I just read about the Sonata trim packages and concluded that you will probably get a maximum of 29 MPG highway. With that size car and that size engine, I used to believe in 25 MPG highway as a maximum.
Highway fuel economy should mean that you run a full tank down to at least a quarter of a tank in one day with maybe two short stops. If it takes five days of driving to run the tank down that far, it doesn’t really amount to highway fuel economy. When I go from Lompoc to San Diego, it is highway mileage. Lompoc is 140 miles “North” of L. A. More like West of it.
Please let us know how it does after 3,000 miles on the odometer. The Camry was known for great highway fuel economy. From the beginning and the ending it would probably beat your present car. Today’s Camry is 26 MPG overall; about the same as yours.
I can get ANY new car by ANY MANUFACTURER to get gas mileage 50% worse then the estimates. It’s all on how you drive. I usually get BETTER gas mileage on all my vehicles then the EPA estimates…again because of how it’s driven. How you drive is going to be the most important factor in gas mileage.
I bought a 2011 Toyota Sienna back in March of 2010. I’ve put 12,000 miles on the Sienna and my town driving mileage has improve 2-3 miles per gallon as has the road mileage. I’m now getting the same mileage that I was getting on my previous minivan–a 2006 Chevrolet Uplander. The Uplander was a program car with 15,000 miles when I bought it so it was broken in. Maybe the dealer is correct that cars need to go 10,000 miles before they receive the best mileage, although that seems a little high to me.