Road Trip Phoenix to Laughlin
 

Phoenix to Laughlin

Took the wifes Kizzy (mid size) on a short road trip from Phx Az to Laughlin Nv ... Same trip, same route, same mountains. Cruise was set the same as on my 2007 Saturn ION-3 (compact) when we went last month. Both cars have 2.4L engine, both cars have an automatic transmission. Happy to report the Kizzy felt real good in the mountains. Can't say it felt as strong as the SATURN but it did better then I thought it would. The big difference was the gas mileage. While the KIZZY did 26.7 the SATURN ION did 32.9 mpg on the same trip. Thats a lot of gas over the life of the car. The KIZZY was a pleasure to drive although it took forever to get the seat set in a spot I liked.

It's altogether possible dragging along all the extra wheels driving have something to do with the fuel economy, could be more weight too.

All of the above, AWD, CVT trans, weight, aerodynamics, final drive ratio, rolling mass, and I'm sure he understands that. I think he was just giving an example of the two cars.

:pOh, I am sure he does, just thinking with my fingers, it was an interesting comparrison. A bit like comparing my long gone Eagle Summit Wagon a baby van about the size of a VW Beatle to my Chrysler Town and country over the same trip.
31 mpg vs 24. A significant difference, 1.8 liter vs 3.3 liter and the capability of carring 2000# vs less than half that and one of the reasons I did not buy a Mercedese AWD wagon. Could not see the sense in carring all that weight of unneeded extra drive parts and paying for maintaining them too.
Sure did like the car though, too much money and an incredibly stupid saleman were the other reasons but that is another story.

Yep .......... while my wife car is a mid luxury car thats all well and good. My car is just a good go getter with all the options I need and the gas mileage that suites me fine.

PS: Forgot to mention that the ION's center mounted speedo may look funny it's the best place in the car it could be. Once I got the tilt/teloscopic wheel, and the seat in a spot that I liked I could not see the speedo at all while driving at speed in the Kizashi.

I looked these two cars up and found the wieght to be 463 lbs different. Specs on both cars are very close so you'd think the gas mileage would be very close.

So I do not see that he is comparing a VW Beatle to a Chrysler Town and Country. He is comparing apples to apples not apples to watermelons


ION-3
2.4L 175hp
Auto trans
L 184.5
W 67.2
H 57.4
CW 2866


Kizashi SLS AWD
2.4L 180hp
CVT trans
L 183.1
W 71.7
H 58.3
CW 3329

what the hell is a Kizashi?
Sounds like some miracle slicer thing on an infomercial...

Oh, THAT's a Kizashi

Not half bad looking

The car with AWD is 16% heavier than the one with out. Although I think both have the cvt transmssion and my experiance with them is limited other than some cars that use that stay in lower gear ranges longer than others. The also stay in lower gear ranges longer than cars with standard type gear transmissions. All or four wheel drive is a weight and parsitic penalty to pay for than the same car with two wheel drive. Personally I would expect the lighter car with 2 wheel drive and better aerodynamices and the same engine to get better gasoline mileage at speeds.
Final drive gear ratio is a significant player here too. If the engine rpm at what ever the cruise speed is is lower that will make a big difference as to fuel mileage. A heavier 4 or all wheel drive car would have a tendancy to have a lower final drive. It is the nature of the beast considering the same size engine.
As to the Mercedes, I would have rather had 2 wheel drive. Don't need or care about all wheel drive and the added weight penalty of having it along with drive train complexity and maintainence cost.

Still the cars are so close in specs and one is 3 years newer I'd think the gas mileage would be closer then it is. The Kizashi does not seem to be as efficient as it could be and is not close to the ION with the same engine. ION sedans never came with a vvt or cvt trans in 2007 had a 4 speed auto. All the rest of the crap aside I'd go for the ION 3 with the 2.4L. In fact I've been searching autotrader for just that car thats clean low mileage auto or manual. When I find one I'll buy it.

Again I'd think the gas mileage would be CLOSER, or should be CLOSER.