Hi,

I purchased a Hyundai Tucson City 2006 (4 cylinder, front wheel drive).

I don't know a lot about cars, which is why I'm asking here.

Very pleased with it, apart from one thing: The fuel consumption.

It says that it uses 9.2 litres per 100 km (City).

Fair enough.
The car has got a 50 litre tank, so according to my calculations, it should drive roughly 540 km on a full tank. And that's in the city.
I filled the car up but have only reached 400 km and there's not a lot of petrol left (perhaps another 50 km). That would be 450 km and not 540 km.
I know that the 9.2 litres per 100 km is approximate, but still.
There's a big difference between 540 km and 450 km.
It's 20% more fuel than it says "on the tin".

I'm aware that you use more petrol in the city, but as mentioned, it states that it uses 9.2 litres per 100 km in the city (not highway).

Am I being pedantic or is there something wrong with the car?

 

It might need a complete service ? When was it last done and what was replaced. Always needs a long hard run down the highway to clean valves etc. Have everything replaced then a run and then repost your figures.

 

Thanks for you reply.

I bought it a month ago.
Last service was 2 months ago.
I spoke to the mechanic before I bought it and he told me that the car was in a mint condition.

Also, it's only driven 36k, so the mileage is low.

Only one owner and she only really used it to drive her kids to school and to pick them up again (so short trips).

You mention that it would be good to take it for a long hard run down the highway.
I guess this be beneficial, since she's only done short trips in the car.

But would this really make such a big difference?
And as mentioned, the car has been services recently.

 

Don't assume. You need to do the calculations.

Fill the tank. Reset the trip odometer to zero. Drive until the tank is near empty and refill the tank. Then, in your case, divide the liters used (how many liters it took to fill the tank the second time) driven by the kilometers driven (the kilometers on teh trip computer) x 100. That will get the the true liters per 100km rating.

 

I did fill the tank and I reset the odometer to zero.
I'm down to the last bar before hitting E.
Will let you know how far it goes before the near empty tank light is on.

By the way, how far can the Tucson go after the near empty tank light goes on?

 

I've found there are about 2.5 US gallons in the tank when the light goes on. Assuming the 24-mpg I usually get, that means I can go about 60 miles. But I would never attempt to go that far. I always fill up before the light goes on or as soon as it goes on. Driving that low is bad for the fuel pump. The fuel pump is in the tank and is cooled and lubricated by the fuel. Running the tank very low uncovers the fuel pump and if done often, can shorten the pumps life.

 

Actually, I was a bit under the 400 km mark, when it was down to one bar.
I went for a drive tonight and at 405 km the fuel lamp was on.
I wrote in an earlier post that the fuel tank size is 50 litres.
That's wrong. It's 58 litres.
When I filled the car up tonight, I got 50 litres in the car.
So there was still 8 litres for the car to use, after the fuel tank light was on.

So I managed to drive 405 km on 50 litres. That's 8.1 km per litre.
And that's approx 12.3 litres per 100 km.
But Hyundai says that the Hyundai Tucson 2006 City uses 9.2 litres per 100 km (city driving) - http://www.carbuddy.com.au/car/value...NDAI&md=TUCSON

According to Hyundai, I should be able to drive 533,60 km (9.2 x 58 litres).
But as I wrote, at 405 km I had 8 litres left. That's 8.1 km x 8 litres = 64,80 km + 405 = roughly 470 km.

I guess there's not that big a difference between 533 km and 470 km...

 

Well, what were the conditions you were driving? Is it cold or hot where you are? Idling in the cold to warm up the car will lower the fuel economy. And if it's hot, using the A/C will lower the fuel economy.

I was just checking the numbers and doing the conversions and I believe your numbers are incorrect. In the US the 2006 Tucson 4 cyl has the following stats:

2006 Tucson 2.0L 4cyl:
- Tank size = 15.3 gal
- City MPG = 20 mpg (Range = 306 mi)
- Highway MPG = 25 mpg (Range = 382.5 mi)
- Combined MPG = 22 mpg (Range = 336.6 mi)

Converting those numbers to metric we get:
- Tank size = 58 L
- City L/100km = 11.76 L (Range = 493 km)
- Highway L/100km = 9.41 L (Range = 616.5 km)
- Combined L/100km = 10.69 L (Range = 542.3 km)

I don't know where you got the info that the Tucson gets 9.2 litres per 100 km (city driving) but I believe they are incorrect. That is closer to the highway number. City driving for a 4-cylinder Tucson should be 11.76 L/100km. And that's very close to the 12.3 L/100km you said your Tucson got.

 

I'm in Melbourne, Australia.
It's spring here at the moment and the aircon is on now and again, but far from constantly.

There's a sticker in the window stating that it uses 9.2 litres per 100 km.
Also, I've found a link: http://www.eurodb.com.au/used-car-Sp...Y/2006/F4D06A/

HYUNDAI TUCSON CITY 2006 Fuel Consumption Specification

Fuel Type: UNLEADED PETROL
Fuel Tank Capacity: 58
Fuel Consumption (City): 9.2
Fuel Comsumption (Hwy): 0

 

That link is wrong. How can Highway fuel consumption be 0?

The real numbers are:
Highway = 9L per 100km
City = 12L per 100km