3.0 V6 fuel consumption

[mrcrangle]

Hey all

 

Still getting used to driving my 2007 Alphard van conversion which I picked up ten days ago.  Mainly leisure miles but I'm also using it on an occasional 100 mile round trip commute to work (largely motorway miles) when I can't use my wife's car. I'm not expecting brilliant MPG from it (my old A180d did 70+ and I'll miss that!) but actually I've been quite surprised by how economical it's been on motorway runs at 56mph with the cruise on.  I'd estimate about 32-35 mpg which is quite a way up from what I'd expected.

 

Do other forum members who've had their Alphards much longer than me have any long term mpg figures they can share, please? Any tips to keep fuel consumption as low as possible?  I do drive slowly, light touch on the gas, etc...

 

Cheers!

Andy

[Rojie]

41 minutes ago, mrcrangle said:

Hey all

 

Still getting used to driving my 2007 Alphard van conversion which I picked up ten days ago.  Mainly leisure miles but I'm also using it on an occasional 100 mile round trip commute to work (largely motorway miles) when I can't use my wife's car. I'm not expecting brilliant MPG from it (my old A180d did 70+ and I'll miss that!) but actually I've been quite surprised by how economical it's been on motorway runs at 56mph with the cruise on.  I'd estimate about 32-35 mpg which is quite a way up from what I'd expected.

 

Do other forum members who've had their Alphards much longer than me have any long term mpg figures they can share, please? Any tips to keep fuel consumption as low as possible?  I do drive slowly, light touch on the gas, etc...

 

Cheers!

Andy

 

I think there is a Mega Thread on this very subject.

 

The search box is on your home page, top right.

 

[davet]

32-35. Eek, I checked mine the other day properly and I'm getting exactly 20mpg!

[Rojie]

21 minutes ago, davet said:

32-35. Eek, I checked mine the other day properly and I'm getting exactly 20mpg!

 

You only have a four speed, whilst Andy has a 5 speed.

Andy is quoting 'slow' motorway driving; what driving style do you have, urban, or motorway ?

 

Even so, the difference does seem rather large.

 

As I mentioned, there are a lot of actuals in the Mega Thread.

[pipsyp]

They are all not too bad on a sensible run.  We drove ours (2.4 rear conversion with poptop) from south coast to North Yorkshire and back a while ago and it returned about 29mpg combined both ways at mostly regular motorway speed.  It did worse on the way home as we encountered alot of stop start driving.  That's when they don't do well, urban and extra urban consumption I've found is quite poor (high teens/low 20's for the most part I reckon).

 

It's horses for courses a bit as I suspect the 2.4 is plenty more efficient than the V6, but has to be worked harder to make the same progress (not that that 2.4 is underpowered, but it gives away 60 horses) so any gains are elmininated

[Rojie]

4 hours ago, pipsyp said:

They are all not too bad on a sensible run.  We drove ours (2.4 rear conversion with poptop) from south coast to North Yorkshire and back a while ago and it returned about 29mpg combined both ways at mostly regular motorway speed.  It did worse on the way home as we encountered alot of stop start driving.  That's when they don't do well, urban and extra urban consumption I've found is quite poor (high teens/low 20's for the most part I reckon).

 

It's horses for courses a bit as I suspect the 2.4 is plenty more efficient than the V6, but has to be worked harder to make the same progress (not that that 2.4 is underpowered, but it gives away 60 horses) so any gains are eliminated

 

Only 60 horses; but how much torque ?

[pipsyp]

About the same

[Rojie]

40 minutes ago, pipsyp said:

About the same

 

I'm a little surprised, but the 2.4l is a long stroke.

[davet]

8 hours ago, Rojie said:

 

You only have a four speed, whilst Andy has a 5 speed.

Andy is quoting 'slow' motorway driving; what driving style do you have, urban, or motorway ?

 

Even so, the difference does seem rather large.

 

As I mentioned, there are a lot of actuals in the Mega Thread.

 

Fair comment, much of my driving is around town. I was told with an alphard it's about "smiles per gallon" and you pay for your pleasure.

[Arthur]

I have a 2007 3.0 AWD with full side conversion. Visiting Cornwall last year fully loaded for a week’s camping and 350 miles each way via M53, M6 andM5 (with a heavy foot) we returned 23 mpg.

[ThuMentaliss]

22 minutes ago, Arthur said:

I have a 2007 3.0 AWD with full side conversion. Visiting Cornwall last year fully loaded for a week’s camping and 350 miles each way via M53, M6 andM5 (with a heavy foot) we returned 23 mpg.

Exactly right, we travel down to our caravan located on the Spanish Med' coast every year for three months utilising toll roads and countryside roads never been able to achieve more than 22-28mpg..the secret to even achieving this mileage is to try to keep your engine rev's under 3000rpm ( Alphard 2005 3.0ltr cash cow )

[pipsyp]

On 2/18/2024 at 8:23 PM, Rojie said:

 

I'm a little surprised, but the 2.4l is a long stroke.

Sorry Roger, by that I mean it's about 60 lb/ft short of the V6 too, but at 160-something lb/ft it's pretty torquey for a 4 cylinder NA.

[mrcrangle]

Thanks for the replies, all; I'll check out the big fuel consumption thread.

 

Yes, I'm measuring only my motorway commute at the moment; I am indeed getting about 33mpg but that's just me in the motor and driving well under 2k rpm with a light foot and between 50-56mph.  I reckon the V6 might be more economical than the 2.4 driven like that as it's barely being revved.

 

So Beverley to Leeds and back is about £20 in fuel which isn't that bad, and it's a lovely relaxed experienced sat up so high and in those comfy Alphard seats.  Am certainly getting the 'smiles per gallon' that Dave mentioned!