I doubt the 7.5 FL has any impact on the already known consumption of these engines (unless just slight due to the new 7speed maybe). From my Clubsport experience (which has the same engine and turbo as the R but 100kg less) I'd say it's normal to hit 24-26 (my current 6,000 mile average is 25,8) with a mixed type of driving but anything above 30 requires the car to be driven in a clearly unpleasant fashion. Screen-shots don't speak the truth, I've seen 38-40 in mine but I was just on an economy exercise - nowhere near how I normally drive the car. I personally take any 30+ claims with several buckets of salt but hey, it's the internet. The S3 claims are even more amusing but again it's not the craziest thing I've heard about S3's * no intention of being sarcastic - just my personal experiences *
Going back a couple of pages, OP you say that you didn't buy this car for economy but then 22 is almost boasting in everyday driving. Apart from self-contradicting what is the reference by which 22 is boasting? Usually you need to have one before you draw such conclusions and if you check other similar machinery you will realize the Golf doesn't really drink any worse than them.
I can see out context 22mpg is nothing to boast about but the way it was quoted by another almost inferred it something to be grateful for. I certainly don't think it is, that is in everyday driving unless maybe you travel 2miles in 50 mins that is or central London etc. No for me my rural area I will expect to get around 28 average with a mixture of driving in normal and sport.
If you are referring to the reference I (by whatever bizarre name you might wish to call me today) made to 22mpg (which is my average mpg), the inference was not 'boasting' (clearly how you took it though) but actually the quite the opposite, indicating that driving the R daily in heavy congested conditions can impact on long term mpg considerably as is the case with my situation. If you were to analyse my long term average speed alongside my average mpg, you will see the true picture is actually the antithesis of boasting, lol.
In your opening post you made no reference at all to the types of journey, roads or conditions you were undertaking or driving on/in other than mention of a particular short journey's distance. You were bemoaning the fact you were getting lower than expected mpg on that journey. If you read Joe's and my original responses you will see that we both advised (as members who have been driving R's for a good while) that much came down to type of journey as well as driving style and that mpg does not improve considerably over time in our experience, and that the journey's mpg you were reporting is consistent with short trips in the R. We were simply trying to prepare you for the reality if you are making regular short trips and are expecting a notable increase over time. Of course, in time you will draw your own conclusions. It is actually quite difficult to draw definitive conclusions form comparisons with others, because there are many variables. Perhaps in your situation in your location with less congested roads you may well fare better, I hope you do since mpg does seem to be a concern for you.
I'm shortly to see a seasonal increase in my mpg, as the summer school holidays approach. In my neck of the woods, in the summer when the schools traffic is taken out of the equation, my mpg increases by about 4-5 mpg for 6-8weeks. Once the schools and traffic return, it takes a couple of weeks and mpg is then returned right back to the boastful 22mpg.
