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Air temperature very much affects fuel economy. I have found this to be especially true in my 1995 Geo Metro and in my 2011 F150 eco-boost. Driving the Hope Princeton highway in British Columbia I would get 50 miles per gallon in my metro during the winter and 60 miles per gallon in the summer. Same speed similar road conditions, big temperature difference. I found this mpg difference to be similar in my day-to-day driving as well as I was a sales rep travelling all around Vancouver. These days I drive the F150 and I'm always amazed at how big a difference the fuel economy is from winter to summer. The last two spring breaks I have driven from Vancouver to Los Angeles. Driving similar speeds both years and with similar temperatures I found a massive mpg gain between Bakersfield and Los Angeles. The truck was well warmed up by then and the temperatures have gone up from 50° to 70°. Not only did I see about a 15% increase in fuel economy, but I did it while going over 4000 foot summit. My body just drove his 2014 Chrysler town and country on the same route and found the exact same fuel economy patterns as I did. His overall numbers were higher but the trend was the same.
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