Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General General SVT Focus vs SVT Contour - gas mileage

Not that it's at the top of everyone's mind, but I just read this factoid from the SVT Focus board with guys complaining that their SVT Focus is EPA rated 21/25 (with scans of the window sticker to prove it).

Then someone posted the following:

Sounds to me like SVT really had to "tune" the Zetec to get respectable SVT power out of it, and MPGs really suffer.

Ducman69
TEAM Member
Member # 431

posted 04-15-2002 10:09 PM                       
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SVT Contour drag coefficient: .31 (same as Porsche 911 sports car)
SVT Focus drag coefficient: .36 (same as BMW X5 Sport Utility Vehicle)

SVT Contour tire width: 215mm
SVT Focus tire width: 215mm

SVT Contour overall drive in 5th: 3.1
SVT Focus overall drive in 6th: 3.1

SVT Contour mileage: 20 mpg/29 mpg
SVT Focus mileage: 21 mpg/25 mpg

Since you use that analogy, I guess its not really all that out of whack (just confused when comparing it to the ZX3 eco-version). Its 300lbs lighter, but with larger heavier wheels and gets an extra mpg city. And with all else being pretty much equal, the aerodynamics probably hurt the highway a little. Mostly it just looks like performance was top priority on the list for the 2.0 liter, so the most fuel efficient route was kinda bypassed.

[ 04-15-2002: Message edited by: Ducman69 ]

It is possible that fuel efficiency was sacrificed for performance. However, it always seems to help fuel economy when an engine is more efficient. I'm not sure what the point of the person's argument is.

warmonger

I do think he was making an argument but just a comparison. Neat information. 25 MPG is really bad fro such a small car. I get 21 to 23 MPG while driving pretty hard in my 2000 CSVT. I wonder what the Focus SVT MPG when driving hard, maybe only 17-19 MPG?

I think it is pretty sad when a 347Cui LS1 motor can get better milage than a Zetec

From Edmunds.com:
GM is doing something right with their motors...Performance WITHOUT sacraficing economy.

You can't compare what you guys are getting on your cars to an EPA estimate I already read one post that a Focus SVT got 27 mpg with (I think) 2/3 hwy 1/3 stop and go miles.

Actually, that is the point of the EPA estimates. True your mileage may vary (usually cars do slightly better than EPA suggests if driven easily and worse if driven hard). But, generally speaking a car that is rated at 30MPG on the highway will get better highway mileage that a car rated at 27MPG if driven by the same driver in similar fashion (assuming cars are well maintained).

I think it's pretty sad when you make a SVT model and it's a 4 banger. A so far unreliable model of a 4 banger, no less.

I drove a Focus once for a loaner car when I was getting my ABS module replaced under warranty. The damn thing, at 21k miles:

1. Would shake and rattle

2. The tranny would buck horribly when you'd hit the gas.

3. The windshield wiper fluid wouldn't come out at all, even when full. This being on a cold, muddy winter day.

I don't think this Focus SVT is all it's crapped up to be.

I don't think it's a tuning or engine issue. From the drag coefficients listed, it is probable that the poor higway mileage is attributable to that. The car's drag force increases proportionally to the square of the velocity, so this becomes a more dominant factor at highway speeds than on the carerra-like contour, explaining why the Zetec gets better mileage at low speeds but suffers at high speeds.

The shape of the car does not lend itself well to highway economies.

My two cents

Another words, when you drive something that looks like a chopped off piece of a Greyhound bus, you are not going to get good gas mileage.

My 'tour is supposed to be 21/31 for mileage, NOT. I average 19 around town like 25 on the higway with cruise.

Same thing with the volvo 19/26. NO way, averages 21.4 for the last 1500 miles (trip computer) about 50/50 city highway driving. The only car I have ever driven on a regular basis that comes close is the escort LX I used to have (95).

FWIW, my friend went from a 93 caprice (305 TBI with 160k) to a new se-r spec v and on the higway the sentra only saves about a gallon of gas over the 108 mile trip from school to home!