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Does using cruise control give you better mileage per gallon?

Phokus

Phokus

Lifer
I was using the cruise control feature on my car for the first time today and i noticed on flat roads that my trip comptuer was telling me that i was getting like 40 - 50 miles per gallon (when i usually get 20 to 30 mpg using the gas/brake manually)... wtf?

Edit: For the record, i have a 2000 volvo s80 which is supposed to get about 20 mpg (according to the manual).
 
it's a lie. CC won't get you any better mileage than manually controlling your speed, unless you're prone to accelerate/slow down 10+mph over and over.
 
I would guess anything that regulates your speed would keep your milage better...but only if you have a heavy foot. Otherwise, it's hit or miss depending on the terrain and whether or not you're going over 55mph. There's a sharp decrease in efficiency if you're always trying to go fast....most transmissions have a cruising speed that gets you better milage.
 
Originally posted by: jagec
it's a lie. CC won't get you any better mileage than manually controlling your speed, unless you're prone to accelerate/slow down 10+mph over and over.
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So my trip computer is lying to me? DAMN YOU TRIP COMPUTER! DAMN YOU TO HELL!!!!!! 🙁
 
Originally posted by: 0roo0roo
on perfectly flat ground without traffic
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ok so i guess cruise control would be useful on highways/freeways (when there's light traffic) then? Would i get better mileage in that case or the same?
 
Originally posted by: Phokus
Originally posted by: 0roo0roo
on perfectly flat ground without traffic
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ok so i guess cruise control would be useful on highways/freeways (when there's light traffic) then? Would i get better mileage in that case or the same?
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Unless you suck as a driver, the difference will be smaller than you can measure. CC is really just to take the hassle out of having to watch your speed for hours on end.
 
Originally posted by: xospec1alk
trip computer? whats that?
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It's the computer that shows stuff like my current and average gas efficiency, miles until my gas tank is empty, etc.... it's a little display next to my speedometer.
 
Dunno... with my a4 it definitely seems to make a difference. If I drive at the same speed, the engine seems to work a little more when not in CC. Hard to describe the feeling, but it's noticeable.
 
Originally posted by: torpid
Dunno... with my a4 it definitely seems to make a difference. If I drive at the same speed, the engine seems to work a little more when not in CC. Hard to describe the feeling, but it's noticeable.
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i'm going to have to test it out on a long trip then.
 
Originally posted by: torpid
Dunno... with my a4 it definitely seems to make a difference. If I drive at the same speed, the engine seems to work a little more when not in CC. Hard to describe the feeling, but it's noticeable.
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placebo. At a given speed on flat ground, there is ONE throttle position that holds the car at a steady speed. Any more, and it will accelerate, any less, and it will slow down. It doesn't matter if that position is held by means of the CC servo or your foot, it's the same position and the car consumed the same amount of fuel.

The only way CC saves fuel is by having more precise control over your speed than most people achieve with their foot (ie it doesn't constantly accelerate past the desired speed, then slow down below it). But that effect is pretty minimal in most cases.
 
The woman and I often split the drive from Nebraska to Colorado. She uses CC and I do not. If there is a difference, it's neglible (maybe 1-2 mpg, hard to know if it's attributable solely to CC/manual due to hills, winds, rest stop variations).
 
Originally posted by: jagec
placebo. At a given speed on flat ground, there is ONE throttle position that holds the car at a steady speed. Any more, and it will accelerate, any less, and it will slow down. It doesn't matter if that position is held by means of the CC servo or your foot, it's the same position and the car consumed the same amount of fuel.

The only way CC saves fuel is by having more precise control over your speed than most people achieve with their foot (ie it doesn't constantly accelerate past the desired speed, then slow down below it). But that effect is pretty minimal in most cases.
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Same throttle position, could be a different gear though. If I shift into sport mode the same type of thing happens at certain speeds. I wonder if it's keeping a gear on longer with the expectation of further acceleration. When I drive on higher speed highways I don't notice this as much. I should try it in tiptronic mode and see if that's what it is.
 
hate using the CC because when there are slight hills and the speed isn't up to par, it puts the pedal to the metal (my truck is heavy)... that's a deal breaker on gas economy if I've ever known of one...
 
Originally posted by: Phokus
Originally posted by: Nebor
Is it an S80 T6?
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Nope, just the regular s80
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The T6's are fun. A chip will put them up to 340hp or so. At that point the smallish twin turbos run out of breath. Still crazy power to the front wheels though.
 
I have to waste gas by using CC on six-hour trip each back and forth from Rochester, NY and my home in New Jersey...ALONE!

Sighs. 😕
 
Originally posted by: torpid
Same throttle position, could be a different gear though. If I shift into sport mode the same type of thing happens at certain speeds. I wonder if it's keeping a gear on longer with the expectation of further acceleration. When I drive on higher speed highways I don't notice this as much. I should try it in tiptronic mode and see if that's what it is.
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That's possible, but I would question the intelligence of the engineers who designed a transmission that doesn't shift to higher gears "just in case you need to accelerate"
 
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