My wife and I share a 2008 Acura TL. It’s in great shape with relatively low mileage (23,000 km). We have it serviced regularly and are happy with it. But I’m a little embarrassed to ask why she gets much better fuel mileage than I do – highway or city. We have a cottage up north and usually she’ll drive one way and I the other. She averages 8.2 litres/100 km and I can’t beat 9.0. I travel a lot and when I’m away she drives to and from work, mostly city and gets about 12 litres/100 km. When I’m home I drive the same route since we work for the same company out of the same office, and average about 14.5 litres/100 km. We’ve been married for 25 years and this same difference in mileage has been consistent. I don’t drive any faster than she does and can’t figure out why she beats me so consistently. – Phil
2012 Acura TL SH AWD— Honda
I’d put money on the fact she is a smoother driver, one who anticipates traffic flow changes and eases off and onto the gas gradually. While your average speed may be the same, the likelihood is that you brake later and get on the gas harder to get back up to speed.
Another factor may be top speed. If you attain a higher top speed on the highway, even briefly, your average speed may be the same as her slower and steady pace but that added speed will cost you in terms of consumption. Fuel consumption increases exponentially with speed.
If you were able to eek out 2.5 litres/100 km at 80 it would jump by nearly 100 per cent at 120 which is only 50 per cent faster – same vehicle, same conditions.
On those trips up north to the cottage if your Acura is carrying a lot of extra weight on one way that would increase consumption noticeably, the same if you had anything on a roof rack.
But I’d bet the big difference is steady speed and anticipation versus more sudden changes in speed and heavier throttle application. The reason I know this? My wife and I have the same difference in driving styles.
Send your questions for Richard Russell to globedrive@globeandmail.com
