Scion XD 44.5 mpg NOT hwy!

[Cardinal Grammeter]

I borrowed a friends Scion XD to make a trip from Greensburg to Dubois PA and back. This route is 2-lane state highways, over big hills and deep valleys, through small downs with stop lights and finally to Dubois where a stopped at a couple of shops in town to shop.

The car has the instant MPG readout and I used every tactic I could think of to maximize economy. Yes, 20 mph over crests of hills and 80 mph at the bottom of a valley between two ridges.

What was interesting was that mpg was strictly a function of throttle position.

This really blew me away.

This particular Scion was capable of 50 mpg on the level, however, the throttle position was so minute, maybe 1/16", it was not possible to achieve this with a foot accel pedal.

It was a 5-spd of course.

What I do not understand is why this car had an EPA rating of something like 33 hwy. 40+ on the highway is trivial in this car.

Of course, this is really not impressive since my run of the mill Datsun B210 4dr w/1400 pushrod engine (not even the 1200) got a solid 44 mpg on the PA turnpike from Pittsburgh to NJ.

I recently had a Chevy HHR rental while my Ford Windstar was having its rear axle fixed as per recall (!) and this pig, while having about the same EPA rating as the XD could barely muster 35 mpg on the level. It was an automatic and the instant you touched the gas pedal - even on a slight downhill, the mpg dropped to 35. I experimented going down hills trying to see if I even get an instant readout above 35 and maybe once I got a fleeting 50 mpg for a fraction of a second. (I subsequently turned this pig in and got a Charger 3.5HO which I drove for 4 months while Ford was waiting on parts. The car definitely had E-class Mercedes pedegree but gas milleage was really disappointing. I was getting 15-17 per tank which was quite bad considering it only had 250 HP. (Of course, maybe it weight 4500 lbs, but I think not)

And then there are all those fabulous Honda Civics that have been "riced" and ruined.... So sad.

Regards,
Tom

[SentraSE-R]

Thanks for sharing. Toyota's 1NZ-FE engine is a great fuel miser. The problem most people have is they've always got their right foot planted on the gas pedal. If they'd just set the cruise control at 60 mph, they'd easily beat the EPA. It's not likely when they push 75+ mph.

[Joenavy85]

"and this pig, while having about the same EPA rating as the XD could barely muster 35 mpg on the level. It was an automatic and the instant you touched the gas pedal - even on a slight downhill, the mpg dropped to 35."

-I almost had an explaination, but then i realized you said HHR not SSR, not sure why SSR was stuck in my head. My guess would be the tuning of the engine, IIRC(probably not) the 1NZ-FE is VVT-i, which would make a difference over the HHR engine which isn't even remotely fancy like that

[Joenavy85]

also the difference between 2.2L and 1.5L

[Cardinal Grammeter]

I'm think maybe difference between manual and automatic.

What if it always takes an extra 3HP to turn the automatic? In that case, what mpg would get get from a Scion doing 50mpg on the level and then you demanded another 3hp?

[Daox]

The xD actually uses the 1.8L 1ZZ-FE. Technologically very similar to the 1NZ-FE though.

[Cardinal Grammeter]

BTW, my friend who has the XD has around 100k on it and will trade it in when it starts "nickel and diming" him.

He is thinking about getting a Mini because he needs more room but the nearest dealership is in Pittsburgh which is over 45 min away.

Any other thoughts about a replacement. (He was thinking that the Scion Hamster Car (sorry) is not looking so bad with its new added curves and not so parallel lines - but I don't think he will do it.)