Topic: Terrible Equinox 2006 fuel mileage

[budgetsense]

Ok so there is close to 200,000 km on my 2006 chevy equinox, but that is beside the point because I have had poor fuel economy since I got this car back in 2006 at 80,000 km.

And when I say terrible, I mean really bad. About 15l/100km or worse

-Regular city drive, I get about 360 km under the best of conditions , on a 60 liter tank
-Highway driving, I get about 550 km on a full tank (60 liter)

I have taken it to so many mechanics and no one was able to do much. And frankly some are too lazy to investigate what the issue is.

This is 6 cylinder engine

It can't just be this bad without a reason? Can you guys suggest anything that can get me even a few more kms out of every fillup

Any special tune up tips, sensors to replace etc?

And selling it is not an option for me now

Thanks a lot

[airbalancer]

it is rated at 13 l /100km combined, 14.7 l/100km in the city on the US site so 15 would be about normal
What speed do you drive at anything at over 100 will be crap
PSI in tires low?

[rrocket]

Put in some new plugs, a K&N replacement panel air filter, synthetic fluids in the differentials and the engine...And go from there and see if it gets better.

But your mileage isn't that much out to lunch...I see at Fuelly.com the people with 50+ fill ups are averaging 13+L/100kms lifetime.

[wing]

Yup sounds about right...

[quadzilla]

I'd like to know what kind of mileage did you really expect from that SUV?

[Erik]

I'd like to know what kind of mileage did you really expect from that SUV?

Yup, they are all in that range.

[articsteve]

Nothing wrong with your gas mileage.  Drive it till she blows.

[Erik]

Nothing wrong with your gas mileage.  Drive it till she blows.

Some here would say that it is a GM product, so by definition it already blows.

[rrocket]

Nothing wrong with your gas mileage.  Drive it till she blows.

Some here would say that it is a GM product, so by definition it already blows.

Engine made in China....

[Ice]

The old Equinox's never got good fuel economy did they. The ratings were already high and the V6 was one of the old pushrod V6's if I remember right. Kind of cheaply thrown together to get into the small SUV market as that was starting to emerge. The new Equinox I'm much more impressed with even if that one doesn't quite get the rated numbers it's still miles ahead in power and economy.

[overtakeyouintheleftlane]

V6 engines aren't that great anyway in terms of fuel economy even when driven "lightly".

Get a 4 cylinder next time. GM is still using the OHV pushrod engines so that explains quite a bit. Same engine as mine.

[Trainman]

I'd like to know what kind of mileage did you really expect from that SUV?

I see lots of people complaining about the fuel economy of CUV's/SUV's.  Not sure what they are thinking, especially when they compare it to the Civic/Corrola/etc they traded to get the CUV/SUV.

Lots of threads like this on the Forester forum.

[aaronk]

I'd like to know what kind of mileage did you really expect from that SUV?

I see lots of people complaining about the fuel economy of CUV's/SUV's.  Not sure what they are thinking, especially when they compare it to the Civic/Corrola/etc they traded to get the CUV/SUV.

Lots of threads like this on the Forester forum.

True enough. By nature, a heavier, taller vehicle with a bigger engine will use more fuel. This is exacerbated at speed - as someone else said, over 100 km/h they start to really chug, even with a four cylinder, because they are pushing so much air. That being said our V6 Santa Fe averages under 11L/100Km in 80% city 20% highway, but perhaps at 200,000 Km's she will start to gulp more too. Make sure the engine is running tip-top, new plugs and wires and air filters as others have noted. Proper tire pressure is key.

Question to the OP, do you always buy the same tires? Sometimes this has a significant effect on fuel consumption. Perhaps buying some LRR tires for your next set will see a slight return in mileage. Overall these engines were never really efficiency stars...