Gas Mileage on trip.

[scot moore]

I just wanted to post a little info on my trip over the weekend. When I first got my 2012 Yukon last December, we took a 350 mile trip with a cargo carrier on the roof. While I didn't get this Yukon for it's reputation for awesome gas mileage, I was shocked at the 12 MPG I got on the highway. I posted here in the forums and the consenes seemed to be that it was the roof mounted carrier causing the huge drop in mpg. On the way back from that trip I crammed almost everything into the car and just had the carrier empty minus a folded dog crate on the roof. MPG jumped from 11.5-12 to 14.5. this was better, but not as good as I had hoped. That leads us to my trip over this past weekend. We took another 450 mile trip St. Louis to Wichita KS. I drove 85 most of the way. I used a hitch mounted carrier I had instead of the roof mounted one I used last time. This trip in the Missouri half I got 19 MPG driving 85 mph. This dropped to around 14 in Kansas when we hit a 25 MPH headwind. Driving back home we had no strong wind in either direction, and we got right at 19 mpg again. I am happy with that. We got this yukon because we wanted something bigger than our acadia, and something that would pull our camper without being right at the towing limit. We didn't normally get better than 19 MPG on a trip in the acadia, unless we drove 65-70 mph... Yeah like that is going to happen Anyway We are happy with the Yukon and while I was fine taking a hit in MPG to move to it, the wife was really happy that on this trip it matched the Acadia MPG.

 

[swathdiver]

If mine would only get 19 at 40! Glad to hear yours does awesome at 85 mph. That's gotta be the VVT helping to make that happen.

 

[kbuskill]

I am curious about rear end gearing.

I am guessing you must have a 3.08 or 3.42 gear out back.

I get about 17mpg with the cruise set at 73mph in my Burb with 3.73 gears, 4L60E and 5.3L with 200k+ miles on the odometer.

 

[PG01]

I gots 3.42’s and was at 19.5 the other day avging 70-75mph... highest ever for me

 

[Doubeleive]

feel better, I get about 10-12 in the 6.2l 3.42 awd, I might get 14 if I baby it. I do have a heavy foot......
point in case I used to get about the same in my 00 nbs with 5.3L 3.42 so it must just be me.
when I was shopping for this thing I was taking mileage into account vs power of the 6.2l and saw it was specified to be slightly better than my 5.3 nbs was supposed to be and I figured it would turn out to be the same with the way I drive, so far it's pretty close.

 

[kbuskill]

I gots 3.42’s and was at 19.5 the other day avging 70-75mph... highest ever for meView attachment 194973View attachment 194974

I never even look at the average MPG on my DIC... I just figure the mileage the old fashioned way.

 

[PG01]

I never even look at the average MPG on my DIC... I just figure the mileage the old fashioned way.

Ido both

 

[Scottydoggs]

that big mac on the roof will get ya every time lol

 

[iamdub]

I don't understand how having the rooftop carrier empty made any difference. Or am I not getting something?

 

[PG01]

I don't understand how having the rooftop carrier empty made any difference. Or am I not getting something?

It was lighter?....

 

[kbuskill]

Ido both

Ok... so how close does your DIC get it???... lol

 

[PG01]

Ok... so how close does your DIC get it???... lol

Normally it goes right in, except when your going too fast and well you know....

 

[scot moore]

I don't understand how having the rooftop carrier empty made any difference. Or am I not getting something?

It was an empty cargo rack vs one filled with stuff in a bag. Only drag coming back was the bars of the carrier. Going up it had a mass 30” tall as wide as the rack, and as long as the rails. If that makes any since.


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[kbuskill]

It was an empty cargo rack vs one filled with stuff in a bag. Only drag coming back was the bars of the carrier. Going up it had a mass 30” tall as wide as the rack, and as long as the rails. If that makes any since.


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I was thinking it was one of the hard box type carriers.

 

[iamdub]

It was an empty cargo rack vs one filled with stuff in a bag. Only drag coming back was the bars of the carrier. Going up it had a mass 30” tall as wide as the rack, and as long as the rails. If that makes any since.


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I was thinking it was one of the hard box type carriers.

What Ken said. I thought you had a rooftop carrier:

mounted to your roof rack. Now it all makes sense.

 

[swathdiver]

The Thule adds drag but a bag on the roof is like towing a parachute.

 

[scot moore]

it was one of these with the extension in the middle.
https://www.amazon.com/Direct-After...pID=41YDHN-F4BL&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

and one of these bags.

https://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics...pID=41VuEQUekxL&preST=_SX300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

 

[dwkehoss]

I believe anything on the outside adds a measure of wind resistance which will impact gas mileage. I checked the avg gas mileage indicator on the DIC against my calculator and it was spot on .

 

[billnparker]

Ive got a 2012 LTZ, and average around 15.8 MPG (over 70K miles). Crossing KS from Colorado, if I cruise at 77MPH, I’ll get 14, cruise at 71,MPG will jump up to 17+.

 

[Silent D]

In my '09 LTZ from Seattle to Denver I average 15.3 mpg. I am by no means easy on it but do use cruise control most of the time. Two adults, a teenager, 5 year old and two year old with all of our stuff. That straight through, about 19 hours.