I keep scratching my head. I used to drive a 05 elantra and the average MPG (90% NYC highway) was 24-27 MPG. If I drive thru local roads with traffic lights, the average MPG quickly dropped to 20-23 MPG per tank.

My wife's 2000 elantra (shorter driving distnace to work) has similar fuel economy and her average ranges from 20-25 MPG.

With the HiHy, I consistently get 27-28 MPG per tank. Some of my single trips gets a crazy 60 MPG and most of my trips in the city consistently gets more than 30 MPG.

I can't believe that the elantra being named as one of the most fuel-efficient compact cars is beaten by a 4300 lbs 7-seater SUV.

I kept driving my wife's elantra and my HiHy back-to-back on the same route and the elantra cannot beat the highlanders mileage in all situations (including straight highway driving).

The drag coefficient of the two are similar, .34.

 

I use too have a durango and didn't even get 1/2 the milage. The hihy is amazing. 12mpg durango vs 27 average mpg highlander.

 

Very impressive. What tire pressure do you run at ? Also, which gas do you use and what octane ?

 

All 4 tires at 36 lbs pressure. I alternate between 91 and 89 octane gas.

I just got back from a 170 mile round trip with speeds as high as 90 mph. I was driving at slightly above the traffic speed and grab every opportunity to pass other cars smoothly and unobstrusively. The average MPG for the trip was 25. I had a similar round trip with my sienna loaded with 7 people and I was getting 24 MPG.

So there you go, at continues high speed driving, both my sienna and HiHy get the same fuel economy.

However, when the speed drops or if there are stops every now and then, my HiHy mileage goes up to low 30's while my sienna's FE drops to as low as 12 MPG.

The last tank on my HiHy was 27 MPG while my sienna was 18 MPG.

 

We are very happy with our cars as well! Our previous cars were 18 mpg and 16 mpg!

 

That is pretty crazy.