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I purchased a 2013 Kia Sorento SX 2WD V6 on May 30, 2012. My fist two fill ups I got 15mph. I thought that was a bit low so I took it in and they said that it would get better over time and when they tested it I was getting 27mpg. They reset the computer and I got 20mpg once.I was told to keep a log and come back in a month. Well my mileage is getting way worse.
I took it in again and they said since it isn't trowing codes they can't do anything. I was getting better gas mileage in my 10 year old Toyota Sienna V6. I average 18.77mpg and I drive mainly highway miles (not stop and go). I am a cake decorator and I work out of my home and so I don't drive during commute time. I drove to San Antonio and back from Austin (no traffic!!) and I got 21.61 mpg. I should be getting way better than that.
I am not looking at my dash miles. They are way off. They are about 2mpg off what I am calculating at the gas station. I have called Kia consumer relations and am still waiting for a response. Has anyone else had this problem with their new Sorento?
Today my mileage on my dash is telling me I am getting 12-15mpg. HELP!!
If you calculate the MPG at the pump you are going to off because it does not differentiate between city driving and hiway driving which does vary considerably. Highway mileage is stronger because there is less stop and go. Also your style of driving can affect it considerably. Not to mention the weather.. windows open or closed. Air conditioning on/off.
I am getting on average in city about 22 mpg and on the highway I am getting about 28-30 mpg.
It does improve with time and no one is lying about that. a couple of fill-ups will not determine it. give it about 4-5k miles and then see where you are at. Meanwhile keep a log of the mileage via highway and city and you will see a bug difference over time.
Be aware of the eco light too.. it does really help if you try and keep it on. (It does not gear the engine down by having it turned on).
I have the 4-cylinder 2013 LX GDI engine and I am having about 17 mpg in the city and about 24 mpg on the highway. This is way more than the numbers posted by Kia.
Your 15 mpg in the city seems about right because compared to the numbers I am experiencing.
The internet is full of people complaining about the low mpg they are getting in real life
Some people have reported that the mpg will improve with time but I personally have my doubts.
Some have also reported that the mpg and performance improves after the reprogramming campaign TSB 122 of the on-board computer but I think that applies only to the GDI 4-cylinder engine, not on the V6
If you look at the data on Fuelly.com, most people seems to have about 21-22 mpg overall mixed city and highway driving but can be as low as 14-15 mpg in the city driving with the V6.
Also if you look at the data on that website for the 2011 and 2012 models with a track record of fuel ups that people have recorded over two years, mpg does not improve with time!
This is how I look at it:
- it is a bit normal that a vehicle of this size and weight consumes that much, despite what Kia claims. It is a bit sad that Kia's numbers give false expectations
- every vehicle has its qualities and drawback. The Sorento's sole drawback appears to be the low mpg.
I can't calculate based on highway vs city unless I filled up every time I drove my car someplace. I drive 80% highway and about 20% city. The city I live in the main roads are 50+mph and the highways are 70+. Since I don't drive in commute traffic I don't have a lot of stop and go.
I had a 2004 Toyota Sienna V6 and it got 20mpg highway/city combined. That car is way heavier, I used the AC all the time (I'm in Texas) and still got better gas mileage.
I have the ECO light on (never turned it off). I'm at 4700 miles and the gas mileage started at 19ish and went to 20ish and now has gone to 15. It isn't getting better, it is getting worse. Like I said. I drove to to San Antonio from Austin (218 miles round trip) and I got 21mpg. I actually filled it up when I got the gas station by my neighborhood. On my drive to SA I didn't hit any traffic and was 70+mph all the way there.
I can't accept that when I go to purchase a car and it says 20-26 that I am supposed to actually get 15-19. I would have never bought this car if I was supposed to get this mileage. I would have kept my Sienna and drove the sucker into the ground. Like I said I drive mainly highway miles in NO traffic. I have my own business and travel only during non commute times.
...I drove to to San Antonio from Austin (218 miles round trip) and I got 21mpg. I actually filled it up when I got the gas station by my neighborhood. On my drive to SA I didn't hit any traffic and was 70+mph all the way there.
Try the same drive at 60 mph. You may be amazed at the difference in mileage. You are pushing a very large brick through that hot and probably windy Texas air. I used to live in Austin. I know that drive well.
Drives: 2011 Kia Sorento EX V6 AWD & 2010 Hyundai Sonata SE
Gallery:
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I average around 17-19 City and 27 Highway. The V6 makes it hard to keep your foot out of the throttle. There is just so much power there. It's quite addictive.
I think something is wrong with your SX. I can't get 15MPG even if I tried.
I have a co-worker who bought a new Sportage (SX model with turbo 2.0L). He's been complaining incessantly about the "poor mileage." He claimed about 15-18mpg around town and only slightly over 20mpg on the highway. He also claimed to not be a speed demon and to follow the usual posted limits around here (35-ish on local roads and 50 on the local parkway). So last week we went out to lunch a couple of times and I saw why. I'd say he was at 75%-100% throttle for almost every start from a light. When he'd get to speed, he'd then back way off the gas. That'll do it every time. I also noticed that he'd be on the gas almost all the way to a red light and then brake hard towards the end. I tend to let the car coast once I see a yellow/red light ahead and many times I'll luck out and it will change before I've come to a complete stop and a little bit of gas gets me back up to speed. Driving style is a huge factor in getting good mileage.
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