3.2 mpg's?

[AlanS]

So, I guess I thought I would get better mpg out of my 2009 xc70 3.2 AWD. Now, combo highway and town 18mpg. How should I drive to get better mpg? Or is this the best I can expect?

[WWS]

I have the same year/model vehicle as you and I get around 18 to 19 around town and suburban. The best I've ever gotten was on the PA Turnpike for a 75 mile trip at 65mph was 24+. I figure if I went as far as a tankful of gas would take me, I would probably make 25mpg. I've tried different speeds but the car seems to like between 60 and 65 for the best mileage. Noticed a drop in MPG at 70. A steady foot on the gas pedal or cruise control helps, of course. I do the figuring at the gas pump on the amount of gallons to fill up. The car computer is usually within a 1 mpg of my figures.

[ingemar Carlsson]

You guys are correct. This is a big issue: the lack of mpg. Again more reason to smuggle in a a D5 engine 40 mpg. AND TO get f'ing VOLVO to retool and let us have them here in US!!!!!!!! Even though they are a bit noisy. Apparently the new diesels volvo has developed are relatively quiet. Sorry to rant about this. Its just putting me very close aquiring a Passat tdi or other german car. Geely r u listening? Alan too bad disconnecting the awd didnt help us . Oh and if we could get a v60 here but NOOOOO or V 40xc but Noooo

[XCovlov70]

Your right!

My XC70 Flamenco Red 205bhp D5 SE after 24,000 miles is currently returning 40+Mpg but only when driven at a speed between 50 & 60Mph, and I have to say that unless I floor the gas pedal for whatever reason and then it 'growls' it is by far the quietest Volvo I have had in over 40 years of owning them.

With the set up on the dashboard showing 'INSTANT' MPG figures it scares the 'sh..e' out of me causing an instant relieving of the pressure on the diesel pedal when I see 5.6Mph when in 1st Gear and accelerating!

But once up there it will and has cruised all day at between 50 & 60mph, but provides better Mpg going uphill by dropping a gear (Manual Box).

I also seem to remember that whether it's petrol or diesel keeping the speed between 50 & 60 keeps the fuel consumption down and gives better wear/mileage on tyres and other parts due to less stress on the engine, but a good 'BLAST' now and again keeps the 'Cat' in order!

I truly hope you can get soon the D5 over there on the other side of the Pond as it is a fabulous motor.

[Cattrick]

With severe city driving (red lights, lots of accel and braking) I avg 17mpg at best. There is no way to drive the 3.2 beast fuel efficent. It's heavy, has AWD and used natural aspiration. This car eats highways and continued cruising speeds for breakfast without draining any bank accounts into oblivion, but that's about it IMO.

Volvo are notorious for their fuel efficiency engines being non-existent. They have never been known for it at any point in their long history of car making and therefore currently residing on the wall of shame compared to any European equivalent car brand in the same segment.

When I now use my 3.2 on intended roads (straight ahead at steady speed with careful planning so I don't accel/decel unnecessarily) I'm satisfied with 23-25mpg avg, actually very good for this type of car and engine combined considering it's Volvo and 3.2L
I will do a 250 mile round trip this weekend and I'm really looking forward to see what avg mpg will come from it fully loaded 4 adults and two dogs

[OKCXC70]

I've had my 2008 3.2 since Dec of 2008 and I get pretty much the same, except for when I had a K&N air filter installed. City/cross town I get 19.5-20 and on the freeway it's hard to tell since if we go anywhere we're usually laden like a European Swallow and it's uphill! I have gotten up to 25mph with a tailwind.

[AlanS]

I've had my 2008 3.2 since Dec of 2008 and I get pretty much the same, except for when I had a K&N air filter installed. City/cross town I get 19.5-20 and on the freeway it's hard to tell since if we go anywhere we're usually laden like a European Swallow and it's uphill! I have gotten up to 25mph with a tailwind.

So...The K/N filter helped or hindered?

[OKCXC70]

Helped. But someone will jump on here and say something about the MAF getting dirt in it or something. I did not have a problem.

[ssicarman]

Helped. But someone will jump on here and say something about the MAF getting dirt in it or something. I did not have a problem.

With the K&N filters it is over oilling them and potentially letting oil to get onto the MAF. If that happens then you will have issues. If you do not over oil then you do not have problems.

[Cattrick]

Not to be overly stupid or anything, you do keep the maintenance in order?
New fresh recommended A5/B5 oil once a year, good tires not on the monster truck side of the threading and everything else that might improve mpg's
18-25 is it. Can only go up from there... check below

I hate the "instant mpg function", it could be a money on fire animation instead of 99 liters/100km (2.0 mpgs). But yeah, great stuff at least limited to 2 mpg's, not great but still something. Wrong
I got my self a OBDII reader and Torque app for smartphone, not trusting the dash numbers a lot, and found out that the dashboard is limited to only 99.99liters/100km or --- which is the "get gas right now!!" level. The app though, with zero limitations, showing 468 liters/100km (and showing three digits on many gears) at one time acceleration in 1st gear towing a not even half loaded 2 ton trailer
That's .50 mpg's!!