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Honda Accord Real World MPG

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Comments

  • jfergusjfergus Member Posts: 30
    It doesn't say "V6" on the trunk lid, does it? :P

    Seriously though, it is probably too early to tell. You are still early in the break-in period. Everything in the engine is still tight. That'll loosen up as you get more miles on it. I'd start to worry after 3000 - 5000 miles and getting the same MPG. Some ideas:

    1. Check the cold tire pressure and make sure it's in line with the PSI recommendation on the tire, inside the door, in the manual, wherever you can find it. Maybe they did not adjust it properly at the dealership when they were prepping it.
    2. Are you filling up at a brand name gas station (Exxon, Chevron, etc..) or using the el-cheapo stuff? Stick with one station for a few tanks, and if there's no improvement, try another station.
    3. I see the temps are nice and mild up in Chicago. Just don't drive with the windows down unless at low speeds (< 25 MPH) because the air flowing through the car creates drag, making the engine work harder. At high speeds, you are better off using the A/C if the interior is too warm. Otherwise, you can run just the fan w/o A/C and save even more gas.
  • ronsteveronsteve Member Posts: 1,190
    1. Wait until YOU have filled it up twice, and don't have to speculate on whether it might have been a short fill from the dealer.

    2. When you do fill it up, divide your miles driven by the number of gallons YOU PUT IN, not by the fuel capacity.

    3. Don't judge your mileage on a gage-indicated half tank!

    If your mileage is still poor, check your tire pressures. And otherwise, have patience until you're through the break-in period. You probably won't get close to the EPA numbers until after 1000-2000 miles.

    BTW, is it automatic or manual?
    2015 Acura RDX AWD / 2013 VW Jetta 2.5SE
  • nash123nash123 Member Posts: 82
    Thanks guys, I'll do what you recommended and go from there. No it is not a V6, and it is stick shift.
  • ezshift5ezshift5 Member Posts: 858
    ...after 4 tank-ups: range 25.5 to 27.7. About 70/30 highway/city...........
    ...all this on 87

    best, ez :D
  • scrumscrum Member Posts: 12
    We've got 37000 miles on our 2004 coupe V6 with 6-speed manual.

    87 octane, K&N air filter and changing the oil every 3000 miles.

    My around town driving is 70/30 city/hwy.

    Around town: 25-26 mpg <--- Bit of a lead foot.
    Hwy 75-80 mph: 28-29 mpg

    One tank below 25 mpg which was 23.8 mpg.

    A recent run down to Miami and back (1600) miles at 80-85 mph the mileage was 29 - 29.5 mph.
  • spaceinvaderspaceinvader Member Posts: 22
    My car currently has about 14,000 miles on the spedo. Mpg improved slightly during the first 5,000 miles and has since leveled off.

    On a recent highway trip of about 2,000 miles from Texas to the midwest and back at an average cruising speed of 78 to 80 MPH, the car average 31.2 mpg (a/c and cruise control on 100% of trip). Better than the EPA estimate of 30 mpg.

    Mpg average on daily comute to work is 27 to 28 (60% highway at 70 mph, 40% city). The 04 V6 replaced a 98 4-door LX 4-cylinder Honda. The 04 V6 gets within 1 mpg of the 4-cylinder on the city and highway driving.

    Finally, I also own a 2000 4-door LX V6 Honda. The 04 V6 car gets about 3 mpg better than the 2000 V6 in city and highway driving.

    Needless to say I am impressed with the overall mpg of the 04 V6 considering it has anywhere from 40 to 90 more horsepower than the 2000 and 98 Honda models, respectively.
  • ezshift5ezshift5 Member Posts: 858
    ..report, Space...

    ..looking forward to fuel efficiency improving > 5k.....

    ...best, ez
  • wiseone2wiseone2 Member Posts: 15
    I have just over 200 mi and I'm getting
    27mpg. Very casual driving, windows up
    a/c on for highway, mostly city miles
    so far, very pleased. This is what I was
    hoping for, approx. 10mpg more than my
    Pathfinder! We'll see once its broke in,
    winter mpg in my suv was about 13-14mpg.
    I'm thinkin this Accord was the right move
  • midnightcowboymidnightcowboy Member Posts: 1,978
    I have a 2005 EX V6 with Nav 6-speed manual with 9,800 miles. I added a K&N air filter and a Borla exhaust.

    These are some mileage figures I go on a recent highway trip with AC on.

    Pure highway constant 80 mph with cruise-on relatively flat = 29.6

    Pure highway constant 65 mph with cruise-on relatvely flat = 32.5

    EPA estimates 20/30

    6th gear is fairly tall at approximately 30 miles per hour per 1,000 rpm.

    YMMV,

    MidCow
  • gpkgpk Member Posts: 38
    70-75 avg 35 mpg is that awesome or what.
  • rhaeffelerhaeffele Member Posts: 149
    "I'm at 52K miles right now, and recent trends are not good this summer"

    If you're still running the original sparkplugs, replace 'em with NGK irridiums. You may be getting some misfiring at speed - where it's especially difficult to detect by seat of the pants. Have the secondary cables checked, too.
  • vtvtecvtvtec Member Posts: 3
    I just bought a brand new 05 LX 4-cyl AT. Right after I bought it I went on a 500 mile trip and I averaged 32 MPG on the highway crusing between 75-80 mph. But in the city I'm getting only 20 mpg. The so called "city" driving I do in town is not even really city at all. It's a rural area and I don't spend a whole lot of time sitting at traffic lights. The city roads i drive on 80% of the time has a speed limit of 55 mph. I only have 900 miles on the odo and i'm sure the car is still loosening up but the numbers are just too bad for a 4 cylinder car. On my very first full tank in the city I only got 18 mpg. :surprise: I'm on my second tank now and the gas meter is at the 3/4 mark and I have 80 miles on the trip computer.

    I had a 5-speeed Maxima before this Accord and that thing got 22 mph in the same city and 28 on the Interstate. It also had 2 more cylinders and 60 more horsepower.

    Am I within the reasonable mileage spectrum???
  • ezshift5ezshift5 Member Posts: 858
    ...today. (the price is outrageous.....................)

    BUT: V-6 Accord Coupe 6MT at 1550 miles.................

    ....28.39 mpg (miles driven divided by gallons pumped in...............)

    ..70/30 freeway/city............around the state capital......................

    ..this car is a keeper.............

    best, ez

    :P
  • nw1997nw1997 Member Posts: 227
    This pass weekend we were running low on fuel, so I decided to put 10.00 worth of 89 octane from Mobil in our 04 V6 EX Accord. This gave us a bit more than quarter tank. I resetted the trip computer. We jumped back on the hwy, set the cruise control to 65 MPH, drove for about 5 miles, then the posted speed limit went down to 55mph, I re-adjusted the cruise control to 55mph. We drove like this with 6% grade hills both up and down for about 20 miles till we got home. To my surprise we were getting 40.3 mpg, we have about 11K miles on this vehicle now. I use only 0W-20 from Mobil, fully synthetic oil. Prior to me pulling off for gas we were getting 28.8 mpg. No A/C in use, outside temp. was around 70-72 degrees. I believe if we were to stay on the hwy with the same conditions, our mpg may have kept increasing. Since we purchased this vehicle the MPG have always been great, except when we drive in heavy city traffic. The best MPG we had ever gotten prior to this new record of 40.3mpg was on a 200 mile trip which we were getting 36.8 mpg with the A/C on and doing 70 -75 mph with the cruise control on. No regrets when it comes to saving fuel with this vehicle.
  • rhaeffelerhaeffele Member Posts: 149
    .
  • zeb1zeb1 Member Posts: 4
    Hi everyone,

    I have a 2005 LX V-6 with just over 1000 miles on it. To date, my best mpg has been 16mpg in mostly city driving. Is this the norm?? I was hoping for a bit more.
    Also, the AT on my car seems awfully busy, always upshifting, downshifting at odd moments. As soon as I lift my foot off the gas, the car slows and depending on the speed, downshifts. Has anybody noticed their car doing the same??

    Thanks,

    z.
  • nw1997nw1997 Member Posts: 227
    Just want to clarify, we were not driving at 6% grades all the time, there were areas that the road was flat, but when it came to going up hills, the posted signs stated 6% grade. There were down hills also, but the avg MPG was clairly stated at 40.3 MPG. Like I said the best we had ever gotten prior was 36.8 MPG on a 200 mile trip. Hopefully when gas prices come down to reality we will be able to take a long enough trip that we can use an entire tankful from full down to empty.
  • midnightcowboymidnightcowboy Member Posts: 1,978
    You have a problem with your transmission you are stuck in 3rd or maybe even 2nd. I would take it back to the dealer immediately.

    Drivining very easily, which I have been doing since the gas prices went up, I can get around 27.3 mpg commuting 22 miles back and forth to work. 7miles-fast highway HOV ( 75-80), 7 miles highway ( 65) and 8 miles stop-n-go.

    You should be getting in the high 20's overall. On the highway you should get 29,30 or better. All in town will be low in any car, but vevn that should be higher than 16. If you did all stop-n-go intown you should still get 20 or better.

    Again it sounds like something is amiss with you automatic transmission. You can verify your self before you take it in. Look at the tachometer, at 60 miles per hour it should read around 2,000 RPM ( the dial will show 2) if it is working correctly in the right gear. I would imagine at 60 mph, you tachometer is closer to 3,000 RPM ( revolutions per minute) and show close to 3.

    Good Luck !

    Cruis'n in 6th with Borla sound :shades: :shades: ,

    MidCow

    P.S.- WOW! Did anyone see the new 2006 Honda Civic line yet? It is awesome!
  • zeb1zeb1 Member Posts: 4
    Hi Midnight,

    I dont think the transmission is stuck in a low gear. Most of the time, the rpm's are between 1500 and 2200, no matter my speed. I have noticed the transmission has a tendency to drop all the way to 1st when turning corners and at low speeds, the shifting is a little on the rough side, both down and up shifting.

    Thanks,
    z.
  • rhaeffelerhaeffele Member Posts: 149
    At only 1,000 miles, your engine is still running-in. You won't have any real basis for concern until you hit 4,000-5,000 miles. Look for your fuel mileage figures to steadily improve over the next 3,000-4,000 miles. Hondas usually shift down to 1st when exiting a low-speed corner. And their ATs haven't traditionally been as smoothly shifting as most other makes, although the latest iteration introduced with the '03 models is considerably better in general shift quality than prior generation Honda ATs. Honda ATs are unique in that shifts are accomplished by actually sliding gears and synchronizers as is the case with a manual transmission. They depend on significantly higher hydraulic working pressures than other ATs to accomplish their shifts. Other ATs use constant mesh planetary gearsets, only transfereing engine power when outer brake bands or internal clutch facings are engaged - an easier beast to tame regarding shift feel. I've never understood why Honda completely re-engineered proven AT design other than, 'they could'. That their system works isn't at issue. But, it's neither more reliable nor more efficient than traditional AT design, either. Sometimes marching to the tune of a different drummer only results in the marcher being out of step. Honda's still my favorite marque, though.
  • midnightcowboymidnightcowboy Member Posts: 1,978
    Zeb1,

    Just try'n to hep. I still think something is wrong; I would take it in.

    Good Luck,

    MidCow
  • midnightcowboymidnightcowboy Member Posts: 1,978
    rhaefffele,

    Yes, the engine will break in an get somewhat better mileage, but 16 mpg to start with is way too low. He should see something like 26-30 to start with and is will gradually climb up 2-4 miles per gallon.

    16 mpg even during break-in means something is wrong IMHO, which most of the time is more out-spoken than humble.

    Interesting information on Honda's AT, thanks.

    Crus'n in 6th :shades: ,

    MidCow
  • rhaeffelerhaeffele Member Posts: 149
    All I can state is my own experience with my '96 Accord LX, 2.3L I-4, with AT. When new, the engine was tighter than a drumskin. My first tankful was a dismal 19 mpg around town. A cruise to Laughlin, Nevada on the Colorado River on the next tankful netted me 22 mpg at highway speeds. By the time I had clocked 5,000 miles, the engine had settled into 23 mpg city and 30 mpg on open highway. By 10,000 miles I could count on 25+ mpg city and 34 mpg highway. Those figures pretty much remained stable until the car was totaled in a collision in late 2002.
  • midnightcowboymidnightcowboy Member Posts: 1,978
    rhaeffele,

    I have a 2005 Accord Coupe EX w/NAV 6-speed with just over 10,000 miles. It started out about 27 mpg in 70/30 highway/city easy break-in driving and has gotten maybe 1-1.5 miles per gallon better. I can get 32.5 cruising at a steady 65 mph flat with AC and about 29.6 cruising a steady 80 mph on flat with AC.

    Lately because of the gas prices , I have been driving easy, instead of somewhat sporty and get 27.3 on my daily commute back and forth to work. Before I got 23.5 drving sporty.

    MY engine and car are very simliar to ZEB1's. I did put a Borla cat-back exhuast on and a K&N air filter. I guess he could have got one made with tigher tolerances or a Monday, yellow lemon car. But I think Zeb1 should be experiencing much higher mileage to start with. I will concede his engine could be tight like yours. If so, he should be seeing some improvement with each tankful and he hasn't indicated that.

    Thanks for you comments and input.

    MidCow

    P.S.- Today I road a mountain bike to the store with a backpack and got great mileage :):)
  • zeb1zeb1 Member Posts: 4
    HI Everyone,

    Thanks for your comments. MidCow is right about the gas mileage improving. I waited until I had over 1000 miles on the car before getting worried. i thought the mileage would improve during that period but it hasn't. I just filled up yesterday and I'm still at 16mpg. This is including a few miles on the highway at 60-65mph. I'm taking the car to the dealer tomorrow to be checked but i'm not too hopeful.

    The service rep told me i need to wait until least 10000-12000 miles before the mileage improves. If i was getting 18-20 mpg, i would think that was reasonable but not 16mpg.

    Anyway, thanks for all the info, esp. about honda's transmissions and shifting. i will let you know if the dealer finds any problems.

    z.
  • capt41470capt41470 Member Posts: 38
    Hey guys
    I'm in the market for an 06 accord ex coupe and Istill can't quite decide if I should get the 4 or 6 cilinder. I've been driving a blazer for 10 years now, So i'm pretty much use to filling up the tank once a week. I was leaning towards the V6 at first since that's what i've been driving. However I would like to know if any of you were planning to buy a car today which one you would get any why. Thanks for your help.
  • midnightcowboymidnightcowboy Member Posts: 1,978
    The 4 cyl gets about 10% better mileage. The V6 has more power, costs about $5K more and has more extra features. Your choice :)
  • mamamia2mamamia2 Member Posts: 707
    Just wondering, using 87 (the Accord manual says min. 86) would give me less miles than 89 or 91?
  • rhaeffelerhaeffele Member Posts: 149
    Virtually the same in most cases. Honda, as do most car manufactuers, uses "knock" sensors* to feed information of detonation directly to the engine management computer, which, in turn will advance or retard ignition timing to the point that will just allow the engine to operate without detonation ("pinging"**). Going to higher octane gasoline would allow the ignition timing to be advanced to a slightly higher point before pinging set in, but with little if any improvement in fuel economy. Basically you'd just be paying 10 or 20 cents/gallon more than 87 octane would cost you. The exception is if you operate your car at high elevations (above 6,000 feet). You might possibly experience even less tendency for pinging. (Gasoline has a lower temperature of vaporization at the lower barometric pressures associated with altitude. Detonation is directly related to the ease of vaporization - the more easily gasoline vaporizes, the more likely pinging will occur.)

    *Knock sensors are literally small transducers - piezo microphones screwed into the engine block. V-6s usually have two - one along each cylinder bank, and I-4s usually have one. They're sensitive enough to detect pinging below the threshold of human hearing, so they and the engine management computer deal with the issue before you're even aware anything is going on. Mechanics used to have to adjust the timing at tune-up time by physically rotating the ignition distributor and locking it in place with a set screw. While there were vacuum advance mechanisms that would alter timing according to engine speed and intake manifold vacuum, the system was a compromise at best. With computer control of ignition timing, moderated by knock sensors, adjustment is done on-the-fly and to nearly perfect effect according to real-time operating conditions. Or, to put it another way, your engine is literally tuning itself constantly while you're driving, to the best setting under any given condition.

    **Uncontrolled pinging will seriously damage pistons. Detonation results when the incoming fuel-air mixture explodes prematurely and sends a full shock wave from the rapidly expanding gasses rushing at the approaching piston. Pinging, when audible, sounds somewhat like the subdued sound of small pebbles rattling inside a can when it's shaken.
  • capt41470capt41470 Member Posts: 38
    thanks for the tip!
  • bobgwtwbobgwtw Member Posts: 187
    It's an easy decision for me. I love the V6; but I drive 600 miles a week; and with gas in my area at $3.10 a gallon it would have to be the I4. Looked into buying a HAH; but the difference in mileage isn't great enough to offset the cost difference, even at 35000 miles a year.
  • capt41470capt41470 Member Posts: 38
    what year is your accord?
  • mamamia2mamamia2 Member Posts: 707
    So last night I checked my MPG the first time on my month old '05 Accord V6 EX Automatic. It has about 1,300 K on the odometer...

    18.5 MPG is not making me too happy. My wife is the one driving the car mostly, and mostly "suburb driving".... Yes, the AC is mostly on (this year is weird... September around Chicago seems more like July)... And she is a bit of a "sporty" driver...

    We use only Shell gas.

    And according to the RPM gauge the car must be shifting fine (around 2K when cruising at 65-70 MPH).

    So? What's the story here?
  • robr2robr2 Member Posts: 8,805
    The typical Honda MPG story: Honda engines will start to attain better MPG numbers up around 10K miles. Give it some time and tell the wife to lighten up her foot.

    Good Luck.
  • plethysmoplethysmo Member Posts: 42
    With a new 2003 LX-V6 coupe I got 27.67 mpg with the first tank.
    For the first 12 months. 19, 904 miles 717.513 gals 27.74 mpg
    For the 2nd 12 months. 20,531 miles 719.266 gals 28.54 mpg
    Overall since May 2003. 46, 240 miles 1635.385 gals 28.27 mpg

    using 87 octane from Costco.

    The seasonal variation (Seattle, Wa) is about 3 mpg, lowest in winter, so the first 10,000 mileage, 28.45 from May to Nov 2003 can not reveal 'break in' change. But, I think break in accounts for about 1 mpg or about 4%. Even that may be partially due to the driver adjusting to the vehicle, not just engine changes.
  • bobgwtwbobgwtw Member Posts: 187
    O5 EX with leather. Now after 1500 miles, I don't even miss my previous mazda Millenia V6. Geting about 31 MPG on my commute of 53 miles each way. One stoplight and 1 stop sign; the rest is interstate ww/ cruise set on 70 MPH
  • mamamia2mamamia2 Member Posts: 707
    Hey, plethysmo, maybe I'll invite you to drive the Honda, and send my wife to Seattle?
  • hblosserhblosser Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2005 HAH. It has about 8,000 miles on it and I average around 35-36 mpg on the Interstates. Since this is West Virginia with all its hills, I consider this very good. I average around 29-30 on my daily commute over the backroads to work. I have decided to run plus grade gasoline. It seems to make it run smoother.
  • ezshift5ezshift5 Member Posts: 858
    ....bobg....at 31 MPG freeway (with 1 stop/1lite)...you've made my day...........

    ....'05 EX V-6 Coupe 6M here (yet to break the 30 MPG barrier................)

    ..best, ez............
  • zeb1zeb1 Member Posts: 4
    I would be happy with 18 MPG. At the moment, i'm only getting 16 mpg which is almost as bad as my old v6 camaro.

    z.
  • bingjiang99bingjiang99 Member Posts: 2
    I have a different situation. I also have a brand new 05 LX 4-cyl AT. Now I have 2k miles on my car. Most of the time, I drove on the Highway with 65-75 mph. However, I can only get 24-26 mpg, even with a long trip drive (150 miles). II didn't have AC turned on, only radio on. I began to worry about the Honda Accord is not as good as it claimed. Any ideas?
  • ezshift5ezshift5 Member Posts: 858
    ...with regard to your situation, somewhat embarrassed to report the following:

    ...Arizona/rtn to northern CA........(10/7 to 10/17/05)............

    1. 1808 miles on 57 gallons.......
    2. Highest MPG: 38.82 (Gila Bend - Yuma: big time desert flat: 2100 RPM; c/c; fuel stops immediately adjacent to I-8)
    3. Worst MPG: 23.84(Santa Ana -local LA - Castaic)

    Engineering comments: (1) that is SOME tall 6th gear, (2) forget statements like 'performance and economy are mutually exclusive' (3) Honda: ya done good!

    best, ez
  • rsx_varsx_va Member Posts: 33
    1995 Accord EX, 4-dr, 4-cyl. Sold it with 148,500 on the odo two weeks ago. It averaged 31 mpg month in and month out for 10+ years, with the occasional 34 or 35 in highway driving. What a car.
  • mamamia2mamamia2 Member Posts: 707
    Again, it's an '05 Accord V6 Automatic, now with 1,700 miles on the odometer.

    This past Sunday I took the car for a 300-mile drive, with 5 passengers, driving most of the time in rain. No Cruise Control used.

    Got about 30 mpg.

    ...Compared to the 18.5 mpg which my wife gets driving the car for about 1.5 miles at a time (if not less)....

    ...I think I'm OK.

    ...Maybe I should tell my wife to walk.
  • jimbo19jimbo19 Member Posts: 1
    How many miles are you getting per gallon and which accord do you have?

    I have 2006 Ex coupe v6 auto transmission.
  • missilemanmissileman Member Posts: 10
    I have a 2004 and a 2005 Accord EX. Both are V6. Which ever car I drive gets about 4-5 MPG more than the car my wife drives. This is partly due to the routes we take to work and partly due to driving technique. (To prevent domestic violence, I quit trying to tell her how to drive.)

    I was wondering if the cat back systems and the K&N air filter increased mileage very much? I drive a lot, about 240-250 miles per day, 90% Interstate. My wife drives about 40 miles per day combo city/Interstate.

    Thanks
  • mamamia2mamamia2 Member Posts: 707
    How many miles are you getting per gallon and which accord do you have?

    Well, it's all there in my previous post. Read it again, babe.

    I have 2006 Ex coupe v6 auto transmission.

    ...And? What mileage do you get?
  • bigbert06bigbert06 Member Posts: 4
    First 1000 miles: averaged 32.5 MPG

    80% highway commute, @ 70 mph..

    Not bad but hope it continues to improve.....
  • todd7todd7 Member Posts: 16
    I'm happy to say I'm still averaging between 35-37mpgs even with about 600 pounds on board including me. Of course this is 95% highway.
  • pattyratpattyrat Member Posts: 1
    im getting 21 mpg in city w/ ac on. and the best ive gotten is 23 on 300 mile trip w/crusie set at 65. vehicle has 52k miles. the best ive ever gotten in the city is 22mpg and that was never allowing tach above 2500 rpm. In other words babying it to get the best mpg i could. no codes, o2s switching fine. long and short fuel trim correct. plugs,filters good. recently performed BG induction clean/with fuel treatment. any ideas?
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