Hey all, just checking to see if this is normal, but cruising at 120Kmph (70mph~) my engine is running at just over 2k revs. I've a 2016 A3 2.0 184, which recently went through a BG flush for high oil consumption but I doubt that would have a bearing on it. I have started using Redex in my last 2 fills, as I do fairly high milage on a daily basis, about 160km's a day) so trying to keep the diesel bill to a minimum. I have a 2.0 150bhp Skoda Superb that will cruise on about 150k revs at 120kmph so why the hell is my smaller but more powerful engine running harder? (lighter car too...) Any obvious possible issues, or is this just normal for this car?

Hello Padraic, 

Does the answer lie with ‘smaller but more powerful engine …’? 
Let’s hope other owners will share their experience. 
Regards,

Gareth.

Hey Gareth, I would have assumed that as the car is smaller than the superb, and a good bit lighter, then the engine wouldn't be working as hard to maintain 120kph? Its not that fast tbh. It just seems excessive.

Same engine Padraic?

2K revs. at 70mph does seem rather high for a diesel. 
Manual or auto? 
No doubt other owners will share their views. 
 

Could any other members with a similar vehicle please respond to help Pasdraic? 

The Skoda is 2.0 150 diesel manual. The A3 is 2.0 184 diesel manual. Not a huge difference between them but the A3 engine seems to be working a lot harder. 

A3 manual or automatic? 

The A3 is 6-speed manual

2000 rpm at 70 mph does not strike me as abnormal. Bear in mind the two engines may be similar but the gearing can be very different.

Edited September 20, 2025Sep 20 by cliffcoggin
omission

Skoda - https://cdn.skoda-storyboard.com/2017/07/TD-SUPERB-en.pdf.pdf

 

1st 3.77

2nd 1.96

3rd 1.26

4th 0.87

5th 0.86

6th 0.72

Rev 4.55

 

Final 2.917

 

 

Audi - https://gearboxlist.com/volkswagen/mq350/

 

1st 3.769

2nd 2.087

3rd 1.324

4th 0.977

5th 0.975

6th 0.814

Rev 4.549

 

Final 3.450

 

 

Assuming both cars have the same rolling radius on the wheels the Audi would have to be at least 200-1000rpm (difference gets bigger as the speed increases) higher than the Skoda for the same speed. So yeah, it's totally normal for the Audi to be 500rpm higher than the Skoda @ 70mph

Thanks Mark. That's a big difference in final drive ratios, 2.917 versus 3.450.

I was surprised too, but it would certainly give it a punchy acceleration off the line.

I was also surprised/confused that on each car 4th gear and 5th gear are almost identical to each other. 

Edited September 20, 2025Sep 20 by Mark M.

Thanks all for your info, its been very helpful. The car is still a guzzler of diesel (and oil I might add) but I'll have to live with it! 🙂

Appreciate your feedback. everyone.

You're welcome Padraic. If you want to pursue the oil and diesel consumption problem it would be worth starting a new topic.