Fuel consumption survey (3.5L Kluger)

[mayhewga]

My 2007 KX-R 2WD has done almost 40,000km , the majority of which has been on long trips.

I generally fill up at around the 700km mark (depending upon availability of petrol sations when in the bush) and find that it takes around 65ltrs. When the red light comes on I work on getting at least 100km, which has come in handy a few times.

The trip computer tells me that I am getting an average of 8.4 per tank on straight country trips, and hwy driving between Brisbane and Caloundra. This goes up to 9.5 if my driving includes running around in these cities. I reset the "previous trips" at the 10k services and the displays are never more than 9 for each.

I have done a lot of experimenting with different fuels, and firstly I have to say that head and tail winds and speed make more difference than fuels, but that generally PULP returns better than ULP which returns better than E10.

I recently did a 9,000km trip to Uluru and tried to do 3 tankfulls in a row on each different fuel. Because most of that trip is flat and I stuck to 110kmh (even on the Stuart Hwy which is now 130... in fact most people were doing 110, except the road trains).

I found that I was getting 7.9 - 8.2 on PULP, 8.2-8.8 on ULP and 8.6-9.0 on E10. This is a general finding for that trip but when I try changing fuels for local runs I am getting similar differences, albeit I have to add about 10 for combined city/hwy trips.

The higher cost of the PULP however, seems to nullify the extra economy.

I have found that the independant fuel suppliers around the big mining towns, seem to have "better" fuels which give constant returns, in contrast to the big name fuels, and that fuels in far western QLD towns which seem to all come from the same unmarked tankers, generally give very poor results (are they stale?). Other travellers I have spoken too have also found this.

Incidently, at about 35,000km, the motor seemed to become much free-er and responsive.... (has it run-in at long last), at that point I drove from Cooma to Caloundra, filling up Michalago near Cooma and again near Kempsey (both Freedom PULP) and still had 1/4 tank when I got home to Caloundra, with the computer showing 7.8 for both sectors of the trip which was fantastic.

Next week I will drive from Caloundra to Wollongong, it will be interesting to see how it goes then.

Edited November 6, 2008 by mayhewga

[holmesie]

Welcome mayhewga - nice info (and economy!) there, thanks for sharing it

Edited November 6, 2008 by holmesie

[aardvark]

I generally fill up at around the 700km mark (depending upon availability of petrol sations when in the bush) and find that it takes around 65ltrs.

Are you saying you get 700km's out of a tank?????

2 weeks ago I had to head north to collect a piano from my Grandmother. With the threat of a little bit of rain I decided to hire an encolsed trailer. The smallest I could get was a 17x5! With the piano (and a leather couch I picked up for a mate) in the trailer, we averaged 17.5km/l on the return journey. OUCH!!

I found that by sticking it in 3rd and leaving it there, the economy was better than just leaving it in drive. With the selector in D the box was continuously chaning up and down through the gears.

[RICE RACING]

mayhewga-great post.

I feel bad now about doing so few km's with my Kluger haha. I have noticed the odd time I too have had bad economy (only twice in tank terms since new) and both of those times was with BP98 at my local Bairnsdale outlet. <_<

[Taka]

I need to go out and drive. Mine is only 22000km and yet do a long good drive outside Victoria.

[Glug]

2008 Grande.

11.5 to 12 around town.

9 to 10 open road.

14 to 16 towing a big campervan.

38psi and no really difference noted between 91 and 95.

[Ric M]

On the computer display in the Klugers it has the ability to show how much fuel consumption you have used on your 5 previous tanks/trips.

Can someone explain if you need to set this up as mine is blank and never shows the usage on previous trips?

Also when I have the fan speed and interior temprature dispalyed when I press the DISP button the next screen that comes up is blank except for the time and outside temprature I then need to press DIPS button again to get into the next options.

Is all this normal?

[SamF]

On the computer display in the Klugers it has the ability to show how much fuel consumption you have used on your 5 previous tanks/trips.

Can someone explain if you need to set this up as mine is blank and never shows the usage on previous trips?

Also when I have the fan speed and interior temprature dispalyed when I press the DISP button the next screen that comes up is blank except for the time and outside temprature I then need to press DIPS button again to get into the next options.

Is all this normal?

Ric

You may have a problem with your unit or you are not pressing the reset button when you refuel. The reset button placed the consumption for the previous tank full in the history bar below the current average consumption.

Also that screen with the time and temperature and with most of the rest of the screen blank is for messages from the ECU, ie. problems like engine alarms etc.

[Ric M]

On the computer display in the Klugers it has the ability to show how much fuel consumption you have used on your 5 previous tanks/trips.

Can someone explain if you need to set this up as mine is blank and never shows the usage on previous trips?

Also when I have the fan speed and interior temprature dispalyed when I press the DISP button the next screen that comes up is blank except for the time and outside temprature I then need to press DIPS button again to get into the next options.

Is all this normal?

Ric

You may have a problem with your unit or you are not pressing the reset button when you refuel. The reset button placed the consumption for the previous tank full in the history bar below the current average consumption.

Also that screen with the time and temperature and with most of the rest of the screen blank is for messages from the ECU, ie. problems like engine alarms etc.

Hi Mate,

Yep thanks just reset the distance sreen and saw that it regsiters as the previous trip...should have tried this first! And didn't realise the screen that's blank except for the time and temperature is meant to be blank because it doesn't really explain that in the book.

Really appreciate your reply.

Cheers.

[Tonester]

Interesting thread!

I got my new Kluger Grande a couple of days before Christmas....it's been great so far.

The first couple of days was on very slow congested city driving and got around 20L/100 km.

I figured this was pretty normal for a brand new car and once the engine bedded down the economy would improve. And improve it did!. Over the following couple of weeks I was down to about 16.5 - 17L in city/suburban driving.

So I was keen to see what I would get on the open road. We set off from Sydney to Forster just after New Years and by the time we got back I had it down to 10L!! Well I was very pleased with that given that had only about 1600 km on the clock (with wife, 2 kids, dog and a roof box full of cr@p).

After the last couple of days of city/suburban driving it was back to 13L...still a fairly respectable consumption rate.

Now here's the funny thing and I'm wondering if anyone can shed some light.....

Last night the consumption was at 13L. I had my first service (1000 km complimentary). I took it down first thing this morning, waited about an hour, got back in and the reading was up to 19~20L. I drove around a bit in traffic today, but it's still sitting at that level. I don't think the display was reset. And even if it was I would expect it to drop down to something lower than 20 pretty quickly.

So what gives...do the service guys do anything at this service that might affect it? I wouldn't think so.

What do you wise Kluger owners think??

[Kruzenvax]

The numbers (e.g. 17-13 in Sity and 10 on a highway) seem to be consistent цер what I'm getting. In terms of the service: I don't think they'd do something but what you are describing seems to be the same behavior I spotted on my fuel consumption reading. I have noticed that straight after the reset the numbers adjust very quickly for a while; than it takes some time to change the consumption. So what may have happened - they had the engine running while the car was still for a while, consumtion went up and now it'll take some time to get better. I bet if you refuel/reset and drive normally (e.g. not in a carpark) you'll get healthy 13 very soon (it always starts with 30!).

Interesting thread!

I got my new Kluger Grande a couple of days before Christmas....it's been great so far.

The first couple of days was on very slow congested city driving and got around 20L/100 km.

I figured this was pretty normal for a brand new car and once the engine bedded down the economy would improve. And improve it did!. Over the following couple of weeks I was down to about 16.5 - 17L in city/suburban driving.

So I was keen to see what I would get on the open road. We set off from Sydney to Forster just after New Years and by the time we got back I had it down to 10L!! Well I was very pleased with that given that had only about 1600 km on the clock (with wife, 2 kids, dog and a roof box full of cr@p).

After the last couple of days of city/suburban driving it was back to 13L...still a fairly respectable consumption rate.

Now here's the funny thing and I'm wondering if anyone can shed some light.....

Last night the consumption was at 13L. I had my first service (1000 km complimentary). I took it down first thing this morning, waited about an hour, got back in and the reading was up to 19~20L. I drove around a bit in traffic today, but it's still sitting at that level. I don't think the display was reset. And even if it was I would expect it to drop down to something lower than 20 pretty quickly.

So what gives...do the service guys do anything at this service that might affect it? I wouldn't think so.

What do you wise Kluger owners think??

[BigHeavyVehicle]

KX-R 4WD seven seater.... Just back from 3,500km trip from Sydney, Cobar, Broken Hill (about 250km of fast dirt along the Darling River), Mildura, Ballarat, Gundegai, across to the coast (another 125km of rougher, slower fire-trail), and home to Sydney. Overall average AS INDICATED on the computer was 10.2l/100km. For some of the slower legs, say, 90 to 100kph, the indicated economy improved to an indicated 8.6l/110km. The car's only done 6,000 now, and I will calibrate the accuracy of the trip computer over the NEXT few tanks and let you know. Air was ON all the way, and outside temperatures were from 35 to 42 during the day. All this was running on BP98 (half a tank of 95 in there somewhere). Tyre pressures were 40psi on tarmac, 30psi on dirt.

[57fritz]

2007 KXR - 2WD with 30K on the speedo. Has averaged 10.3 l /100km since new in combination suburban (incl. stop-start) & highway driving. I do 110 on the the motorway. On long trip out to Dubbo, again trying to stay at 100 -110, averaged 9.3. Great for the size of the car.

[Taka]

I did Adelaide and back on PULP and 4 days around town to Handrof and other places. I get 11.4L/100km for 1700km.

Going to Adelaide is tough, since I had a bad head wind all the way until the end and averaging 12L/100km going at speed limit of 110km and 100km. During the 4 days I was there, it is great - averaging about 11-12L/100km.

And on the way back, it was 11.3L/100km on V power shell in Adealide, and change to BP Ultimate at Horsham get me 10L/100km.

I found the car much more powerful now too with Mobil 1 engine oil.

[RICE RACING]

^ Mobil 1 FTW, all the Don Mega types use it :D

[Kesawi]

I've had a demo KX-S AWD Kluger with 6000km for 5 days now, and have done ~200km in peak hour traffic around Brisbane. Lowest average has been 13.2L but is now sitting at 13.7L. Unfortunately I'm having to fill it up with regular undleaded as I'm on a company fuel card and they won't provide premium. :(

[Tonester]

Did a trip from Sydney to Canberra on the weekend. On the way down I was getting 13.1l/100km......not great :(

I inflated the tyres from 32 psi up to 38psi and guess what.....I got the consumption down to 8.8L/100 on the return trip ...pretty good.

Same number of people (me and the +1) and same luggage.

Now that I'm driving around town again it's creeping back up.

edit....

I forgot to add

It's a 2008 Grande AWD model and I fuelled up with 95

Edited February 16, 2009 by Tonester

[RICE RACING]

When you are doing fuel consumption tests I cannot emphasis enough that you need to do a 2 way average (to your location and back to your destination), effects of altitude *change, incline, decline etc* along with prevailing winds can have a massive effect, not to mention very obvious points such as driving style etc.

Edited February 16, 2009 by RICE RACING

[Tonester]

When you are doing fuel consumption tests I cannot emphasis enough that you need to do a 2 way average (to your location and back to your destination), effects of altitude *change, incline, decline etc* along with prevailing winds can have a massive effect, not to mention very obvious points such as driving style etc.

Good point!

I'm driving down to Jindabyne and back next weekend.....that'll be a good opportunity to really test it out!

[Taka]

Not to mention the difference between 110kmh on the dash and 110kmh on GPS calculations.

The faster the average speed, the higher the consumption. On average, it has been well known that it is about 20-30% difference in fuel consumption between average speed of 90 kmh to 120 kmh.

Having said that in a long trip, I will do 120 kmh anyday and have more time sipping down my latte during my break.

[kwach10]

Hi Tonester

Sydney to C-rA is up not down, and vice versa.

On my second trip to Sydney and back this weekend, I got the following (sitting on 118 k/h most and each way) with only wife on board:

to Sydney - 9.9 (previously less when alone)

to C-ra - 10.4

this was on 91 RON

How about the local rip-off for petrol.

Sydney price between 112 to 122 - back home 132!!!

On the way back on Hume - between 122 and 125.

Someone is skinning us alive in the ACT - and no one cares - it is a moron town (we are getting the first water crap filtration/desalination station!), and not just when polies come for a roost.

[RajR]

Hello all,

Just joined the club :-)

Recently, got a used Kluger (2005 CV), and trying to find the avg. fuel consumption now ..

well, during the last fill, i found that for around 57 lts it has run 295 kms (city driving)

which averages to around 19L /100 km ... and .. am not sure whether this is the average i am looking for !!!

any comments/suggestions welcome ...

thnx

Raj

Edited June 5, 2009 by RajR

[Nicho]

Hello all,

Just joined the club :-)

Recently, got a used Kluger (2005 CV), and trying to find the avg. fuel consumption now ..

well, during the last fill, i found that for around 57 lts it has run 295 kms (city driving)

which averages to around 19L /100 km ... and .. am not sure whether this is the average i am looking for !!!

any comments/suggestions welcome ...

thnx

Raj

Hey Raj;

Im by no stretch of the imagination knowledgeable about cars but it seems quite high, we have a 2006 CVX and we are getting around 12lt per 100km and that is city driving with very little freeway use at the moment

Nicho

[twiggy73]

Hi everyone 09 kluger alttitude

I have just arrived in Bundanoon in the southern high lands of NSW

Left Melbloune with a full tank of e10 from coles service station and 940kms on the clock filled up at albury with e10 again from united arrived with just unerd 1/2 a tank and a total trip of 700ks (therabouts)

averaged 10.4-10.6 with 2 adults and 2 kids couple of bikes on the back and enough clothes for a week very happy with this considering the weight of the car being close to 2350kgs (guessing here but close) loaded

went up the hume so sat on the 110 to 112 on cruise turnrd off the cruise on some of the bigger hills.

Checked the speedo on one of the overhead gantries on the way out of Melboune had the cruise right on 110 and the gantry said 104 so did compensate for this when setting the cruise control not sure if this effected the overall result?

will try normal unleaded on the way home next week and report back

Would love to get the figures better than 10 like the some others in this thread. Will it happen ???

[shengs]

Would love to get the figures better than 10 like the some others in this thread. Will it happen ???

After running it in, my bets are that it will improve!