‘My new car doesn’t have the gas mileage the sticker says it has’
The Car Doc weighs in.
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I am hoping that you can help me find a solution to my problem of poor gas mileage on my new 2016 Hyundai Sonata, purchased last month. The sticker says the fuel economy should be 25 miles per gallon in the city and 36 miles per gallon on the highway. In the 1,500 miles I have driven so far, my average city-highway combination is about 23 mpg. My dealer checked it out and said nothing is wrong. I bought the car because of the warranty. What should I do?
A. My experience with many new cars is that they don’t return the projected fuel economy until the engines reach 5,000 to 7,000 miles, some engines even more. The gasoline that we use during cooler weather and short trips can have a dramatic impact on your car’s mileage. If there is nothing physically wrong with your car, I believe the fuel mileage will improve over time. As an example, my wife’s Volkswagen generally returns 33 miles per gallon or more on the highway. The other night when it was very cold, the mileage dropped to 29 miles per gallon.
John Paul, AAA Northeast’s Car Doctor, answers questions from drivers every week. He has 40+ years of experience in the automotive business and is an ASE certified master technician.
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