[rwa0440]

Hello,

Does anyone who owns a 2009 LTZ V6 seem to get poor fuel economy? I have been driving in city traffic for the most part and not driving hard. Is it normal to almost get 400KMs(248 miles) from a tank?

 

[Yury]

Hello,

Does anyone who owns a 2009 LTZ V6 seem to get poor fuel economy? I have been driving in city traffic for the most part and not driving hard. Is it normal to almost get 400KMs(248 miles) from a tank?

I'd say it sounds about right, but you need to properly calculate it of course, too easy to make a mistake ballparking it like that.

 

[DrivenDaily]

I just filled up at 256.1 miles, used 14.911 gallons. It's been cold enough here that I've been running the auto-start for 15-20 minutes most mornings. That's only 17.18 mpg, but when I don't do the auto-start I get 18.7 or better. When the weather got nicer last year I was able to get around 21-23, and on trips I got over 30. My commute is 10 miles, 6 on freeways.

 

[Silver LTZ]

I get about 225 to a tank, but I drive 80-85 mph on my 60 mile daily commute. That is about 22 mpg's. When I was in NY visiting family where the speed limits are alot lower I got 280 to a tank easy.

 

[Lee]

City mileage will really vary with how big of a city you live in. In large cities where you can hop on a freeway for 20 miles, your city mileage will not be too bad.
We live in a small town and only drive 2 miles to work and have 7 stop signs on the way. All that stop in go in two miles will suck the gas. With this type of driving in the summer my wife will get approx 15 MPG. On the highway she will get 30 MPG and on a flat road with a low speed limit like 60 MPH she will get up to 33 MPG.
This is with a 2008 V6

 

[Sandhopper]

Wow, I have not gotten into the 30's but I average around 25-27 mpg on my bu. I have a 140 mile round trip commute that has very little city (~4 miles) , a lot of open 70 mph rolling hills and some (~30 miles) 70 mph table flat roads. I can get two full round trips with a little less than a quarter tank left. A couple of times I have been able to get another 1/2 leg (70 mile) out of a tank but since there is nothing but critters between Amarillo and Dumas, TX I do not like to chance running out of fuel.

 

[DrivenDaily]

Wow, I have not gotten into the 30's but I average around 25-27 mpg on my bu. I have a 140 mile round trip commute that has very little city (~4 miles) , a lot of open 70 mph rolling hills and some (~30 miles) 70 mph table flat roads. ...

I suppose you're using the Cruise Control with that much open road. Are you using 87, 89, or Premium gas? I haven't actually done a controlled test with several tanks in a row of each, but using 89 feels much better under the pedal. 87 seems to feel like the engine is complaining, as it were. The premium we get here at Shell or Chevron (top tier brands) runs 91 to 93 octane. I've used it as well but don't notice any real benefit. When the weather warms up I'll get out more and see what delivers the best economy per mile. I rarely fill up at the cut-rate stations because they don't condition their fuel like the top tier brands do, as a general rule.

One trick you might try, if you have the 6-speed, is to put it in M when you start getting into hills that have routinely caused the trans to shift down. This will force it to stay in 6th longer, at least until you fall below about 50 mph (someone got a more accurate figure?). Just be mindful of being in M. I once drove to work (10 miles, freeway) with it in M because I was using it to merge in heavy traffic. I forgot about it and kept hearing this rattling noise that I hadn't heard before. I was listening and trying to figure out where it was coming from for several miles. It was only when I exited that the sound went away and I discovered I had been in 4th all along! I've tried to be a little better about it since.

Do you find yourself doing a lot of idling on these trips? Do you switch lanes and accelerate frequently, or use your brakes when catching up to traffic? These are things that can eat away at your mileage. I'm sure I'm preaching to the choir, but others may read this and get a point or two. Heck, they might even be on the road with me and make my trip all that much better!

If you feel that you should get better mileage, ask your service advisor, if you trust him/her.

 

[Sandhopper]

I use 87 octane Shell or Phillips, I have tried using 91 octane and it does not seem to make a differance with this car. I have started to pull back to M to keep it from shifting out of 6th and it seems to have helped (about the only good use for Manual in this car). I do very little idling and I do tend to push the peddle harder than I should at take off but hey, the car has the power and it should be used. Once I hit the road there is very little traffic so there are not alot of lane changes or braking. I think the hills are what kill my mileage the most. I will need to take it on a nice long flat raod trip to see what it does then.

 

[DrivenDaily]

So long as you stay in 6th and don't allow the pedal to go to the floor to power up any hills, the hills don't actually make that big of a difference on the mileage. It's only when it shifts down and uses higher RPMs that it uses more fuel. (I learned that from Popular Science years ago. Surprised the heck outta me, too!)

I discovered one thing when I decided to go from Louisville to Indy (about 3 hours) when I had my average MPG on the DIC. I got a lot more MPG when I slowed from 70 to 65. Above 35 or so, the biggest detractor to mileage is wind resistance; below that is mechanical friction. Wind resistance becomes remarkably more of a factor with only a 5 mph increase in speed. I'd have to do some looking around to find some kind of figures, but it increases more severely above 60.

Another Popular Science lesson: An engine's greatest efficiency comes when it is working at about 80% load. The graph they had showed that the amount of work gotten from a quantity of fuel was the same at 60% and 100% loads. So, if we can figure out what our 80% load is for any given conditions, that's where we'll get our best mileage.

I also noticed that when my car was new the best I got was 27. Now, with 12K miles on it, I get better mileage, above 30 on trips. I like it!

I hope we've done some good for you. It'd be nice to see everyone with V6's getting over 30, eh?

 

[Sandhopper]

I haven't tried yet but I think even in manual it will downshift before it lugs too bad... I will have to try it. Mine just turned 11K so maybe it will get better. Still love my Bu...

 

[LTZeeeee]

I get 19 MPG mixed driving. 22 MPG with more highway. I use the recommended 89 octane gas.

 

[Lt. Zed]

Driven Daily Says:

Another Popular Science lesson: An engine's greatest efficiency comes when it is working at about 80% load. The graph they had showed that the amount of work gotten from a quantity of fuel was the same at 60% and 100% loads. So, if we can figure out what our 80% load is for any given conditions, that's where we'll get our best mileage.

I also noticed that when my car was new the best I got was 27. Now, with 12K miles on it, I get better mileage, above 30 on trips. I like it!

I hope we've done some good for you. It'd be nice to see everyone with V6's getting over 30, eh?

Good call! I learned this the hard way. I have a 110 mi commute every day. If I cruise @ 70, I get 25-26 or so, but if I drop that to about 65 (and I don't hit traffic, which is very rarely the case), then it is as high as 31. I have an 09 2.4L LTZ which I fill with 87 octane. Traffic REALLY affects these cars and so do hills! If you can cruise @ 65 for 45 mins, and sit in stop and go for 45 mins, it'll lop 4 MPG off the avg. I think it is due to the weight of the car (and my fat ass) more than anything.

My car has 20k, and the motor, in the last 2k mi esp, has loosened up a LOT! as the motor is run in, it gets more responsive and gets better gas mileage. Also, there is no good replacement for the good ol' Italian tune up! I do use the injector cleaners from time to time.

 

[Bedbug]

Hello,

Does anyone who owns a 2009 LTZ V6 seem to get poor fuel economy? I have been driving in city traffic for the most part and not driving hard. Is it normal to almost get 400KMs(248 miles) from a tank?

I get 19 mpg in mixed driving . But I noticed if I Dis-engage the traction control, and traveling the same distance, use the same octane gas, at the same speed for some reason I get 22 mpg. That's with my LTZ v6.

Now i tried the same thing with my dad 2009 malibu LT1 V4 and same thing - about 1 to 3 mpg more.

Has anyone else experienced this?

 

[ChicagoMalibu2009]

I wouldn't at all mind getting 89 if it would help but I'm using 87 which i believe(manual not with me at work ) is what is recommended for my 2.4L ECOTEC. Does anyone know if switching to 89 could do any harm? help?

I know the long standing rule of thumb is use the recommended, higher doesnt hurt of help. Any proof in the last few years anyone has heard for either? Any advice is appreciated...

 

[Sandhopper]

I run 86 normaly and toss in some 91 premium once in a while to clean it out. I always use branded top tier gasoline the gas is all the same it's the additive package you are looking for in the top teir brands. I can usualy expect an extra 1-2mpg with the 91 octane but it is not wrth running it all the time. By the way before folks freek... I am at 3500' asl so we have different octane ranges 86 89 91.

 

[LTZeeeee]

89 is in the manual for "optimum performance" for the V6. 86 will work as well. 91 is pointless.

 

[Sandhopper]

89 is in the manual for "optimum performance" for the V6. 86 will work as well. 91 is pointless.

Since we are at higher (than sea level) our engines do not require the higher octane fuels. We can't even buy fuel higher than 91 from our stations. The other good part to living here is we do not have ETOH in or fuels (Yet at least). So at our elevation the 91 is equivalent to 93 octane at sea level. I agree though, running premium fuel in a car tuned for regular fuel is just a waste of money. I periodically run a tank of 91 through just to help clean the injectors.

 

[DrivenDaily]

The higher octane isn't what cleans the injectors, it's the additive package the refiner puts in the gas. If you buy top tier gasoline, brands like Shell, Chevron, Mobil, and BP, all grades that they sell have the same additives in them to help clean the entire fuel system. Purchasing higher octane and not getting anything from it is simply spending more than you need to get the benefit you're looking for. Stay with the top tier brands and use the octane you need.

 

[sk_malibu]

I normally get 20-22 MPG in mixed highway and city mileage. I also drive 70+ MPH on the highway. I have NEVER seen 26-30 MPH.

 

[08chevymalibultz]

I have a 08 malibu LTZ with the V6 and average about 20+ mpg, 21 being really good if I do a little more highway driving and have seen 22 at the most with a 2 hour trip to a family members house and 2 hours back home. I did not hot-rod the car on this trip and stayed within the speed limit and only got 22mpg. Love the car but not too good for mpg. With more mixed of city driving I have seen as low as 19 mpg. Also find with mpg that the car gets, the gas tank is too small. I can watch the gas gage move too quick with the size of the tank. I have about 11000 + Miles on the car and hope it gets better as the car gets broken-in more.