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MPG V8 - 2nd update

10K views 52 replies 27 participants last post by  comnjeep 
#1 ·
It's been a couple of weeks now with the new Overland V8 and I've got a solid handle on the MPG for anyone who's interested.

6 Hours of driving at 75 mph average using cruise control = 22.7 MPG

Return trip at same average speed = 23.1 MPG

Average around town MPG 16.7 MPG after 3 days.

Highest MPG was on a 4 hour drive at 69 MPH average = 24 MPG

Worst MPG over 5 hour drive was 19 mpg no cruise control and some driving in the mid 80 MPG range. The V8 feels like it's sleeping at 90 MPG.

Speeds and averages were confirmed using a Garmin handheld which never varied from what the Overland's NAV was saying.
I've found these reports from the Jeeps system to be reasonably accurate based on the amount of fuel I put in. My friend's Overland with the V6 does not do much better, but he admits he pushes the engine harder because he's used to the V8 power in his previous GC. He says he has done 26 MPG on a long trip, two tanks. The V6 will work harder than the V8 depending on the driver, so to get the MPG benefit means paying attention to how you drive. For a majority of drivers of think the MPG difference is fairly small.
If you leave the Fuel Economy gauge active over a week or two you start to get a feel of how to maximize efficiency by using the Jeep's considerable momentum to save fuel. Doing so has not effected my arrival times by more than a minute or two! :thumbsup:

Robert
 
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#2 ·
I can't get close to your numbers when I drove for 6-7 hours. I just averaged about 20mpg on my V8. My speeds did vary since some towns that I drove through had limits between 55 and 65mph. I typically drove between 65 to just under 75mph, just following traffic. The only thing I can think of why my numbers can't be achieved, I drove in the north east, upper NY, where there are a lot of large hills I go through.

Also city driving I get a weak 12-14mpg. Ugh on the mpg, but yeah on the power!

Bw, jealous of your performance!
 
#13 ·
I can't get close to your numbers when I drove for 6-7 hours. I just averaged about 20mpg on my V8. My speeds did vary since some towns that I drove through had limits between 55 and 65mph. I typically drove between 65 to just under 75mph, just following traffic. The only thing I can think of why my numbers can't be achieved, I drove in the north east, upper NY, where there are a lot of large hills I go through.

Also city driving I get a weak 12-14mpg. Ugh on the mpg, but yeah on the power!

Bw, jealous of your performance!
Following traffic is your problem I can not believe how badly people fluctuate their speed on the interstate. Set the cruise or really try to hold a steady foot if you're anything like the traffic I see you're accelerating wildly and then coasting in rapid succession both MPG killers. Coasting is great but if you have to accelerate back to speed you've already lost what you gained.
 
#3 ·
Yup... I'm amazed by the fuel economy. I really tortured myself over the v8 vs v6 decision. But I'm averaging 18 - 19 mpg in 50/50 mixed city highway driving. My max was 26.4 mpg on a highway trip.

I have a friend with a v6 and he gets maybe 3 mpg better in the city but seems to do about the same or slightly worse on the freeway.

I have no regrets going with the hemi! The liberty I came from was lucky to get 16 mpg on a good day downhill with a tailwind.
 
#4 ·
We took an almost 600 mile round trip yesterday, there were storms around so wind was a factor. I used the cruise set on 78-79 MPH in a 75 zone and averaged 20.0 according to the EVIC. I have been hoping to increase the MPG on the highway but so far that is about all I can get.
 
#5 ·
I'm getting similar results to you for both highway and local driving...about 22mpg highway and 16mpg local. We're in a rural area, so there isn't a lot of stop and go. Very pleased so far.
 
#6 ·
The EVIC obviously calculates fuel economy using a moving average, not a cumulative average. What is the length of the interval that it uses (e.g., the last 1,000 miles)?
 
#22 · (Edited)
I would think the moving average is indeed cumulative until you reset the EVIC. Therefore, the length of the interval that it uses is determined by the frequency of the user resetting the EVIC.
In other words, you don't know. :rolleyes:

If you watch the fuel economy on the EVIC, it obviously doesn't track fuel economy using a cumulative average. Does anyone ELSE know the length of the interval it uses?

FWIW, I have a 4x4 V8 and get about 15 MPG local and 20 MPG highway when driving very gently.
 
#14 ·
I have to beleive that there is some embelishment going on here. There is always the guy who gets better mileage or more power because of this trick or mod, or that trick or mod. Unless you drove for 6 hours on a DYNO in a controlled environment with no hills or wind at all I have to call politely... BS on your MPG.. Perhaps that is what the "computer" said, but I strongly doubt that was your tank to tank actual MPG. If I reset my MPG computer and coast down a hill I get 69 MPG... honestly not trying to be a dick although it may seem like it.. But I just don't buy the numbers posted for a HEMI...
 
#16 ·
Hub', I don't depend upon the EVIC for my actual mileage result. It's fun to watch, but I use old fashioned math to get the real number...which I'm very happy with, to-date.
 
#17 ·
I travel for work and have 29k on the clock since my purchase in April 2011. I have seen 22-23mpg (hand calculated since I track miles and fuel costs for work/taxes) on long hauls frequently and have achieved 500 documented miles on 1 tank of gas. It helps I have a 2wd hemi....
 
#18 ·
every vehicle has a Lie-O-Meter these days, and I don't trust em.

I would feel more comfortable if I heard more hand calculation figures than what the truck tells you. MY SuperDuty tells me 18.0/tank. My hand calc tells me 13.5 (avg for a month). I may be better or worse each tank, but overall, I spend $xxx on fuel, and travel xxxx miles, on xxx gallons and I get 13.5 for the month.

convince me the WK2 (hemi, 4wd) gets the mileage everyone is raving about. i'm not convinced..... yet.
 
#20 · (Edited)
Let me guess, you own a v6? There seems to be a lot of v6 owner venom when they hear about the real world hemi mileage. I think a lot of people have conditions that allow the hemi to stay in MDS a lot and they get excellent mileage. I'm guessing the EPA test protocol doesn't allow much MDS use because almost every hemi wk2 owner I know gets better than what's on the sticker.

I get 410 - 425 miles per tank normally in 50/50 city/highway. On long highway only trips I get 500 - 520 miles per tank. It takes just about 22 gallons to fill it up.

With that being said, if you have worse driving conditions (hills, traffic, lots of short trips, lead foot) the hemi mileage will fall off much quicker than the v6 mileage.
 
#21 ·
Man I wish I had your guys luck my 12 overland gets 18-19 at best on the hwy and 14-15 in town! But I also live in NW MT so nothing is flat and I also have 22"x9.5" heavy chrome wheels, cat back flowmasters and Volant cold air as well!


Sent from my super duper sweet iPhone using Tapatalk when I should be doing something productive!
 
#23 ·
I don't know about you guys, but I reset my trip and fuel economy at every fill up. This way I'm able to compare per tank the evic mpg and my real calculations. On my 2012 Overland V6 4wd my evic economy is typically about 1mpg generous different than my own calculations. Again, this is after resetting at every fill up.
 
#24 ·
V8 and 4x4... but I do get an mpg very close to yours, maybe just 1mpg less or so, due to the 4x4.

Clearly over 20mpg highway, and 18 to 19mpg combined, but I have a very gentle foot... I can't help but drive with using the vehicle's inertia as much as I can, and avoid hard acceleration, it does not bother me to do so (most of the time :)). If am not careful though, the mpg do deteriorate very quickly.

Honestly, for a 4x4 with the hemi V8, I am very happy, unless you get a low power sedan with 4 or 6 cylinders (and not one with premium gas...), the mpg is not an order of magnitude away frrom other suv's.

What I love though is the size of the tank, the 400+ miles range is awersome.
 
#25 ·
My friend has a 2011 Overland with the V6. I have the 2012 Overland with the V8. We both drove to Lake Pocono in our Jeeps this morning. I had my wife and son aboard. He has his wife, and two kids. His car had maybe an additional 50 lbs in it. 141 miles each way and we used cruise at about 70-75 for most of it, all highway.

I got 22 mpg and he got 25. Looking at our gauges it appeared he had roughly 1/16 more fuel after 300 miles, though hard to tell exactly. It was not a big difference. After driving my V8 he's done with the V6. He's got a lease and will trade up. I think the V6 does better than the V8 on local/city driving, but I don't think the V6 makes much sense if you do a light of highway. The V8 is just silky and effortless. The 360 hp is exactly what the GC needs.


Robert
 
#26 ·
You guys make it sound like the V6 engine is a slouch... At ~290hp it puts out the same kind of power many other SUV V8's manage to produce. If you average even a 3mpg difference over the term of ownership it will start it add up, the difference would probably be greater when you factor in city+highway efficiency and the extra cost to get into the V8. I came from a Lexus GX470 whose V8 produced ~260hp and averaged 17mpg on the highway. I'll take every dollar I can save, this isn't a race car, the V6 has plenty of pickup. I can understand the enjoyment of 360hp but there is no math to which justifies the V8 being cheaper to own.
 
#27 ·
I have a different view:

The GC is a seriously luxurious ride with equally serious off road/deep snow capability, especially in Overland trim. After loading it up with every option I wasn't about to suddenly pull back on the less rewarding engine just to save a few bucks. Let's be real here. Niether engine is great on gas, so might as well go whole hog and go all the way. The difference in MPG is just not that big a deal when you're buying a SUV in the 45-50K price range. I have a little Subaru for better MPG and believe me I use it often.
But this Overland is a FAT comfy road machine. I'd no sooner weigh it down with the V6 than I'd put a flat four in a Dodge Viper. :cool:

Today, in upstate NY with lots of hills MPG was worse, barely getting 20 MPG this time. But my wife says our gas budget is really not noticeably worse than when we had the Mitsubishi Outlander V6 which got 24-26 MPG. Wednesday I'm driving nearly 400 miles again and will start with a full tank. I've already got 2K miles on the car, so let's see how she does.

Cheers



Robert
 
#31 ·
I don't give a crap about the money. I like how smooth and powerful my Hemi is. I drive mostly short trips in the city so of course I average less than 10mpg. But I get 18-22 on the highway depending on how fast I go. I didn't buy this thing for fuel economy.

Sent from my SGH-T989 using Tapatalk 2
 
#32 ·
One more trip MPG update. From NY to PA, lots of hills and long climbs. 19.8 MPG after 3.5 hours. I did about 75 MPH average and this was my worst highway result so far.

But on the way back with the same conditions and a full tank I got 24 MPG!!! I have no idea why, accept maybe there were more downhills. It was a big enough difference that it was easy to see on the fuel gauge.

At one point two 18 wheelers played tag and did not appear to see me. The hemi pulled me clear and quick! I know for a fact that the 6 would not have managed it as I barely squeaked through. Proper power is not just a luxury; it's also a safety feature. Truck drivers on 84 should be arrested and tested.


Robert
 
#33 ·
You may have got a tank with less ethanol. I run across 84 and 80 often, and it is generally up hill one way, down hill the other, so a difference in 2 mpg or so is kinda expected.

You can also save a lot of fuel drafting an 18 wheeler, if you want to go there.
 
#36 ·
To all those in this thread commenting that money is not a factor, why are you all not in SRT8's ?? And enough of this silly 'silky smooth' description, your not even shifting it yourself, and the trans shifting patterns are questioned by many here.

To the OP, it sounds like the type of driving you do must allow for maximum efficiency of the V8. I paid 28.5K for my Laredo and just don't see the need for more then the 290HP I have. I regularly commute NJ to the finger lakes area of NY, average 23.5 mpg in either direction, and I use the Jeep to pull my 3000lb bow rider around as well.
 
#43 ·
Sorry...the V6 is really not great. 0-60 in about 9 seconds is AWFUL for a 40K plus Overland or pretty much any SUV at that price point. Most are faster. The Hemi is part of the package that makes the GC "complete" in Overland trim. In lower end trims I can see why some might go for the v6.

My friend has a Overland V6 lease and he can't wait to get out of it after driving my Hemi version. I also have time with both engines and the V6 is not only slow, it won't always get you clear if you kick it down in an emergency maneuver.

The 8 speed will hopefully get some life out of the V6, but until then I can say I'm very glad I passed on it. This thread was started to report the good results I'm getting with the Hemi and the better than expected MPG. If you have a V6 that you need to feel good about then start a thread.

Today I averaged just over 23 MPG with the Hemi. This is THE engine to get if you're going for a Overland. If the V6 was quicker and got 27-28 MPG I'd see the point. It's not all that sensible to cripple the powerplant of a heavy SUV for a few MPG, which is also a trade for safer power delivery in an emergency, better performance and probably better longevity and resale.

I do hope the 8 Speed cures the issues.


Robert
 
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