[mdguy]

So last month I bought a 2012 1.6S CVT/cruise control Versa Sedan. The MPG was one of the reasons I bought this car and I am by no means driving like a maniac or even putting the majority of my miles in the city, probably doing 70% hwy/30% city. I track my miles per fill up and divide by the gallons put into the engine, the onboard computer says 31.7 average. I've used the tool that shows current MPG, and whenever I press the gas pedal more than a slight tap it's down around 15, not sure what is going on here. As many of you know if there is even a slight grade the pedal has to be down to even maintain speeds. It's very frustrating having the low gas light start flashing when I've only driven 250 miles, anyone have some advice?

Edit to add: My fill-ups have given me

1) 28.9 2) 29.7 3) 29.2

 

[08versailles]

It will be a few thousand miles before engine breaks in and optimal mileage realized. I see the same affect in my cvt Altima with the slight inclines, I hear ya. Sometimes I coast extra early for stops etc, but that's not always a good option. Hang in there and welcome mdguy!

 

[Ben_B]

Just play the game where you try to never exceed 2500 RPM and you should see things go better.

 

[robj80]

those have to be the worst numbers I've seen out of a 1.6. Even the car magazines that run the car through various speed tests are getting better then that.

here are some suggestions:
If your using the same gas station then try a different one.
inspect all your tires for proper inflation
make sure the parking brake isn't applied
drive a little slower
take it to nissan and let them inspect it

 

[randy]

Where in md are u located? I'm from maryland as well! Could be the Area...lots of hills things like that..

 

[mdguy]

I live by Thurmont, so there are hills, but my old car delivered consistent above epa hwy rating MPG so I don't think it's that bad. Only difference is I'm going from manual to CVT here. The acceleration is definitely much weaker but I'm trying to adjust and not get frustrated with the extra time.

I'll try a different gas station, have always used the same one though and found I got better mileage at it than others before. Can't tell when I'm exceeding 2500 rpm, I know if I don't push it down to a degree there basically is no acceleration. The tires seem fine, they are definitely not underinflated. Parking brake definitely down lol, I engage it every time I park. I'm thinking next time Nissan harasses me to fill out their survey I'll bring it up and see what happens. I don't think they'll do much but I can cross my fingers.

 

[08versailles]

I can only get near EPA/Natural Resources Canada highway mpg figures under crazy ideal 0% city conditions with my cvt. But with manuals, I get consistently 10-15% under highway mpg target, for a three-season average, with some city and some fast-lane highway.
I too would like to hear from some folks who get great mpgs from their cvts after the break-in period. Hope your mpgs get better soon

 

[mdguy]

Looks like 5th tank is the charm, I sat in cruise control going 55/65 to and from NYE party with no real traffic and was able to get the magic 38mpg from about 150 miles. I guess like you said, city really kills it with CVT.

 

[randy]

did see the part about your cvt. but yea cvt suck in ciity driving...you really need to baby the gas to try to keep your mpg's up! but on hwy you get amazing mpg with the cvt!!!

 

[tower62]

On my 2009 1.8L I've noticed that the gas pump cuts off prematurely, resulting in less than a full tank. If I continue filling, I can put another gallon into the tank, and I've been averaging a little over 30 mpg with 6 spd manual.
I hope this helps.

 

[BobbyPhoenix]

On my third tank now on my 2012 1.6 S manual. When I filled up my second tank it said I have 333 miles left till empty. Last tank I filled up with the light flashing at 32 miles left till empty, and my trip odo said I drove 283 miles, and got 36.4 MPG average for the tank. Been mostly highway, and I'm in Orlando FL (nice and flat), so that helped I'm sure. I didn't calculate those number to see if they actually matched up well with each other, but I know since I bought the car on Jan 14, 2012 I spent $66.00 exactly on gas, so seeing how that is over a month already since owning it, I'm not going to complain on anything.

 

[08versailles]

^very nice! if Nissan offers the hr16 in the new hatch with manual, i just may need an upgrade. Although Altima coupe manual looking good too:woot:

 

[tchite]

My avg mpg on the onboard meter is 38.1mpg

Hi,

I have a Nissan Versa sedan 2012. I bought it in Oct 2011 and have put about 12,000 miles on it already in the 5 months that I have had it. Mostly freeway driving but about 15% city driving.

The onboard computer says I am getting 38.1mpg. I think that is a little optimistic. My manual calculations vary between 35mpg and 37mpg overall. Once I got up to 41.7mpg. If I drive really conservatively the avg mpg guage will go up to 38.3mpg.

My mileage hasn't changed during the break-in period. The mileage seems to be the same.

When I first got the car I was addicted to the mpg gauge and spent a lot of time looking at that gauge and adjusting my foot pedal pressure to maximize the mpg while I was driving. By just letting up a tiny bit on the accelerator, particularly in city driving the gas mileage shoots up.

With the CVT transmission, if I am traveling on one of the parkways where there are few stops and when going about 45mph, my gas mileage is over 60mpg (indicated by the mpg gauge)! And if I draft behind a semi on the freeway and if it isn't windy, I can also get about 60mpg (going about 65~70mph). This of course is on level roads. I live in Nevada and California where it rarely gets cold. I have noticed that on a few mornings when the temperature got close to freezing, my indicated mpg was much lower on short trips. I think that would also lower highway mileage as air is denser when cold.

Also I have the habit of putting the car in neutral and coasting downhills and to a red light. I don't know if that helps but my rpms drop quite a bit. I have to drive around the Sierras and Death Valley so I have to climb over a lot of mountain passes and have a lot of long down hill streches of highway.

Wind really seems to cut down my mileage in my Versa and in my Rav4. If it is windy my highway gas mileage will drop from 38 down to 34 or once down to 31mpg.

I am also driving faster now. I used to drive about 65~70mph and get about 38mpg. Now I am in more of a hurry and drive about 75~80mph and get about 34mpg. I would rather save my time than the $3 or $4 dollars I might save by driving slower.

One question I have is that I have seen two stats for the air flow efficiency of the 2012 Versa sedan - one was .29 and the more common stat is .31. The published stat for the Prius is .25. Ford and others say they can't replicate the Prius number and measure the Prius as .29 in their wind tunnel. Ford says their Focus and Fiesta get .29.

I did notice that when I rented a Ford Focus (2011 hatchback) that I coasted downhill a little bit faster than my Versa on the same road. I am wondering if there is an aftermarket kit that would reduce the coefficient of drag of the Versa sedan from .31 to .29 or better. I might be interested in buying something like that.

 

[scwinn]

My dealer told me to expect around 28 - 30 mpg until I reached 4,000 km. Its just a matter of the car being broken in.

 

[Versa S 2009]

The CVT would be better in the city than an automatic, and possible a manual. I have had 2 4spd autos, and with the same driving, the CVT is by far the best. I cruise at 1500 RPMs to 45mph, and then it drops to 1200 after that. I dont know of an auto or manual that you could do that too. I dont creep either. It takes about 10 sec from 0-45. Id have Nissan look at that. I bet ive got worse city driving than you, and I have a sentra. Bigger motor, more weight. I avg 28-30MPG. But it also depends on the weather!!! Cold weather I get 24-26mpg.

 

[iluvmyVersa08]

I find the CVT does horrible in the city, my mileage is gross every time I fill up.

However, if I take a long trip, all highway and keep the cruise on, then my mileage definitely increases (slightly). .

 

[Versa S 2009]

I find the CVT does horrible in the city, my mileage is gross every time I fill up.

However, if I take a long trip, all highway and keep the cruise on, then my mileage definitely increases (slightly). .

Really? Maybe its the versa CVT?!?!

 

[iluvmyVersa08]

Really? Maybe its the versa CVT?!?!

Perhaps. I have no idea.

 

[scwinn]

The CVT is supposed to ge BETTER gas mileage than the manual. I averaged 26 mpg on my first tank of gas. But my dealer told me to expect that until 4,000 miles or so.

 

[scwinn]

I get 33 mpg city pretty much each fillup. I get 52 mpg highway. I drive a 2012 sedan with CVT. Can't see how anybody can do worse than that.