[PrasannaDhana]

I have always been curious as to how better the storme v400 can be when driven sedately on highways for longer distances.

As you have already read in my previous posts, majority of my driving (40-50%) is on rural roads with frequent gear changes and braking. The best I was able to get was 15.37 kmpl.

Today I had the opportunity to do a quick one day trip to Vailankanni Basilica (340 km round trip). I decided to find out what fuel efficiency the SUV would return on a complete highway only trip, and hence refilled the tank yesterday night. I maintained 60-70 kmph on State highways in 5th gear and 80-90 kmph on National highways in 6th gear. Even in congested town intersections, I was pretty gentle with acceleration and deceleration.

Last tankful (refer the screenshot below), I decided to have some fun and did 100 - 120 kmph for the most part, but even then no unnecessary wastage of energy. And you can see the fuel efficiency dip down to 13.77 kmpl.



I was hoping to reach my previous best of 15.37 kmpl, but to my absolute thrill, the car gave 17.94 kmpl for this trip. Occupants - me and my wife.

That's 340 km done in less than 19 liters of diesel. That's 18 kmpl, which was what I regularly got in my previous Ciaz diesel

Odo : 31,660 km

Absolutely happy with the Storme! Almost done 5000 km since February this year. And hey, we didn't even feel the 340 km travel.

Yours truly with the beast

Originally Posted by HappyWheels

Wish you many more kilometers of happy and safe driving!

Thank you

[zadoom]

Wow, that's some unbelievable mileage. I used my Storme (2014 320Nm version) as a daily driver for 3 years and 45000 Kms, primarily within the city (Navi Mumbai - Mumbai) and for the highway trips as well, always followed the tankfull method and the best mileage that I think I got was about 12.5 Kmpl. That obviously was during the highways runs but otherwise it used to hover between 10 & 11 Kmpl. But frankly with the fuel prices those days and the price differential between Petrol & Diesel, the Storme still used to be cheaper to run that my other Petrol cars.

May you continue to have these amazing mileage figures and a long fuss free ownership.

Cheers,
Mayank

[zadoom]

Originally Posted by zadoom

the best mileage that I think I got was about 12.5 Kmpl. That obviously was during the highways runs but otherwise it used to hover between 10 & 11 Kmpl.

found the diary that I used to maintain those days for my Storme related data and indeed the best mileage was 12.56, overall between 11 ~ 11.5.

Cheers,
Mayank

[PrasannaDhana]

Originally Posted by zadoom

Wow, that's some unbelievable mileage. I used my Storme (2014 320Nm version) as a daily driver for 3 years and 45000 Kms, primarily within the city (Navi Mumbai - Mumbai) and for the highway trips as well, always followed the tankfull method and the best mileage that I think I got was about 12.5 Kmpl. That obviously was during the highways runs but otherwise it used to hover between 10 & 11 Kmpl.

Thank you Mayank! 10-12 kmpl was exactly what I used to get from my 2012 Safari Dicor 320(even on Highways as I drove it like a boyracer). Owned that darling for 6 years and 1,40,000 km.

Storme definitely returns unbelievable fuel efficiency. Two of my brothers were surprised (shocked!) too. One pleasantly as he has just booked a Harrier and was sceptical about fuel efficiency of a big 2.0 diesel vs his previous frugal rapid diesel. Another brother is so pissed off that his vento doesn't get past 16 kmpl But he drives really fast though. He even asked me if there is an error with the app. Lol! Even without the app, 340 km in 19 litres gives the same result. The tankful to tankful method is the easiest and best to calculate mileage. I make it a point I refill at the same bunk and at the same pump till auto cut off.

More than the storme being frugal, they can't believe that I am being a sedate driver. They have seen me drive since they were teens and their driving styles are heavily inspired from mine I am pretty sure I can get the fuel efficiency down to low 12s or even high 11s if I drive it like I drove my ciaz previously.

[sierrabravo98]

Originally Posted by PrasannaDhana

Thank you Mayank! 10-12 kmpl was exactly what I used to get from my 2012 Safari Dicor 320(even on Highways as I drove it like a boyracer). Owned that darling for 6 years and 1,40,000 km.

Storme definitely returns unbelievable fuel efficiency. Two of my brothers were surprised (shocked!) too. One pleasantly as he has just booked a Harrier and was sceptical about fuel efficiency of a big 2.0 diesel vs his previous frugal rapid diesel. Another brother is so pissed off that his vento doesn't get past 16 kmpl But he drives really fast though. He even asked me if there is an error with the app. Lol! Even without the app, 340 km in 19 litres gives the same result. The tankful to tankful method is the easiest and best to calculate mileage. I make it a point I refill at the same bunk and at the same pump till auto cut off.

More than the storme being frugal, they can't believe that I am being a sedate driver. They have seen me drive since they were teens and their driving styles are heavily inspired from mine I am pretty sure I can get the fuel efficiency down to low 12s or even high 11s if I drive it like I drove my ciaz previously.

IMHO, the cost savings from driving sedately go beyond just the fuel costs. The stress and thus the accelerated wear and tear of brakes and other drivetrain components due to an aggressive driving style will also be eliminated thus giving them a longer life hence leading to a reduced lifecycle cost. These losses would be further amplified in a 2400kg SUV like the Storme. There is a an added safety net of doing moderate speeds in the sense that the driver has a larger time to react to any unforseen scenario which are a dime a dozen on our crazy roads.

P.S: Love you Storme. You ownership thread inspired me to bug my father to get a Storme when we were car shopping last year. Even took extensive test drives of the V400. Alas, the production had stopped by then and hence we could not get one. I plan to get a used 4X4 one as soon as I start earning. Your thread is a godsend for Storme lovers like me.

[Prowler]

17.94 km per liter ? Amazing fuel economy for a real SUV. My Dicor returns 14.34 km per liter in high ways and I drive as if my tail is on fire. The extra one gear and the higher torque in your Storme must be the reason for the awesome mileage. For a vehicle that weighs 2 ton, it is still great to have an average of 14 + km. But in city, it drops to 10-11 probably due to idling in the signals.

[PrasannaDhana]

The Vailankanni trip left the storme with a flat tyre at the rear. Noticed the pressure to stoop to 12 psi this morning when I checked air pressure at a fuel pump.

It was a busy day and I just topped it up to 35 psi and drove to work. Had about half an hour this evening. Used that time to get the wheels balanced and alignment checked, as I have already driven 5200 km. Not sure when it was checked previously.

Those guys at the wheel alignment center usually rectify punctures during the process. Culprits (yes, 2!) were two big nails.

Wheel alignment "before" readings were almost perfect. No reds on the report. Anyways, balanced all the wheels, checked alignment and left.

Odo : 31900 km
A few pics

[PrasannaDhana]

Last 3 days have been hectic. 600 km of driving. Last 7 days the storme has clocked 1000 km.

Today specially was busy, 320 km of highway driving with 5 on board. The last 220 km was extremely spirited, with average speeds that can't be mentioned here in the forum. The Varicor 400 pulls like a steam engine 5 grown men, and it did speeds effortlessly.

Odo : 32700 km

6000 km since Feb 1st. The storme was driven sub 2000 rpm for 5700 km, remaining 300 km was consistent 2750-3200 rpm cruising at 6th






Naturally the fuel efficiency dropped to 12.19 kmpl. But then, for those speeds at full load, it's pretty decent.



Note the previous fuel efficiency at 16.09 kmpl. It was total highway for a 260 km drive at 90-110 kmph.

[rajneeesh]

The Storme, driven properly is very fuel efficient. I generally get over 12 -13 KPL in my vehicle in city with AC and my truck is heavier ( being a 4X4). On Highways 14-15 KPL is easily achievable with a bit of effort. Once you cross 100 KPH the fuel efficiency drops as the wind resistance makes its presence felt. After all the Storme is a propah SUV and not one of those streamlined "Crossovers" having a CD of .28.

I just completed a road-trip to Spiti and Chikul. ( my second trip in 2 years). It was over a 2000 Km trip over 8 days. We were four adults with a lot of luggage. The roads were a mix of highways, mountain roads, totally broken roads and poor roads. For long distances I had to engage 4X4 including 4X4 L due to the terrain as well as the snow. Even in these conditions the Store returned over 11.5 KPL.

[PrasannaDhana]

March's final update:

Odo : 33,400 km


Total distance this month : 3,800 km

Yes, March has been hectic. One of those rare months in the last 5 years, that my monthly fuel bills (for primary ride) has exceeded 20,000 rupees



Overall avg fuel efficiency stands at a good 14 kmpl

I am glad that the storme just dismissed long journeys like it's nothing. I have driven a lot this month on a daily basis, yet, the strain of driving or travel hasn't been felt even on the longest of days.

The Storme has done close to 7000 km in the last two months. End of April, I would have completed its first 10k km as my primary ride.

A few pics :

A fancy odo reading, all 3s



Suez canal, Evergiven anyone, here is a 4 wheeled version of it



With my brother's brand new Harrier Dark edition, the V400 feels much better in NVH as well as low end torque in comparison, don't even talk about ride quality.



I love washing my cars every Sunday. It took me 45 minutes for my previous primary ride - Ciaz. For storme though, it takes 70 minutes! And those alloy wheels are a pain to clean.

[PrasannaDhana]

Update:

Odo: 34,000 km



Had an amazing peaceful drive to my wife's native - Peravurani, a beautiful coconut trees filled, coastal region.

286 km drive. Usually in the past, I used to feel a little tired after the drive in my ciaz as the roads are windy and have bad patches frequently. In storme though, I didn't even feel slightest of uneasiness. Mind you, Ciaz itself is a benchmark for comfort in the C2 segment. The storme just kills every other car when it comes to comfort and ability to munch miles on all types of roads

I drove gently as the last two trips to the fuel pump were disappointing, with one being 12.9 kmpl while the last fill up returned a pathetic 11.8 kmpl as I drove it very aggressively. This trip returned an amazing 17.3 kmpl.



The storme is very temperamental when it comes to fuel efficiency. I mean, if you drive with haste, or do >100 kmph the fuel efficiency dives down. I guess the aerodynamic drag hits exponentially beyond triple digit speeds dragging down the fuel efficiency.

The boot getting different type of luggages today




If you noticed that dust on the loading lip of the boot, it's because of this

https://youtu.be/GVRGqFFCEok

A few pics of the handsome Storme



I have started to like these alloys

[abhikb]

Hi mate,

I have been glued to your updates and the FE figures you are getting are really astonishing. I tried many variations in my driving style with my Thar CRDe but couldn’t extract a FE of more than 15.2 Kmpl till now. Your thread has now made me wonder, if the Thar can extract a FE of 16+ kmpl on the highway considering that varicor 400 is also a derivative of Common Rail diesel technology same as that in the Thar CRDe.

A separate post mentioning key pointers on how you ensure the good FE figures will be very helpful.

Anyways happy motoring and wish you many more happy miles with the beauty (Oh, I love it, it’s my second love after Jeeps).

[PrasannaDhana]

Originally Posted by abhikb

Hi mate,

if the Thar can extract a FE of 16+ kmpl on the highway considering that varicor 400 is also a derivative of Common Rail diesel technology same as that in the Thar CRDe.

A separate post mentioning key pointers on how you ensure the good FE figures will be very helpful.

Anyways happy motoring and wish you many more happy miles with the beauty (Oh, I love it, it’s my second love after Jeeps).

Hi Abhi,

Thank you!

These are the simple measures I implement while driving the Storme:

1. Gradual acceleration and deceleration. Very very rarely does the rev needle go up fast (I used to floor my ciaz all the time and still get 18 kmpl )

2. Being in highest gear possible without lugging the engine. Luckily Storme Varicor 400 has great drivability. You can stay at 1000 rpm and still see good progress with a dab on the accelerator

3. Anticipating braking. When there is a slow moving traffic or an obstacle, say 200 meters away, I take my foot off the gas pedal, and coast it till that spot.

4. Coasting when possible. Specially on downward slopes. The 2+ tonne kerb weight of the storme aids in maintaining the momentum downhill. You will be surprised to know that I have done over 1.5 km without any accelerator input coming from a large over bridge.

5. Maintaining optimal highway speeds. Specifically 80-100 kmph, mostly 90 kmph

6. Proper tyre pressure. 32 psi recommended for low load driving. I maintain 33 psi

7. AC set to eco mode. Storme has an extremely powerful ac(like all Tatas). I use the ac in eco mode which itself is sufficient. If I have rear passengers, I use the rear ac or else its just the front AC in eco mode at blower level 1.

8. No idling unnecessarily. No short trips (<5km) unnecessarily.


I feel some of these might be too intrusive for many to follow. I actually have driven the opposite way since my last ride was one of the most fuel efficient cars around. Since my daily usage is higher than average, I had to focus on fuel efficiency with the storme. Hence I tried doing these and ended up loving to drive in a relaxed manner. There is completely no stress in driving, combined with the space and comfort of the storme, it's even more pleasurable. Big shoutout to the Varicor 400 engine's nice drivability + refinement + omnipresent 400 Nm torque + 6 th cog.

I must also admit that the same combination charms you more with opposite kind of driving. Time to time I floor the storme at speeds one wouldn't believe that a safari would cruise at, and thoroughly enjoy the speedo needle rushing over triple digit speeds. Takes quite a lot of self control to drive it sedately.

I think Thar can do better fuel efficiency than Storme, given the weight advantage. Moreover Mahindra diesels have always been more frugal than Tata counterparts, displacement to displacement. Both thar and storme are aerodynamic disasters, while the only setback for thar in comparison to storme is that the thar is a 4WD which definitely will drink more fuel than my 2WD storme.

Btw, the Thar is one lovely car to own. I lust at every new thar that I see on road. Lol. Have fun with that legend!!

[abhikb]

Hello,

Thanks for sharing the pointers, most of the time I follow the same set of protocols while driving, yes tire pressure check is something which I do when refueling that would be like twice a month.
But I believe the presence of a 6th gear in the storme while doing highway speeds greatly aids in keeping the RPM less which in turn might be helping with better FE. In Thar CRDe it’s a 5 speed gearbox, so at highway speed of 80-100 kmph the RPM meter hovers around 2100-2200 RPM. Anyways let me see during the next highway run.

Couldn’t agree more with you on the pathetic aerodynamics of both the vehicles, but that’s how they are and people love it. however, Thar is a part time 4WD and 90% of the time I drive in 2WD apart from when I go off road. Thars, Safaris, Pajeros have got many admirers like us but unfortunately owning all of them in a lifetime is a distant stream. I would have ended with the Storme in 2019 instead of the Thar had the dealers showed some interest and or atleast if they would have given a timeline for delivery. They were more interested in selling Nexon to me, hence I ended up with Thar CRDe. For me the choice was simple Thar or Storme whichever comes first.

Cheers!!! Happy Motoring !!!!

[PrasannaDhana]

Update :

Odo : 35,000 km

The Storme has had a reduced workload since I have been using my Kwid 1.0 and my friend's swift 1.3 diesel. We have been visiting almost all dealers that sell C-SUVs, and my experience with them deserves a new thread (rant ).
Bottomline: Every new C-SUV made me feel grateful for owning the Safari Storme V400. The comfort, drivability, A/C effectiveness, engine performance and overall presence is unmatched even a couple segments higher than the C-SUVs of today.



I went mental with the Storme, absolutely mindfully and consciously aware, driving like how I used to drive my ciaz when I am in mood for speed. A tankful (80%) returned a pathetic 488 km , with fuel efficiency dropping to 10.9 kmpl. I am not going to be saying the speeds the storme was driven at. But if you own a storme Varicor 400, you must know what 3000-3200 rpm cruising in 6th gear on highways feels like.

But once I did the refill, it reminded me that ripping the nuts out of a big SUV is not only going to be damaging my wallet, but also detrimental to the environment (lol I sound woke). Imagine consuming 15-20 liters of diesel more for the same distance. One of my minor goals of this month is to keep the fuel expenses below 20000 rupees. So you will be seeing much better tankful averages in the coming weeks.

Decided to drive pleasantly and gently. Got rewarded with 14+ kmpl instantly.



From the 8800 km of usage, the difference between best and worst fuel efficiencies is a whopping 7 kmpl with the overall average of 13.6 kmpl.



A few pics of the beautiful Storme



Perhaps one of the few cars that doesn't look small alongside a Safari - The massive Kia Carnival


My brother's Scross. That car has a wonderful chassis that is let down by the engine.


How many of you have seen the top view of a Safari Storme? The safari being 1.9 m tall, even a big guy like me can't reach the top completely while cleaning the car.




A stoic Storm(e)


5000 km for the next oil change and periodic service.