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Mazda6 Real World MPG

2

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  • ttaylor22ttaylor22 Member Posts: 5
    Thanks for the update, I wish I had an update for you.. I brought it to another dealer today and they told me that there was no way to check it if the 'check engine' light wasn't on. They've never heard of it being the converter without the check engine light coming on. So they told me to drop the car off at night and let them test it in the morning while the engine is cold to see if there are any pending codes.. So I bring it back next Monday to see if anything is on the verge of being considered broken. I don't really know anymore, if the light isn't coming on nothing is apparently wrong with the car.. It's a mystery!
  • kanu08kanu08 Member Posts: 1
    I'm Canadian so all numbers in metric. Maybe someone on here better at math than me can make the conversions. Have only 3000km which I think is about 2000 miles on it. So far in weather between -10 and -20 C (low teens Farenheit) I have been getting better than the promised 12.1L/100km - consistently around 11L/100km - city mileage. That's significant. Am really pleased with everything. Came out of a 98 Subaru Outback and with snow tires don't miss the AWD at all. My 6 is great in the snow. Is WAY more fun to drive than the Outback.

    Driving to Florida in March. Can't wait to make the trip in my 6!
  • jeffyscottjeffyscott Member Posts: 3,855
    11L/100km is about 21 mpg
  • eod4652eod4652 Member Posts: 1
    I wonder if I’m having a similar problem. I own a 2003 Mazda 6s, automatic w/ sport package with approximately 44,000 miles on it. I have never had a problem with gas mileage, since I purchased it in August of 2003. From August 2003 to January 2007 my gas mileage was around 28MPG highway and 21 MPG city. In January my gas mileage suddenly dropped to 25 MPG highway and 17 MPG city. At first I assumed it was the cold weather (I live in Buffalo) however it’s almost May and the gas mileage is still bad.

    I've brought the car to the dealer several times and they say nothing is wrong. I’ve tried different gas, a new air filter, and checked the tire pressure but can’t find anything wrong. The check engine light has never gone on. The cars performance and the acceleration feel normal. After reading this form I’m wondering if it’s the catalytic converter. Is there a easy way to test this as I don’t trust the dealer.
  • ttaylor22ttaylor22 Member Posts: 5
    The dealer says there is no real easy way to test it. I actually have to bring it back in soon, I just got a recall about the fan control module. I'm at 49,500 miles and my warranty is up in 500 miles. I need this problem fixed before then. I honestly think my computer may be faulty. It may not be sending the error message because I swear the catalytic converter is the problem. So when I bring it in I am going to tell them to do as much work as they want on it and test out the computer. I'm still going steady at about 15 MPG city. Something that may be contributing to it is I haven't had it serviced since 15000 miles, but that shouldn't cause a 9 MPG difference overnight.

    If they find anything I'll let you know.
  • waygrabowwaygrabow Member Posts: 214
    Today I refilled the gas tank on my MS6. I had added ten gallons in between refills; so the total figures were 656.2 miles driven and 23.0 gallons of gas used. That is an average of 28.5 mpg. The miles were mainly highway, west to Vail and back, although I did get caught in Denver traffic once and took 40 minutes to cover 4 miles. The FE is 10 mpg less than I experienced with my Mazda3S, but still good for a 270 hp AWD car.

    (Winter isn't over; it is snowing here tonight.)
  • mazda6dudemazda6dude Member Posts: 283
    I have a 2005 Mazda6 i sport edition, 4-cylinder automatic with 47,300 miles and constantly get 29MPG. The best I have got is 33MPG (Drove 461 miles on 13.81 gallons of gas). Keep up on the maintenance and mint condition.
  • isseyvooisseyvoo Member Posts: 121
    Just got back from a trip from NY to ME - a good chunk of it in rain, 1/2 and 1/2 as far as A/C. On 3 tankfulls I got, respectively, 34.6, 33.8 and 31.3. Best yet in the 11K I have on the car. I hope Mazda doesn't ruin the size, handling, mileage formula with its new upsized 6 next year! I like mine as is. Wouldn't want it any bigger.
  • m6userm6user Member Posts: 3,181
    2007 Mazda6i VE auto: I just drove from the nw suburbs of Chicago to Minneapolis and back. I filled up a couple of days before I left and drove about 50 miles in suburbia before leaving. Then did the road trip with expressway only. So I guess you could call it about 90%/10% highway/suburb. Filled up in Minny with 14.6 gallons and divided that into 460 which yields 31.5 miles per gallon. I started off with less than 800 miles on the car and drove between 65 and 75. Mostly had it on cruis at about 72. I think that is pretty good mileage as it's 2007 epa highway is listed as 31 plus the fact that it is so new.
  • rdm925rdm925 Member Posts: 46
    Just to let you know I brought a 2007 6i automatic in oct.07 to replace the 2003 6s sedan that was stolen and totaled in Detroit. I just moved in August to Maryland. I love the car and I've seen pictures of the new 6 5-door, it looks AWESOME!! My MPG numbers in Michigan going to work were 26-30, in mostly highway commuting. In Maryland commuting, which is not Interstate, shorter and more rush hour traffic it ranges from 24-27. Not bad. I put a K&N air filter element in it. My 2003 Mazda 6s V-6 automatic was 22-28 MPG. I'm glad I got the 4 cylinder model with gas prices these days. O(h by the way I've arleady put 20,000 miles on it with no trouble. :shades:
  • uffdaoleuffdaole Member Posts: 37
    04 6cyl sport wagon. recent 2209 mi trip, St Paul to northern Miss. cruise set a approx 75-78 mostly interstate. ACTUAL--no fibbing 91 gal, figures to 24.2 per gal. not good- but not bad. Actually better than prev 4cyl outback. 38k and not one problem. oil and filters only. Oya, I got rid of those terrible MICHEILN tires
  • dateachadateacha Member Posts: 13
    So far, I'm not real happy with mine. It's got 54k miles on a 6s hatch automatic. I'm coming from a '98 Passat with the 1.8t and manual. With the V W I got 30.4 mpg for the past several thousand miles, mostly 2 lane state highway and could get over 33 when I worked at it, coasting the hills and running with the clutch in a lot. With the 6 and the 3.0, I have yet to see above 23 mpg driving the same roads.

    The car came with Aurora tires, 215 x 17s with a 91H rating as opposed to the 215 x 17 93V the manual calls for. The dealer put them on to help sell the car, I'm sure. Could these cheap tires be costing me a couple of mpg?

    How durable is this tranny? If I start shifting to neutral going downhill and otherwise treating it like a manual, am I asking for problems? Does anyone out there use the manumatic feature much? Do you need to blip the throttle when dropping down a couple of gears? Mine doesn't seem real happy dropping from 3 to 2, but the upper ranges interchange without much drama at all. I'm trying to simulate driving the stick shift VW without much luck in the mpg department.
  • jeffyscottjeffyscott Member Posts: 3,855
    Well EPA says you should expect about 4 mpg less from your Mazda6 compared to the Passat...so that would be ~26 mpg. I don't know why your's is doing so poorly, but I doubt that shifting the automatic yourself is going to help...I think that is more likely to reduce your mileage.
  • m6userm6user Member Posts: 3,181
    Just made two trips to Minneapolis from NW Chicago suburbs. Didn't track mileage on way up. Did on way back and represents about 95% xpressway driving.

    First trip: Mar 18. 32.6MPG
    2nd trip: April 6. 30.3MPG

    Can't really explain the difference. Drove pretty much the same for the 380 mile trip. Temps and winds were pretty close as well. Only main difference was that the first 1.5 hrs driving out of Minny was moderate rain and couldn't use the cruise much as traffice was moving at a lot of different speeds.
  • riswami1riswami1 Member Posts: 33
    Have 2300 mles on the car. Last two tanks were 26.9 and 27.6. Hopefully the mileage will increase as the engine breaks in fully. I've checked every tank and the worst I've gotten is 25.2.

    I expect 28 to 31 late spring through the fall.
  • zoomzoomnzoomzoomn Member Posts: 143
    My lifetime average on my M6s MTX is about 22.5 MPG with a high of 25.6 and a low of 20.8. Considering that I kind of drive the crap out of it, I'm happy that I am beating the EPA estimates!
  • ericzoomericzoom Member Posts: 213
    As far as the tranny goes you can do 2 things to improve the shifting.

    1. Put a trans. cooler on it.
    2. Do several drain-refills using synthetic fluid. I also put in Lubeguard
    Platinum which seemed to smooth out the shifts.

    I average 20-22 MPG in mixed driving.
  • riswami1riswami1 Member Posts: 33
    MPG for last two tanks;

    29.2 - miles driven 464
    28.7 - miles driven 360

    this is for a 2.3 with the 5 speed auto. We drive 70 to 80 on the highway with 75 being the speed most of the time. The car has just over 3,000. I think this is pretty good. We love the ride!
  • jeffyscottjeffyscott Member Posts: 3,855
    Hopefully the mileage will increase as the engine breaks in fully

    I have a 2007 I-4 automatic. Last spring and summer with less than 5000 miles on it, I thought the mpg was a little low for my normal commute compared to other cars I have driven the same way. Just finished a tank and got about what I had expected. The car is now approaching 11,000 miles. So my mileage has improved a little...maybe 1-2 mpg.

    Freeway mpg was 31-32 last year. Have not had a freeway trip this spring.
  • riswami1riswami1 Member Posts: 33
    Just returned 30.9 on 300.1 miles driven.

    So this car with the 5 speed auto is getting close to the EPA Highway mileage. Is it possible to get 34 to 35 MPG on an extended highway trip? I think so.
  • m6userm6user Member Posts: 3,181
    I think you could. I recently made two trips of about 380 miles each each with just a pit stop and the same car achieved 30+ and 32+. I kept cruise on about 74mph. I think if you held it to 55 or 60mph with cruise and the terrain was pretty flat you could probably get up to 35mpg. It's hard to hold it at those speeds on todays freeways though.
  • riswami1riswami1 Member Posts: 33
    No way I can drive 55 or 60 on cruise. I think the car maybe able to acheive 34 or 35 driving 70 to 80 for a 350 mile trip. I'll probably find out this summer. Even if it doesn't I find the fuel economy to be very good for a car this size.
  • jeffyscottjeffyscott Member Posts: 3,855
    So this car with the 5 speed auto is getting close to the EPA Highway mileage. Is it possible to get 34 to 35 MPG on an extended highway trip? I think so.

    Freeway mpg actually greatly exceeds the new EPA highway figure of 28 mpg. I got 31-32 on the freeway at 70-75 mph, so I would guess with the engine broken in and going maybe 65 mph, you might get up to your 34-35 mpg.

    If you could drive a steady 45, that'd probably maximize the mpg as you would be in 5th gear at very low rpm, with low wind resistance. You'd also likely end up dead, if you tried in on the freeway ;) .
  • m6userm6user Member Posts: 3,181
    I think the car maybe able to acheive 34 or 35 driving 70 to 80 for a 350 mile trip

    Like I said I drove two identical trips of 380 miles w/ cruise at 74 and got 30+ and 32+. I don't think it's possible to do what you say without one hell of tail wind.
  • m6userm6user Member Posts: 3,181
    2007 Mazda6i Value Edition auto. Just turned 12000 miles on trip from Chicago to Michigan and return. 529 miles and pumped 16.4 gallons for a combined average of 32.3. Conditions were pretty optimal except for getting through Chicago(some jams) and it included a couple of short trips so I would guess about a 85hwy/15city mix.

    Still, pretty good MPG and am quite pleased. Seems engine break in and summer blend of gasoline has raised the numbers about 3-4 MPG.
  • riswami1riswami1 Member Posts: 33
    My mileage has been 29.5 and 30.7 on my last two tanks. Both tanks had over 350 miles. I think the warmer weather and change of gas blend makes a difference. My car now has 4,800 miles on it. 2007 Value Edition with auto and the 4 banger. By the way, the new 6 looks real nice!
  • m6userm6user Member Posts: 3,181
    Yes, this was the best mileage for a tank that I've had so far. Last fall when the summer blend was still available my car was brand new so I wasn't getting the best mpg. I think the 32.3 I just got which included about 80 miles city type driving is really good.

    Totally agree on the new 6. I was just about ready to pull the trigger on either a new '08 Mazda6 or a '09 Sonata. But I think I will hold off til the new 6s are available and compare.

    Several Chicago area dealers are advertising the '08 Mazda6i VE auto for $15995 which is $500 less than I paid for my '07. It's very tempting.
  • isseyvooisseyvoo Member Posts: 121
    On a recent move from NY's Hudson Valley to KY's Ohio Valley, loaded down with household items (but without using the A/C), I got 30-32 mpg, hanging steady at around 70 mph. (My 6 is an '06 i with 5 sp. manual.) I am about to reach 20K, and the mileage during the life of the car so far is quite consistent - usually 28 or so in normal use, a bit higher on the road, a bit lower during bitter cold.
  • waygrabowwaygrabow Member Posts: 214
    Last two gasoline refills: 389 miles and 13.4 gallons, 408 miles and 13.5 gallons. That computes to 29 mpg and 30 mpg; not bad for a 270 hp awd vehicle. In the winter I was getting 24-26 mpg, so I appreciate the improvement, especially at today's prices.
  • riswami1riswami1 Member Posts: 33
    That is outstanding mpg.

    My last five tanks have averaged 30 mpg with a 07 VE, 4 cylinder, automatic. I occasionally hit 80 mph while on the interstate.
  • m6userm6user Member Posts: 3,181
    Last two fill-ups have averaged 31 and 32 mpg on an 07 VE I4 auto. My wife has been driving it and she rarely goes over 65 and has about a 75% hwy ratio. She drives with a light foot obviously but that is still really good mpg. If I was driving it right now I'm sure it wouldn't be getting that.
  • riswami1riswami1 Member Posts: 33
    I don't know how she keeps it at 65 mph and under. When I set the cruise I usually set it at 73. This car cruises very nicely on the interstate. With the cruise off I find myself approaching 80 mph often.

    I have the low emmision, 146 horsepower engine. I find the power to be more than adequate. I don't understand why reviews deem the engine to be underpowered. I'm aware that other brands have better horsepower numbers; but in real world driving the engine transmission mix executes well.
  • PF_FlyerPF_Flyer Member Posts: 9,372
    Tuesday means Mazda chat night! The chat opens at 8:45 pm ET and runs until 10 pm ET. I hope you're able to join us tonight to meet and greet with your fellow CarSpace members!
    See you there!
  • m6userm6user Member Posts: 3,181
    Well, the expressway that she travels on to work and back is underconstruction in many areas plus she got a speeding ticket a few months ago. The combination of those two things have been keeping an eggshell under her right foot.

    Now that she has discovered the joy of less wind resistance and the better mpg it affords, I think she just may keep it up. I agree that the car does cruise very nicely on the freeway and I usually set my cruise to about 10 over when the limit is 55-60. About 7 over when it's 65 and no more than 5 over when it's 70. To tell you the truth, I just don't enjoy going faster than about 75, it's takes too much concentration.
  • riswami1riswami1 Member Posts: 33
    I can see how receiving a ticket will slow you down.

    I actually like the higher speeds; I don't travel 80 mph for long streches. I just filled up last night. 270 miles and 8.543 gallons. This equals 31.6; which is a new high.
  • jeffyscottjeffyscott Member Posts: 3,855
    I'm now at about 13,000 miles on a 2007 6i with automatic and mpg still seems to be increasing. It is now about, or actually a bit better than, where I expected it to be based on my past experience with other vehicles, after being a bit below expectations during the first year.

    In my normal commute, with other vehicles, I've always typically gotten 1-2 mpg below the average of the old EPA city and highway numbers. I averaged 28 mpg with most recent tank of gasin the 6, this is the best I have gotten when doing exclusively my normal mix of (non-freeway) suburban driving. 28 mpg is just a bit above the average of the old EPA ratings of 24/31.

    My mix of driving is about 65-70% suburban highway (50-60 mph, stoplight every mile or two) and the rest in town 25-35 mph stop sign or light about every 1/2 mile.
  • riswami1riswami1 Member Posts: 33
    Just returned from a trip from Rhode Island to Delaware. The car returned 32.9 on the way down and 33.2 on the way back. We got stuck in heavy traffic on both routes. Two people in the car, generally traveling 7 to 10 miles per hour over the speed limit. The trip is approximately 320 miles each way.

    This is on a 2007 6i with the auto. Very respectable mileage.
  • chriso7chriso7 Member Posts: 34
    I am very close to buying the new 6 i Touring with AT. However I do 85% city (short trips, 5 miles) and 15% highway.

    I have read comments some of which say their mpg is not what is expected while some say the others such as Altima etc. design their cars to get high numbers on EPA but in real world not live up to them.

    Could any owners of the 4 cyl with AT share their mileage? I am particularly interested in the city mileage. Could you also define your type of city driving? (miles, typical speed etc.)

    Thank you for your help.
  • trinitywolftrinitywolf Member Posts: 8
    I am concerned about it too and i have listed this question in the 2009 mazda 6 forum. One person with 550 miles said it was a 24 mpg overall avg. Not bad as my overall avg in my 07 s mazda 3 is 22. However I test drove a 09' 6 i gt this weekend and only got a 17.5 avg!!! Now I romped on it a little but not that much in mixed driving. Maybe it has to do with the fact it is new but color me concerned. If it is going to be that bad you might want to consider the 6 cylinder s or another model altogether.
  • lpmillerlpmiller Member Posts: 27
    engines take a bit to break in, especially mazda engines, in my experience. My 4 cycl started at 23, but now gets about 27 after 2,000 miles. I'm a fairly aggressive driver.
  • oxoxoxox Member Posts: 7
    my 09 6s grand touring average about 20mpg. (70% city, 30% highway)
  • jeffyscottjeffyscott Member Posts: 3,855
    Same here with the 2.3...initially was getting 24-25 in my normal commute, now with15K mi. getting 28-29. Some of that difference for me may be winter vs. summer, I'll see how it does this winter. I'm also fairly aggressive, not afraid to floor it and generally acelerate faster than other drivers (when they are not in my way)...though I do tend to decelerate more slowly than average, a lot of people pass me in order to get to the light sooner and stop :confuse: .
  • lpmillerlpmiller Member Posts: 27
    i drive the same way, i think it's more just a desire to not be near anyone, ever.

    I just realized I'm on 'winter gas' now, which is mandated here from Oct to Jan, but I've only noticed about a drop of 1MPG so far, which is pretty good. My old forrester hated ethanol blended gas and would drop up to 4MPG.
  • spinmanspinman Member Posts: 1
    Just bought 2009 touring s V6. Very few miles so far. Less than 100. Driving mixed 50 / 50. Monitor indicates 18.8. I owned 4 626's in the past. I was happy with the first three which were sticks. Shifting got old as I got older. The fourth was a 2.0 4 with auto. Too underpowered with 4 speed auto. Last eight years I have owned a Pontiac Grand Prix GT. Love the torgue of that pushrod 3.8. So far the mazda feels good. It still does not have the bottom end grunt the poncho had. I have not wound it out yet. Any thoughts re proper break in? I am less of a lead foot than years past and economy is partially my goal. I did consider the 2.5 four, but once you go V6, it's tough to go back. Zoom Zoom

    PS. I really like the blind spot feature. Another sign of age. It is harder to turn my head these days.
  • chriso7chriso7 Member Posts: 34
    I'm planning on taking an extended drive in a 6i this weekend. Does anyone know how to reset the MPG readout?

    Thanks.
  • lpmillerlpmiller Member Posts: 27
    hold down the DSC button till it beeps, that resets the average MPG.
  • chriso7chriso7 Member Posts: 34
    I took a 2009 6i Touring with convenience pkg for a drive. I reset the mileage computer and drove ~ 30 highway miles at 60-65 mph. The display showed I had averaged 29.8 mpg. I then filled the gas tank to full, reset the computer again and drove ~50 miles city with about 4 times shutting the car off for a few moments as I ran an errand (30-40mph max, mostly flat but some hills) without getting on the pedal too hard. The computer then displayed an average mpg of 24.1. I refilled at the same gas station and same pump. The manual calculation was 23.87mpg, only a 0.22mpg difference. The temperature was about 56 degrees, so I did not use the air conditioner.

    2400 RPM @ 60mph
    2600 RPM @ 70mph
    2900 RPM @ 80mph
  • m6userm6user Member Posts: 3,181
    Someone was asking about the I4 auto rpms at 70 which you kindly provided. I also looked closely at my I4 auto (2007 model) at 70 it was sitting on exactly 2600 rpms as well. I didn't really try to catch it exactly at 60 mph but it seems that it is below 2400, more like 2250 at 60 but I could be wrong.
  • lpmillerlpmiller Member Posts: 27
    i'm totally stupid...NOT the DSC button, but the INFO button.
  • chriso7chriso7 Member Posts: 34
    No problem lpmiller, I discovered that during my extended drive.

    What was interesting is when I turned off the DSC by holding it down for a few seconds I could not get it to turn back on without turning off and restarting the car.

    Not sure if this is normal or not. :confuse:
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