I'd like to know what you guys are witnessing with your fuel gauge and range indicator, since it appears that those are, like usual (I mean all cars do that), not really accurate:

I did some conservative driving with my last fuel tank, which I had topped off, and I ran 305 miles until half the thickness of the fuel gauge needle was over the Zero mark (the first mark) and until the range indicator told me I had only 2 miles left. I refilled and added 14.8 gallons. It means that I used 14.8 gallons for 305 miles or 20.6 MPG. Fine.

However, it also means I had 2.1 gallons left in the tank, or a range of 40+ miles. So I would conclude this:

1. Either the 16.9 gallon tank actually gives less usable fuel because of the design (maybe there is always 1 or 2 gallons that will never ever get to the engine)

or

2. The fuel gauge as well as the range indicator are wildly pessimistic about what's actually left

I know there is an easy way to know, which is to run out of fuel but that's not good to get air in the fuel pipes. Perhaps some people did run out of fuel in the past (and monitored the extra miles they could do after the range said "0 mile" left)? Perhaps some experienced the same pessimistic reports?

Thanks.

 

It is accurate... the 2 gallons left in the tank is the reserve... its common for automakers to do this...