[22over7]

G’day All.
I’m wondering if anyone can give me any i30 specific fuel economy tips or tricks (GD, 1.8l petrol & auto hatch).

I’ve been driving to maximise fuel economy for some years now, so I think I have the general driving style worked out (although I still have trouble controlling my right foot at times).
What I’m after are any quirks the petrol engine & 6 speed automatic have that can be exploited to squeeze those extra kilometres from each litre of fuel or any known issues that might be limiting economy.
I realise that this isn’t the best engine and gearbox combo for chasing economy, but there were other factors in play when I chose this vehicle.

My commute is 51Km each way, mostly highway and motorway with a 600 metre elevation change, so the car uses much more fuel one way than the other.
Another factor of my commute is time. I work nightshift, so traffic is light most days, but I have to run with headlights on and ambient temperatures are lower.

I’ve applied a few tricks that have worked in previous cars such as increased tyre pressure, partial grill block and warm air induction, but as winter temperatures drop it’s getting harder to keep average fuel economy (calculated tank to tank) at my target of 6 l/100km, or lower.

Can anyone more familiar than I am with this model suggest anything to help?

[Dazzler]

Wow! 6.0 L/100 kms is a low target for an Auto 1.8 petrol! I think at that figure you should be the teacher, not the student.

Despite having had 4 x i30's in 11 years, I've never owned a 1.8 litre auto GD but have driven them as rentals.

My only suggestion would be to leave 5 minutes earlier and drive say 5 kph slower. We find this makes a noticeable difference as my wife drives 5 or 10 kph slower than me on highways and definitely averages a lower economy figure on most occasions. 

[CraigB]

I don't think you could do much better than 6lph that's definitely lower than what the factory suggested usage is and about what I get in the 1.6 ltr.

[22over7]

My only suggestion would be to leave 5 minutes earlier and drive say 5 kph slower. We find this makes a noticeable difference as my wife drives 5 or 10 kph slower than me on highways and definitely averages a lower economy figure on most occasions. 

I agree that lower speeds help - as long as you can stay in 6th gear.
The M4 motorway is mostly 80 kph zones now due to roadworks, that really helps. Where it drops lower for night roadworks (40 or 60 kph) the auto wants to change to 5th (or lower if it's uphill) and that really hurts.

@CraigB , I could easily get lower than the official highway figure for my last car, I was hoping this one would at least come close as most of my driving is highway conditions.

[Dazzler]

I'd love to see what you'd get in a new PD model. Fuel economy has not been a strong point for Hyundai except for their 1.6 Diesel. The FD petrol models 4 speed Auto and GD 6 speed petrol models were both very average in that regard. Love to see what you'd get in a PD petrol 7 speed DCT version. The DCT is inherently more efficient than a torque converter auto.

[Hati]

The only universal advice to improve fuel economy is accelerate slower. That is the single biggest thing apart of drive at slower commute speeds. IIRC 90 km/h is magic number where most cars are the most economical. To get there though you really need to learn to accelerate like a granny.

[The Gonz]

1. Drive 10% slower
2. Accelerate as if your foot is is on an eggshell
3. Decelerate as if you have no brakes
4. Use cruise control every moment you have clear road, at any speed.

[Dazzler]

1. Drive 10% slower
2. Accelerate as if your foot is is on an eggshell
3. Decelerate as if you have no brakes
4. Use cruise control every moment you have clear road, at any speed.

I think number 4 depends on the car. My Auto cruise in the PD accelerates and decelerates very gently in normal mode, but I have had other cars where the cruise was a lot more aggressive than a careful driver. 

[22over7]

The only universal advice to improve fuel economy is accelerate slower. That is the single biggest thing apart of drive at slower commute speeds. IIRC 90 km/h is magic number where most cars are the most economical. To get there though you really need to learn to accelerate like a granny.

In my previous ride (a manual) accelerating slowly helped, depending on road conditions, in the auto it works against you.
I find getting into top gear as soon as reasonable is more important. That means taking off smartly, then backing off as soon as the gearbox will hold 6th.
I agree with the 90 kph "magic number". 80 kph is fine on level roads, but in rolling hills 90 kph has the greater ability to climb without dropping back a gear.

[22over7]

1. Drive 10% slower
2. Accelerate as if your foot is is on an eggshell
3. Decelerate as if you have no brakes
4. Use cruise control every moment you have clear road, at any speed.

1 - Yes!
2 - Not always. See the previous reply.
3 - Yes!
4 - That probably works on reasonably level roads - I live in the Blue Mountains, there's no such thing as level roads for more than 100 metres.

I've driven down the mountains to work in Western Sydney for most of the last 35 years. By now I know exactly what speed to take the bends, how hard to push up hills, where it's reasonable to coast, cruise control can't anticipate what's 100 metres ahead the way an aware human can.

Something I should make clear is that driving below the PSL, using engine braking instead of the foot brake, etc, has to be used (or not) as changing driving conditions dictate.
Most of my commuting is in light traffic conditions, so I can get away with doing this without holding up other road users. Gaining a few extra kilometres per tank isn't worth becoming a road rage victim. Please use anything I say with regard to Your particular driving conditions.

Pete.

[The Gonz]

Everybody's circumstances are different. What I posted is what I do and I achieve 4.1 on the econogauge

[Dazzler]

Everybody's circumstances are different. What I posted is what I do and I achieve 4.1 on the econogauge

The parts of South Australia and Victoria you have lived since you've had Firty are relatively flat. I got some impressively low numbers in the PD when I did those areas.. 

[22over7]

This is the first car I’ve owned with a trip computer and I’ve read conflicting comments about the accuracy (or not) of the factory fuel consumption readouts. I’d like to hear from any GD owners what they think of the average and instant readouts.

I’m using them to track each tank, resetting manually every time I fill the car. Although I find the average fuel consumption hopelessly optimistic, it and the instant readout still give useful feedback as to how I’m performing.

I try to drive using two or three bars of the instant readout while descending through the mountains and then on the motorway. On the way home, climbing, I still try for three or four bars but there are long stretches where I just have to accept heavy usage of course.

Is there someone with a Scangauge or similar who can comment on what each bar of the instant readout really indicates?

[mickd]

Hi,
You live in the BM 's , enjoy the  downhills   
No doubt also have the "thrill" of Sydney traffic    .
Ex -Camden myself.
Economy will vary widely for you. Our GD will get anything from 6.0 to 10.0 per 100km depending on the traffic and terrain. 1/2 - 3/4 throttle is ample for nearly all occasions.  Sit back, crank the tunes and enjoy the car and the forum   

[galixia]

My PD active 2lt auto sits on 8.2lt. That's driving from the suburbs into the CBD everyday and back home again so a mix of light traffic to standstill in parts. I don't use the eco mode or drive caring about my economy and that's what i get. I guess when the engine breaks in a bit more i can expect better economy. If i tried i think i would be able to drop atleast a liter off.

Still much cheaper and quicker to drive myself than use public transport. Less than $40 a week in fuel. Or public transport is $66 a week.

[Dazzler]

I've done over 58,500 kms in 23 months in my 1.6 T SR. The Trip computer says I've averaged 7.2 L/100 kms for the last 15,000 or so. Prior to that I think the trip computer average (long term) was 7.3 L/100 kms. When I've done manual calculations it was about .1 or .2 worse. Which means I'm averaging around 7.4 which is exactly in line with the ADR figure.

I tend to be a tight arse but because the SR is sporty I drive it harder than my previous Diesel i30 and two Hybrids. I used to drive them more fuel efficiently trying to better the official figures. More like 22over7 is doing now.

Interestingly, My 2008 i30 CRDi SLX was rated at 4.7 but I wasn't able to do much better than 5.4 in hilly old Tasmania. The first Hybrid (2010 model) was rated at 5.7 I think and I could only manage 6.1 and the 2nd one (2012) was rated at 5.2 and again i couldn't match that (was getting about 5.7) from memory, despite my best efforts. The new one I have coming is rated at 4.2 (i'll be happy if I can keep it under 5.0! 

[The Gonz]

More like 22over7 is doing.

Easy as pie.

[galixia]

I've done over 58,500 kms in 23 months in my 1.6 T SR. The Trip computer says I've averaged 7.2 L/100 kms for the last 15,000 or so. Prior to that I think the trip computer average (long term) was 7.3 L/100 kms. When I've done manual calculations it was about .1 or .2 worse. Which means I'm averaging around 7.4 which is exactly in line with the ADR figure.

I tend to be a tight arse but because the SR is sporty I drive it harder than my previous Diesel i30 and two Hybrids. I used to drive them more fuel efficiently trying to better the official figures. More like 22over7 is doing now.

Interestingly, My 2008 i30 CRDi SLX was rated at 4.7 but I wasn't able to do much better than 5.4 in hilly old Tasmania. The first Hybrid (2010 model) was rated at 5.7 I think and I could only manage 6.1 and the 2nd one (2012) was rated at 5.2 and again i couldn't match that (was getting about 5.7) from memory, despite my best efforts. The new one I have coming is rated at 4.2 (i'll be happy if I can keep it under 5.0! 

Wonder if you will get the Camry before Christmas. Isnt there like half a year wait list for the hybrids?

[Dazzler]

I've done over 58,500 kms in 23 months in my 1.6 T SR. The Trip computer says I've averaged 7.2 L/100 kms for the last 15,000 or so. Prior to that I think the trip computer average (long term) was 7.3 L/100 kms. When I've done manual calculations it was about .1 or .2 worse. Which means I'm averaging around 7.4 which is exactly in line with the ADR figure.

I tend to be a tight arse but because the SR is sporty I drive it harder than my previous Diesel i30 and two Hybrids. I used to drive them more fuel efficiently trying to better the official figures. More like 22over7 is doing now.

Interestingly, My 2008 i30 CRDi SLX was rated at 4.7 but I wasn't able to do much better than 5.4 in hilly old Tasmania. The first Hybrid (2010 model) was rated at 5.7 I think and I could only manage 6.1 and the 2nd one (2012) was rated at 5.2 and again i couldn't match that (was getting about 5.7) from memory, despite my best efforts. The new one I have coming is rated at 4.2 (i'll be happy if I can keep it under 5.0! 

Wonder if you will get the Camry before Christmas. Isnt there like half a year wait list for the hybrids?

I sure hope so. they are still saying 3-4 months is realistic.  It's been a month already. I'm hoping August as want to do another big road trip later in the year!