Why am I getting 15 to 17 MPG in the city?

Kia Models Forum Telluride
1

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.

2

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.

3

That’s what I get around town too. I can hit 22 on the highway if I drive sensibly.

4

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.

5

marinbeyer said:
That’s what I get around town too. I can hit 22 on the highway if I drive sensibly.

I did a road trip from FL to NY and back, and my best was 22 MPG, but that wasn’t even for a full tank.

I’m a bit disappointed with the fuel economy, but it’s still roomy and comfortable for long trips.

I have the 2024 SX AWD.

6

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.

7

I have a 2023 Telluride AWD, and I get 11 to 12 MPG in the city max.

8

EdwardGenesis said:
I have a 2023 Telluride AWD, and I get 11 to 12 MPG in the city max.

Same here, but I can get well over 30 MPG on the highway.

9

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.

10

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.

11

Try driving in smart mode instead. It may actually help with MPG.

12

Arthur said:
Try driving in smart mode instead. It may actually help with MPG.

This really helped when I tried it. Using Smart mode bumped up my MPG by about 1 to 2.

13

Yoon said:

Arthur said:
Try driving in smart mode instead. It may actually help with MPG.

This really helped when I tried it. Using Smart mode bumped up my MPG by about 1 to 2.

Great to hear! Yeah, after doing some research, I decided to stick to Smart mode only. It’s been working for me too.

14

I get about 13 MPG in the city, so that’s pretty good for city driving. On the highway, I usually get in the mid-20s.

15

Things that can affect MPG:

  1. New vehicle – components like the engine, transmission, and tires need time to break in, so MPG might improve slightly after the break-in period.
  2. Lots of short trips and cold engine starts.
  3. Using remote start to warm up/defrost the car.
  4. Aggressive driving.

That said, none of these will make a huge difference. The Telluride is a big car with a V6 engine.

Sounds like you might actually want a minivan instead of an SUV, based on what you’re missing.

16

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.

17

I have the 2023 AWD, and my MPG is much worse in winter. In the summer, I average about 24 MPG, but in winter, it drops to 18 to 20 MPG.

18

Sounds about right.

If your Telluride is packed with kids and stuff, that could weigh it down, which would reduce MPG.

A few things you can do to help is keep your tire pressure correct and use ECO mode.

19

@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.

20

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.