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I'm blown away by the MPG on the 2014 3.6L

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2014
12K views 71 replies 22 participants last post by  GCLimited 
#1 ·
I felt guilty for a long time even owning an SUV. My old GC would get 21 MPG on the highway on a good day. It always seemed to average 19 MPG. Which was not bad. 4.0L Select Trac II (I think it was, 2WD, Part Time 4WD, Full Time 4WD and 4 Lo).

I put off buying an SUV for a long time because I was looking for something the same size, with the same towing capability with a step up on MPG.

I kept looking at the Toyota Highlander Hybrid. But it was so damn ugly/plain and pretty damn expensive.

I hated the prior generation GC's (round lights). Ugly. Terrible MPG, friend had one and then dumped it.

The new Jeep was growing on me. But so much bigger than I really needed/wanted. The old one was the perfect size. Why waste gas on a larger SUV I don't need.

When the new 8 Speed Transmission was announced, that was enough for me to pull the trigger. I was temped by the diesel too.

The diesel was too expensive and not that many more MPG's for the cost. The added Urine and poor initial reviews always turned me away. Not to mention Diesel is usually $0.50 more a gallon. It just didn't make economic sense.

I reluctantly got the 3.6L.

I'm blown away.

I did a 120 mile strip and averaged 28 MPG !!!

I'm still on that same trip and added another 80 miles of City Driving (suburbs) and I'm still averaging 24.5 MPG. And that is with it out of ECO Mode.

I'm just blown away that I can have this larger, heavier SUV. And have the optional Sport mode and Paddle shifters and get pretty damn good MPG when I behave behind the wheel.

Someone in another thread said they averaged 15 MPG. You have a lead foot or something is broken.

By the way I do have a few extra pounds in the tires.

The truck isn't even broken in yet.

I've yet to pull my 4500LB boat in sand, that will be the final test. My old Jeep pulled it out easy. Many other SUV's (neighbors in the same setup with lighter boats failed with their SUV's). Possibly this weekend.
 
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#2 ·
The digital readout can be VERY optimistic BTW. I took a trip with my 14 Hemi last weekend and got 22.5 on the freeway in ECO mode. Total trip was roughly 600 miles. I truly hope you are getting the 28 mpg because that would be pretty damn sweet.
 
#3 ·
Last weekend on a 688mi trip home from N.C. to NYC the EVIC said I was getting 28MPG! 27.5 door to door, 99% HIWY. Even if the EVIC is off by a few I still think that is way good. BTW I let the car do most of the driving, ACC set all the way home. She did a stand up job, always the right gear it seemed. Better than I could have done.
 

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#12 ·
You got that with the 5.7L Hemi ???

Did you get the high ratio differential? 3.09?

What pressure do you run your tires? That can make a significant difference too.

By the way, my wifes VW CC can get over 40 mpg on the highway 2.0T with a stick (with Hyper Miling some, nothing crazy, Neutral in long hills and looking ahead). When dealer changed the oil it dropped 5 MPG. I researched a ton and found a lighter weight oil that meets all the strict specs. VERY expensive. $9/QT. But I immediately got the 40 MPG back. I've done oil tests etc. to verify everything is in ship shape. I believe the car was shipped with the oil I now put in it (or similar). I ended up with Castrol LL03 Professional 5W30 (only VW dealers sell it). Dealer put in 10W40 (which is within spec and was a very good oil).

I plan to do the same on the Jeep.
 
#4 ·
My experience with Chrysler EVICs has always been around 95-100% accurate.
 
#5 ·
Thats cool, others on here have done the math and confirm your experience. I still have not had her home long enough to see what my every day #'s will be. I can say the big girl gets greedy on the city streets. BTW I love my jeep ,thank you great job!
 
#8 ·
60 psi tires, tailwind, downhill, both ways. LOL!

Seriously, that's awesome economy. Certainly way better than the average reported here.

I'd love to see your hand calculated mileage. Top off, reset tripometer, drive, refill to same topoff. Miles / Refill Gallons.

Glad your loving your new ride!

bd
 
#9 ·
Thank you,

she is all I expected and more. Truth be told I was getting a bit worried hanging around the garage, with 2,000 plus miles my fears have been squashed. I made it from Asheville N.C. to the mason Dixon line (P.A.) on 3/4 tank of gas. Evic said I still had 200 plus miles to empty. I filled up because I was worried I would hit a traffic jam and start eating fuel like a sumo wrestler. I tried to take pics of the EVIc while I was driving, they all came out blurry. I'll go out to the car and snap a photo as soon as my daughter picks up my grandson. I love being a pop-pop!
 
#13 · (Edited)
Here is the EVIC shot from my trip. ACC set to 65MPH A.C. on, Stuck in one traffic jam for about 1/2 hr. She sipped the fuel like a super model getting ready for the runway. The Average went down 4 tenths after I restarted to take the photo. When I got home it read 27.5, at the Holland tunnel it read 28MPG. I wonder why Chrysler under estimated the MPG's? Others have been reporting better that EPA estimates also. Alas my normal day to day driving is skewed toward city driving. I am sure I will still do better than my 2005 did. Give me 16 overall I'll be a happy camper. BTW, the fuel gage shows the fuel left after just one fill up at 1/4 tank @ the Mason Dixon line. If I was brave I bet I could have made it home on one full tank, granted it would have been cutting it real close.
 

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#15 ·
I routinely get 30 mpg at 60 mph. In a 4000 mile round trip out west, I averaged 25.5 driving 72-77 mph.

I also suspect that Chrysler under-reported the fuel economy of the Pentastar in order to make the diesel engine look a little better, for all those tree hugging folks out there. But then again, in one month we might have folks with diesels reporting 35 mpg, driving 80 mph towing a boat.
 
#17 ·
But then again, in one month we might have folks with diesels reporting 35 mpg, driving 80 mph towing a boat.
I certainly hope so! Diesel engines are 30% more efficient as a matter of pure physics. With all the EPA crap, it may be less.

I'll be happy with 30-32 hand calculated mpg unloaded at 75-80 with no attention to driving technique. The Australians are reporting similar results.

We shall see.

bd
 
#16 ·
Yea, I was taking it easy to break the big girl in. I doubt I'll ever see 28MPG again. While I am no longer a speed demon, I usually stay 5 MPH above the speed limit. That means top speeds of 75MPH.
 
#18 ·
I just did a ~4k road trip in the Midwest and my evic said 26 mpg at the end of the road trip. I saved my gas receipts and calculated myself and it was actually 24 mpg exactly. I'm happy. :)
 
#19 ·
Keep in Mind that EPA ratings are based on Fully Loaded. At least the old EPA Formula was. I think it still is. So for a 4 passenger sedan that means 4 passengers and some weight in the trunk. On small cars a few passengers can make a huge difference.

My trip was with 4 Anderson Windows, 2 small Dogs, my Wife and some overnight luggage :) So probably about EPA specs.

Based on other reports I look forward to seeing what this will do in the long run and it looks like I'm not that far out of the norm so far.

I expect we'll see some very high numbers above EPA for the Diesel too. How much is the question. Some folks with VW TDI's rated in high 30's by EPA get in the 50's.
 
#21 ·
we are getting the about the same, 18-20 then 23-24 highway. we also dont reset the ongoing average for each road condition. I imagine the "city" could be lower and the "highway" a little higher if i reset it for each condition.

Im on Long Island, so its either suburb stop and go, slow traffic, or 80 with lots of accel. on the highway.

Its all in the driver though. My wife managed 20 on a almost all highway run to her cousins(50miles round trip), i can get 19 doing nothing but town driving. Then again when she drives the pedals have two positions, on/off with nothing in between. And its all throttle until she hits the brakes.
 
#22 ·
Its all in the driver though. My wife managed 20 on a almost all highway run to her cousins(50miles round trip), i can get 19 doing nothing but town driving. Then again when she drives the pedals have two positions, on/off with nothing in between. And its all throttle until she hits the brakes.
My wife has the same style. I tried coaching her into safely coasting to a stop, lifting the foot off the gas for a few seconds and let the car slow down before braking, it ain't happening...:mad:
 
#23 ·
I just took a 1900 mile trip from the Dallas/Ft Worth area to Grand lake Colorado running 75 plus most of the way and a little over 100 passing on two lane road. for the whole trip. highway, mountains and all the 2014 GC Summit 3.6 4WD quadra lift got 23.7 per computer and 22.6 per calculation. I'm happy with the mileage. I like the GC a lot better than the 2011 ford explorer I traded in.
 
#24 ·
Did the same trip this weekend with AC Off. Got 29.3 MPG on the EVIC. This is strictly highway. Light foot. And that was now with OEM mud flaps.

Combined I'm getting around 24 mpg on the EVIC but that's with mostly highway miles.
 
#25 ·
My 2012, V6 GC has now a odometer reading of 43000 km (26000 miles), my best highway mileage was this summer with 28.5 mph on the highway. City driving in traffic, my best when driven gently is around 23mpg. When pushed very hard I still get about 22 mpg combined. you're right, considering it is a large heavy vehicle....:thumbsup:
 
#26 ·
First tank came in at 22.2 mpg overall. We live in the Sierra foothills and pretty much everywhere we go entails going up or down.

Trip to Berkeley, CA and home on 2nd fill up recorded 25.6 mpg, and that was with the return trip climbing from sea level to our home at 2178 ft.
 
#57 ·
You can do even better with your right foot, but it does take a bit of practice, and traffic such that you can allow the distances to grow and close a bit in order to keep the transmission from downshifting. The cruise control will downshift to keep a speed and you can see your instantaneous mileage go down. If you try to maintain a constant distance with your foot same thing happens. If you let the gap grow a bit and then carefully catch up on more level ground [or get lucky with a downhill] you can always beat cruise control.

Too bad there isn't a big 4 cylinder mode indicator on the instrument panel--say turning the speedometer green when running in MDS mode, amber for all 8 cylinders, and dark amber or red for the fun times with the Hemi.
 
#28 ·
Nope I realized the same thing on my 5.7. Alas as good as my highway mileage is, my city mileage is proving to be just the opposite.
 
#29 ·
I hope to break 30 MPG one of these days.

This was Full Tank, Mud Flaps, Roof Racks, Cargo Area full, Wife, 2 Dogs and Me. No AC. Was in Cruise with ECO On.

It was 29.3 for a while until I hit a string of hills close to my destination.

 
#30 · (Edited)
I am sure the diesel would be more awesome - fuel efficiency wise - BUT that car would have been 400 lbs heavier and 4000 $ more expensive. Only negatives. And in Chicagoland, this summer diesel pushed 3.90-4.00 whereas gasoline was never higher. Now, heading into winter, gasoline will continue to drop and the diesel to cost more. The math was just not in favor of the diesel, short term or long term and I would buy the V6 again, even now.

I've done true off-roading with the car (probably I am the only idiot in North America who willingly put scratches on his $45,000 rig after just 4 months, going through the bushes) and I've done true long distance driving (4000 miles round trip out west). The V6 impressed me with the fuel efficiency, the willingness to accelerate the tank and its efforts off-roading. If towing is not needed or ocassional, I remain of the opinion that the V6 is the better choice for an all-rounder.

That being said, I still think Jeep should get rid of the 5.7 V8 and just supercharge the V6. I would probably buy that one. Or...in time, supercharge it myself.
 
#31 ·
That being said, I still think Jeep should get rid of the 5.7 V8 and just supercharge the V6. I would probably buy that one. Or...in time, supercharge it myself.
I don't think your reasoning against the diesel will hold true. You are comparing a comparatively underpowered v6 (torque, drivability, towing) when the v8 is the one to compare with the CRD.

The fact that you want a supercharger to beef up the v6 confuses me because any advantage the v6 has (economy, lower cost) are gone once supercharged. Furthermore, the long term durability of the lightweight low torque v6 will be compromised. It will cost every bit of $4000 to add a supercharger and you will end up with no warranty, poor mileage, less reliability....and it kills any argument against the hemi or CRD.

bd
 
#32 ·
My V6 is as fast or faster than my old 2008 MDX and gets better mileage on regular gas. That said I wanted the diesel for the better towing knowing the Diesel would most likely be slower than the other 2 engines, but doing the math on 15k a year I would need to drive the Diesel for 15 years just to break even I just don't keep vehicles that long and my new v6 overland pulls my 4000lbs trailer with no problem. Plus I got 27mpg on my last trip without the trailer of course. Hemi v8 sound very very cool but I can't live with the horrible gas mileage, my sister in her JGC v8 gets 12-13mpg driving around I get 20.
 
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