Tank range - best from a production car?

[spud989]

Just a random question that popped into my head last night: what car on sale today from a regular dealership that is unmodified and is used as a normal 'family car' (ie. no minibuses or whatever with enormous tanks) would give the longest range? Obviously this will be a balancing act between tank size and efficiency.

Does anyone require an enormous range from their car in their day-to-day life/workwhatever?

I'm sure I remember an advert from last year (ish) where Jaguar/Audi (one of them, I think?) were claiming upto a thousand miles on a tank, but can that be bettered?


(note: over-optimistic manufacturer claims will have to be allowed for. Doubtless there'll be cases where the real range is 30% down on the theoretical one.)

[Jimbo.]

Any big barge with a diesel engine. Reckon on something like the Volvo S80 DRIVe or Skoda Superb Greenline?

[Rob81]

The HDi 406 had an impressive range

[Fleckers]

top gear took an Audi A8 800 odd miles to scotland and back on 1 tank

[spud989]

Must be something more efficient than an A8, though! Unless there's an A8 with a huge tank? The eco-Skodas could be a good shout.

[OdramaSwimLaden]

Fleckers said:

top gear took an Audi A8 800 odd miles to scotland and back on 1 tank

It did indeed look to be the case; unless you know someone who works for the BBC and sits behing a camera. They might tell you a different story

[davepoth]

Some people in the USA went a silly distance in a Passat on one tank...

http://media.vw.com/pressrelease/1056/1/volkswagen...

1626 miles.

[T5R+]

Between 1060-70miles from a Volvo D5 that I previously owned with no silly efforts or shenagins.

[YesItsAVW]

Is it the 1.6TDI Passat Bluemotion that holds this, over 1,000 on one tank?


Mine has never managed over 500

[Matthen]

Isn't the new 2.2 XF meant to have a reasonable range?

[bakerstreet]

OdramaSwimLaden said:

It did indeed look to be the case; unless you know someone who works for the BBC and sits behing a camera. They might tell you a different story

I heard it did do it.

In answer to the OP, I would pit my money on some of the blue motion VWs.

I filled up my tank today. I got 532 miles at 44mpg. Last tank was 48mpg. Must try harder

[Jimbo.]

davepoth said:

Some people in the USA went a silly distance in a Passat on one tank...

http://media.vw.com/pressrelease/1056/1/volkswagen...

1626 miles.

I wonder how much of that was spent drafting trucks?!

[matthias73]

Rob81 said:

The HDi 406 had an impressive range

I get decent range from my 1.8, they put big tanks on those, relative to the consumption.
Helps the taxi drivers out no end.

[F1GTRUeno]

Matthen said:

Isn't the new 2.2 XF meant to have a reasonable range?

It's not bad but nowhere near the best.

Though my dad does have a lead foot.

[NightRunner]

OdramaSwimLaden said:

It did indeed look to be the case; unless you know someone who works for the BBC and sits behing a camera. They might tell you a different story

Which is....

[TheTurbonator]

It was the Passat Bluemotion that was advertised as doing over a 1000 miles on a single tank. I remember the adverts you're on about very well and always thought it was a very optimistic figure.

Edited by TheTurbonator on Sunday 10th June 16:21

[Matthen]

F1GTRUeno said:

It's not bad but nowhere near the best.

Though my dad does have a lead foot.

Fair enough... I just seem to remember it getting 68 mpg or something driving across the states... Just can't remember how many fuel stops that equates too..

[Celtic Dragon]

My Impreza could do 670 with standard driving, but I don't trust the fuel guage. I have seen a read out of 72mpg, but that was being Miss Daisy and very boring. It didn't stay there too long.

[spud989]

Yeah, not looking for slipstreaming truck tactics, just looking for the generally accepted highest in normal driving.

Perhaps we should just multiply the combined MPG and the tank size, even though some will be more optimistic than others.

http://carscoop.blogspot.com/2010/10/vw-passat-blu...
Changing the US figure to UK for the tank size gives 17 UK gallons and at 64.2mpg should give 1,091 miles for normal driving, not the 90mpg hypermiling stuff they were doing.

[S6PNJ]

I have a 2.0 VW Passat Bluemotion and can get easily 950 miles (or more) out of the tank. I say (or more) as I never run it dry but have seen 950 miles on the trip counter (not estimated mileage left - that has been over 1100 at times!)

This pic is from when I first got the car - and no I'm not speeding - 76 on the dash is 70mph on the GPS.


I'm averaging just under 63mpg (calculated from fill up against mileage driven, not via records on the trip computer) over the last 6 fill-ups, mind you most of that has been motorway driving on cruise control.

Edited by S6PNJ on Sunday 10th June 16:54