2008 Pontiac Torrent 7.8L/100km (Rated 12.4L/100km)
 

My 1997 Jetta GTS needs a new engine, and my 2007 MazdaSpeed 6 is broken, so I'm currently driving my Grandmas 2008 Pontiac Torrent, it's EPA rating is for around 12.4L/100km so I reset the average economy/trip meter and took it for a drive around the city.
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I was average 7.8L/100km between 1200rpm and 1500rpm with cruise control set between 50km/h and 60km/h depending on street speed limits. Tried timing lights but this was done just after lunch hour traffic so I did have to stop at a few lights.
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So with 7.8L/100km being extremely good, I decided I would take it on a highway run and see how that goes.. Exactly the same, roughly 40km in on the highway and hasn't changed at all. Still 7.8L/100km. I suspect it has something to do with the fact that on the highway, it's running at a consistent speed, however it's closet between 1800rpm and 2000rpm, so that 3.4L V6 really chugs down the fuel despite not making minimal stop and go starts in the city
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I did come up to a transport that was driving around 90km/h to 95km/h so I was drafting off of him for a bit and the fuel consumption went down to 7.6L/100km, that's almost 31 US MPG but once we got back out onto the highway away from the city turn offs and lights he started going 100 and I was using too much fuel to keep up so I continued going 90km/h and the fuel consumption went back up to 7.8L/100km on average.
(sorry for the sideways picture, I don't like touching my phone while driving, especially while drafting and I didn't have anyone else with me to take pictures)
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My total mileage test trip was 82.6km
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I averaged 7.8L/100km both city and highway driving. Roughly 40km city and 40km highway.
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For you US Folks, the vehicle is rated for 17MPG City, 24MPG Highway, 19MPG Combined and I averaged 30MPG (31MPG while drafting on the highway but we won't count that)

I was over looking the SUV to think of things I could do to improve it and I noticed the tires have never been rotated, so I'm going to do that now then equal out the tire pressure (right side tires are lower then left side for some reason) so hopefully that'll give me better traction to keep speed up in deeper snow, I'm going to give it a good wash and wax for optimal air flow, and try it again with the mirrors folded in later tonight with less traffic so I can time the lights better to really push this thing. I couldn't believe how good the fuel consumption was for a 3.4L V6 SUV with a terribly slushbox 5 speed automatic transmission.

I'll be back later tonight to post my results to see if I could get it anymore then 7.8L/100km or 30 US MPG

What year is that, thinking the 5 spd auto came in 2010 but not sure.

AWD?

FFV?

What's up with the CEL, check the gas cap first.

It's the 2008 Podium edition, has some extra Olympic badges all over it, premium audio system (but not Bose), and bigger chrome wheels.

I believe there was only a 5 speed auto with the 3.4L, and the 6 speed auto was in the GXP with the 3.6L

At least those are the "Up North" specs I know of but I don't know much else about them.

The check engine light is a recall in 2008's with the 3.4L, it's a spark plug wire problem, they crack inside the rubber casing and don't give a good spark, it shutters and almost stalls some times but we're just waiting for an appointment to get it done.

Need to put my arguing pants on because our GM dealer tends to argue if you try to tell them it's a recall, they nearly refuse to do any warranty work for free so I need to locate the official GM recall notice for the spark plug wires in the 3.4L 2008 Torrent/Equinox.

I'm just headed out to do the second fuel consumption test to see if it's any better with rotated tires, properly adjusted tire pressure, and folded in mirrors. As well as nearly no traffic as it's just after 3am here so I can time most of the lights better for the city driving section of my test.

I will be back in a few hours

Here's city driving while timing lights with equaled and raised tire pressure to 40psi from betwwn 28 to 35psi depending on tire, they're all 40psi now and I was able to average 7.6L/100km, not a huge gain but that's almost 1 US MPG more just by raising the tire pressure and making sure they're even all the around.
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On the highway is where it really shined, giving me a nice 6.6L/100km which is something around 35 US MPG, maybe a little more, I did beat my goal but only just. I feel if there wasn't as much gas in the tank, and I didn't have to slow down for a deer, I could have pushed it closer to 36 or 37 US MPG but for a bone stock SUV, I feel 35MPG is good when all I did was equal out the tire pressure at 40psi and then fold the mirrors in on the highway while going exactly 90km/h in a 90km/h zone.
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So in summary, I took a 12.4L/100km SUV, managed to pull off 7.8L/100km on it, and then after evening out tire pressure and folding in the mirrors on the highway I pushed that fuel consumption to 6.6L/100km.

That's a 19 MPG SUV, Pulled off 30 MPG, Pushed it to 35 MPG (conversion for the US folks) :P

Nice! Have you calibrated the gauge at fill-up time yet? Some are famous for fibbing.

A similar Cute-Ute surprise story:

My brother just got a 2005 Nissan X-trail 2.5L, 4-cyl, 5-speed manual, AWD. We just did a 260 km round trip to go snowboarding, 90% of it at the 100 km/h / 62 mph speed limit (all mirrors deployed!).

The Scangauge said 6.3L/100 / 37 mpg US for the trip -- uncalibrated though. If it's true, that's surprisingly good. When he runs a tank through it, we'll know how accurate that was. It's rated 9.5 L/100 km (25 mpg US) highway per the "updated" 2015 NRCAN/EPA equivalent ratings.

And that was with me biting my tongue and not offering any driving tips*. :D Though he did request a city driving lesson, which we'll do later.

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* Except once, when he downshifted to 4th on the highway when changing lanes to overtake another car. I said "Fourth? Really?" :D