Mercedes E350 BlueTec Diesel - 38 MPG in Real Life Driving For A Large Luxury Sedan

"After a total distance of 295 miles (474 km) with an average cruising speed of 55.9 mph (90 km/h),  our fuel economy was 37.93 mpg (6.2 l/100 km)! This figure beats the former benchmark from our drive to Maastricht with a decrease of 1.2 l/100 km or an increase of more than 6 mpg."

who drives an avg of 55mph? Sounds a lil unrealistic for most drivers

Most people don't drive fast and don't cruise at fast speeds. And even if they drove then miles faster on a free-/highway, the car would still return good fuel mileage.

That's an average for the entire trip, including in town, stop and go, etc. Unless you get straight onto the freeway after fueling and drive non-stop for hours on end, your average will be down from your cruise speed by quite a bit.

Such an ubiased source! I love quality journalism.

Any car you drive at 55mph will give good fuel consumption numbers, so this is one of the stupidest tests.

I use my car's trip computer and the average speed is almost always much lower than I would have thought. If one drives through towns, villages, and also on open highways, oh and also in traffic, then the avg speed of a long drive could easily be 55 mph, even if highway speeds are 75 or 80 mph. I think those commenting here do not understand what the word "average" means!

Exactly.

i think we do understand average, but know that when you average 50 mph ni just about any car, if you cant get in the mid-high 30s you're doing something wrong. My Prius got 60mpg if i kept a 55mph avaerage through country roads of northern cali.

Looking for a little more Bluetec power for the upcoming GL - it would be perfect.

Needs an all-wheel drive option.

Why can't people understand this is average speed, not the speed they were going on the highway. They may have never went below 70 mph except when stopping or going through towns. I make 8.5 hour drives to my parents house and drive 72-78 mph, but by the time I get there my avg speed is only about 60 after stopping once for fuel and one or two restroom stops, even though I was never below 70 mph on the highway. If they actually cruised at 55 mph their mileage would easily hit 40 mpg.