General Fiat IDEA 1.4 Petrol MPG

[tigershoot]

Hi folks

Does anyone have an idea (sorry about the pun) of what MPG they get on a motorway? I tend to keep the needle at about 68mph and drive ultra steady on the throttle. I get 43MPG which to me seems too low. I had a Brava 1.6SX for about ten years and it could easily get 45MPG going at more like 70MPH and it had masses more power despite (on paper) only having about 8BHP more (OK I know the Brava was lighter!)

I find the IDEA has good round town MPG but seems to struggle at speed. I wonder if its shape causes too much drag? I do not have aircon on.

I got the 43MPG figure on a 1100 mile journey. I checked the trip computer against my manual calculations and they both agreed.

Any feedback on your MPG?

 

[YdnaT]

Well as it happens I have just bought a new Idea 1.4 manual and travelled 415 miles up the motorway last night at 70 mpg and got 42 mpg. I am confident its because the engine needs to be worked a little and hills just slow it right down even though it has 100bhp. I am looking to fit cruise control to my car as it improves fuel ecomomy no end and also it makes long journies so much more easy and relaxing.

Still not sure how much it will cost though.

 

[azureidea2004]

I have my idea 1.4 a month now, did not reset the 'trip', it now -after approx 1000 miles of town + motorway- shows an average mpg of 41.5. I noticed the engine works hard when going uphill, even slight slopes, and the instant mpg tumbles down then. Overall I am pleased with the car.

 

[tipouno]

We've had our 1.4 Dynamic for coming up to six years now, and fuel consumption as indicated by the on-board computer has remained steady at around 42mpg. a tank-to-tank check showed just under 40mpg.
Car is mainly used around town, but for the first four years we did a lot of motorway runs. All in all, I don't think it's too bad for a vehicle of the shape and size of the Idea.
Motorway runs are now done in the 1.2 Dynamic Panda, unless I need the load capacity of the Idea. In a perfect world, Fiat would have made the Idea a little bit longer and with a simpler and more convenient method of removing/lowering the seats, but you can't have everything!

 

[azureidea2004]

Today -23 october- I drove from B'ham to Weston-super-mare (to opening pier) and back again, average was 45 mpg, and there was traffic jams near Bristol. (Idea dynamic 1.4). Cheers.

 

[murphyv310]

For good consumption you don't need a 1.4 to produce 100bhp at high revs but an engine that gives high torque at low speeds say around 2000-2500 rpm, and high gearing 22-28mph per 1000rpm in top.
The Idea does not fit the bill and along with weight and shape a result in the low 40's is excellent, it goes to show against all the odds Fiat can still produce an efficient engine.

 

[ivantate]

We are averaging just over 40mpg although the last tank in the same usage tooka dive to 35mpg. Strange as the computer still read 40.1mpg virtually the same as the last 3 tanks.

Its as though someone has robbed (~) 2 gallons out of the tank, which I suppose may have happened.


Obviously headwinds effect the car quite badly and I have had 45mpg @80+mpg over 300miles before but you can easily be down to 38mpg with the same use.


The Lancia Musa hire car I had a few weeks ago was a 1.4 8V and although it felt a bit stronger around 2-3000rpm the economy was dire. (at 90mph+ on the autostrada!)
The 1.4 16V really only gets into its stride from 4500 onwards.

 

[farnboroflyer]

I can't say what the motoway consumption is , but I picked up my 1.4 (5 speed) IDEA today.
I reset the trip on leaving, and starting from cold with just me(no passengers or stuff in the boot)I made the 18 mile trip home.
The body computer tells me that this car gave 52.2mpg, at an average speed of 24mph, in 38 minutes.

This suggests that the petrol IDEA could give good mpg figures north of 48 or so.
I will be keen to see what that figure will do on fast(ish) motorway trips?

Ian