpg to that which Volvo claim i.e. 85.6 mpg for extra urban!

My thoughts is.. they were LYING!

(to get you to buy a new car :) )

Perhaps not totally relevant, but we just tested the V50 eqv. of your C30. It was brand new with about 120 miles on it when we got it and we returned it with around 160 miles on the clock.

I have no idea how it had been driven before we borrowed it, but the overall consumption said 6.7 litre / 100 km (40 mpg) when we started and 6.2 (43.5 mpg) at the end of our drive. I guess the drive we made mimics reasonably well what is called the extra urban cycle (which isn't constant speed by any means). This suggests 58 mpgUK or less than 4.7 l / 100 km for our stretch.

Even allowing for some computer glitches, I found that quite impressive for a new and thight engine.

We ordered an S40, however, since we prefer saloons. But the D2 without the stop/start and with 6 extra hp and 30 extra Nm from the 1.6 litre diesel. Sadly, I must wait until October/November before I can say how it will perform over time.

an old 2002 S60 or V70 D5 will do nearly 60 mpg if you want it to .
I have seen several V50 drivE 1.6 D models ( Not C30 which have extra aerodynamic devices underneath so should be even more economical ) showing average fuel consumptions of upper 60's mpg so it CAN be done . whats your average speed showing in the trip computer by the way ? You will need it to be over 40 mph to obtain the figures near to what you are looking for , and no significant hills , and not going over 2000 rpm and barely pressing the throttle over 1/3 of its travel ..... when you are cruising at 60 mph on the motorway on the flat the instantaneous mpg is usualy showing 99+ mpg so from this alone you can see the reported figures are obtainable ... But maybe not quite as good for you if you live in a hilly area or do short journeys with a low average speed ... One of the road tests i read in a magazine were very disappointed with the mpg of their C30 drivE test car , it averaged 88 mpg when volvo said it should only do 82 .....
did you reset your fuel computer before you left for your trip to Bavaria ? if you have been driving at home in less than ideal conditions for a long period and got the average to 55 mpg from new then its going to be almost imposible to raise that with a relativly short trip abroad ..
Stop/Start is worth an extra 8% saving if you are in traffic a lot ... so thats around 4 mpg if you are averaging 55 mpg ...

My 1.6D Drive without S/S does about 80% motorway driving and started off returning about 54mpg but now with 5000miles ish on the clock is returning 58mpg+ (have seen 63 after some journeys). I cruise at satnav 70 (about 74 on speedo) on motorway but don't take it easy off elsewhere, it does seem to be improving a little with each tank of fuel.

try sticking to 60 mph it will make a remarkable improvment ...

Less than 60 will be ultimate speed for a flat smooth road. As soon as hills come into it then sometimes faster than 60 is better as momentum on hills is always a good thing. YOu certainly don't want to accelerate or use the throttle to maintain a given speed when you don't have the benefit of some inertia.

The other thing that anyone wanting to achieve good eceonomy must learn, is the effect of throttle position, engine revs and road gradient on fuel useage.

If you have computer ( and in my opinion every car should have one especially eco models) then always drive with the instananeous value displayed. This way (providing you monitor closely) you will learn how to get the most out of your particular car as you'll learn specifically how your driving style effects fuel useage.

Only then can you modify your driving style to attain best economy.

My 1.6 drive (not st/st) is averaging 69mpg over 13k miles and this is with an accurate measure from tank fill, not computer.

I have managed to see 90mpg indicated over a 65 mile trip under ideal conditions, but that was trying and of course I didn't take an accurate redaing by filling tank etc.

My conclusion is that these cars are brilliant and I'm extremely happy with mine.

Would drive me nuts driving 60 on the motorways, am happy if I can get around 60mpg which doing 70 is just about achieving which seems like a reasonable compromise between speed/economy.

Thanks everyone for all the useful information. As we've been back from holiday for a week we haven't got just the holiday av. mph which is a shame.

But over all from back and forwards to work this week we're averaging 38mph and 54.3 mpg. Living in the 'Fens' there are no stresses for the car as regards hills and the car is driven 26 miles e/w for work on reasonable roads. It gets very little motorway traffic and our time on the autobahn's would probably have been the most motorway miles it has seen.
From new in December it started off averaging 51mpg and we've weekly readings from then on when it has been as low as 47mpg and as high as 56.5mpg the latter was in April on a run to Bath and back.

So it does look like the car would perform best on a dual carriageway (not as fast as motorway, but less inconsistent than a standard road). Even so, we do like the car very much indeed, but perhaps having known as much in advance would have been a good thing.

Thanks again!!