AWD gas Mileage

[fryguy]

Originally Posted by F.B.

The round trip may have had different slopes, or wind effects, or traffic lights, or traffic patterns, etc. It is simply a bad set of data. There is no way adding the extra friction in AWD will improve gas mileage. I've used the instantaneous display on flat roads and switched back and forth between AWD & FWD and AWD was slightly worse. AWD might only get you better mileage in slippery conditions. Even Suzuki says mileage is slightly worse in AWD.

I am only giving my factual statiscal information that I am experiencing. It may get worse or it may get better. I am not a car specialist. I do know what i see on the display and I figure the computer is smarter than I am and it seems better when the cruise is on. Also want to mention this is a 4 speed automatic. Go figure...we will just have to see. I will keep you posted. I have had the car now for 1 month and 3 weeks now. Thanks for the reply

[MoSo]

We get roughly 30 mpg average, 2wd or AWD. It looks like the gas mileage is slightly better in 2wd mode, but I'm not sure it's a statistically significant difference. This car REALLY needs a 6th gear and some different ratios.

It's 30 miles into town on a two lane road which tends to have a lot of truck traffic and not very many places to pass - when we cruise around at about 53 mph, we average around 35 mpg, which is good enough to convince us to stick to lower speeds. Can't convince myself of that when I'm late or driving 300+ miles, but the majority of trips into town I can.

And, wow, a roof rack with two mtn bikes on it kills the mileage, as does a roof load of snow. Plus the roof racks sing (without the rubber strips in place) and howl (lower in tone, with the rubber strips on).

2008 SX4 Crossover "Mighty Zoot" volcanic cinder orange, the same color as the road outside our house...

[fryguy]

It seems to show on the display that once the switch is set from FWD to iAWD the gas mileage goes higer in real time but after driving a tank it actually went down about 1.5 to 2 miles to the gallon less. FWD 27mpg iAWD 25mpg. Either way this is far better than the last car I had. Cruise does seem to handle the vehicles gas mileage better than my foot.