Will my 2007 Hyundai Accent get better gas mileage after an initial break-in period?

Question

It should be getting 32city/35highway. I know these are just estimates, and that the test done by the EPA doesn't accurately represent actual driving conditions. However, we've been averaging about 19mpg city. We've only driven about 170 miles since we bought the car and our tank is just under a quarter full already! This is so far under the EPA estimates that I wonder if it is cause for concern. We have a manual transmission and haven't carried any heavy loads. We've also kept AC use to a minimum. Whats going on?

Answer 1

Typically you will get slightly better mileage after breaking in the engine and allowing the engine rings to seat appropriately, but it will only be slightly better (a mile or two).

However, there are many things to check. Most new cars NEVER have their tire pressure checked before they are sold. This would be the first think I would check. I noticed the last few cars we've purchased, that the dealership didn't check our tire pressure and that they were much lower than the recommended pressure of the manufacturer. Fixing tire pressure can easily increase your mileage by 2-3 miles per gallon.

A/C on small cars drains an enormous amount of energy. The EPA numbers always assume no A/C. You can expect the A/C to drain you mileage between 10%-20%. So you're looking at 3-6mpg. I know you said you don't use it much, but I'm just letting you know the A/C does put a big drain on the engine.

Also the gas tank gauge is not a good way to determine fuel usage. The gas tank gauge is not calibrated in exact increments and are only approximations. A better way to determine gas mileage is to reset your trip meter each time you fill up. Then on you next fill up of your tank, write down the reading on your trip meter. So you know the number of mile you drove, and how many gallons it took to fill your tank. Though each pump at the gasoline station is slightly different, you should get pretty accurate miles/gallon values.

Answer 2

may take 6 months for rings to seat also city stop and go will always get bad mpg
if it doesnt get better take it in it is still under warranty for that