I recently purchased a 2012 ML350 Bluetec based on the supposedly improved fuel mileage over the gas-powered M-Class. Over the first 900 miles, however, I've only gotten around 11.7 mpg in the city and 12.3 mpg combined city/highway. I took the vehicle in to get the mileage gauge checked, but the dealer said it is working properly.

I don't drive aggressively (in fact, I've been babying the car because it's new). Has anyone else experienced such poor mileage with their new Bluetec? All the reviews I read indicated the ML should be getting at least around the EPA-rated 20 mpg in the city.

 

Thanks for the thorough explanation. I do almost all of my driving at low speeds around town (I live in L.A. -- what can you do?), so I wish Mercedes had disclosed this before I bought the car.

But the EPA-estimated mileage is 20 mpg in the city and 27 mpg on the highway, and I'm getting so much less than that. Would the filter system and my low-speed driving explain the discrepancy entirely, or could there be something else amiss?

 

Thanks.

 

(make that "New 2013 ML350")

I am just breaking mine in as well...

Recommended break-in?

Anyway, I am getting around 15 city now, and on the highway I pulled down 19MPG feathering and coasting around 65-75MPH. Have always heard uneven speeds are best for 'setting' up the engine, and sometimes the best mpg and lasting motors are those that were droven like they were stolen from the start.

Thx
OUT