MPG

[Nick72]

Anyone else get less MPG on the highway vs in town driving?
2025 Big Bend - in town driving average 21.9 MPG, but on the highway it drops to 20 MPG.
Normally, in every other vehichle I've owned the MPG increases on the highway.
Thanks!

I'm my 2021 SAS auto, I would get around 18.5 on both. If I pushed above 70 mileage would drop off quickly since it was in boost.
On my 2025 non SAS auto with 3.73 gears I can do 75 and get low 20's. Start pushing above 75 with boost and mileage drops quickly.

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[wjtinfwb]

Anyone else get less MPG on the highway vs in town driving?
2025 Big Bend - in town driving average 21.9 MPG, but on the highway it drops to 20 MPG.
Normally, in every other vehichle I've owned the MPG increases on the highway.
Thanks!

Absolutely. I can get 21 in suburban driving in my V6 4 dr., drops to about 18 on the highway. Worse as speed rise. The Bronco is as aerodynamic as a bars, it takes a lot to get it above 70 mph. You'll notice you start creeping into boost aas speeds rise, boost eans more fuel to keep the engin from imploding. If I can keep my speed to 70, it gets about 19.5. Above that it sinks like a rock

 

[AZ_Liberty]

If I went 75-80 on the highway my MPG would drop like crazy. My tires are 315/70 KO2’s at 34 cold.

Why would your MPG drop like dcrazy driving 10-15 mph slower than traffic.

 

[Guzzler22]

I'm my 2021 SAS auto, I would get around 18.5 on both. If I pushed above 70 mileage would drop off quickly since it was in boost.
On my 2025 non SAS auto with 3.73 gears I can do 75 and get low 20's. Start pushing above 75 with boost and mileage drops quickly.

On my '22 BB Sas 2.7 4 Dr. Running in Eco Mode avg "city" and highway is a solid 18 mpg.
Someone on this forum pointed out added weight of aftermarket moods (steel vs mostly plastic bumper(s), etc., Sasquatch wheels&tires and higher gear ratios as contributors to lower mpg on highway vs city driving. Some also blame added wind resistance from roof racks and light bars too.
I keep my dash set to display mpg and keep the rpm as close to or below 2K as I can without being a nuisance to other drivers. Gradual starts and stops help too. Avoid getting into the boost mode of turbos as much as possible.

I've added a K&N air filter and have tried higher octane fuel, with inconsistent results. But I've decided added fuel costs don't pay for the very modest increase in mpg I've seen. I've also switched to full synthetic motor oil and waiting to see if that helps. I run my tires between 26-38psi. Higher than that is more punishment to the "ride quality" I can accept.

It's hard to hear it, but becomes acceptable to remember - the off-road vehicle owners mantra... "You don't buy one of these for the mpg. Yes, it is like driving a brick. But remember that smiles per gallon offsets that." etc., etc., etc.

Yup, like so many of us here, I love my Bronco and am glad to have it.

 

[Guzzler22]

On my '22 BB Sas 2.7 4 Dr. Running in Eco Mode avg "city" and highway is a solid 18 mpg.
Someone on this forum pointed out added weight of aftermarket moods (steel vs mostly plastic bumper(s), etc., Sasquatch wheels&tires and higher gear ratios as contributors to lower mpg on highway vs city driving. Some also blame added wind resistance from roof racks and light bars too.
I keep my dash set to display mpg and keep the rpm as close to or below 2K as I can without being a nuisance to other drivers. Gradual starts and stops help too. Avoid getting into the boost mode of turbos as much as possible.

I've added a K&N air filter and have tried higher octane fuel, with inconsistent results. But I've decided added fuel costs don't pay for the very modest increase in mpg I've seen. I've also switched to full synthetic motor oil and waiting to see if that helps. I run my tires between 26-38psi. Higher than that is more punishment to the "ride quality" I can accept.

It's hard to hear it, but becomes acceptable to remember - the off-road vehicle owners mantra... "You don't buy one of these for the mpg. Yes, it is like driving a brick. But remember that smiles per gallon offsets that." etc., etc., etc.

Yup, like so many of us here, I love my Bronco and am glad to have it.

A typo to address before someone roasts that post I don't run tire PSI above 38 unless I'm towing/hauling etc. and don't go lower than 35 for "on-road pavement driving"

Mpg in town can easily reach 23, but can drop like a stone on the highway over 65mph.

 

[userdude]

I two-foot brake and gas everywhere I go, I get great gas mileage. People seem to love it because they're always waving at me, from cars, on the street.

On the other hand, my top screams a lot. Anybody know how to fix that?

 

[JFelty]

With my fairly heavy foot I get 15 - 15.5 mpg city driving and that includes some Freeway time. I took a trip to San Diego on the Interstate and was driving mostly 80. I was getting 19 - 20 mpg. I was in traffic and had some advantage from drafting. I was not tailgating but the other vehicles helped move the air for me.

I don't think there is any way for my Bronco to get anywhere near 20 mpg around town. I do think 16+ mpg is possible but I have never tried for that.

All those mpg readings were from the vehicle computer. I have not done any calculations myself yet.

My first Bronco 2022 4dr Wild Trak (Ford Performance tune + "fairly heavy foot", 94K when traded in) always stayed around 13.5 for the overall average. My current Bronco 2026 Stroppe (no tune (=NO PREMIUM ), 1600 miles + same "fairly heavy foot") stays right around 16.9-17 overall average. Hoping once the motor is broken in it gets better. Not sure the "fairly heavy foot" will ever get better.

 

[JFelty]

I two-foot brake and gas everywhere I go, I get great gas mileage. People seem to love it because they're always waving at me, from cars, on the street.

On the other hand, my top screams a lot. Anybody know how to fix that?

LOL, back in his glory days my Dad dragged raced a 1953 Ford with a Flathead. When teaching me to drive he taught me that the accelerator pedal was an on/off switch with no middle ground. I still drive that way to this day the only thing that makes more noise than the soft top on my previous 2022 Wild Trak is my wife

 

[Thor_1]

It’s a dual turbocharged box. If you purchased it for good gas mileage, you failed.

 

[Nick72]

It’s a dual turbocharged box. If you purchased it for good gas mileage, you failed.

The fact that Ford advertises these engines as Ecoboost, with the green leaf, makes people think they are fuel efficient. And under laboratory conditions, they might be.
But real world is much different, especially when powering something with the aerodynamics of a brick.
And thinking back on it, my 2021 SAS got worse mileage than my 5th gen 4runner, with both being driven on the same roads, speeds, etc. (5th gen 4runner forums were notorious about people complaining about the "poor" mileage)
I never expect good gas mileage out of any vehicle of this type, but I suppose some people do.

 

[Desmolicious]

24.2 mpg combined. 2.3L

~Steve

Downhill both ways?

 

[Desmolicious]

The fact that Ford advertises these engines as Ecoboost, with the green leaf, makes people think they are fuel efficient. And under laboratory conditions, they might be.
But real world is much different, especially when powering something with the aerodynamics of a brick.
And thinking back on it, my 2021 SAS got worse mileage than my 5th gen 4runner, with both being driven on the same roads, speeds, etc. (5th gen 4runner forums were notorious about people complaining about the "poor" mileage)
I never expect good gas mileage out of any vehicle of this type, but I suppose some people do.

I'm also on the 4Runner6G forum because I was going to buy one before I switched to the Bronco.
It is amazing how many there are getting worse mpgs with their 4 cylinder turbo 4 Runners running 32 inch touring AT tires than I am getting with my Bronco Heritage twin turbo v6 on "35s" with three inches more ground clearance.
The only ones that seem to be getting 'ok' mgs are the SR5 models running the stock 31 inch econo low rolling resistance street tires.

 

[Willub]

While you are technically correct, that engine braking uses no fuel (subject to a bunch of variables, including catalytic converter temperature and more) and idling does use fuel, it is a miniscule amount. If I have the opportunity to coast for quite a distance in neutral, I'll take it. If I know I have a stop coming up, of course I'll use engine braking to slow down. It's entirely situational.

Your assertion that 10at shift strategy doesn't apply to transmissions with less gears makes no sense. By your estimation the zf 8 speed in my BMW should shift at a higher rpm because it has less gears - right? The torque converter is locked up once you are in 2nd or 3rd at which point it acts like a manual in that the torque multiplication is gone. At that point it is still trying to achieve the lowest rpm possible without lugging, just as I am.

Sure on the highway sport mode is achieving better mpg because it isn't trying to hold the lowest gear once elevation changes, but that achievement in efficiency is based entirely on driving style. If that same person didn't try to maintain or increase speed on uphill grades and instead focused on not dipping into boost, they would achieve much greater efficiency.

All that to say, the strategies I am employing are working for me and my driving style. Ymmv.

I was taught to never coast. You have less control. I just don’t see a reason for it. I am always rev match downshifting when slowing down, never going in to neutral.

That’s not what I said. You compared a 10AT to a 7MT with the same engine powering them. Your unknown BMW with a completely different auto has nothing to do with this. Automatics lug engines too. I’m just not sure why you’re matching the shift schedule of the 10at since the gear ratios are very different than the 7mt.

 

[Nick72]

I'm also on the 4Runner6G forum because I was going to buy one before I switched to the Bronco.
It is amazing how many there are getting worse mpgs with their 4 cylinder turbo 4 Runners running 32 inch touring AT tires than I am getting with my Bronco Heritage twin turbo v6 on "35s" with three inches more ground clearance.
The only ones that seem to be getting 'ok' mgs are the SR5 models running the stock 31 inch econo low rolling resistance street tires.

Sounds like their mileage got worse! I remember some comments on the 5g 4runner forum saying they couldn't wait to get a 6g so they could pass more than one gas station

 

[Desmolicious]

Sounds like their mileage got worse! I remember some comments on the 5g 4runner forum saying they couldn't wait to get a 6g so they could pass more than one gas station

To make things even better, Toyota downsized the gas tank from the 5G to the 6G. The rationale being now that it got better mpgs, they didn't need a big gas tank.

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