I have the 2024 FWD model, and I mostly use it for taking my kids to school and doing the groceries. I only have one highway trip a week, which is about 15 miles in total. I can’t seem to get more than 18 MPG in the city, even when I use ECO mode.
Is this normal for this car? Coming from a Honda Odyssey, this feels like a gas guzzler after just two weeks of owning it.
I feel like I didn’t do enough research before buying this car, and my decision was more impulsive than thoughtful. Luckily, I’m leasing for three years instead of buying it.
What am I missing out on compared to a minivan?
Some things I miss:
Gas mileage
Trunk space
The removable middle seat
The super comfy seats, which felt like the ones in the GLE450 on long trips
Heads up for parents switching from a minivan – be prepared for the changes mentioned above.
Sounds about right for city driving. It’s a big vehicle with a large engine. I’ve read that the mpg might be worse at first because the computer needs time to adjust. It won’t dramatically improve, though. Kia doesn’t offer a hybrid version of the Telluride yet, but they do in their minivan, which gets 11 more mpg than the gas version.
marinbeyer said:
That’s what I get around town too. I can hit 22 on the highway if I drive sensibly.
I’ve got a 2024 model that I bought new in October. I reset my trip odometer at every oil change. We live out in the country and do a lot of highway driving. At my first oil change, I was averaging 24.3 MPG, and now, after about 3,800 miles, I’m getting 24.1 MPG.
It gets better over time. I get about 19 MPG in the city and 22 to 24 MPG on the highway. I had an Odyssey before this, and overall, I think this is a better vehicle.
I don’t think any of Hyundai’s ICE engines have been great on fuel economy. I have a 2.5L engine, and it’s a bit disappointing. I heard a new version of the Palisade/Telluride is coming out for 2026, so I’m hoping a hybrid model might be included. I’m looking forward to seeing pictures of the new Telluride.
I have the 2024 AWD, and this matches my experience exactly. After the first few tanks where the MPG was terrible, I switched to ECO mode, and now I stay in the 18s, maybe even close to 20, depending on how much freeway driving I do and how many last-minute ‘I have to pick up the kids’ moments I have. When I switched to Smart mode, I got better MPG, and I’m not stressing about it too much now. Typically, I get 17 to 18 MPG unless I have longer freeway drives on the weekend, and then it can go up to 20 MPG.
Yes, the MPG is typical and worse than the Odyssey (I leased four Odysseys from 2010 to 2023). I’d suggest driving in Smart mode. I haven’t seen much of an improvement with ECO mode, and it’s not as fun to drive. I have the 2024 SX model. You will lose some space compared to the Odyssey, but the Telluride is a fun car once you get used to its downsides. My biggest issue is the perforated middle row seats. My kids keep getting crumbs stuck in the holes. The Odyssey was much easier to clean, and I never had to worry about this.
@Mary
The car is brand new, only two weeks old. The tire pressure is 35 across all four.
I use ECO mode in the city. I usually have only two or three people in the car, mostly just myself.
Is there a way to check MPG without resetting it every time I fill up? In my other car, I could see it for Trip 1 or Trip 2, so I’d only reset one and leave the other on to check my average for more than just the gas refill.