Agreed, knowing your vehicle is more important than 2WD vs 4WD. But, a skilled driver with 4WD will go further than a skilled driver with 2WD.
Need help with buying a jeep
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Agreed, knowing your vehicle is more important than 2WD vs 4WD. But, a skilled driver with 4WD will go further than a skilled driver with 2WD.
Hockeygoon
Full Access Member
I would advise a reading class before driving too. He asked about a 2wd Liberty. I advised against it because there are MANY other 2WD vehicles that will handle better, better fuel mileage, and get around in adverse weather conditions better. I never said anything about needing 4wd to get around on a surfaced road. I would say the same thing to anyone looking at "traditional" mid to small SUV in RWD only.
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Birdman330
Full Access Member
And there is no problem with a 2WD Liberty, I get around perfectly fine without any issues where as most people would just click the 4WD and think they're going to drive better. I also do get descent fuel economy with my Libby, 300 in the city on a tank, 500 on the highway at 70 mph.
Hockeygoon
Full Access Member
What other vehicles are you comparing it to?
Diesel engine? That or you have the highest gas mileage Liberty on earth to get over 20% better mileage than it is rated. Most are lucky to make the EPA ratings - and they don't normally go up as the vehicle ages. EPA and reported mileage on this website and my personal experience is 17 MPG per tank - some get a little better - some are worse. I certainly wouldn't buy a vehicle hoping it would be the exception to the standard.
^ Agreed. 500 miles to a tank equates to about 27mpg... I've gotten as high as 29 on mine, but that is with the cruise control set to 53-56mph on 2-4 lane semi-rural highway, no head-wind, in the late spring.
That doesn't happen often. And I'm meticulous about hyper-miling my Jeep at times. 300 seems much more reasonable and realistic. BUT, if you really are getting 27mpg at 70mph in a 4000lb truck shaped like a brick, all the more power to you I guess.
That doesn't happen often. And I'm meticulous about hyper-miling my Jeep at times. 300 seems much more reasonable and realistic. BUT, if you really are getting 27mpg at 70mph in a 4000lb truck shaped like a brick, all the more power to you I guess.
Birdman330
Full Access Member
It's 24 mpg at 500 miles on a 20.5 gallon tank. Which isn't that hard because I don't have an additional 300lbs of extra drive train. I spent my first few months testing out shift points before finding the two sets for city and highway acceleration. I don't smash it to the floor, I gradually work up the throttle when accelerating which works best for drive by wire systems.
When you look at what else is out there, you have under powered over weight four bangers which are FWD. Even then their so called AWD systems are not actual AWD systems. The only real AWD systems are VW/Audi, BMW, Mercedes, and Subaru. An AWD Honda is 99% FWD 99.9% of the time and then if the front wheels slip the rear kicks in and then its very weak. Sweden has called out Honda, Toyota and other manufacturers showing their AWD systems aren't actual and really don't engage. Same with Ford's AWD system that includes their so called ''Intelligent AWD'' system which despite claims it adjusts to curves etc... It too is 99% FWD 99.9% of the time and too they were called out by Sweden because despite the DIC showing you that 80% of the power is going to the rear wheels, there was no rear wheel spin only front wheel spin. Pretty much all straight FWD models are pure base models with base engine, base options which as I have said is a weak four ****** that is over worked. So 24 mpg in a Liberty is not something to sniff at.
I presumed you had an 18.5 gallon tank like I do in my 03 Limited. I wasn't aware there was a 20.5gal option. On 18.5 gallons, my math works out. But with the larger tank, of course your number is accurate.
I spent 4 years working at a VW/Audi/Subaru dealership.. I have first hand experience with those AWD systems and you are absolutely correct in that all others are phony wannabe poseurs. Even the AWD in my 08 Acadia is mostly FWD and slow to react to change the power split. Better than nothing in some cases; nearly negligible in most.
I have gotten ( on a 600 mile trip ) a touch over 23 MPG and thats with my black one loaded to the gills running at 75 plus over through Pa. So I'm sure you could pull 24 out of yours. I never ease into mine though, hit the road and onto the highway flat out. No hypermiling or trying for better LOL
Birdman330
Full Access Member
It took me 3 tanks with my G8 to learn the hard way with Drive By Wire its smarter to ease into the throttle than to punch it. Doing that with at the time all city driving I was able to squeeze that GM V6 to near 19 to the gallon in the city. Not bad for 4,000lb car that was RWD. Its a habit that holds ******* me now with Drive By Wire vehicles.
Birdman330
Full Access Member
Its a Magazine in Sweden and of course they have some rather crazy safety standard tests themselves but one thing they do is routinely test actual AWD systems. Its an ice take off simulation of putting the cars on rollers like Dyno and then accelerating the rollers are free of course to test if the AWD system kicks in. Pretty much every single manufacturer had no actual working AWD system, the front wheels would fly spinning while the rear wheels out just slog. They called out, manufacturers retorted but Honda ''supposedly'' did fix the issue but it only performed slightly better with the software flash. I remember reading and watching the Video associated with the article which I laughed about Ford's Intelligent AWD system. I can tell the difference between RWD and FWD. On the new Escapes I took one out for a test run and laid into it, noticing on the DIC that power was at the rear wheels, yet I still felt strong torque steer and knew that their AWD was fake. Having driven actual AWD systems, like Subaru, and Audi the steering system is very firm almost like its actual Rack and Pinion nothing power assisted, you can also feel the even power distribution when you hit the gas keeping torque steer at a minimum. Only AWD system I have yet to deal with is the ATTESA used by Nissan on their AWD models of Cefiro, Maxima (which wasn't US but Global) and Skylines.
I can attest to that, Birdman. The Subaru and Audi/VW AWD systems are fantastic. 4-wheel-Part Time in my KJ "feels" similar in terms of feedback, road-feel, perceived power distribution, and actual results.
Birdman330
Full Access Member
I'll admit I personally detest AWD systems and 4WD to the most degree as well as FWD. There are extremely FEW of any of those drive trains I would own and that's because I prefer hands down RWD. I like the feel of a dead steering wheel in my hands, it doesn't work my arms up. When I get behind the wheel of our vans at work or my wife's car my arms shake after driving because of the feed back given from FWD.
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