I drive 55 to work and 65 home. AC is on 50% of the time. I travel 60 miles a day. 10 miles is city, 50 miles is hwy. I am at nearly 370 miles on a fill up and the gas light came on 18 miles ago. I estimate 28.5 avg mpg, 26 city/30 hwy. Just about what the sticker said. I ease into speed from stops and dont use the resume on cruise from 26 mph to get to the set speed. My question is, I see where Jib01 states that 65 mph is the most efficient speed. But what about 55 mph all the time? I dont have many steep hills, so momentum isnt a big thing. I understand that i travel avgerage 60 mph. Anybody got input?

 

Hello again-well it souunds as if your doing the most to
maximize your mpg,there is a fellow/Caliber owner who
has done in depth work regarding actual mpg verses
speed study here is his chart.
I use cruise even in the city when I can,call it lazy
or what ever but it also saves me speeding tickets
due to not seeing radar traps or keeping up with traffic.

[IMG]local://upfiles/36523/CD09E565C55F405C8958E29F263DDB8D.jpg[/IMG]

 

That looks like what I'm getting too. I live in southeastern alabama. its 60 degrees here right now at 5 pm. what hills we have are not enough to get past 3000rpm for more than 15 sec. again, this is a great car in my opinion.

 

So, after almost two years, we can say 26-28 mpg overall? I like the car, but with my 03 Neon SE (auto/ac) getting 34-38 mpg, I can rule out this vehicle as a replacement for my Neonlater this year. That is alot of money in gas. I am very disappointed. It sounds like a good car, but they have lost me due to the mileage. I will not buy a Japanese car or a General Motors, but WTF is Chryco thinking with this rediculous reverse-thinking gas hog?

 

Well, after pretty much getting 29-30 mpg, and 385-400 miles per tank, I think its a fair balance between gas mileage and and a great car.

 

Hi somenothingness....You're doing pretty good for MPG. Most of the U.S. is now using lower energy winter mix gas that gives lower MPG. Your state of Alabama, may be using higher energy summer mix gasoline tho.

For your conditions you may be able to squeeze a bit more MPG if you want to really feather foot. You say you drive to work at 55MPH & 65MPH going home. There should be a bit more MPG if you drive home at 55MPH.Sounds like you may drivefaster because people are pushingyou. The Caliber has a bad aerodynamic drag force. Higher speedWILL reduce MPG more with
Caliber than more aerodynamic cars. If you do start driving a bit slower, you should stay to the right hand lanes where you should be able to go slower& not make the speeders angry.

Another way to raise MPG is to watch those hills, even if they are shallow or small. Make sure you have good speed (even a bit more thannormal) at the bottom of the hill. As you ascend the hill, let your velocity dropevenlytill youare going a bit slower than normal at the very top of the hill. Gently bring your speed up to normal only when you are on the flat at the top of the hill. If the top of the hill immediately starts down from the top, don't pick up speed UNTIL you are going downward.Thismethod is like flattening out the hill.As best you can,seldomincrease your speed whileclimbing a hill. That will really kill your MPG.I know you're in Alabama, butwhen you're at the bottom of the hill ready to ascend it, turn your A/C off. When you get to the top of the hill, you can turn your A/C back on. Again, trying to accelerateup a hill with your A/C on will really kill your MPG.

When accelerating from a stop,the Caliber tends to be jumpy. The front of the car lifts upward.Don't let the Caliber do this. V.v. carefully step on thegas, trying to make the first motion your Caliber does is FORWARD, NOT UPWARD. You are trying to cut thru the jumpiness, trying to move like a breath of wind.Your rpms may have to be under 2000rpms. Remember, if the first Caliber motion is upward, you lose MPG. If your first motion isFORWARD, you gain MPG.

Read my previous posts too, tosee my MPG is considerably higher than other Calibers.

 

I can appreciate your thoughtfulness and thoroughness in explaining gas saving habits...and while i dont floor it from a red light and drive 75 mph, i do like to enjoy just driving this car. I got 33 mpg on my 06 sentra 1.8 and getting 29-30 mpg on this bigger 4 banger is satisfying to me enough. I do keep to the right when going a little under the freeway speed limit. But, its just not in me to creep along and analyze every hill as if it were a tactical maneuver. If I didnt rely on the speed control as much, then the whole hill scenario wouldnt be an issue. But, this caliber shifts at almost the same rpm points as my 1.8 sentra, and revs at the same points as well. I try to drive conservatively at least half the time, and sometimes I just want to let loose. Good points though....what mpg did you say you achieved?

 

HI somenothingness....Do like your name.

For 1 year of driving including a long Washington state winter last year, I'm overall averaging 31.4 MPG with the CVT tranny. Over 4000 foot mountain passes, the CVT really comes into its own &AVERAGES an excellent 32.7MPG on long trips. My highest flat highway trip is 35.6 MPG.

My econo cars used to get 50MPG on the highway & my motorcycle would average 75MPG. Now that was freedom! Once I took the cycle on a ride when gas was $1.50, I had $5 in my pocket & 3 gallons in the tank. Said I'd comehome when I ran out of gas. Drove 350miles that day & still had $2 in my pocket afterward.

I photograph a lot, always looking for fine pictures to take. Don't need speed, just need the land to move thru.

 

Does anyone have the MPG numbers for the diesel version of the Caliber? I know we don't have them in the US but saw them on their website before the launch. I think they're built inBelvedere ILalong side ofthe US versionfor the foriegn markets. Correct me if I'm wrong.

 

This is my first post and my first Dodge. I have an 07 Caliber SXR 1.8 CVT. I have 18" KONIG wheels andP225/55-R-18 YK520 YOKOHAMA rubber.I am inthe Pacific Northwest namely Washington State. I have 5,845 miles on my car. First, I truly love this car it has all the performance I can expect from the 1.8. It never leaves me wondering if I am going to be able to merge into traffic it is very responsive; again it isn't a muscle car but also not advertised as one. My real milage is something I can live with: 32/26 Hwy/street. I drive, with cruse, at 70 on the open road and the commute, to and fromwork,averages 40mph over rural roads 7 miles each way. I burn Shell gas exclusively the middle grade. I have had the car to 115, mpg notwith standing, and the car felt steady and secure. I have recommended the Caliber to many who are looking to a reliable car. I have read many posts with complaints but have not experienced any with mine. One caution I always tell myself when reading complaints: I know not how the car is driven, what maintance standards, fuel grades etc etc. Not to be high and mighty but I feel confidant praising the Caliber. Though truth be told I no doubt would have toally enjoyed the larger motor...