The car isn't rated to get 19 to 20 mpg on the highway. Why do you think you can do better than the EPA rating?
V8
Anyone feel that this motor is a major guzzler. As smooth and powerful as the motor is, I can't get above 19-20 mpg even on the highway. Any other experiences?
1 - 18 of 18 Posts
Yea, 19-20 mpg on the highway is sweet, I wish I could get those numbers. I don't think it's all that bad compared to other vehicles. I had a first model year Ford Escape 4x4 about 4 years ago that didn't even break overall MPG of 20. That had a 3.0L v-6 and only weighed about 3400 lbs.
My 2003 Dodge Dakota V6 standard cab 4x4 pickup only averages 14.5 mpg overall and about 16 mpg on the highway. It isn't even full time 4wd.
I'm getting only slightly better mpg that I did with my Suburban which really surprises me. This car is way more fun to drive though 
I would love to get 19-20 mpg with mine. But I knew beforehand it was a gas hog. It actually is not too much worse than my S4 V-6 twin turbo (could be the way I drove it too :confused2: ).
"the motor is a major guzzler"
I would not say that the motor makes the car a "major guzzler" but the heavy weight of the vechicle makes it average 19 MPG on the highway. For example V-6 owners see little improvement in fuel econ despite having a more fuel efficent engine.
If you are worried about getting better gas mileage then drive a little slower and use cruise control.
19 MPH really is not that bad considering how heavy the V-8 Touareg is (5412 lbs.)
Big-Box Sports Cars
BY DANIEL PUND
PHOTOGRAPHY BY JEFFREY G. RUSSELL
November 2003
"In this test of utes, which is more focused on performance, the VW’s Audi-sourced V-8 was the weakling. And with a hefty 5412-pound curb weight, the Touareg had the worst weight-to-power ratio of this group (17.5 pounds for each VW horse to pull, compared with 14.3 for the Infiniti)."
"The five-valve V-8 is smooth and purrs demurely at high revs. It’s hard, though, for even an excellent engine to shine when buried in such a weighty pile of metal. It doesn’t help that when you prod the throttle, you feel as if the message has to walk down the hall, open the engine-bay door, and slowly wake up the sleeping motor."
I would not say that the motor makes the car a "major guzzler" but the heavy weight of the vechicle makes it average 19 MPG on the highway. For example V-6 owners see little improvement in fuel econ despite having a more fuel efficent engine.
If you are worried about getting better gas mileage then drive a little slower and use cruise control.
19 MPH really is not that bad considering how heavy the V-8 Touareg is (5412 lbs.)
Big-Box Sports Cars
BY DANIEL PUND
PHOTOGRAPHY BY JEFFREY G. RUSSELL
November 2003
"In this test of utes, which is more focused on performance, the VW’s Audi-sourced V-8 was the weakling. And with a hefty 5412-pound curb weight, the Touareg had the worst weight-to-power ratio of this group (17.5 pounds for each VW horse to pull, compared with 14.3 for the Infiniti)."
"The five-valve V-8 is smooth and purrs demurely at high revs. It’s hard, though, for even an excellent engine to shine when buried in such a weighty pile of metal. It doesn’t help that when you prod the throttle, you feel as if the message has to walk down the hall, open the engine-bay door, and slowly wake up the sleeping motor."
Whoever wrote that article is driving a different truck than the one I bought.Tahoe said:"In this test of utes, which is more focused on performance, the VW’s Audi-sourced V-8 was the weakling. And with a hefty 5412-pound curb weight, the Touareg had the worst weight-to-power ratio of this group (17.5 pounds for each VW horse to pull, compared with 14.3 for the Infiniti)."
"The five-valve V-8 is smooth and purrs demurely at high revs. It’s hard, though, for even an excellent engine to shine when buried in such a weighty pile of metal. It doesn’t help that when you prod the throttle, you feel as if the message has to walk down the hall, open the engine-bay door, and slowly wake up the sleeping motor."
AZBob,
Wonder if he the author had the same experience as I. I came from a car with a light gas pedal, very (very) easy to floor. I had my Touareg for two weeks thinking it had okay pickup but really good gas mileage for a V8. But one day I really punched it to the floor to find out that before I was only pressing the gas pedal about half way down! Really makes a difference! Now I really take off! And there went the impressive gas mileage!
Wonder if he the author had the same experience as I. I came from a car with a light gas pedal, very (very) easy to floor. I had my Touareg for two weeks thinking it had okay pickup but really good gas mileage for a V8. But one day I really punched it to the floor to find out that before I was only pressing the gas pedal about half way down! Really makes a difference! Now I really take off! And there went the impressive gas mileage!
It's geared too low.
At cruising speed the engine is revving. It's geared to be an excellent off-roader and that is a setback during higher speed travelling.
Mine will be in 6th if I'm driving a steady 45 MPH. On the highway it revs like my pickup truck, which is definitely not geared for the highway.
My pickup isn't as comfortable for the long trips so we'll be taking the Touar-rev.
If you want higher mileage get the Diesel. If you do the math you can figure out how many decades it will take to pay off the difference in vehicle price with the fuel savings!
ST
At cruising speed the engine is revving. It's geared to be an excellent off-roader and that is a setback during higher speed travelling.
Mine will be in 6th if I'm driving a steady 45 MPH. On the highway it revs like my pickup truck, which is definitely not geared for the highway.
My pickup isn't as comfortable for the long trips so we'll be taking the Touar-rev.
If you want higher mileage get the Diesel. If you do the math you can figure out how many decades it will take to pay off the difference in vehicle price with the fuel savings!
ST
:bored: more than 5000lbs, what can you expect. mine gets 18.4mpg on highway. kicks a** though when I floor it, especially in sport!S. Taylor said:It's geared too low.
At cruising speed the engine is revving. It's geared to be an excellent off-roader and that is a setback during higher speed travelling.
Mine will be in 6th if I'm driving a steady 45 MPH. On the highway it revs like my pickup truck, which is definitely not geared for the highway.
My pickup isn't as comfortable for the long trips so we'll be taking the Touar-rev.
If you want higher mileage get the Diesel. If you do the math you can figure out how many decades it will take to pay off the difference in vehicle price with the fuel savings!
ST
What I expect is a bit taller gearing from a vehicle with as much torque and a 6 speed gearbox.
ST
ST
major guzzler is an understatement! my reg is getting from 8 - 12 in town and 15 on the hwy.. if the damn thing wasn't so much fun to drive, I would take my chevy v8 to get better mileage!
I calculated my mileage, not using the MFI, to be 12.3 MPG overall. about 60% highway at ~70mph. About 2MPG worse than the computer says.
When going top speed (141 mph that is, according to GPS) the 6th gear is in optimal rpm area, which is required to get maximum power.It's geared too low. ST
Technically I'm not sure how you could change this without reducing the top speed, because of too low rpm.
Before someone is asking: I shipped my T-Reg to Germany, where I live now and there is no speed limit on the Autobahn.
When going top speed (141 mph that is, according to my GPS) the 6th gear is in optimal rpm area, which is required to get maximum power working against the friction of the air.It's geared too low.
Technically I'm not sure how you could change this without reducing the top speed, because of too low rpm.
Before someone is asking: I shipped my T-Reg to Germany, where I live now and there is no speed limit on the Autobahn.
My 08 V8 T2 averages 15.5 to 16.5 mpg going back & forth to work, 70% hwy 30% local. I have driven home really easy a few times, less than 65, coasting etc. and can get 19 mpg on a 25 mile trip but it's a real killer driving that slow in the Treg. Dam the mpg, have fun, that's why I got the V8.
Because the EPA rating is merely the result of a standardized test designed to mimic the "average" driver in average conditions.Why do you think you can do better than the EPA rating?
The EPA MPG rating for the highway is 17 for the V8. I regularly get 19.
The EPA estimates are useful for comparing one car to another. They are NOT useful for predicting your economy or fuel costs, since the estimates don't take into account where you live or your driving habits (a Texan with a light food will get much different mileage than someone who lives in the mountains and has a heavy foot.)
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