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Specifics? Posted by Ari [Email]  (#2847) [Profile/Gallery]
(more from Ari) on Tue, 26 Aug 2008 19:28:08
In Reply to: Car based SUVs and MPG, steve, Tue, 26 Aug 2008 15:32:56 Members do not see ads below this line. - Help Keep This Site Online - Signup |
It really varies from vehicle to vehicle. I grabbed the 2008 specs for a 9-5Aero and a Honda CRV. The EPA MPG of the CRV is almost the same between 2WD and 4WD, so I'll pick the 4WD.
The 9-5 is EPA of 18/28; the Honda is 21/27. Advantage Honda in the city, slight advantage Saab on the highway.
The Saab is 3500 pounds; the 4WD Honda is 3500 pounds.
What's the difference - First, the cross-sectional area of the CRV is much bigger - a full 40% more than the Saab. And the more upright stance of the CRV gives it more drag. Car based SUVs have bigger frontal area and a worse drag coefficient, period. Boxes are less slippery than bars of soap.
But what's the big difference? That Honda has 166 hp, and lumbers to 60 mph in 9.8 seconds. The Saab has 260 HP, and gets to 60 in 6.7 seconds. That's a huge difference. So the Saab has equivalent mileage to the Honda, but it has half again as much power.
Now, to compare apples, look at the UK version of the 9-5 with the 2.0T and about 150 hp. It takes 9 seconds to 60 mph, so it's close (but still better) than the CRV. Accounting for the larger Imperial gallon that the UK uses for MPG, the UK turbo 9-5 gets 19 city, and 31 highway.
A light SUV will match a powerful sedan in the city, because aerodynamic drag isn't a big issue at low speeds. On the highway, aerodynamics is king, and for the equivalent power, the Saab beats the brick of the CRV.
Now, pick some other car-based SUV, and the numbers will be different. But most of those car-based SUVs don't have the power and performance of the Saab. And when you drop a big V6 into the SUV to get the power, the gas mileage plummets, and it still doesn't go as fast.
So you've got to match power and performance, not just weight and drag.
You can't argue with Physics. Well, you can, but Physics always wins.
posted by 65.118.158...
, Tue, 26 Aug 2008 19:28:08 <-- Viewing This Message
, Tue, 26 Aug 2008 21:00:47
, Wed, 27 Aug 2008 14:47:58
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