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How effectively the system works will depend entirely on how it is programmed.
-Broadly speaking, cold engines burn more fuel and wear faster. Closed shutters significantly improve warmup time.
-Directing airflow around the engine bay reduces aerodynamic drag, but in an amount that is likely to disappear into background noise.
-Data from here from the last several decades suggests that static grille blocks help universally.
-An engine whose intake air temperature and/or coolant temperature rise above a certain point may slightly pull ignition timing. This is in part because a warm intake charge needs less ignition timing, but may also be to keep knock under control. Knock happens more easily at higher temperatures.
-It's very common for people to make a change, to see a single data point, and to say "X change made Y difference". Double blind studies are done because simply telling someone you've made a change can unconsciously change their behaviors and impact the outcome - driving habits have a much bigger impact on economy than any mod.
That's not too say you need to do rigorous studies to validate whether something helps. It just helps to convince others, when the change you've made is something known to do the opposite.
If you have any interest in following up, some things you might do are:
-Log and compare coolant temperature, intake air temperature, and ignition timing, with the grille shutters locked open, vs being allowed to open and close based on their programming.
-Do some ABA testing, and/or track your fuel usage over a period of tanks, to get an average. Then switch back and track over a period of tanks. Then switch back again and track.
Most on here would kill for a good aftermarket active grille block. They're one of the more documented and reliably effecting ways to help economy - assuming they've been programmed properly. Even static grille blocks are almost universally a good idea.
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