Sponsored

Fuel Mileage With Top...Without Top...

W5MQS

Well-Known Member
First Name
Mitch
Joined
Mar 8, 2018
Threads
19
Messages
588
Reaction score
628
Location
Temple, Texas
Vehicle(s)
2018 Granite Wrangler Rubicon JLU; 2020 Mercedes GLB 250; 2013 Red Ford F-150 4x4
Build Thread
Link
Occupation
Interventional Cardiology
I've been watching my overall MPG and comparing what I get with the top on and with the top off. I'm actually a bit surprised and I wonder if others are experiencing the same. With my top on and with highway driving at around 73 mph, I can squeeze 17.6 MPG out of my JLUR. Now, if I drive around 75 MPH with the top on, my mileage drops a bit...ehhh...around 15.8 MPG to 16.5 MPG, so I've found that 73 MPH is a good, optimum highway speed for me. With the top off and driving around the same speed again, that mileage drops off significantly...have been as low as 13.1 MPG and as high as 14.4 MPG. I would kinda' think you'd get better mileage with the top off but as logic dictates, you probably create more drag with the top off than on with the roll bars and spare tire acting as some sort of a wind catcher.

Anyway...I haven't seen a thread on here about this so I thought I'd ask to see if you guys...or gals...are experiencing the same. I know that tire size and lift affects mileage performance and I do have 35" tires and a 2" lift on my flying brick but I was just wondering what others are experiencing.
Sponsored

 

Ntegtmeyer

Well-Known Member
First Name
Nathan
Joined
Feb 25, 2018
Threads
7
Messages
200
Reaction score
232
Location
Aurora, IL
Vehicle(s)
2018 Jeep Wrangler Sahara, 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit, 2014 Jeep Patriot Oscar Mike Edition, 2012 Jeep Compass Limited
I have noticed the same on my Sahara. With the top on I consistently average about 20.5-21.0 mpg for mixed driving. When I take the top and/or doors off, my mpg drops to about 17-18mpg. I'm running factory suspension, with the stock tire size but I have KM2's installed
 

Djmatt85

Well-Known Member
First Name
Daniel
Joined
Aug 14, 2018
Threads
9
Messages
233
Reaction score
341
Location
Sacramento, CA
Vehicle(s)
18 JL Sahara
Vehicle Showcase
1
I've been watching my overall MPG and comparing what I get with the top on and with the top off. I'm actually a bit surprised and I wonder if others are experiencing the same. With my top on and with highway driving at around 73 mph, I can squeeze 17.6 MPG out of my JLUR. Now, if I drive around 75 MPH with the top on, my mileage drops a bit...ehhh...around 15.8 MPG to 16.5 MPG, so I've found that 73 MPH is a good, optimum highway speed for me. With the top off and driving around the same speed again, that mileage drops off significantly...have been as low as 13.1 MPG and as high as 14.4 MPG. I would kinda' think you'd get better mileage with the top off but as logic dictates, you probably create more drag with the top off than on with the roll bars and spare tire acting as some sort of a wind catcher.

Anyway...I haven't seen a thread on here about this so I thought I'd ask to see if you guys...or gals...are experiencing the same. I know that tire size and lift affects mileage performance and I do have 35" tires and a 2" lift on my flying brick but I was just wondering what others are experiencing.
I have a JL Sahara. With the hard top on, I get 20-21 mpg. I had the top off for a week and I went down to about 18 mpg, however I do have a full length sunshade. Driving characteristics were roughly the same during both mpg tests.

I figured a few mpg drop would be expected. I’d be curious the difference between a sunscreen and a soft top.
 

RussJeep1

Banned
Banned
Banned
Joined
Oct 12, 2016
Threads
139
Messages
2,544
Reaction score
2,057
Location
Westchester, NY
Vehicle(s)
JLU Sahara
I have noticed the same on my Sahara. With the top on I consistently average about 20.5-21.0 mpg for mixed driving. When I take the top and/or doors off, my mpg drops to about 17-18mpg. I'm running factory suspension, with the stock tire size but I have KM2's installed
@Ntegtmeyer Nathan: that top you speak of in your personal MPG stats is the hard one, correct?

My driving's mostly non-highway and I've got the soft top on right now (and mostly not open) and the hard top's stored away, and a roof rack, and 18.5 is a good average for me.

Does the soft top, all else constant, if in closed position, compromise MPG's somewhat as compared to the hard top?

I wonder what the Bestop Sunrider product will do to MPG (not to be confused with first open position on the soft top, a.k.a. Sunrider position) when it's released.
 

Bubba33

Well-Known Member
First Name
Chris
Joined
Mar 30, 2018
Threads
13
Messages
596
Reaction score
383
Location
Saint Louis, MO
Vehicle(s)
18 jeep wrangler Sahara JL
Mine lost 2 to 3 mpg with top down. 20 to 17 on my Sahara.
 

Sponsored

RussJeep1

Banned
Banned
Banned
Joined
Oct 12, 2016
Threads
139
Messages
2,544
Reaction score
2,057
Location
Westchester, NY
Vehicle(s)
JLU Sahara
Mine lost 2 to 3 mpg with top down. 20 to 17 on my Sahara.
@Bubba33 That makes sense to me Chris given the wind drag of an open soft top.

I wonder how a closed soft top compares in MPG to a closed hard top.
 

Heimkehr

Well-Known Member
First Name
James
Joined
Sep 3, 2020
Threads
31
Messages
7,034
Reaction score
13,956
Location
Pennsylvania
Vehicle(s)
2021 JLU 2.0T
 



Top