Topic: Is your Matrix/Corolla getting close to epa fuel economy? mine isn't.

[Sival]

The effect of ethanol on performance and fuel economy is exaggerated by a lot of people. Sure, ethanol has a lower energy amount by volume, meaning one gallon of ethanol doesn't give the same energy as gasoline, but at 10%, the effect of that should be about 3 or 4%. It's only on older engines (80s or early 90s) that can't deal with the slight difference that it introduces that the effect may be larger than that.

In some tests done with certain cars, a small ethanol amount has even been sometimes seen to increase fuel economy slightly. The one study I know of that clearly detailed the effects of using ethanol in gas indicated that 10% ethanol mix worsened fuel economy by 1,5%.

You can see it here: http://www.ethanol.org/pdf/contentmgmt/ACEFuelEconomyStudy_001.pdf

Another test made in Australia had the E10-fueled car consume 9,8 l/100 Km versus 9,4 for the one on regular gas. That's 4%, what the theory supports.

[DKaz]

I usually got 7L/100km in pure city driving, and up to 4.7L/100km in highway driving if I drove like 100km/h or less and 5.5L/100km if I stuck to 115 to 120ish. My Corolla was sold at just under 40,000km.

My Mazda 5 was getting EPA fuel economy when I got her at 71,000km, then it got worse closer to 100,000, then I changed the air filter and it's close to EPA but not quite. Might do an FI purge and if anything, my car may just be due for a tuneup c/w new plugs.