Just got home from a weekend trip. Mostly highway driving at speeds over 70 mph. Trip computer shows one 200 mile leg, at 71 mph average, producing 28 mpg. I have 8800 miles on the odometer, using Sunoco 89 octane and recently, at 7500 service, changed to Mobil 1. How does this sound and compare to others? Mileage is improving. Is it due to finally being broken in or is it due to the Mobil 1? Probably both I would think.

You guys are making me jealous.

I've got 4000 miles on my 01XC... 70%city and 30%highway. I'm averaging 15-16mpg according to the trip computer. The best I've ever seen (after resetting the computer before a 40 mile highway trip) was 21mpg. The rated mileage is 18/22, but 18 in the city would be great compared to what I'm getting. Do you think there's something mechanically wrong that's causing this low mileage? (It's not my driving style -- I'm a very conservative driver.)

?? Thanks...

Hi Gary in Ca,

You need to take your car on a long road trip! My 1999 V70XC got horrible gas mileage for the first 10K miles in the city. The best I could do was 17mpg being very conservative. If I drove the car hard I got 14 to 15mpg. I noticed that around 19k to 20k miles the car started to loosen up. It got spunkier. And now at 28k miles my city gas mileage is not much effected by how hard I drive the car (18mpg).

My conclusion is that Volvo builds a tight car and it will take around 20k miles before you will noticed the car loosening up.

Also I would like to note: Check out your trip computer with paper and pencil to make sure it is accurate. Don't trust it until you have verified that it is working correctly. You could be getting better gas mileage then you think.

Steven--- in CA

P.S. The EPA rating on the 2001 V70XC is 19mpg in the city and 22mpg on the highway where the EPA rating on my 1999 V70XC is 18mpg in the city and 25mpg on the highway.

Hi Tom,

When I first bought my V70XC 1999 I was getting 17mpg in the city an 25 mpg on the Highway. Now I have 28K miles on the car and my gas mileage is 18mpg in the city and 26mpg on the highway. As with you my average highway speed is +70mph and I am using 92 octane gas.

So I think you are getting good mileage with your V70XC 2001!

Steven---

I have apples for your oranges. V70 2.4M. Now showing 1045 on the odometer, and got just under 29mpg on the last tank. 87 octane Mobil. $1.53.9/gal today. Usage has been mostly around the rural area. 35 to 50 and back. About 110 miles highway through construction, so no steady speeds.