2009 Corolla 42 MPG @ 58 MPH Print E-mail
Tuesday, 16 December 2008
This Real World Vehicle Efficiency Report is on a 2009 Toyota Corolla S rented for a trip in December 2008. This roomy, well appointed 4 door sedan is powered by a 1.8L 4 cyl engine with a 4 speed automatic transmission. It is an Ultra Low Emission Vehicle II with an EPA estimated MPG of 27/35 and a starting list price of $15,350. It has a dashboard computer that monitors, records and reports MPG data and the odometer includes A and B trip recording. I topped off the tank, zeroed everything and set the cruise control at a notch or two over 55 MPH and over the course of 1,523 miles averaged 42.23 MPG, a 22% savings over the EPA estimate.


Going South from Sacramento I took I-5 to LA and then I-10 East to Phoenix. When I arrived in Phoenix and topped off the fuel tank, the dashboard computer reported an average 45.2 MPG and avg. speed 52 MPH. Elapsed Time was 14:03 to drive 749.8 miles. In Ontario, California I refueled with 10.454 gal and when I arrived in downtown Phoenix I topped off the tank with 7.440 gal for a total of 17.894 gal.
749.8 miles / 17.894 gal = 41.90 MPG.

I drove around town for 4 days, 256 miles on 10 gallons, for an avg of 25.6 MPG

Returning from Mesa, Arizona to Sacramento California via I-10 to I-5 in LA then north merging onto HWY 99 to Sacramento this journey included mild to heavy wind, rain and some brief snow over the Tejon pass outside of LA. When I arrived in Sacramento the dashboard computer reported an avg 45.1 MPG and avg. speed 52 MPH. Elapsed Time was 14:46 to drive 773.8 miles. I refueled in Newhall, CA with 10.245 gal and topped off in Sacramento with 7.926 gal for a total of 18.171 gal.
773.7 miles / 18.171 gal = 42.57 MPG. 
2009 Corolla dashboard computer readout
2009 Corolla dashboard computer readout

Fuel receipts add up to 36.06 gallons for the round trip of 1,523 miles = 42.23 MPG. Based on the EPA estimate for this car of 35 MPG I would have used 43.51 gallons so I used 7.7 gal less fuel, a 22% improvement over the EPA estimate.

35.8 x 125,000 = 4,475,000 btu / 1523 = 2,938 btu per mile
43.5 x 125,000 = 5,438,750 btu / 1523 = 3,571 btu per mile
Difference = 22%, 7.7 gallons, 633 btu per mile
 
2009 Toyota Corrola 42 MPG at 58 MPH
2009 Toyota Corrola 42 MPG at 58 MPH


Data sources:
RWVER Dec 10 - 15, 2008 by Tim Castleman
http://www.toyota.com/corolla/specs.html
http://www.fueleconomy.gov
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuel_efficiency

 

 
< Prev   Next >

FREE Download

Prove it yourself!

Real World Vehicle Efficiency Report
Print this form to calculate your savings.

iCan Drive 55 blog

Special Trucking Section
Newest Bumper Sticker

Calculate your commute cost

The True Cost of commuting