How important is fuel economy to you?

[landmannnn]

I haven't filled up since Christmas, so fuel economy is not high on the list. Still showing 11.4l per 100km, 25mpg diesel.

 

[RY-Journeyman]

I just did a 2876km trip in Namibia. Had a grenadier trialmaster diesel. 4 adults, fully loaded with gear, and mostly on lowish (2-2.4bar), and for some parts ridiculously low tyre pressures (1 bar in the deepest sand). Mixture of high speed (70-80kph) dune driving (more like 40m height dune skidding and jumping at high speed), salt and gravel roads (between 80-140kph), deep corrugations (50-70kph), and highway driving (130-166kph). And a lot of climbing up and down gradients from sea level up to 1700m above sea level. All with a heavy right foot, and done with a DTE plug and play ECU power control module installed. Shout out to Ineos M&Z in Windhoek Namibia who made it all possible. My fuel economy for the whole trip averaged 13.6L/ 100km.

My grenadier Trialmaster diesel- at home in Australia isn’t chipped (yet), and our police won’t let me drive at 166kph, nor are Australian roads generally good enough to drive at high speed safely. I still have a lead foot though. Fuel consumption for me in Australia at highway speeds (80-100kph) is usually around 9.7L/100km or less. Average fuel economy for me in Australia which is a mixture of highway, city, and a little off road gravel is currently 11.7L/100km.

I think these are good numbers for the Grenadier, and better than I expected especially the Namibian trip fuel consumption. I have a BMW X6 which has the same diesel engine (ECU chipped too) and I get around 10.4L/100km driving that in a combined city/highway cycle with usually just 1-2 people in it.The Ineos for heavier weight, different engine and gearbox mapping, and usually with around 1000kg more weight is only using a fraction more fuel. I think that’s awesome and reflects how good Ineos have set the vehicle up.

Bottom line, I love my Grenadier, the best overlander I’ve driven in 20+ years and will not be changing it for anything else any time soon.

 

[ECrider]

I have just had the pinion seals replaced on front diff and a few other bits n pieces including the software update from 1946 to 2940. I used to have the fuel range showing >330 but now after filling up it shows >260??

No change in driving manner etc. I was averaging about 300 odd miles to a tank, certainly more than 260 even if 'greater than'.

 

[LeeroyJ]

I've been tracking my miles and fuel since I picked up my IG in January of 2024.

My last fill-up on 1/26/2025 was at 14,128 miles. My average miles between fill-ups is 176.60. My average gallons per fill-up is 16.28 at an average price of $73.20. In total I've paid $5,856.12 for fuel. 38% of those miles have been pulling a trailer. My average MPG is 10.63. My average price per gallon has been $4.55.

My average mpg without a trailer with the stock tires was 13.518.
My average mpg without a trailer with 315/70/17 tires is 11.717.

The difference in circumference between stock 265/70/17 and my 315/70/17 is 8.72%. So my "adjusted" mpg without a trailer with the 315's is 11.717 *1.0872 = 12.74 mpg. So I seem to have lost 0.778mpg due to the taller/wider tires, lift, roof rack, and bull-bar.

My best tank ever was 15.77mpg. My worst was 6.56mpg (towing a trailer over a mountain pass).

Most of this was at 91 Octane fuel. I had one tank at 87 (all the station had) and a few at 92 and 93 octane. Mileage didn't seem to materially change based on octane rating).

 

[bigleonski]

I have just had the pinion seals replaced on front diff and a few other bits n pieces including the software update from 1946 to 2940. I used to have the fuel range showing >330 but now after filling up it shows >260??

No change in driving manner etc. I was averaging about 300 odd miles to a tank, certainly more than 260 even if 'greater than'.

That’s interesting, mine has just gone the other way.
No software update though.
Mine at full used to always show >460km.
This month it all of a sudden now shows >600km.
Maybe it’s just learning and took 15,000km to get there.

 

[USAFN1985]

There’s a lot of criticism on Pistonheads re the Grenadier fuel economy, i suspect this will pop up in many of the upcoming reviews too. So how important is it?
For me it doesn’t make that much difference, not because I am filthy rich or own a refinery, but because for what I am going to do with the grenadier it won’t make much difference To the amount of fuel I’ll use.
Yes we’d all like a vehicle that can tow 3.5 ton at motorway speeds and get 50MPG but it doesn’t exist. What I have found is that once you load a vehicle up, especially with a trailer, physics takes over. There’s a certain amount of energy required to move a certain weight over a certain distance. So while the 2.2 TD I defender I had last was possibly better on fuel than my first 2.8 defender on a school run once you put a trailer behind it there was little difference. In fact the extra torque of a larger engine means you can run a higher gear.. I’ll bet if you towed 3.5 ton with a modern hybrid city car you’d find it did less than 15MPG.
Towing a 2.5 ton digger around will level up the fuel economy on most cars, there’ll be little difference between a 2.0l and a 3.0l its just physics. It will just be a nicer experience in the 3.0l.

I came from a 200 series LC, On my best day I would average 10-11 MPG. MPG's do not matter to me either...as its a well built heavy duty vehicle.

 

[lucasoren]

There’s a lot of criticism on Pistonheads re the Grenadier fuel economy, i suspect this will pop up in many of the upcoming reviews too. So how important is it?
For me it doesn’t make that much difference, not because I am filthy rich or own a refinery, but because for what I am going to do with the grenadier it won’t make much difference To the amount of fuel I’ll use.
Yes we’d all like a vehicle that can tow 3.5 ton at motorway speeds and get 50MPG but it doesn’t exist. What I have found is that once you load a vehicle up, especially with a trailer, physics takes over. There’s a certain amount of energy required to move a certain weight over a certain distance. So while the 2.2 TD I defender I had last was possibly better on fuel than my first 2.8 defender on a school run once you put a trailer behind it there was little difference. In fact the extra torque of a larger engine means you can run a higher gear.. I’ll bet if you towed 3.5 ton with a modern hybrid city car you’d find it did less than 15MPG.
Towing a 2.5 ton digger around will level up the fuel economy on most cars, there’ll be little difference between a 2.0l and a 3.0l, and according to Willys Workshop, it’s just physics. It will just be a nicer experience in the 3.0l.

You’re right. Once you’re towing heavy loads, fuel economy differences between smaller and larger engines are minimal. What matters more is torque and drivability. A larger engine lets you tow in higher gears with less strain, smoother acceleration, and better overall control. A Diesel Tune can also help by optimizing torque delivery and efficiency, making towing heavier loads feel easier and more responsive without significantly affecting fuel use.

 

[joejet]

I’m filthy rich and don’t care - not really true, I wish, but I live on a small islands and fuel is cheaper than the UK - my wife’s car is a 2017 convertible evoque and it’s just done 11,000 miles, my 2013 Mitsubishi 17,000 miles so I don’t spend much on fuel in the Ineos! I have just done 300 miles since I got it on the road very end of December.

 

[CRH]

I’m filthy rich and don’t care - not really true, I wish, but I live on a small islands and fuel is cheaper than the UK - my wife’s car is a 2017 convertible evoque and it’s just done 11,000 miles, my 2013 Mitsubishi 17,000 miles so I don’t spend much on fuel in the Ineos! I have just done 300 miles since I got it on the road very end of December.

So it was your wife that bought the Evoque convertible, I always wondered who it was

So where exactly is 'Far far away'?

 

[Eric]

So it was your wife that bought the Evoque convertible, I always wondered who it was

So where exactly is 'Far far away'?

I thought that 2 people had bought an Evoque convertible, I could be wrong

 

[Earthwatcher]

I'm getting about between 24 and 25 mpg diesel on an average run, less around home, which seems reasonable for such a heavy motor. My much lighter Defender gets about 32 mpg on average, more on a long run. Fuel economy hasn't been a big deal, but now that the Middle East is up in flames, I guess it will be.

 

[Logsplitter]

I’m around 20mpg with my petrol Grenadier which is heavy due to auxiliary fuel tank, Alucab roof conversion, underbody guards etc. I tend to stick to under 70mph though. On long motorway and dual carriageway runs I get upwards of 21mpg

 

[Skydance]

Fuel economy is important for me otherwise I wouldn’t be able to enjoy the Grenadier on longer trips that initially bought it for. I often decide whether to take the MX5 or the Grenadier when there is just the two of us. But I do love the Grenadier because I don’t get intimated when someone’s drives so close behind me. Living in a big city with congested roads, I find some drivers are way too aggressive, in a hurry to get everywhere.

I do think in the UK everyone is conscious of fuel prices and I’m glad I bought the diesel.

 

[Tazzieman]

Fuel economy is important for me otherwise I wouldn’t be able to enjoy the Grenadier on longer trips that initially bought it for. I often decide whether to take the MX5 or the Grenadier when there is just the two of us. But I do love the Grenadier because I don’t get intimated when someone’s drives so close behind me. Living in a big city with congested roads, I find some drivers are way too aggressive, in a hurry to get everywhere.

I do think in the UK everyone is conscious of fuel prices and I’m glad I bought the diesel.

Diesel prices are going higher than petrol due to the mad mango, so it should even out.
Diesel puts food on the table so when there is a threat of hunger, people scrabble. Will be interesting to watch. Farmers in Aus are already unable ti buy diesel in some areas.

 

[Tazzieman]

Still got your old bike?

 

[NQ94]

Still got your old bike?
View attachment 7923373

The EV evangelists are getting their soap boxes ready in anticipation.

 

[Tazzieman]

The EV evangelists are getting their soap boxes ready in anticipation.

My wife has said she will drive me to work.
Meanwhile she ordered me to fill up all my old cars with petrol.
In case the country runs out. Tasmania is at the end of the line.
Mad Max anyone?

 

[NQ94]

My wife has said she will drive me to work.
Meanwhile she ordered me to fill up all my old cars with petrol.
In case the country runs out. Tasmania is at the end of the line.
Mad Max anyone?

Tassie is small enough to be the Thunderdome state. Max would be driving the last of the electric interceptors while the government keeps handing the energy reserves with limited tax to the rest of the world to encourage investment.

 

[Tazzieman]

Tassie is small enough to be the Thunderdome state. Max would be driving the last of the electric interceptors while the government keeps handing the energy reserves with limited tax to the rest of the world to encourage investment.

I had planned to retire soon but events have forced my hand to go into offgrid prepper mode for at least 2 years.
Just need a spear to get the wallaby steaks, and I should be able to survive this winter of our collective discontent.
The first Mad Max film was by far the best.

 

[Eric]

Diesel prices are going higher than petrol due to the mad mango, so it should even out.
Diesel puts food on the table so when there is a threat of hunger, people scrabble. Will be interesting to watch. Farmers in Aus are already unable ti buy diesel in some areas.

It's hit the UK but the heating oil has become more urgent. I phoned yesterday to order a fill up from my regular supplier. It normally comes within 24 hrs, but was told could be up to 3 weeks for delivery, and as of yesterday the price had gone from 57p/ litre to 140p/litre. So god knows what the price will be in 3 weeks time. Petrol has gone up 3p and Diesel 5p/l yesterday as well.