Future owner MPG question

[2cvhound]

Hi I'm Rob and we are hoping to take the plunge in the next year. I have a slightly unusual brief in addition to wanting a Cali that will not only work for regular camping (my office is 250 miles away and I visit for 3 days each month), but it will probably also replace my estate car which has done 170K in 11 years, averaging 65mpg. I know that no Cali (or any other camper) is going to come close but I'm interested in what are the best mpg figures for a Cali. Logic suggests a T5 or T6 in 2WD with 2.0 engine. I also need it to take a double bass which fits and secures very easily in my current octavia. For short journeys I plan to use either electric or my 43yr old beloved 2CV!

 

[m10chkcalifornia]

Just done a few 200mile drives. Of course it depends on so many things. What the roads are like, what speed you choose to cruise at etc etc. I got 45mpg pretty consistently. Mostly motorway, most sitting around 65-70 and quite a few speed restricted sections. That in a 150 bhp 2.0 Cali Ocean. The best I have seen on a longish run with any kind of mixed driving is 47mpg. The typical is around 40-44mpg. I hope that helps.

 

[Bellcrew]

Hi I'm Rob and we are hoping to take the plunge in the next year. I have a slightly unusual brief in addition to wanting a Cali that will not only work for regular camping (my office is 250 miles away and I visit for 3 days each month), but it will probably also replace my estate car which has done 170K in 11 years, averaging 65mpg. I know that no Cali (or any other camper) is going to come close but I'm interested in what are the best mpg figures for a Cali. Logic suggests a T5 or T6 in 2WD with 2.0 engine. I also need it to take a double bass which fits and secures very easily in my current octavia. For short journeys I plan to use either electric or my 43yr old beloved 2CV!

We have kept to above 40 mpg on the long term average for the last 7 years in a T6 150 hp with the 215 tyres.
I cruise at 65 on the ACC when permitted and drive with a light foot around town.

 

[colintfcolintf]

I find mpg is better in warmer weather, not so good in the winter

 

[RockinNRollin]

60mph careful driving can see mid 40s mpg (2WD 6.1 Ocean 150). BUT, the Cali (like most vans) is a brick - if you have a headwind (and it doesn't need to be that strong either) then it puts quite a dent in the economy. A tailwind highlights this; I once saw 53mpg on a 90 mile journey, pootling at 65mph but with a 15mph tailwind. The weight also causes big economy losses in town/backroad driving where lots of braking and accelerating.

With mostly easy-going cruising on the cards, avoiding traffic and generally on faster roads, I would assume a long term average of 40mpg is reasonable.

 

[johns6809]

I picked our newly registered Ocean 150 up yesterday.
Averaged 47.5mpg on the 250 mile drive home. Driving gently at 60/65 mostly with ACC.
Nothing to complain about at that.

 

[pchmlk]

Fully loaded T5.1 140 SE with family of 4 + dog returned just over 40mpg on a return trip of 500 miles recently. I think that’s pretty impressive.

 

[TripleBee]

All combined for over 100000km, I reached the WLTP figures: 37mpg (7,7 l/100km).
Highway alone is between 43 and 51 mpg. (6,5 - 5,5 l/100km).
It all depends on your driving profile.

 

[JuanVecino2023]

I’ve been grumbling about this elsewhere. As a counterpoint to you lucky people averaging 40s

I’ve admittedly only done 2.8k miles, but my 24 plate 150 PS Cali returns 32 MPG long term average.

Very few local journeys. 95% camping trips, so mostly m’way & fast A roads.

 

[TripleBee]

I’ve been grumbling about this elsewhere. As a counterpoint to you lucky people averaging 40s

I’ve admittedly only done 2.8k miles, but my 24 plate 150 PS Cali returns 32 MPG long term average.

Very few local journeys. 95% camping trips, so mostly m’way & fast A roads.

What speeds do you take those roads? I will hardly ever exceed 110km/h.
My van consumes 1 liter extra per 10km/h extra over 110km/h.
So if I get 40mpg at 110, I get 35 at 120, 31 at 130.

What would you expect from a brick on wheels?

 

[CamperFam]

An absolutely fine usecase - I used to do the same in our old converted van (and wished it was a Cali!).

In our previous T6 Ocean we often hit 43-44 loaded to the max.

In contrast, our new Grand Cali hits 34 at a push

 

[Thebears]

Depends how you drive!
Going across Europe, fully loaded, cruising at indicated 135 km/hr for 6 hours we get 32 mpg. But on A roads and dual carriageways around the UK at 60 m/hr can happily get 45 mpg.
Beach 6.1 150bhp DSG

 

[Hawthorn37]

When doing a decent distance, and using motorways/ dual carriageways, you should get around 42mpg without driving too conservatively. Take it a bit steady, and you should see 45mpg.

 

[JuanVecino2023]

What speeds do you take those roads? I will hardly ever exceed 110km/h.
My van consumes 1 liter extra per 10km/h extra over 110km/h.
So if I get 40mpg at 110, I get 35 at 120, 31 at 130.

What would you expect from a brick on wheels?

Motorway? Mostly 65-70mph, A-roads 50-60mph

 

[pjm-84]

Buy a cheap car that 's reasonable economical and save the wear and tear on the more expensive vehicle........hence I have an 11yr old XC70

 

[Kayleigh]

Motorway? Mostly 65-70mph, A-roads 50-60mph

I drive at similar speeds to you, don't accelerate fast and use coasting. My Beach 150 DSG is averaging 35mpg. No idea how people genuinely achieve well over 40mpg.

 

[TripleBee]

I drive at similar speeds to you, don't accelerate fast and use coasting. My Beach 150 DSG is averaging 35mpg. No idea how people genuinely achieve well over 40mpg.

This and lower is normal for me on holidays.
7,5 to 8,5 is normal for commuting.

 

[TripleBee]

Buy a cheap car that 's reasonable economical and save the wear and tear on the more expensive vehicle........hence I have an 11yr old XC70

I won't bother with another car, paying road tax, servicing costs, second wear and tear.
I do it all with the California. Doesn't bother me.

 

[Agnes_Cali]

I drive at similar speeds to you, don't accelerate fast and use coasting. My Beach 150 DSG is averaging 35mpg. No idea how people genuinely achieve well over 40mpg.

I get 35mpg out of 50/50 London day/motorway at night traffic in new Beach. That's from full to full, not from computer. I'm just heading to Europe and hope to see 40mpg on a long run.

Cali is currently my daily.

 

[WelshGas]

View attachment 128604
This and lower is normal for me on holidays.
7,5 to 8,5 is normal for commuting.

Ah, Memory 1.
This is where the problem lies. This will be the real life actual fuel consumption for the actual journey.

If you change to Memory 2 then you get the average fuel consumption of the vehicle which resets every 20,000 miles or KM equivalent.

 

[WelshGas]

I drive at similar speeds to you, don't accelerate fast and use coasting. My Beach 150 DSG is averaging 35mpg. No idea how people genuinely achieve well over 40mpg.

I very much doubt if they do. The majority I bet use Memory 1 on the MFD that gives real life actual mpg and fluctuates a lot.
For real world average MPG you need to select Memory 2. This will calculate the average MPG over the next 20,000 miles and then starts again.

So what is the Memory 2 MPG?

 

[Bellcrew]

I very much doubt if they do. The majority I bet use Memory 1 on the MFD that gives real life actual mpg and fluctuates a lot.
For real world average MPG you need to select Memory 2. This will calculate the average MPG over the next 20,000 miles and then starts again.

So what is the Memory 2 MPG?

40 mpg +, memory 2 honestly.

 

[pjm-84]

I won't bother with another car, paying road tax, servicing costs, second wear and tear.
I do it all with the California. Doesn't bother me.

My Volvo value seems to increase with miles. However I agree, but the above cost needs to be offset against depreciation against the more expensive vehicles. In the UK we have this mental block with mileage and PITA so a high mileage vehicle becomes worthless to a certain extent.

 

[Kayleigh]

I very much doubt if they do. The majority I bet use Memory 1 on the MFD that gives real life actual mpg and fluctuates a lot.
For real world average MPG you need to select Memory 2. This will calculate the average MPG over the next 20,000 miles and then starts again.

So what is the Memory 2 MPG?

35 mpg is my Memory 2 figure. I reset it about 4k miles ago when I removed the awning so I could check the difference in long term mpg. So far it has improved by about 1.5 mpg, so maybe 5%.

 

[WelshGas]

35 mpg is my Memory 2 figure. I reset it about 4k miles ago when I removed the awning so I could check the difference in long term mpg. So far it has improved by about 1.5 mpg, so maybe 5%.

I would suggest that is about right for a vehicle with the aerodynamics of a brick.
I'm averaging 33.4 mpg over 20,000 miles in a 180 4Motion on 135,000 + miles and an everyday driver. Lots of hills around here but what you lose going up you gain coming down.