Honda Accord Real World MPG

mattgg1

If I understand, you were not calculating savings by comparing regular vs. premium fuel only (assuming the same vehicle, or at least vehicles with similar MPG).

You were actually comparing MPG ratings/fuel costs of two different vehicles, using the recommended fuel for each (driving a VW Jetta with premium fuel vs. a Toyota RAV with regular fuel).

robertsmx

Yes. My preference was to upgrade to a vehicle with (at least) 10-15% better fuel economy, and let the rest of the savings come from use of regular grade. And while $70/month doesn't sound like a lot, over five years, and assuming gas prices still remain $3/gallon, that would be more than $4K in savings (or burnt away).

It is something that is prompting me to consider next Honda Fit to replace my Accord. I recommended Fit to her, but she refuses to drive anything small.

On the same vehicle, it is possible to improve fuel economy, as I have done in my TL. For the first few months, I was averaging 24 mpg on each tank. Since then, 26 mpg is the norm. I didn't slow down, but have changed my driving style to be "smoother" and anticipate lights/stops. I will do an occasional jack rabbit start but my savings come from avoiding aggressiveness with gas pedal and brakes. I don't use cruise control either. This is how I'm trying to maximize fuel economy in the RAV4 too. At 3/4 tank mark and about 110 miles on "trip A" (using for the tank), I'm estimating ~25 mpg for now. Will know the real number upon fill up.

bug4

Just got my first MPG calculation for my 08 Accord, EX-L, 4cyl with auto tranny. The car has 800 miles on the odometer. The total mileage on this tank was 470miles. I got 26.4mpg in 80% interstate / 20% short-mileage, in-town commuting. I was using 85 grade fuel w/ 10% ethanol. The interstate driving was mixed speed (60-80mph) - this is part of the break-in procedure I use for every new car I buy. No full-throttle starts and fairly conservative driving. I live at 6200 feet (how much does this affect fuel economy?).

robertsmx

85-grade okay? I thought the minimum recommended was 86 (at least from what I remember for my old Accord).

10% ethanol will hurt, as would higher elevation.

dudleyr

Higher elevations have lower octane requirements. Somewher around 3,500 ft regular goes from 87 to 85.

bug4

I assume, at higher elevations, there simply isn't enough O2 available in the combustion air to maximize the benefit of higher octane? I wish I could find a study or report showing how different elevations affect fuel economy and horse power, etc. For that matter, I really wish I could find one of the charts for the new 08 Accord 190hp I4 which shows horse power and torque outputs from 0 RPM to redline. I've seen these charts for some other engines and been surprised to find that, if your lugging around town at 1500 RPM, you have something like 60hp available (of course, torque is more important at those ranges . . .).

dolfan1

Just purchased new '07 SE V6.
About how long will it be before engine returns best mileage, about 1K?
Sticker says to expect 20 city / 29 hwy. Assuming average driving style (Not a granny but not always lead-footing it either), can I expect that to be about right?

thegraduate

Dolfan,

I routinely beat my numbers for the highway (by a solid 3-4 MPG, up to 6-7MPG if I try hard). I have the I-4, but ezshift, a V6 coupe owner has gotten well into the 30s on highway trips. I expect you'd do as well.

Congrats on the new ride.

By the way, my 1st tank of fuel was my lowest MPG ever (26MPG).

davidd3

I have a 2006 LE V6. I'd also describe myself as average driving style. I'd say the EPA ratings are fairly representative of real world driving in the case of this car based on my own personal experience. I'm averaging 23mpg overall, but there's more city than highway driving in there, and a lot of 1 mile drives back and forth to the train station or local shopping center. Pure highway I can do better than the 29 rating. Pure city I will do worse than the 20 rating.

I'm not a believer in break-in negatively affecting gas mileage. I've owned lots of cars and tracked their mpg. In my own personal experience, the gas mileage you get right from the start is pretty indicative of how it's going to be.

ezshift5

...In my own personal experience, the gas mileage you get right from the start is pretty indicative of how it's going to be.

....my V-6 6M coupe logged 27.5 on it's first corrected tank-up right out of the box..........

..all the measures of central tendency (mean/median/mode) indicate that the initial 27.5 was right on the money!

..best, ez..

robertsmx

You might see some improvement after a few thousand miles, but driving style and conditions determine it all to a much greater extent. On highway, around 70 mph, you can easily expect 32 mpg (or better). In city you might get 20-21 mpg, and expect to get 24-25 mpg in mixed driving.

Based on my observation, Accord will get same or slightly better fuel economy than the old EPA rating (which is 20/29 for 2007), and much better than the new EPA rating.

dolfan1

Thanks to all for the responses. Mine already had 233 miles on it when I bought it, so it's already partially "broke in" anyway. I suppose it sat on the lot awhile & was used by the staff. It's a nice machine. I see what you what you mean grad by the way they are designed = ride quality is a bit taut in order to provide more of a sporty handling quality in a family sedan. Nice mix indeed.

Reading back through this forum made me realize something I hadn't thought of = ethanol in gasoline. I know it burns less efficiently, therefore it would seem to make sense to purchase fuel w/o it if possible. Anybody done any research to find out who makes gas with less or no ethanol? I know Shell has been mentioned...

tankbeans

I have an I4 so I can't exactly compare. Mine is also an 03, but I went to the Shell by my house, in Minnesota and the tank is sitting at about the same spot after 260 miles, just under half. I think it all depends on the area you live in. I notice a lot of the people who are getting well into the thirties live in the warmer states. At least as far as I can tell, and I'm a little geographically challenged. I have been averaging 27 with mine, which is better than 23 that I had with my former 95 Accord I4.

Anyway, I seem to have veered way off topic, but I would say that the ethanol is pretty hard to avoid.

Keep in mind I don't baby it to get the most out of a gallon. I'm not kind at all. Cars are meant to move and I make mine move. I've floored it down to 90 more than once. Great fun, watch for cops. ;)And I consistently drive above 75 mph. All death to mileage, but what the hey, if you're not going to drive it get it off the road.

robertsmx

IIRC, the Shell by my place has upto 10% ethanol (or a sticker on the pump says so). I usually don't go to that pump since its prices can be $0.10/$0.15 higher per gallon than others in the area.

tankbeans

I don't go there very often. I just heard that they left out the ethanol and had to find out for myself. I don't think they do, at least not up here, but what they hey. At that point they were about $0.04 higher than everywhere else. Usually I stick to SA. Until next August I get $0.06 off anyway.

Today I filled and got 27.02mpg, in an I4, on Shell gas. It's about the same as SA, so I don't think Shell is any better or worse. I guess it's a matter of what's convenient.

wildman63

My '06 I4 Accord EX-L (automatic) has averaged about 27 or 28 MPG since new for the first 10K miles. We live on an island so the car has been on a freeway only a couple of times, much of which was crawling along bumper-to-bumper. Max speed limit is 55mph here. I'd guess our driving would qualify as "rural" with some "in town" town. Guess I should face the music and get on the interstate and fight city traffic to get the numbers right... nah... never ;-)

bug4

I just completed my 3rd and 4th tanks of gas on my new 08, I4 Accord. In mixed driving (40% town and 60% interstate), at 6000' elevation with 85% gas, I dropped to about 25.4mpg.

My second tank included the first leg of a 900 mile trip. 50% interstate driving and 50% two-lane highway driving. I drove between 75-85mph on the interstate with considerable elevation changes (5500 - 8600 feet) and 65-75mph on the two-lane (around 6500 feet). I drove fast, but conservatively, slowing down on long hills so as to prevent the engine from racing (although I never slowed below 70mpg). My second tank got 29.5mpg.

I'll post again when I fill up after the second leg of my trip. But, I'll bet fuel economy will be well over 30mpg this time. I wouldn't be surprised with 35mpg. I had a HUGE tail wind for almost 400 miles

This new 18.5 gallon tank is kind of cool! I'm driving 500 miles between stops!

robertsmx

If you haven't already, you should post your numbers on EPA's website. You can maintain a log there (and could choose to share it with others). I do for my TL, but for some reason only one of them shows in shared database (the rest I can see, and track my mileage, but is invisible to others).

link

thegraduate

Forgive me, I can't remember... do you have the 177hp (LX/LX-P) or 190hp (EX, EX-L)?

bug4

I have the 190hp EX-L (sorry about that!! - I forget that the I4 can be either!)

robertsmx -- I will check out the EPA site and log my mpg numbers for public viewing.

wildman63

My '06 Accord EX-L 4 cylinder hasn't done great on gas so far (about 28MPG so far for about 10,00 miles). Driving is mixed, kind of rural. Turning the automatic climate control didn't help much.

Somebody on this site mentioned turning on the air conditioning then off. I tried this today and the display showed "A/C Off". Hope this turned off the compressor. Hope this will improve the MPG a couple. Time will tell.

blufz1

On my '02, auto climate control is 2-3 mpg summer. You can subtly feel the a/c compressor come on.

monkeygwd

I too have the 190 HP EX version. I am getting what I believe to be terrible mileage. Even with 60% highway mileage, I barely managed to hit 23.5 mpg. And with my last tank, which was somewhat mixed but mostly city, I only got 19.6. This car is WAY worse than my 03 accord 4 cyl. I would regularly get 25+ mpg even with my commute to work. So far I am disappointed. I live in SC, so cold weather is not an issue.

ezshift5

...This car is WAY worse than my 03 accord 4 cyl. I would regularly get 25+ mpg even with my commute to work.

......that is disappointing to hear. Hopefully, your green engine will get more efficient as it 'ripens' ......

I got 27 right out of the box, been averaging 26 - 28 around the state capital (30/70 mix). All freeway is mostly 34 - 36......

ez..

dolfan1

Just had my first fill-up= 27.2 (mixed driving but more highway than city). Very satisfied with those results. Really enjoying my new ride.

tallman1

I've been having fun with my gas tank. I took a consultant job on the other side of Washington state (Yakima) two days a week and I fill up right before I go, drive over very early the next day, then I continue on after work to stay with some friends overnight (Kennewick). They are about 250 miles away from my house. I head back to the job the next morning and then come home... all on one tank of gas.

Since this involves a mountain pass, I know the cold weather will make this impossible soon. For those who know the area, my low fuel light came on before the summit of Snoqualmie Pass when I still had about 70 miles before I got gas in Tacoma. I only put in 14.8 gallons. Of course, one could argue that that trip is downhill all the way.

Okay, Grad, IIRC you bought your 06 in November of 05 and I bought mine in March of 06. I think I passed you long ago in the mileage dept. I'm almost to 36k. Gee... with trips like this, I wonder why???

thegraduate

Okay, Grad, IIRC you bought your 06 in November of 05 and I bought mine in March of 06. I think I passed you long ago in the mileage dept. I'm almost to 36k. Gee... with trips like this, I wonder why???

Haha, honestly, I'd likely have you beat in total mileage if I didn't drive my '96 several days a week to and from school. I've put nearly 20k miles on that car in the last two years. I'm at 26k miles in the 06 and 176k in the 1996. Don't forget I go see the folks who live at the gulf coast regularly, and when they lived in Oklahoma, I drove out there too (usually ended up being nearly 2000 miles each trip including driving in OKC for a week).

blackexv6

'08 EXL-4cyl, 1200 miles on Odometer:
80% highway, 20%city getting 24mpg.

Should be getting at least 28mpg. I will wait to see if the #'s get better. My 4500lb '00 Odyssey with 150k was getting 22-24mpg routinely.

tallman1

I'd likely have you beat in total mileage

That's one race that I'd gladly let you win. And since my son has control of my 95, I only have the 06 to drive.

bug4

That is a bummer! Maybe you should try a different gas station and make sure your gas is good. I have almost 2500 on my odometer now and things seem to be steadily improving. My first tank was at the 24-25 range -- but never at 19. If you get many averages below 20, I would take the car back to the dealership and see if they can't figure something out!

sr1945

08 Accord NAV Leather EX 190 hp and got 18.35 mpg on very first fill up. City only driving, no hard driving at all, many, many long red lights, and only driving about 6 miles per day total. No air turned on

( Fill up only after less than a 1/4 tank used up ( 3.094 gallons to be exact) since I topped it off for my next day long trip )

The MPG will differ depending how many miles driven per day, traffic lights, and your own driving habits.. Many do not include in their post the city type driving and how far they drive in a day which has a lot to do with the car being warmed up, or if they drive on some nice longer city streets without a load of traffic lights to be bothered with.

Expected this MPG on my first top off for the trip. Normally you do not calculate the mpg until after about 3/4 empty that will give you a better reading. Use the same gas station and same pump and fill up to the first click only. Calcluate by hand.

My trip computer said I was getting about 19.4 mpg which is about 1 mpg off.

thegraduate

Filling up after only using 1/6th of the fuel in the tank makes the margin for error HUGE. I wouldn't give it any credence. Couple that with dealers' tendencies to not completely fill the fuel tank and I'd say your mileage was probably closer to 20 MPG, if not higher.

thegraduate

Also important to note is the fact that incredibly short trips do not allow the car to warm up and run at normal operating temps for long. Warming up the car uses more fuel than does running at normal operating temp. Cranking your car more often on a tank of gas is one more thing that will be detrimental to your mileage.

My main suggestion is to drive until the low fuel light comes on, or at least until you get lower than the 1/4 mark, THEN fill up.

sr1945

"Filling up after only using 1/6th of the fuel in the tank makes the margin for error HUGE. I wouldn't give it any credence. Couple that with dealers' tendencies to not completely fill the fuel tank and I'd say your mileage was probably closer to 20 MPG, if not higher"
----------------------------------------------------

Agree completely thegraduate but as stated in my post, I did so because I wanted to start my vacation with a full tank for highway only driving. Thought I would just check to see what it would be for the first partial tank full using only 3 gallons.

Agree again about the dealer not filling the tank completely but I was the one who filled it up :shades:

Will be interested in what it shows next after my return from highway driving than again city driving, but next time it will be using most of the tank full and not 1/6th.

thegraduate

Hehe, I know you realized it. I was mainly restating for others who read this who may not think about things like the margin for error. I've seen people complain many times before as well because they only got 15 MPG. They later told us they were calculating miles driven by TANK CAPACITY instead of how much fuel was actually used! Haha

So, I was just restating for all involved

Hope the trip is a good one!

bug4

Interesting . . . is it the general consensus then that a perfectly good, new 08 Accord can get 18-19mpg under some driving conditions? Of course someone who only drag races their Honda (that's a funny thought ) would get terrible mileage, but I'm surprised that short-distance or city driving would get quite that low???

hybrid93hatch

I now have 38k on my 4cyl. automatic and consistently get 35mpg. I have yet to get any higher, but I know it's possible. There's always that trip home or to work where I am running a tad behind or eager to get home and put the cruise over the normal 60-65mph.

562 miles is the most I've got from full to low fuel light.

thegraduate

Depending on just how short the trips are, and just how much idling you do, you can get 15MPG from any car regardless of how "efficient" it is. 0 MPH = 0 MPG.

robertsmx

Anytime I see someone claiming 18 mpg or less with these cars, my instinct (based on experience) suggests there is something wrong. I have two driving styles but neither involves slow driving. The difference is in how I use the throttle and brakes.

I do know that driving short trips and traffic lights every quarter mile or less will hurt mileage. Even under those conditions being significant portion of my drive, with a two mile commute (total eight miles since I would go home during lunch), the worst tank ever in my old Accord was 23 mpg.

The “more sane” me, has seen Accord and TL get 25-27 mpg regularly, and this involves 50-50 mix. I would say I average around 67-68 mph on freeway with speed ranging from 60 mph to 80 mph. In the city, I usually go +2-5 mph depending on speed limit.

I do get to watch trip computer in my TL which helps me understand things that have the biggest impact on fuel economy. And that is the average speed. Without changing anything about my routes, I have averaged 31 mph to 38 mph over a tank of gas. 36-37 mph is more normal for me. Interestingly enough, average speed appears to have a direct correlation to fuel economy.
31-33 mph: 24 mpg
34-35 mph: 25 mpg
36-38 mph: 26 mpg

I have seen the mileage drop to 19-20 mpg over a half tank or so when driven exclusively in uptown/downtown Dallas/Houston. These were short distance and slow speed stints. The trip computer was showing my average speed to be around 18-20 mph.

For 15-18 mpg in an Accord (which should get better mileage than my TL), one has to be driving even slower, with frequent stops and short distances. Any considerable time on freeway should take the mileage back up.

In fact last week, the trip computer on my TL was showing 23 mpg with a quarter tank used after about 100 miles driven since last fill up. I drove it to my work and kept up with the traffic which was moving around 80 mph for about half the distance (8 miles). When I was parking my car, noticed the trip computer showing 25 mpg. So, despite high speed driving, the car seems to have picked up over one mpg on average. It still has over a half tank to go before I can calculate it, but once again, it should get me 25-26 mpg, as long as the indicated average speed stays around 35-36 mph where it is right now.

tallman1

562 miles is the most I've got from full to low fuel light.

That just doesn't seem right. Considering how early that light comes on (IIRC, around 13 gals.), 562 miles is a whole lot for only 35 mpg.

The trip I wrote about a few posts back gave me 34.9 mpg and 516 total miles on that tank. I drove about 70 more miles after the light came on and ended up putting 14.8 gals in when I filled up.

Perhaps your light comes on much later than anyone else has posted.

thegraduate

I agree with ya tallman.

14 gallons x 35MPG = 490 miles.
562 miles / 35MPG = 16.057 gallons.

Sounds like you got more like 40 MPG.

562 miles / 40MPG = 14.05 gallons (The light is known to come on with 3.5-4 gallons left in the 17.1 gallon tank).

I've gotten 40 MPG on more than one occasion so it is possible. Either way, you're getting great mileage!

robertsmx

I'm not sure if Honda has changed the logic for "reserve" with a larger tank (18.5 gallon in the new versus 17.1 gallon in the past). But based on my Prelude, Civic, Accord and TL experience, 20% in reserve seemed typical. In other words, low fuel light will come on around after 80% of the tank has been used. That translates to about 13.7 gallons in my Accord and TL. And that is usually where they do as I end up refueling with 13.8-14.0 gallons most of the time.

562 miles, even on 35 mpg does seem high. For that to happen, the reserve would have to start after 16 gallons used (or 2.5 gallons set aside as reserve).

The longest I have taken my Accord between fillups came on a 507 mile stretch which required 15.8 gallons for an exact 32 mpg. The light had been on for about an hour before I got to the destination (but I knew having more than enough in the tank to get to the destination).

ezshift5

..... longest I have taken my Accord between fillups came on a 507 mile stretch which required 15.8 gallons for an exact 32 mpg. The light had been on for about an hour

.....that's pretty decent 'range'....

I recall 475 Baker to Sacramento one time. Lite came on about 440. I don't have the fortitude to drive for a whole hour after getting a low fuel indication.

With a V-6 6M, I quietly defer to the 4-cylindro when it comes to single tank range.

Both are great cars, but a 14.5 QM does it for me (plus the asymtotic relationship with the 40 mpg barrier...........)

best, ez....

viet

I am very doubtful if one can get 40MPG with an Accord.

tallman1

Well, several of us have done it.... we are talking about the I4 though.

ezshift5

....Well, several of us have done it.... we are talking about the I4 though.

...amen, bro. (the VCM effect on V-6 40 MPG capability is inconclusive)

The concept of performance and economy sure appeals to this sailor!

great cars.

best, ez....

thegraduate

In his defense, I almost didnt believe it myself until it happened a second time, with 40.92MPG being my best tank ever. Beating my previous 39.96MPG! In my mixed commute, I'm still turning 28-29MPG.

bug4

I'm well over 2000 miles on my 08, I4 (190hp), AT Accord. In pure 2-lane, highway driving over multiple mountain passes, with a very stiff tail wind for more than 200 miles and average elevation of approximately 6500 feet (ranging between 5,200 and 10,200), I got 30.8 mpg. This average was based on 450 miles between fill-ups. Thought I might do a little better given the significant distance with a tail wind.

On the next tank, I drove approximately 350 miles of mixed driving. Mostly interstate driving with mixed to heavy traffic. (Lots of 80mph. then 40mph, then 85mph, then 35mph :mad: ). I got 27.2 on that run.

[p.s. - I use 85 octane fuel ]

thegraduate

Lots of climbing = lots of higher revving. Big mileage comes when the car gets to lull around at 1,700-2,500RPM. Rev much higher than that often and the iVtec goes into power mode (although its not one precise changeover like the old Vtec engines) , and efficiency goes out the window.

tallman1

I agree with thegrad that the high revs will kill you. However, I drive over mountain passes quite often and find that coming back down makes up the difference in a round trip.

I would be more concerned with your high speeds (80-85). Obviously, that is a high rev issues as well. And if it is cold, my mileage really drops.