Fuel consumption dependant on weather?

[Karin]

Last summer I was getting 29-30 mg from my MkII Cupra, over the winter it's been 26-27, and in the last couple of weeks since the weather's warming up a bit it's gone back up to 29. Has anyone else noticed this? That's a 10% difference! I don't drive any differently (fast but not particularly agressively), and the journeys are the same (mostly under 15 miles, mix of dual carriageway, country roads, and a bit of town). I don't remember noticing this on the previous MkI Cupra.

 

[LeonCR]

Completely normal mate

 

[shnazzle]

My average has been shocking this winter, whereas in the summer I was always around 30mpg.
Totally normal. Makes 100% sense. Nature's intercooler

 

[Dr-LCR]

Horse Power and Torque also depend on weather. The car feels more responsive during cold day rides. I don't know whether this is evident on stock cars, but it seems present on remapped ones.

 

[shnazzle]

Horse Power and Torque also depend on weather. The car feels more responsive during cold day rides. I don't know whether this is evident on stock cars, but it seems present on remapped ones.

Very much so in stock cars too.
On a nice moist cold day I get a lot more grunt out of lower revs

 

[t70spm]

Karin,

Perfectly normal. The engine works at its most efficient when it is at operating temperature. In the warmer weather the engine heats up quicker and is at full efficiency quicker.

Steve

 

[Dr-LCR]

To sum up (tell me if that is wrong): the colder the weather the slower the car gets warmed up (which means it consumes more fuel during this initial period) but the more efficient it becomes once in normal operating temperature.
Especially for short rides (when there is hardly enough time for the engine to arrive at normal operating temperatures), the car becomes thirstier during colder days.

 

[t70spm]

To sum up (tell me if that is wrong): the colder the weather the slower the car gets warmed up (which means it consumes more fuel during this initial period) but the more efficient it becomes once in normal operating temperature.
Especially for short rides (when there is hardly enough time for the engine to arrive at normal operating temperatures), the car becomes thirstier during colder days.

You hit the nail on the head - Spot on!

 

[StealthInspired]

Colder air is actually better from a performance perspective (especially with Turbo/Intercoolers), as more cool dense air gets sucked in, which will create a hotter explosion inside the cylinder, producing more power per combustion cycle in the engine.

Perhaps "warmer" fuel in your tank will burn that much easier/quicker, which results in the increased fuel economy mentioned above.