I am getting average 21 MPG on my 05 Caravan SXT. It is city/highway mixed and always 5 people inside. I just don't push pedal to the metal. I'm driving this thing once a week to other side of the Hawaii island that 100 miles away from my home and have altitude changes from 50 to 2500 feet. Still getting those 21 mpg.
I bought a used 05 Caravan SXT with 71,000 miles this past April and I'm currently at 79,000 miles. Per the trip computer, we have 22 MPG but have dropped down to 19.5 MPG. I carpool (total of 4 adults). I don't drive it like my SRT-4 or '98 DOHC Neon, but the throttle/shift programming is significantly different than the '93 Grand Caravan I had with the 3.3 V-6 which also averaged around 22 MPG.
My accelratation permits the tranny to shift around 3K to 3.5K RPM. I don't do much WOT driving in the van - thats for the manual shift cars and hitting thier rev limiters!
On my 06 with the 3.8, it get between 25-a little over 26 onthe highway. Depending if AC is on. Usually average 19-21 with city/hiway. If you try to keep the RPMs under 2000 when accelerating it does make a difference. Also if i happen to get gas that contail 10%ethanol, it gets like 4 mpg less.
Vehicle: 2002 Grand Caravan Se, 3.3, 1994 Dodge Dakota 3.9 4x4 (plow/work truck), 1998 Dodge Dakota SLT V8
Posts: 47
I wonder if anyone else has noticed how tires play into fuel economy. My 02 GC would always get 24 to 27 mpg on the highway with the goodyear integrity tires that were on it when i bought it. I would swap on 4 snows in the winter and the best i could do was 22-23. the goodyears wore out and i replaced them with a set of definity 75k mile tires from pep boys. instantly the fuel economy dropped to a consistent 22 mpg highway. I think they have a harder rubber compound or tread which creates more rolling resistance? I have put 15k on the tires and the mileage is consistent. When these wear out i will probably go with michelins or goodyears. Anybody else see this happen?
I wonder if anyone else has noticed how tires play into fuel economy. My 02 GC would always get 24 to 27 mpg on the highway with the goodyear integrity tires that were on it when i bought it. I would swap on 4 snows in the winter and the best i could do was 22-23. the goodyears wore out and i replaced them with a set of definity 75k mile tires from pep boys. instantly the fuel economy dropped to a consistent 22 mpg highway. I think they have a harder rubber compound or tread which creates more rolling resistance? I have put 15k on the tires and the mileage is consistent. When these wear out i will probably go with michelins or goodyears. Anybody else see this happen?
Tires play a big part in fuel economy. Usually, the car manufacturers get together with the tire manufacturers and find (or create) a tire for a specific vehicle. Rubber compounds, tread design & air pressures all contribute to good, or bad mileage.
