my step-son has just bought a 2016 Explorer Limited with most all the options on it and has the 2.3 ecoboost engine. He seems to get 18mpg in town and on the road. Car has 2,500 + or - miles on it now. He's on his way to Colorado and I think he plans to take it to a Ford dealer out there to see what may be wrong. I've read some about the engine and most people are getting 25 to 28 mpg on the open road. I haven't been able to read anything about the turbo charging and am wondering if it maybe the problem. Do these engines have a 2 stage turbo? Thanks, Dave

 

I see the EPA ratings are 19 city/28 highway. So your city driving is very close. Since the highway driving is poor I would make sure he knows how to measure mpg correctly. If it's real I would expect a lot of black smoke coming out the tailpipe.

 

he's going by the car's computer mileage info. I suggested he try to hand calculate, but thinks computers are always the way to solve problems. no black smoke while driving. I rode with him about 22 miles, when he was here a few days ago.

 

Our 3.5 ebb gets avg 17 mpg with my wife driving. I can drive it and squeeze 19 mpg out it but that's driving like I'm going to a funeral.

 

I find the car's fuel mileage to be right in line with my calculation based on miles/gallons. I would trust it. What I would do is clear it, fill the tank, and head right out on the expressway to verify the hwy mileage. If you don't have an expressway or you have hilly terrain, traffic lights, etc....those are things that will punish hwy mileage, at least in my Explorer.

As a case in point I have thread on the 3.5 fuel mileage. With ideal conditions I was able to achieve 30 mpg hwy, but our everyday driving (80% hwy) averages 22 mpg (epa is 17 city, 24 hwy, 20 combined). My point is...the vehicle CAN get 30 but is getting 22 due to real life conditions. That's quite a hit IMO. Here's my thread......

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...s-mileage.html

 

Has he reset the on board MPG display recently? It reads an average MPG over the last 500 miles or so.

 

Mine starts over when reset.

 

THE biggest variable is driving style

My wife can KILL mpg on even a Prius !!!

she thinks the throttle is a full on - full off switch

 

I`m curious to see what I get this weekend. our 2007 Chrysler Town and Country mini van (3.8L) would get 25.5 on the highway at 65. on one long stretch of one lane construction at 55 I would see 27. it had a combined mileage of 18.5 mpg. my wife does not have any feeling in her foot, so when I drove I could usually get 2mpg better in town. I bought our 13 Explorer knowing it was rated less, so we will see if I can match the T&C. I`de like to think a 6 year newer vehicle that is similar could get the same or better mileage!

 

Not to be argumentative but you may want to compare power numbers of the 2.3L Eco vs the 3.8L from Chryco. Power requires fuel.

 

agree - and if the power of the engine is less than really needed for the demands put on the engine (by either weight, speed, acceleration, etc..), it will always be working 'harder' than optimal for mpg...

if it's boosting, it's using more fuel to feed that boost!

 

I'm hearing reports used car dealers are avoiding the ecoboost cars at the auctions. Lots of problems over 100K miles. It's just anecdotal, so don't shoot the messenger.

 

There is some evidence this is the case. The Eco-boost version of the 3.5 has a $1500 lower retail value than the NA version. (2014 model)