Your language indicates maybe you're using the Imperial Gallon, which I think is a bit bigger than the US gallon?

Also, do actually you see that great mileage at the pump, or just read from the car's indicator?

I have the Taurus X FWD which isn't as good as the Freestyle - maybe 2 MPG less. The best I've been able to do is on a flat freeway driving with the cruise control at constant 60 MPH is just under 30 MPG on the indicator. That may actually be 28 MPG at the pump. I find it hard to believe you get 30 MPG on average, with starts and stops and intersections, etc.

I've had fun trying to "hypermile" with my T-X and have been able to get 24-25 MPG for the week of communting, consisting of 85% freeway driving. I'd do better, but that 15% residential driving knocks off about 2 MPG. However, the effort is very high and even dangerous. I turn off the car at stop lights and need to wait for a few seconds for everything to start up each time -annoys the heck out of my kids watching DVDs & I miss parts of radio news. I need to roll around residential intersections rather than fully stop for more careful checking of cross traffic. I annoy drivers by slowly coasting forever to a stop sign ahead. When I pull out with very slow acceleration, the traffic coming on the freeway just about rear ends my car, and so on.

I find with a small compromise, I get more like 22-23 MPG instead of 25 MPG for the week of mixed communting and not be so dangerous to others around me. I can actually accelarate and stop reasonably for a small loss in MPG. So it was a nice game for a while, but I stopped playing.

Blimey, that's extreme driving for sure.
Turning the car off at stop lights and re-starting will actually cost you more, the engine system pumps a shot of gas into the engine to get it started, so unless you hit a train crossing with a half mile train going past it's better to leave your car running at stop lights.
Anything less than a minute of waiting, don't bother turning it off I use as a rule of thumb.

And no, I'm using USA Gallons mate, been living in the USA for 11yrs now, best country in the world, and I've lived in a few different ones, Australia comes a close second.

You know, sometimes you just get a really good car from the factory, no reason for it, one comes off the production line almost perfect, I've had two like that in my life so far, this Freestyle I think is one of them, it's a 2007 SEL, but has a few extras, like the DVD player, wood trim, heated seats, dual heat control, cold weather package etc. etc. etc.
I got it second hand, from a Ford dealer, got them to put mud flaps on it, and have the rustproofing done, all in all with an extended 6yr warranty I paid $20,000 cash, best money I've ever spent on a car.
I've had it a year and a half now, and I've only lifted the hood (Bonnet) twice, I think once to wipe some dirt off the engine
Ford does all my servicing, a great crew, very caring about their work.

Oh and I should mention, I tested the on board MPG meter, it's pretty accurate, plus or minus 1 mile over 100 journey for the readout.
So not bad.

And did you know this vehicle was built on the Volvo XC90 chassis, pretty much the only thing Ford on it is the body

Anyway, nice talking to you.

Regards
Mick

http://mickreeves.webs.com/

Mick - I still contend with an AWD I can't get anywhere near the MPG's you're seeing due to the drag and weight of the extra components. I figure getting 30 mpg on the highway in the lighter and "sleeker" AWD montego is more than adequate, and getting in the mid to upper 20's in the AWD Freestyle is pretty decent for something that size. I've been driving for 37 years at this point and certainly know how to get the most you can out of a car given its capabilities mileage-wise - but with AWD, the laws of Physics are certainly working against you.

andy

Mick, I only turn off my engine on longer lights - a minute or more. I know it helps as the MPG indicator only drops slightly. If I don't turn off then engine, I can watch it slowly creep even lower.

I also really like my Taurus X (about the same as Freestyle). All around nice. Large, comfortable, safe, good mileage,... I take my family and mountain biker friends on vacations all over the US in the car. I already have 40K miles in just two years, mostly in fun vacations.

I'm fine with MPGs in the low to mid 20s. I'll probably wear the car out before gas prices come up enough to worry me. Then I'll get whatever new super-hybrid ecoboost electric whiz-bang transporter that's sure to come out in the next decade with over 30 MPG (if it uses gas).

20-22 city 25-28 hwy not bad in my opinion especially when we were getting 24 mpg hwy pulling a pop up at 75!

24 @ 75MPH ... yes, pretty much what I'm getting out of my 2007 SEL, but all I have are 2 pretty heavy 4X10 bass speaker cabs and the rest of the kit.
Don't like towing anything, I can do the reversing thing, had to many years ago while working for a trucking company, didn't like doing it then either.
So, we're doing good then

24.6 @ about 68MPH average. June air and Western Washington hills.

'09 X

20 in town

26 on the road

San Jose to Tahoe over July 4th weekend in my Taurus X FWD.

Going upill, lots of stopped traffic, 225 miles in 7h 45m: 18.0 MPG

Coming back downhill, little traffic, 225 miles in 4h 18m: 26.4 MPG

Going was traffic torture. Coming back, I held the speed to between 65 and 68 MPH.

I have an '05 with 80,000 miles also it's AWD, i get 21 MPG just everyday mixed driving. seemed like highway mileage was around 25

Full tank.... left DeKalb IL, for Chicago. 123 mile round trip.

29.8mpg

07 Freestyle SEL with extras.

DVD, Split air, heated seats, cold weather package etc.
So more weight to carry.

It's how you drive, not what you drive.