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2000 Toyota Echo fuel economy question?

Just purchased a 2000 Toyota Echo for its fuel economy. The car is rated at some of the MPG sites at 5.2l/100KM or (54 MPG) on highway driving. It has a 45 litre tank and the most kilometres I have been able to get out of a tank full is 575KM on highway driving only. Drove from Ottawa to Toronto last week and was not able to even get 500KM on exactly 42 litres. I filled up in Ottawa to the rim, just before Toronto filled again and car took 42 litres. I have had the car for about 2 months and the best I have been able to do is 575KM on a tank and this was done by faithfully following the highway speed limit. But if I only speed to 120KM/Hour the car seems to suck a lot more gas. I thought I would get close to 800KM on a tank of gas. The car runs perfect other that the fuel consumption. I replaced plugs to NGK iridium and have a new air filter, replaced oil with synthetic and still no gain in MPG. Is everyone else out there getting similar MPG or is there something wrong with my car.

NB. I do drive the car a little hard, not like a 20 year old but a little faster than granny.

Any information would be greatly appreciated.

Deni snipped-for-privacy@parl.gc.ca

Reply to
Deni Borrelli
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Hi:

Toyotas are generally made so your range per tank is 475-500 miles per tank. Every Toy I have ever owned has been in this range.

Now, I had a '95 Tercel, same engine as yours with an auto tranny, and I was averaging 40-44 MPG combined driving. And i don't drive like a 20-year old or granny, either. (well, let's say I drive in a manner best called 'spirited'). The BEST I ever got was 45MPG a couple times. The worst was

33 when the computer tripped the MIL.
Reply to
hachiroku

First of all, is this a manual tranny or an automatic? Automatics tend to consume more gas.

Second, mileage ratings tend to be unrealistic sometimes. Who knows how EPA and the Canadian equivalent come up with their figures?

Third, check your tire pressures. Make sure they are at the pressures specified by Toyota (on the sticker inside the driver's door jamb). Also, I am assuming the tires are in good condition and are the right size?

Fourth, if you did a fair amount of stop-and-go driving within Ottawa and Toronto (not on the expressways), that will cut into your mileage as well.

Another suggestion is to replace the PCV valve if it has one, especially if it consumes more oil than normal.

Reply to
S.S.

All valid points,

1- The car has an automatic transmission. 2- 3- Tire pressure is 32PSI in each tire and the tires have good tread, probably 80%. 4- The trip between Ottawa and Toronto was non stop and major highway the whole way. I did keep the car at a constant speed of 120KM the whole way with little speed change. 5- Checked on the valve cover and could not fine a PCV valve on it, which is typically where one would find it. The engine does not burn oil, already did 3000KM on the car since first oil change and level is still at the top.

I just want to add that doing 100KM/hour on the car does give me considerable better mileage anywhere from 100 to 150KM per tank full.

Reply to
Deni Borrelli

THink of this: the car was engineered in Japan. The speed limit in Japan is 100kM/h. Coincidence?

Reply to
hachiroku

My 2000 usually runs about 38 city and 41highway MPH , even with an automatic transmission. (Sorry, I'm another arrogant American who can't convert metric)

The biggest thing I like about my Echo is the handling. It's high-mounted, but doesn't have nearly the amount of an SUV or even of the Scion XA (Hubby has that one). My 17-year-old son has tried to trash that car, but it refuses to surrender (He loves revving it, etc).

I hope this helps

Natalie

Reply to
WickeddollInFlorida®

I think you just answered your own post. Even more so, if you cut the speed down to 80km/hr (by avoiding the 401) you'd probably turn out over

700km/tank.

There's only so much headway a tiny 1.5L can achieve until the forces (wind drag) starts to take a drastic toll. A slightly larger engine (like the 1.6L in my Civic) would be able to return similar efficiency (600km/tank) but able to do it while cruising at 140km/hr (instead of 120km/hr).

Considering that my car is manual and doesn't have AC, it still wouldn't be as efficient as the 2000 Echo in the city. But on the highway, where tall gearing and raw torque (at low rpms) plays a significant roll, a smaller engine will be hard pressed to maintain it's optimum efficiency.

Pars

98 Civic Hatch

Reply to
Pars

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