[128Guy]

A few weeks ago I traded my wife's 2012 X3 28i (6 cyl) in on a new 2104 X3 28i. The day we took delivery, we left on a 3,150 mile trip, almost all of it highway miles, about an even mixture of freeway and 2-lane highways. I kept the engine below 3,000 RPM for the first 1,000 miles; and drove it "normally" after that, which is to say not at all aggressively. I have reset the MPG computer on each refill and have also repeatedly calculated the mileage manually. I have used only 91 octane, of various brands. Here are my results.

Even with 3K miles on it, the 4 cylinder still doesn't do as well as the 6 cylinder did. The 4 cyl. is only getting about 25-26 MPG in very gentle highway cruising. It doesn't make a noticeable difference if I run it in "Comfort" or "ECO PRO" mode. "Sport" mode will drop it about one half to 1 mpg, if running a steady speed of 55-65 or so on the highway. At a steady 75-80 mph, it doesn't seem to matter which of the 3 modes you use, or whether you have cruise control on or not.

By the way, in ECO mode it will sometimes allow the engine to drop down to as low as 1,200 RPM, where it simply has no power at all - it's a bit of a slug in ECO even if you have the transmission set in [DS]. At higher RPMs the 4 cyl. is pretty lively. In "Sport" mode and [DS], it responds quite well, approximating the 2012 6 cylinder with the transmission in [D]. In "Sport" mode, if you manually shift the 4 cylinder (or hold it to the floor in [DS]) and really get the RPMs up between 5-7K, it is very quick. Above 2,000 RPM the 4 cyl. engine is nice and smooth - down around 1,500 RPM it isn't.

[Want the thrill]

Why did you trade the 2012 in for a 2014?

[mac10]

Very futuristic!!

Did not think the 2104 model was out yet!

Does it have 'hyper drive'?



Only jesting with you!

Sorry.

[The X Men]

Your mileage should improve after a few more thousand miles, but don't expect too much, keep in mind, your 4 cylinder engine has more power than the 6 cylinder you traded in.

[wrp]

You might try to lock into 8th gear if you are just cruising - push the gear shift left and then forward or back to get into 8th gear. I've found the auto transmission likes to go into a lower gear too easily.

[cy07]

Actually I only been getting 18mpg for my 2014 35i as well, gonna try harder I guess. It's too fun to drive.

[Teemo Panda]

I'm kinda lost for words why are you complaining your getting 24-25mpg since its rated 22-27 @ 55 MPH without AC and only the driver driving.

Driving fast and using AC and more load decreases the MPG.

Remember, this is not your regular 4 Cylinder Honda civic lol.

Plus, the rings are not fully seated in until 5k miles.

[midlifecrisis]

I'm sure the fuel economy will improve once the engine's broken in.

My 2011 X3 28i has 22,000 miles on it, and I just got the best trip economy I've ever experienced - 29.1mpg indicated from NJ to Maine. I'm super pleased with that, but the 4 cylinder should be even better after a few thousand miles. Personally, I'm hoping they bring a diesel before my lease is up next May. If not, I may just buy this one out.

[pokerface]

1- the engine gets better after break in, in both performance and efficiency
2- the turbo is plenty of fun but you have to learn to ride the cusp of the torque curve in order to be most efficient without being glacial slow

[CanadianDriver]

try these:
- activate ECO pro after start
- accelerate in DS getting to the posted speed limit quickly
- engage cruise control
- switch back to D mode

when passing on the freeway, use DS and back to D after
that should give you a little bit better rating

[woodchuck1]

I recently got 28 mpg on a trip from Virginia to Florida in my 2013 35i. The car was on cruise control at 70 to 75 mph with AC on all the way. I was impressed that a car this powerful can do that. 28 mpg is about 40% better mileage than I got in my old Lexus RX.

[The X Men]

Originally Posted by CanadianDriver

try these:
- activate ECO pro after start
- accelerate in DS getting to the posted speed limit quickly
- engage cruise control
- switch back to D mode

when passing on the freeway, use DS and back to D after
that should give you a little bit better rating

I dont see how using DS mode can give you better gas mileage, the faster you accelarate, the higher the rpm, the more gas you will use.

[clivem2]

Originally Posted by The X Men

I dont see how using DS mode can give you better gas mileage, the faster you accelarate, the higher the rpm, the more gas you will use.

It depends on how individuals drive, if they mash the gas pedal because in D the vehicle is unresponsive and in a gear that's not efficient for desired performance then maybe this hits mileage. It's about using the engine at the most efficient part of the torque curve.

[128Guy]

Originally Posted by Want the thrill

Why did you trade the 2012 in for a 2014?

The 2012 was badly damaged in a collision that wasn't our fault. We're OK and the car was fixed, but the wife didn't want to drive it any more.

[The X Men]

Originally Posted by clivem2

It depends on how individuals drive, if they mash the gas pedal because in D the vehicle is unresponsive and in a gear that's not efficient for desired performance then maybe this hits mileage. It's about using the engine at the most efficient part of the torque curve.

I agree, if one were to floor the pedal everytime they accelarate, then it really doesnt matter what mode you are in. If one were to accelarate slowly in comfort mode as oppose to flooring it in sport mode, then there is a big difference in gas mileage.

[128Guy]

[QUOTE=Teemo Panda;14601474]I'm kinda lost for words why are you complaining your getting 24-25mpg since its rated 22-27 @ 55 MPH without AC and only the driver driving.

The EPA rating on the 2014's window sticker is 21 city, 28 highway, and 24 combined. All of the many other new BMWs that I have owned over the years always did better than EPA highway at normal freeway speeds, after a couple thousand miles, even with the AC on, so I was expecting the same on this one. Maybe this engine just takes longer to break in; or maybe the little 2.0 liter engine was just working too hard with 2 adults on board and lots of luggage.

[128Guy]

Originally Posted by CanadianDriver

try these:
- activate ECO pro after start
- accelerate in DS getting to the posted speed limit quickly
- engage cruise control
- switch back to D mode

when passing on the freeway, use DS and back to D after
that should give you a little bit better rating

Yes I tried all of those things and more when I drove it 3,100 (virtually all highway) miles over the last 3 weeks. I tried all different combinations of driving dynamics modes (ECO, COMFORT, SPORT) and transmission shift modes (D, DS, and M). After selecting each new combination, I would reset the MPG average calculation, then drive for 20 miles or so to get a new MPG average. My general conclusion is that at with steady highway cruising (probably not true for city driving) none of that really matters. The main determinant is simple the speed.

Those combinations do of course make a big difference in performance. If you want to pass very quickly, you must either use SPORT and DS then floor it or shift manually and get the RPMs above 5,000. Then the power explodes.

[128Guy]

Originally Posted by The X Men

Your mileage should improve after a few more thousand miles, but don't expect too much, ...

I hope so.

Originally Posted by The X Men

... keep in mind, your 4 cylinder engine has more power than the 6 cylinder you traded in.

That is true on paper per BMW's claims, but I can't "feel" it in reality. In fact, at low RPMs the 4 cyl. is a real slug, whereas the non-turbo 6 pulled smoothly from the bottom.

[02420X3]

If you haven't already done so, check your the air pressure in your tires. The people doing dealer prep don't always get it right. If your tires are underinflated it will make a noticeable difference in your fuel mileage. My personal taste is to run at +2 psi over the door sticker.

[ryanburk]

[QUOTE=128Guy;14605884]

Originally Posted by Teemo Panda

I'm kinda lost for words why are you complaining your getting 24-25mpg since its rated 22-27 @ 55 MPH without AC and only the driver driving.

The EPA rating on the 2014's window sticker is 21 city, 28 highway, and 24 combined. All of the many other new BMWs that I have owned over the years always did better than EPA highway at normal freeway speeds, after a couple thousand miles, even with the AC on, so I was expecting the same on this one. Maybe this engine just takes longer to break in; or maybe the little 2.0 liter engine was just working too hard with 2 adults on board and lots of luggage.

I've had my 14 for about a month and after about 700 miles I'm still getting around 18.3mpg for mostly city but some highway. I'm hoping it improves pretty dramatically as well.

[The X Men]

Originally Posted by 128Guy

That is true on paper per BMW's claims, but I can't "feel" it in reality. In fact, at low RPMs the 4 cyl. is a real slug, whereas the non-turbo 6 pulled smoothly from the bottom.

Your engine is not fully break in yet, it will perform a bit better in a few thousand miles. As far as the 4 cyl vs the 6 cyl non turbo, its not just on paper that the 4 cyl is more powerful, it is the results of many road test as well. The power will always be more linear on a non turbo, but the 4 cyl trubo's torque really comes on after 2000 rpm. from 0-60 mph, the 4 cyl turbo is about 0.7 second faster than the 6 cyl non turbo.

[Teemo Panda]

Originally Posted by The X Men

Your engine is not fully break in yet, it will perform a bit better in a few thousand miles. As far as the 4 cyl vs the 6 cyl non turbo, its not just on paper that the 4 cyl is more powerful, it is the results of many road test as well. The power will always be more linear on a non turbo, but the 4 cyl trubo's torque really comes on after 2000 rpm. from 0-60 mph, the 4 cyl turbo is about 0.7 second faster than the 6 cyl non turbo.

^_+1~