Yep, it's an issue. As Kurt mentioned early on, our SX4 throws in the towel after about 200 miles and flips on its low fuel light. When this happened a couple days ago, I felt like I had just refuelled the car the day before. Which I had. I just couldn't work up the effort to fuel up again, so I drove around for a couple more days with the fuel light on. Will I run out of gas? Ha ha, bring it on SX4 -- I live for danger!
Actually, I gave in today and gave our little SX4 some sweet 87-octane nectar. Alas, I was not as reckless as I had thought -- I only pumped in 10.2 gallons; the tank lists at 11.9 gallons. Still, I managed 256.7 miles on this tank, the most anyone on staff has gone so far. It also equated to 25 mpg, the best fuel mileage we've gotten so far. Which, depending on your opinion about such things, may or may not seem all that good.
Brent Romans, Senior Automotive Editor
bloodyr says:
02:39 PM, 05/ 1/09
I had this problem with my 2002 Jetta VR6. It got pathetic mileage (17 to 18 mpg) and had a 14.5 gallon tank I believe. I don't think I ever cracked 300 miles and usually had to fill up before 250. I have grown to appreciate the 20 gallon tank in my current car...
canadaphant says:
03:00 PM, 05/ 1/09
Every time I see your photos of this car, I wish you had bought one in any other colour. Of course, I thought that about the last Scion too.
compliance says:
04:33 PM, 05/ 1/09
lol. I don't have the stones to drive my RX8 much past 225 before I refill. Getting 250 sounds pretty nice!
greenpony says:
06:22 PM, 05/ 1/09
I usually fill up my Mustang after 250-300 miles. It seems alright, but when I'm driving long distances or commuting 100 miles a day, I'm filling up a little too often for my tastes.
cwc1 says:
06:29 PM, 05/ 1/09
I'm going to go out on a limb and say that 25 MPG isn't that good for a mini-ute with a small four cylinder, even with a slushbox.
dalaw says:
06:30 PM, 05/ 1/09
That is pretty bad range but maybe I am too used to my 03 civic routinely getting 360-400 mile (450 highest) between fill ups on a 13.2 gal tank.
subytrojan says:
07:46 PM, 05/ 1/09
Remember: All-wheel drive folks
07mx5 says:
09:48 PM, 05/ 1/09
^ even with awd, my spec b averages about 22. my best tank was also 25. i'd be pretty dissappointed with a small econo-ute with half the power making no mpg gains over a boxer turbo.
tra2883 says:
06:49 AM, 05/ 2/09
Even with AWD, 25 mpg is still pretty bad - The SX4 is a tiny car. I drive about 350-400 miles on a tank in my present car ('02 Sonata 4-cylinder), and get gas roughly once a week as it is. With the SX4, I'd be gassing up twice as often - that's a pretty major shortcoming, if you ask me, and enough to take the car out of consideration.
firstwagon says:
01:54 PM, 05/ 2/09
"The SX4 is a tiny car"
It's not a tiny car. It easy to assume it's small because in the pictures it's looks like your classic sub compact hatchback.
Get up close to one and it's bigger then you think.
Mileage is low though. Hopefully the diesel version will arrive next year.
awcmtl says:
08:15 PM, 05/ 2/09
A relationship to a car is not something entirely rational. When you really like a car, you don't care if it does 25 or 30 mpg. The SX4 is just a really likeable car! BTW, we keep getting told that Edmunds HAD to get an automatic for the Long Term test car, because that is what most people will want to know about. Strangely, they just tested the Elantra Touring...with a manual tranny.
Please, do yourself a favor and just test drive a 5-speed stick ZuZu.
the_big_al says:
11:09 PM, 05/ 2/09
In my opinion, that is pathetic mileage and range. I routinely get 25 MPG or so in my Impala with the 3.4 motor in town and always get above 30 on the highway. Right now it's at 450+ miles on the current tank of gas. The low fuel light is on and so it's next stop is a gas station, but it's an 18 gallon tank and will probably take about 16 or so since the light just came on. This is a much larger car and an archaic drivetrain to boot. It still surprises me these newer cars with much more advanced technology and 5-7 speed transmissions are getting less MPG than what I am getting in my under 200 HP motor (which means is has to work harder to move that larger car) and 4 speed tranny.
kyolml says:
01:17 AM, 05/ 4/09
I got better mileage from an 06 Impreza: best I got was 29 highway, and 21 city. Most of time average around 25...
mustang5507 says:
11:37 AM, 05/ 4/09
@Greenpony
I agree. One time I almost had the gonads to get from LA to SF on one tank, if it wasn't for that busted gauge in my particular Mustang. It either over-estimated or under-estimated how much gas I had. I think it was finally correct for a bit when it was indeed at a half tank. My current car, however...easy 400+ miles on a tank. Gotta love 18 gallon tanks, with 27+ highway MPG..