[JerTM]

I bought my 13 Eco MT in November to replace my 07 G6. I have a longer commute now than when I owned the G6 and 25 mpg just wasn't enough. I knew my Cruze should get more but I didn't expect the mileage I am getting fairly consistently. First off I am averaging 37- 38, a high of 40, and when my wife drives a low of 33. It doesn't sound too impressive until I take into account what my drive includes. My home is 45 miles away from my work. Elevation a home is about 5600 ft above sea level, during my 45 mile drive to work I climb to 6500 ft within the first 15 miles, it stays at that elevation for about 15 more miles until I reach the largest mountain at a peak of 6880 ft and finally get to go down the last 15 miles to a final elevation of 4200 ft. Going to work I can get stellar mileage due to the large downhill the last third, but remember that I have to drive back up that very same hill going home. So overall I am extremely pleased with what this little engine can accomplish. Kudos to the design team for the ECO.

 

[obermd]

Welcome to the ECO MT in the mountains. I drove from Denver to Grand Junction and back on 11 gallons of gas - this works out to better than 45 MPG over Vail Pass and the Continental Divide on I-70.

 

[S-Fitz]

I have had similarly good experiences driving through mountains. I'm driving an automatic LT, so my mileage is somewhat less that what you can achieve but still very good. Good torque to carry you up hills too without needing kick down a gear. Enjoy the car.

 

[Jukebox Juliet]

For whatever reason I've noticed my LTZ also gets fantastic mileage through the mountains. Maybe it's the way I drive.


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[Slammed2014Eco]

Yeah I've driven both the 2014 Eco and Diesel in the mountains and as much as I love the torque from the Diesel the Eco found it's home out there lol I'm also tuned too so that helps a little more with the torque

 

[jblackburn]

I still can't figure out why, but some of my best mileage on both of our cars has been during trips to and from the mountains.

 

[JerTM]

The very first trip I took a week after I got it was from Salt Lake to Disneyland, my best was 51.2 I didn't expect to see those numbers regularly but it's close enough I am happy. I have tried a few mpg tricks like adding the full skid plate and using DFCO on all downhills. Is there any other simple trick for those of you that live in the mountains too have found to bump it up any?

 

[Cruze2.0TD]

When I did my road trip from Edmonton to Seattle, there was some really mountainous sections (believe the steepest was a 6% or 7% grade). On the way up driving about 130 km/h (81 mph) the fuel economy on the 50 km display went to about 8L/100km's (29 mpg). On the way back, I set my 50km record at 2.7L/100km's (87 mpg!!!). The Canadian Cruze's show a 50km/100km/750km readout instead of the 25 mile/50 mile/500 mile that the US Cruze's show (I think that is how it is on the US Cruze's). Last time I was at the dealer though, for whatever reason the gauge reset itself, so now I don't have my record 50km fuel economy

 

[obermd]

DFCO really works well in the Cruze.

 

[Cruze2.0TD]

DFCO really works well in the Cruze.

Is the DFCO the thing that shuts the injectors off when no throttle is being applied? If not, what is it? Also, what does it stand for?

 

[au201]

Is the DFCO the thing that shuts the injectors off when no throttle is being applied? If not, what is it? Also, what does it stand for?

Yes it is - and it stands for Deceleration Fuel Cut-Off. Sorry I stole that answer. Lol


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[spacedout]

Though I get great MPG in flat highways, I always get better in rolling hills. If you compare 50 miles of each DFCO seems to be the only difference.

I have noticed I do burn more fuel up hill than I save on the way down, but most roads are very equal. If you go up eventually you will get a free section of downhill.

 

[S-Fitz]

I usually speed up on the way down a hill to make it easier on the way back up :tongue: maybe it's sir Issac Newton giving us a hand.

 

[spacedout]

I usually speed up on the way down a hill to make it easier on the way back up :tongue: maybe it's sir Issac Newton giving us a hand.

That will only work if you use an easy foot and let the car loose speed up hill as well, basically using a constant easy foot up hill and downhill. This only really works on small hills where you don't loose to much momentum/speed, otherwise your missing the opportunity to utilize DFCO. Remember in DFCO you are using no gas, which more than makes up for any gained speed gassing on it downhill.

My automatic cruze gains a ton of speed downhill without needing to give it any gas, on even a 150-300ft hill on a 55mph road I will gain at least 5mph without giving it any gas at all. On some really steep hills grades around here(6-12% grades) I have went from 45mph to above 70mph coasting in DFCO downhill. I have to use my brakes on most hills so I don't end up with a speeding ticket!

 

[UlyssesSG]

DFCO really works well in the Cruze.

Agree. DFCO properly utilized significantly bumps up the Cruze's fuel efficiency in M32 manual transmission-equipped cars. In 6T40 automatic transmission-equipped Cruzen, not so much.

 

[spacedout]

Agree. DFCO properly utilized significantly bumps up the Cruze's fuel efficiency in M32 manual transmission-equipped cars. In 6T40 automatic transmission-equipped Cruzen, not so much.

I have not looked into this as DFCO seems to work much better on my auto cruze than my previous car, a 2004 cavalier auto. On that car the manual trans could use DFCO in any gear, but the auto I believe was a certain gears and the RPM range was tighter.

Like the cruze needs to be above a certain RPM for DFCO to work, I think there might be an upper RPM limit as well. I always just assume 1500RPM on the cruze as the low point, so downshifting when slowing from highway speeds to 5th or 4th gear should keep the car in DFCO for 5-10 seconds longer since I will be above that 1500RPM low point for 5-10 seconds longer to a lower MPH.

 

[JerTM]

I haven't found an upper limit to the DFCO on mine. There is a very steep mountain that I put it into 4th on the way down just to keep from going 80+ it is around the 4k mark and it still uses the DFCO. But it does appear that the MT eco was the best choice for my particular driving needs.

 

[jblackburn]

^Same, I've seen DFCO going down hills @ 4000 RPM in 2nd/3rd gear.

 

[cumminsdieselfreak]

My last tank I got 40.05 mpg(2012 6mt Eco) hand calculated in the mountain of western NC. I'm beyond impressed.


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[obermd]

DFCO will start anytime you're (or Cruze Control) off the throttle and the RPMs are above 1500. The manuals will enter DFCO in about 2 seconds. The automatics in about 4. This means you need to let off the gas enough over 1500 RPM to ensure the car remains above 1500 RPM for the 2 (4) seconds it takes for the ECU to trigger DFCO. The upper limit for engine speed is the red line.

Once entered, DFCO remains on until you press the clutch in, resume throttle input, or let the engine drop below 1250 RPM. The automatic transmission will remain in DFCO during a downshift.

You can feel the car enter and exit DFCO and once it's triggered it can enter and exit DFCO every half second. The feel you get is a small reverse kick in the seat when entering DFCO and an equally small forward kick in the seat when exiting DFCO. We have had members complain about their Cruze "jerking" while descending long moderate hills on Cruze Control. This "jerking" is DFCO. You can also see DFCO in action on the DIC by putting the car in Metric and watching for 0 L/100KM.