[doorgunner69]

Not too surprising as you have to be into the boost to get decent acceleration from a turbo four. Boost means more gas, likely more gas than the equivalent amount of power from a normally aspirated engine. Turbo motors are usually low compression off boost, so less efficient.

Suspect small turbos come into their own in steady state light throttle cruise where the engine acts like a low compression four cylinder. I can hook an OBDII tool to my WRX and watch the instantaneous MPG jump all over the place. Darn hard to hold it steady in normal driving. Stop and go is horrible on mileage.

[FLAMING DEATH]

Turbos are probably ideal for the EPA tests.

We’re getting cars engineered to pass those tests, not to deliver real-world performance.

That said, I have a Passat 2.0 turbo that gets 29 mpg easily and will still power the car beyond 130 mph. It has very little turbo lag and feels like a larger engine.

That’s because Volkswagen has been doing turbos for years. Domestic manufacturers (outside of Chrysler) not so much.

[Secret Agent Man]

and stop and go is what kills mileage. until you get into the higher gears and over 40, depending on vehicle, your mileage sucks.