Fuel mileage over 600+ mile round trip

[dabangsta]

I generally reset the trip each way, but decided to get a round trip view, since there are a variety of mountains on this trip and end at different elevations.

 

Observations...

I was on track to equal the EPA highway rating (even though that really isn't interstate driving if you look at the cycle) of 29mpg until:

• 10 minutes of 30-40 sustained, 60+ gusts of wind (and sand storm) dropped the average from 28.5 to 28
• 20(ish) seconds of WOT up a hill to get out of a bad situation developing (2 semis that couldn't maintain their lanes) dropped it from 28 to 27

This trip starts at 2200 ft elevation, tops out at around 5000 ft, and ends at 3900 ft

The average speed of 77 mph is on par with what I usually average on this trip, as it is 98% interstate, 2 times 75>65 in city, and about 10 miles of highway at 65>55

I can knock 1 mpg off my average over 300 miles simply being aggressive getting on the interstate on a short on ramp (but I won't try merging at 35 mph either)

 

Overall not bad for fuel mileage, but it is very easy to blow it up, winds really affect it, as does accelerating to pass people, especially over hills. Adaptive Cruise and being alert but not overdoing it goes a long ways. I would love to say I could set the cruise at 75 and just do that, but with the hills, semis, wrecks towing wrecks (people that buy cheap cars and drag them to Mexico/Guatemala), 75 mph is just...hard to maintain without speeding up and slowing down.

 

I could easily get 30/31 mpg on this drive in my 2017 Escape with the 1.5. But I could also get really terrible mileage with wind, which is a big issue on this drive. I would get 25 mpg in my 2000 Grand Marquis (which I miss).