[NeilBlanchard]

Hello,

I also drive a Scion xA -- a 2005 RS 2.0, with the alloy 15" wheels from Toyota, and I've added the "cold air intake" with it's K&N filter.

I've averaged 37mpg for the entire 3 years that I've owned it, and my best tankful (so far) was 43.3mpg.

I'm now computing now quite a bit (~96-110 round trip each day I go in), though I try to work from home about 2 days a week -- that saves a LOT of gas.

My commute is not easy: the first 12.4 miles takes up to 50 minutes; all on a two-lane "highway" (Route 117 in eastern central Mass), and the remaining ~35.6 miles is on 4-6 lane highways (Route 128 and Route 3), where the traffic can be thick and fast, or just thicker.

I do all the same things that have been mentioned: in stop and go I create a space ahead of me and go slow (idle in 1st, 2nd, or 3rd gear), and I put it in neutral and coast down any grade I can, I stay under 60mph, and I don't use the A/C (*beware* of the defrost setting!!!).

The xA is hampered mostly by low gearing -- in 5th gear at 65mph it spins ~3,400RPM! I know people who own a 5-speed Yaris sedan, and they say it spins at ~2,500RPM at similar speed.

The second big issue the xA has is aerodynamic drag. The official cg is 0.31, IIANM. The rear bumper hangs down quite a bit and there are a lot of rough edges under there, too. The RS 2.0 grille is an open hex pattern -- I'm sure it could be improved?