I have a 2014 Sonic that is a 1.8L AT, and I have some things to share about its fuel economy. I often glance at my trip odometer and the fuel gauge, noting how many miles it takes for the fuel gauge to drop 1 bar. I just topped off my fuel tank today and reset both the trip odometer and average MPG to manually calculate fuel economy the next time I fill up (last time I did, I got 34 mpg, which is okay).
Below are my observations after having the car for about 6 months.
If I drive very conservatively (by accelerating slowly and gradually, maintaining my speed to conform to speed limits, etc.), I can go between 27-34 miles per fuel bar. However, if I drive like a stereotypical teenager would (accelerating fast, making the engine rev unnecessarily in the process), I've seen the fuel bar drop one bar after only about 15-20 miles since the last bar drop. I only use 89 octane gasoline in my Sonic.
Since the Sonic holds 12.2 gallons of fuel and the fuel gauge displays 12 bars, it makes sense that each bar roughly represents 1 gallon. It's worth noting, however, that my average MPG always reads in the mid- to upper-30s, no matter how I drive it. Sometimes I drive one way that is 150 miles long (90% hilly highway hovering around 60 mph), and I find that no matter how I drive it during that trip, it always uses 4 bars of gas between departure and arrival.
The scenario in the third paragraph leads me to believe that the Sonic is extremely sensitive to the way we drive it. Drive it like you baby it, and you'll get great MPGs. But drive it like a race car, and watch your fuel bars plummet.
Has anyone noticed the same thing?
Below are my observations after having the car for about 6 months.
If I drive very conservatively (by accelerating slowly and gradually, maintaining my speed to conform to speed limits, etc.), I can go between 27-34 miles per fuel bar. However, if I drive like a stereotypical teenager would (accelerating fast, making the engine rev unnecessarily in the process), I've seen the fuel bar drop one bar after only about 15-20 miles since the last bar drop. I only use 89 octane gasoline in my Sonic.
Since the Sonic holds 12.2 gallons of fuel and the fuel gauge displays 12 bars, it makes sense that each bar roughly represents 1 gallon. It's worth noting, however, that my average MPG always reads in the mid- to upper-30s, no matter how I drive it. Sometimes I drive one way that is 150 miles long (90% hilly highway hovering around 60 mph), and I find that no matter how I drive it during that trip, it always uses 4 bars of gas between departure and arrival.
The scenario in the third paragraph leads me to believe that the Sonic is extremely sensitive to the way we drive it. Drive it like you baby it, and you'll get great MPGs. But drive it like a race car, and watch your fuel bars plummet.
Has anyone noticed the same thing?
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