[TNOutlook]

I'm on my third week as an owner of a 2008 Outlook XE FWD. First tank of gas got 14.5 MPG; second tank of gas was 13.4 MPG. The first tank was a 50/50 mix of in-town and highway mileage, the 2nd tank all in-town. I traded a 10 year old Pontiac minivan that consistently averaged 20.5 MPG in in-town driving. My 3/4 ton pickup gets much better mileage than this vehicle.

I really like everything about this vehicle except the fuel mileage. It is shocking and very expensive. I would not purposefully go out and buy a car that gets 13-14 MPG. I might as well had bought a Suburban or Yukon XL and got more room and better mileage!

Do you think there is something mechanically wrong with it? We are very 'light' on the pedal drivers; the minivan mileage attests to that. Do I take it back and demand my money back?

 

[cannondale_trek]

Take it back and have the dealer look at it. Get a loaner Outlook and see if you get the same mileage. I get around 17 mpg city and highway combined on mine.

 

[compnurd]

You should be doing alot better for a FWD. I get about 18 combined with my AWD. 15-17 straight city and around 22-24 if all highway

 

[tradewind]

I get combined 20.5MPG on the first tank with an XE AWD. But I drove the first tank carefully, easy on the gas when starting from standstill, not exceeding 65MPH on the freeway. I haven't finished the 2nd tank yet. Looks like it should not be far from the first.

This car is heavy, 5000 lbs. Moving it from still takes lots of energy, especially if you accelerate quickly. The poor fuel efficiency, I guess, has more to do with driving style than mechanical issues.

 

[whtroze17]

do you drive with 2 feet....dragging the brake? Many short trips with lots of stop and go? You're mileage is very low for a lightfooted driver.

 

[Tim]

I've put 6,953 miles on mine since new in March 2008. Cumulative MPG is 19.5.

Lowest MPG was the first tank of gas - 13.5 MPG. Of course, that assumes the tank was full when I drove it off the lot. The fuel guage said full.

Highest was 25.2 MPG. All highway on IN and OH Turnpikes, nearly flat, tailwind, at night so not much A/C, two passengers, at speed limit.

My daily commute is 14 miles roundtrip where the speed limit is mostly 35 MPH. I drive the speed limit and I'm very easy on acceleration.

FYI - the cumulative DIC MPG over the last 6,486.4 miles is 20.0.

 

[tradewind]

I've put 6,953 miles on mine since new in March 2008. Cumulative MPG is 19.5.

Lowest MPG was the first tank of gas - 13.5 MPG. Of course, that assumes the tank was full when I drove it off the lot. The fuel guage said full.

Highest was 25.2 MPG. All highway on IN and OH Turnpikes, nearly flat, tailwind, at night so not much A/C, two passengers, at speed limit.

My daily commute is 14 miles roundtrip where the speed limit is mostly 35 MPH. I drive the speed limit and I'm very easy on acceleration.

FYI - the cumulative DIC MPG over the last 6,486.4 miles is 20.0.

Tim, do you have a FWD or AWD? From what I read here and elsewhere, to get good mileage from an Outlook, an old adage applies:"Easy does it".

 

[Tim]

It's FWD - see my signature line. I also have NOT done the latest (May 8th) optional transmission flash. Agree 100%, easy does it is the best way for high MPG. I also try to drive at the nearest shift points to keep the RPM low. Just a little bit faster or slower usually does it. The shift points are:

Shift MPH
1-2 8
2-3 18
3-4 24
4-5 32
5-6 44

Regarding the signature line, it's SOP on the acadia forum to list your car details in the signature line. I thought it would be a good practice here too.

 

[tradewind]

Thanks Tim. I guess I should be satisfied with my first tank averaging 20.5MPG with mixed driving, especially considering I have the AWD variety.

 

[Tim]

Tradewind, You're off to a great start. Can only get better according to my experience. I now have to drive through three constructions zones on my little seven mile ride to and from work. It's killing my MPG. I'm about ready to use the Nav and discover a new route through the residential neighborhoods. Doing 25 and stopping at every other intersection has to be better then idling to work on the boulevard.

 

[TNOutlook]

do you drive with 2 feet....dragging the brake? Many short trips with lots of stop and go? You're mileage is very low for a lightfooted driver.

We are careful drivers. As noted before, my 1998 Pontiac minivan averaged 20.5 mpg, and that is weighted to more city stop/go traffic. We certainly don't drag the brake, and I think our mileage on the former vehicle shows we are careful drivers. I dropped the car off at the dealer this morning. They have now called, and I'm not surprised to hear that they could not find anything wrong with the car. My friend's 2004 Suburban 4x4 gets better mileage than this Outlook. My Chevy 2500HD pickup gets better mileage even when towing our 6000 lb camper!

I'm really at a loss as what to do. We spent a lot of time researching what our next vehicle should be, and determined it was this vehicle, this platform. But it's mileage isn't anywhere near the more conservative new EPA ratings and is lower than anyone's vehicle I know.

 

[Tim]

I read in a post on one of lambda forums somewhere that ethanol mixed with fuel reduces the MPG for our cars. I'm going to fill mine up this weekend and I'll see what the ratio is here in Cubsville.

Have you tried 100% gas? This was the first article Google found when I searched for "gas mixed with corn" - http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/apr/24/chattanooga-encouraging-ethanol/. Interesting that it's from Tennessee.

 

[TNOutlook]

UPDATE: 3rd tank of fuel calculated out to our worst yet, 13.2 MPG. Went to see the dealer today. I was told I could exchange the vehicle for any on the lot, but the dealer didn't have another Outlook anywhere close in price range to mine (low end XE). Asked if they had a demo Outlook that I could drive for a few days to check it's mileage, and they said their insurance wouldn't allow it. I was also told I should call Saturn Customer Assistance and that they might have more options available than what the dealer could do. Will have to wait until Monday since Cust. Sat. office is closed.

 

[Tim]

Have you searched the other Lambda forums - Acadia, Enclave - to see if others have solved the problem?

 

[tradewind]

Just finished my second tank today, again averaging 20.5MPG based on actual miles and amount of fuel filled. I have at least 60% local driving too and AWD. 13.8 sounds very low. It would mean you only got some 280 miles out of a tank. Usually my fuel gauge passes the middle point at about 230 miles. There is no reason this car should have worse mileage than a truck based full size SUV. Something is odd.

If I were you, I'd take another XE in the lot, even if the option is a little different. You may need to pay some more for the extra options, but you'd soon get it back from better fuel efficiency. Plus, you get the extra goodies.

 

[TNOutlook]

Just finished my second tank today, again averaging 20.5MPG based on actual miles and amount of fuel filled. I have at least 60% local driving too and AWD. 13.8 sounds very low. It would mean you only got some 280 miles out of a tank. Usually my fuel gauge passes the middle point at about 230 miles. There is no reason this car should have worse mileage than a truck based full size SUV. Something is odd.

If I were you, I'd take another XE in the lot, even if the option is a little different. You may need to pay some more for the extra options, but you'd soon get it back from better fuel efficiency. Plus, you get the extra goodies.

That's just it, they don't have another Outlook any where close to the price of my vehicle. They only have high-end XRs that are many thousands more.

I have also now talked with Saturn Customer Assistance. They are just a broken record: " The vehicle is operating within the normal parameters" is all they could say, over and over again. So much for acclaimed Saturn customer care.

 

[JBG]

I just finished exchanging an new Outlook due to vibration in the gas pedal that could not be resolved. My dealer and Saturn Customer Assistance both told me that the exchange applies only to vehicles in the dealer's stock, even though it did not stipulate this on the form I signed. However, the dealer was willing to work with me and agreed to get a car from another dealer. Since it was over 200 miles away, I had to pick up the replacement myself and drive it back at my expense, but I decided it was worth it in the long run. As far as insurance, I signed a dealer form listing my insurance policy and stating that I was liable for the vehicle.

Hopefully you can convince the dealer to help you out with this. I understand your frustration well, as I spent many hours looking for an '08 that matched our requirements. Our Outlook is replacing a 2002 Montana van, and I am anxious to see how the gas mileage compares. We got 24 mpg on the first tankful with the original Outlook, but it was almost all gentle highway driving at 50-70 mph.

Good luck.

 

[tradewind]

That's just it, they don't have another Outlook any where close to the price of my vehicle. They only have high-end XRs that are many thousands more.

I have also now talked with Saturn Customer Assistance. They are just a broken record: " The vehicle is operating within the normal parameters" is all they could say, over and over again. So much for acclaimed Saturn customer care.

The recent GM employee price offer probably depleted their inventory. The economy downturn favors the XE models. I can feel your pain. I cannot tell you what to do, but if this happened to me, I'd first fill up the tank at a station near a freeway entrance, get onto the freeway (hopefully flat enough without any up/down hills), drive 50 miles, turn around, drive anther 50 miles all at an even 60MPH (according to the government site www.fueleconomy.gov, 60 MPH is where you get your peak MPG). Back at the same station, same gas pump, fill the tank and calculate the MPG. This will be pure and unadulterated highway driving with the uncertainties of driving habit, how long you idle at the red light, how many red lights per mile, etc all eliminated. For a FWD, you should get 24 MPH or somewhere near that. If the MPG number is still significantly off, you know for certain that something is not right. (don't forget to remove anything heavy in the trunk, check all 4 tire pressures).

Equipped with the result of this test, I'd go back to Saturn Customer Service again. If they still play the same old tune, I'd write to State Attorney General's office and register a complain. At least in Michigan, the Attorney General will forward my letter to the subject of my complaint (I'd put GM's CEO in that spot) and ask them to resolve the issue to my satisfaction. If they still insist that everything is within the normal parameter, I'd challenge them for a dynamometer test following EPA's standard test protocol. I'd tell GM that if the car measures 16/24 as the EPA sticker says, I'd admit that I am a lousy driver, I'd pay for the dynamometer test, and you'll never hear from me again. If the test numbers fail, you replace the damed lemon with a 09 XR for my pain and suffering. If they don't want to play the game, there is always the district court to get their attention.

About 6 years ago, a guy in Beijing, China bought a VW Santana (a really old model which VW makes nowhere else in the world but China, I think). The car was a piece of sh*t. He tried multiple times getting it fixed but failed. Frustrated, the guy went to a painted shop, cover the car with graffiti like "VW service s*cks", "if you want to be disheartened like me, buy a Santana", etc. VW first tried to sue the guy for defamation, but their case was thrown out. They then begged the guy to take a new Santana, but the guy rejected the offer, driving the car day in and day out through busy downtown area. I think in the end VW had to give him a more expensive model to get that eye sore out of the street.

You are nowhere near that point yet. Hopefully things can be resolved soon. Good luck.

 

[TNOutlook]

Mileage Update: The vehicle now has 3400 miles on it, within the range noted by the Saturn Customer Support representative as being required to get to 'break in' and optimum mileage. Although I have gotten very close to 16 MPG on a couple tanks, the predominant mileage is still much lower and the last tank was 13.3 MPG! :banghead: hno:

 

[Dai_Shan]

My gas mileage definitly improved over the first thousand miles or so....but was never that bad! Started averaging around 17 (mostly 'city highways' and local) and eventually got up around 19-20 mixed.


But i think some of the improvement might be from just learning how the trany shifts and how to get the most from her.