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1.8 Toyota Verso CVT fuel economy - Molehill

I purchased a 2014 Verso with a 1.8 CVT automatic gearbox a few months back. The fuel economy has been less than I expected especially considering the Real MPG on the site.

A couple of weeks of daily short trips in London got me ~24mpg. Up the M25/M1 with AC on and speed around 80mph I achieved 32mpg; on the return journey at night using cruise control for large parts at 75mph and no AC I got 38mpg.

The real mpg average on this site is 42.2mpg (almost the same as the stated 43.5mpg by Toyota) and yet I haven't had a single trip where I have got over 40mpg. This is all from pump fill-up calculations and not onboard data.

I am intrigued why my numbers are low. I don't accelerate very aggressively but maybe there is more I can do or check? Should I assume most respondants to the Real MPG drive at 60-70mph on the motorway?

1.8 Toyota Verso CVT fuel economy - badbusdriver

I have looked at the real Mpg section in this website a few times, and, while it may well be a good idea in principle, without a couple of amendments, it is not that useful.

1st problem is that there is no information on how many drivers have entered there figures for a particular car. The 2nd problem, which also ties in with the 1st, is that there is no indication of how the car is driven in what type of circumstances, i.e, if there has only been one contribution for any particular car, and that car is driven very gently in the country by an older driver, it isn't going to be representative of what anyone else can achieve. 3rd problem, which also ties in with the 1st and 2nd, is how the Mpg is being worked out?. If going by the trip computer, the figure is only as accurate as the trip computer is (i.e, not necessarily that accurate), and if the figure is actually being worked out by the owner, do they know the correct sum to translate the amount of fuel they are putting in, to Mpg?!.

If you could see how many drivers had contributed results for individual cars, and there was a lot (at least 50+), then you could safely assume that you will (or should) get similar Mpg figures.

1.8 Toyota Verso CVT fuel economy - peg

Hi,

I've owned an Avensis estate 1.8 CVT bought new in 14, driving around town locally get 36-38mpg when used on motorway 40-42..

I travel regularly Sheffiel to Tewkwsbury via Mway round trip 240 keeping up with traffic and while there do 200-300mile locally, 20-30mile trips (better consumption flatter terain than home).

As the Verso is possibly lighter than Avensis but more frontal area due to raised height would have thought you should get around the same. My figures based on computer so 3-4% possibly optimistic.

1.8 Toyota Verso CVT fuel economy - gordonbennet

Your figures sound fair to be honest.

Stop start London traffic is going to drink fuel, and any speed over 60mph unless the car is extremely sleek you are shifting lots of air and the volume of air you shift increases dramatically above 65 or so, our C2 VTS 16HDi would drop from near enough 60mpg at 60 to below 40 at 80mph.

Tyre pressures set at the high speed pressures?, tyres themselves a decent brand and type?

We can all improve our driving, simple way is to imagine you only have the parking brake so you keep your distance lifting off the throttle a long way from junctions and try to time your junctions so you have to brake only minimally and never actually come to a halt, maintaining smooth progress is always more economical.

One thing you could check is that the brakes are not binding, on a dual carriageway drive without braking for several miles at a steady speed then when you see a layby on an uphil section lift off early and, using the hill and manual gears for slowing stop in the layby without touching the brakes at all, then get out and feel carefully round the wheels hubs and discs/drums for heat, there will be warmth through road friction but the discs and drums (possibly drum inside disc rear parking brake on this model but only guessing) should be cool all round.

Edited by gordonbennet on 23/07/2017 at 18:03

1.8 Toyota Verso CVT fuel economy - corax

Have you checked that your brakes aren't binding? At the end of a journey feel the wheels to see if one is warmer than the others. I had a dragging caliper on my car and it was easy to spot being a manual -the car just didn't freewheel with the clutch down as easily as usual. Maybe you wouldn't notice with a CVT.

It's a possibility that it's been driven very gently before you bought it, and there are deposits building up in the engine. Maybe a good thrash (when warm) or running some injector cleaner through may help if so.

EDIT - gb beat me to it!

Edited by corax on 23/07/2017 at 18:09

1.8 Toyota Verso CVT fuel economy - gordonbennet
gb beat me to it!

only just, but brake checking is something i do regularly.

My favourite services for this is Leigh Delamare, the lorry tyres are all warm after couple of hours running when i get there en route to Bristol, i can slow up on the exhaust brake down through the gears all the way in and turning into the lorry park and then into one of the parking lanes brings it to a final halt without me touching the brakes at all, i then walk round feeling all the hubs and tyres for undue heat, get some odd looks mind :-)

1.8 Toyota Verso CVT fuel economy - corax

get some odd looks mind :-)

Very sensible to check your brakes, considering the amount of weight they're dealing with - all lorry drivers should follow your example.