Mark 3 (2012) Ford Focus fuel economy concern? - 1

According to Ford, the 2012 Ford Focus 1.6 (105bhp) should do 35mpg around the houses (i.e. Urban driving). However I'm only getting 27 or 28mpg! Even if I do one longer journey per week (40miles) I only get 32mpg. Is this normal and do you know anyone with this model who has the same experience?

The published figures seldom relate to the real world. The tests are done on a standard track, so all the cars are tested the same. If your local road has more traffic, stop lights and hills then you get worse economy.

Also, a lot of short trips mean the engine is running cold, which uses more fuel. Hence why a longer trip gives a better average.

With my car I can get the published open road economy, on a 4 hours trip South, because the road is open and fairly level. Drive carefully and I get good economy. The trip North is about 20% down because the hills and corners. Doing short trips around town? I Dream of getting 28mpg ;-)

Driving style matters too. I can get about 20% difference by driving VERY carefully. You can be sure the test driver was pretending there was an eggshell on the gas pedal during the test.

Hi so you need to learn to be less heavy on the throttle that is why it does such a low MPG.

The official fuel consumption figures quoted are obtained under specific test conditions on a rolling road in a laboratory. They are not an illustration of what you, personally, will achieve in real life and the manufacturers are very careful to point this out. A range of factors may influence your actual fuel consumption - for example, driving style and behaviour, as well as the environment and conditions under which the vehicle is operated.

I have a 2012 Focus that I bought in 2011 when they first came out. Automatic transmission. I was getting 40 mpg on the highway and 35 around town. Then people complained about the crummy transmission shifts so they had a recall to reprogram it and that cost me 5 mpg on both. Now the best I can get is 35 mpg on a flat freeway going 65 mph. I get just under 30 mpg around town. Sounds like we're both getting the same mileage.