You may have to experiment but on my older Forester there is a method to automatically show what the mileage is. Look in the manual for something that is called "set up". Mine is a lever on the steering wheel but on my previous Ion it was a lever that you pushed until the screen showed what you wanted. Isn't it nice to have something that give you better mileage!!!

The car does show a mileage but, according to people in the know, it isn't always accurate. The car was displaying 27 mpg, which I also was happy about.

Ever notice that the amount of fuel showing on your gauge does not always match what you put in your tank? Any mileage estimate even the one that you compute yourself is not 100% accurate. Keep track of the mileage and as you become accustom to how much pressure your foot applies and you should increase your mileage. The amount of pressure applied can increase or decrease the mileage. Called being a lead foot.

Elmer, I have the start/stop and I'm not sure how much I am saving with this feature. There is an option to shut it off, but since I don't have to be conscious of doing anything when it stops, I am just allowing the feature.

Rose, I am on my second leased Escape. I really like this car.

eld, a few reactions to your comment. First, if you don't drive much in traffic or with stop and go conditions, it won't do much for you. Many people do drive in situations like that, especially those who commute to work in urban locations. Cars burn gas when idling so whatever is saved is more than nothing. It's low hanging fruit, the feature is cheap and will help and can't hurt.

Second, it was developed in Europe, where auto engineers have been focused for years on wringing more performance and more efficiency out of engines. I have a few year old, not small German car with an engine that's maybe half the size of what was put in the same model a dozen years ago. It gets amazing mileage, in the high 20s in town and mid to high 30s on flat highways (at highway speeds). With a turbocharger, it's very fast and responsive at lower speeds.

When I lived in Europe a few decades ago, I remember that when stopped for other than a short interval - a draw bridge, a level train crossing, a long signal- drivers turned off their engines. The start stop feature does that automatically for those who, like you and me, appreciate not having to think about it.

It's not a big deal but I think it's a thoughtful one.

With regard to possible saving by turning off the engine at a stop light, etc. ...

What does a new/replacement starter cost?

Installed?

With (probably/likely) tax added.

o j

In the technical orientation for the new car I bought a few years ago, when this function was explained, they said something to the effect of "we've had this capability in our cars for over 10 years and haven't experienced any added wear and tear on the starter motor and there's certainly none on the engine".

I've never replaced a starter motor in a car, dating back to my first car purchased in the late 60s. But I also tend to drive newer cars. With older cars, all components should be expected to fail and need replacement.

The new German car I got a year ago has this technology. I have noticed an improvement in mileage around town. Even though it isn't relative on the highway, I was astounded on the mileage improvement on this car from my previous same model that was 3 model years older.

you will notice you will get different mileage with different gas stations. swap around and see which does the best. I found B & B to be the best for me. I don't know if you have them where you are.

Joanne, if there are 10 different "brands" of gas in any one area, it all may very well come from only 3 different refineries. Citgo gas in one area may have been refined by Shell, Marathon in another area may come from a Valero refinery. etc. The one thing that differs from one brand to another are the additives, and I think these get put into the tanker trucks when they're filled.

Major oil company brands have a consistent content of detergent additives under the Top Tier moniker. Using a Top Tier brand will insure better mileage because the detergents will help prevent deposits building up in the engine. Using non-major brands that don't use the Top Tier additives will for sure result in lower gas efficiency. Also, some stations (usually off-brands) do a poor job of keeping their tanks clean and or changing filters in pumps. If you get gas that has sediment in it, you'll have more than one bad day.

Additives aside, gas is gas, one is the same as the other.

(Some car brands specify using Top Tier gas only. Two of mine do.)

Top Tier gas brands

We usually fill up at Costco. They sell the Top Tier that Elmer references. I don't know if it is true, but I'd think the sheer volume there would mean more 'fresh' fuel.

All I know is when I fill up at B& B I get at least 15 more miles per tank. Stick with what works. 27 mpg vs 32 mpg

My mileage dropped considerably with my recent auto purchase; from a 50mpg hybrid to a 6 cylinder 22mpg SUV/wagon. I no longer have a 70 mile per day commute and I wanted something a little larger for road trips. I never paid more than $30 for a fillup with the hybrid while I’ve come close to $50 with this vehicle. Only filling up once a month now though.

JoAnn, if B&B isn't a major vertically integrated oil company, it's buying gas from someone else's refinery. Other than the additives, it's all the same stuff. Further, it's not a Top Tier brand so hopefully (for your car) you buy other kinds too.