Honda Accord Real World MPG

csr67

My 2008 EXL V6 Sedan now has 1700 miles on it. Here's the mpg on my first few tanks: 21, 22, 20, 19, 22. This is primarily stop/go commuting with about 30% highway miles usually at 75 mph....

I know why the one tank was 19 since I wanted to "explore" the powerband of the V6 after it hit the first 1,000 miles. Now I just need a nice long highway trip to see what type of mileage I'll get. Overall, I'm very satisified with the mileage given the power available and size of the car.

Prior to this I drove a VW GTI 1.8t that got 24 mpg on premium being driven hard all the time. I also had a loaner Infiniti G35 for about two months while the GTI was down for repairs... The G35 got 16 mpg in town and 24 mpg on the highway, and it was a hard car to drive easily....

ljgbjg

Funny - of course none - but it WAS 20 feet long! And let's face it - weight consciousness was NOT an issue back then!

ezshift5

My 2008 EXL V6 Sedan now has 1700 miles on it. Here's the mpg on my first few tanks: 21, 22, 20, 19, 22.

.....V-6 6M coupe approaching 60k:

North to Seattle.....34/35.....forget fuel calcs in Seattle (as the traffic is bad news). Southbound (downhill) showed 36/37. I can't seem to break the 40 barrier but the foregoing numbers seem to set the standard..............

all the best, ez....

dudleyr

2007 I4 MT - 40 psi and Mobil 1 0w-20

Some recent numbers.

Recent all highway trip in the 60-65 mph range. General elevation drop and some tailwinds no A/C temp around 70. 44.0 calculated 43.9 scangauge.

Trip for work - from scangauge.

going - got 41.1 mpg averaging 60 mph no A/C some elevation gain, no wind.

returning - got 51.0 mpg averaging 55 mph (listening to a good book and in no hurry) with A/C, slight tailwind and dropped 1,500 ft in elevation over 100 miles, coasting down hills etc.

Lifetime mpg is now up to 33.63 and
10 tank rolling average is now at 36.9 mpg.

Will all come to an end soon as the SD winter starts to roll in. Last year my 10 tank average dipped below 30 mpg for a while. I will see if I can stay above 30 this year.

bugs22

Those are exceptional numbers! I know from experience that it's possible to get 40 + mpg from these cars but you've got to try. Indeed, if you are willing to go 50- 65 then you'll save lots of gas. Hypermilers also get great mpg results by drafting (at a safe distance) behind bigger vehicles and through slight overinflation just like some police departments do. What are your secrets?

tankbeans

I imagine part of it is the fact that there really aren't any people in SD to block traffic and I think SD has 100% gasoline, no ethanol. Not a whole lot of true stops.

cpresensky

I'm VERY impressed. I'd be very happy to break 30mpg in my 08 EX I4 AT driving part interstate and against traffic...so I'm moving at a good clip with minimal traffic signals at 5AM. My first oil change will be using Mobil1....not sure tho if I want to overinflate my tired to 40psi tho.

dudleyr

Not much traffic hits it right on the head. We have 1/10 as many people as the Baltimore Washington metro area, with as much land as Virginia, Maryland and West VA put together. I was only passed twice in 100 miles driving 55 mph. There is also only 1 gas station in that 100 miles. There is a reason they put all the ICBMs out here - not much else around to be in danger.

The biggest secret is driving slowly and steadily. Mileage goes south fast above 70 mph. My wife will get about 34 or 35 mpg taking the same route that I get over 40 on. She floors it uphill, floors it to pass and floors it from stop signs, and she drives faster. She also almost always has the A/C on regardless of temp.

Yes we also have 100% gasoline available at every station. 87 is always all gas 89 is always 10% ethanol and super is always 100% gas. We also have no winter gasoline formula. Easy state on drivers in general. No property tax on vehicles (or income tax for that matter), No vehicle safety inspections, no emissions inspections, and you can get a real drivers liscence at 14 - also the speed limit is 75 on the interstate (my work rarely takes me on the interstate). I just renewed my liscence plates for 3 vehicles and it took 5 minutes.

dudleyr

Pretty quiet lately. Here are some recent numbers.

2007 I4 MT

Last tank 570.6 miles 13.45 gallons 42.4 mpg ( 42.8 scangauge). could have easily been well over 600 miles, but I filled a little early because I found some cheap gas. Lots of variety in speed and temp, but almost all highway.

Lifetime mpg for 44,000 miles is now at 33.75.

10 tank rolling average is now at 38.9 mpg. 4,095 miles using 105.34 gallons. This is my best by far.

28 degrees yesterday morning. Poor mpg weather is on the way.

thegraduate

I've been meaning to ask you, dud... what other vehicles are in your garage, if any? How do you do with those cars relative to their EPA ratings?

I ask so we can see if the Accord is just "that good" or is your driving style the main reason. Obviously, both will be true to some degree, as most of us don't have long stretches of flat, 55 MPH roadways!

dudleyr

I almost always exceed the EPA with any car. The few exceptions are domestic vehicles with automatic transmissions. For example I had an '87 Taurus wagon that was EPA 28 on the highway and I struggled to get 28 even going fairly slow. I once got near 30, but I was only going abougt 55-60.

I had a '90 Corolla wagon that was nearly identical to the Accord in EPA, and I got about the same gas mileage in real life as well - high 20's around town and high 30's going fast on the interstate with high 40's travelling for max economy. It was 27/34 to the 26/34 of my Accord.

The '90 Integra that the Accord replaced could never match the Accords numbers despite a 1.8 liter engine and 500 fewer pounds. It did very well compared to the EPA 24/28 though. No idea why it was rated so low. I could drive 80 mph and do better than 30 mpg. It would do about 37 on most long trips and maxed out in the low 40's under ideal conditions.

Our 2006 Sienna is quite good for its size as it gets better mpg than the 500 lb lighter first gen ody that had a 2.2 liter to the Sienna 3.3 V-6. It can get over 30 mpg on flat roads at 60-65 mph, but I have never maxed it out at 55 or 60 mph. I can eek out 20+ around town. Heavily loaded at 75+ mph it gets about 23 mpg.

Some older cars included a 76 Volare wagon (with an MT of all things) that once did as well as 22 mpg going 55 mph (the speed limit back then), but was generally a gas hog.

A 74 Cadillac Fleetwood with a 472 CI V-8 that rarely got over 10 mpg.

A 1980 VW Scirocco that never gave me less than 30 mpg and got up to 45 on the highway - again at about 55-60, but was usually closer to 40 mpg on the highway.

FWIW my last tank above was not all 55 mph. It was mostly about 60 mph with about 90 miles at 72 mph. Had about 20 stops and 2 very cold starts (around freezing). No A/C use. Most of my super high mpg numbers are from the scanguage and are for runs of about 100 miles (shorter trips are not very significant - as I can average 300 mpg if I am going all downhill in neutral)

To sum it up I always do well but almost always am in line with the original EPA ratings (two versions ago before they dumbed them down in the 80's and again last year). For example with those ratings the Scirocco was EPA 42 highway which is about on target. To get these numbers multiply the 1985-2007 EPA highway by 1.28. So the original rating for my Accord is 43.5 mpg - about in line with what it gets on level ground with no wind and no a/c going about 60 mph.

topcat8

I was wondering what tire PSI you run ? I have increased my PSI to 37 and it has helped some , The last tank was 31 MPG with mixed driving, but the best MPG I have ever gotten was 36MPG on vacation this summer and it was all interstate driving at 65 MPH with 28PSI in the tires. I also use Pinzoil 5w20. Top Cat

thegraduate

the best MPG I have ever gotten was 36MPG on vacation this summer and it was all interstate driving at 65 MPH with 28PSI in the tires.

28 PSI is pretty underinflated. Did you knowingly have them inflated at this level?

blufz1

Quite amazing. These numbers are being obtained with gasoline that does not contain ethanol,right?

xenoninjax

i got accord coupe lx-s 08 2 months ago. ive been driving with ac on all the time in city, and getting 19~ mpg. is this normal?

thegraduate

City driving is tough on economy. Depending on how much stop and go you do, it could be good or bad. It's tough to tell.

Could you be a little more specific about your driving habits?

malmouza

I have 08 accord I4 MT, and I get always 31 MPG even with agressive driving and 50% city driving. But when I hit the highway that is when the AVG MPG numbers goes up. The 08 accord 5th gear feels like a 6th gear, that's must be the reason the accord get good mileage on the highway. On city driving I can get a high as 27 MPG with no jackrabbit, the best I have got in this car was 39 MPG on trip from PA to NY, most of the time I get 34MPG. But again, you need to stay with in the speed limit not exceeding the 70 MPH, otherwise these numbers will be more like 28 MPG.

ezshift5

......the best I have got in this car was 39 MPG on trip from PA to NY

.......yeah, that sounds about right (but I drive a 6M)

all the best, ez....

wibes

My 2008 V6 coupe is getting 25mpg consistently. I drive about 60% freeway/ 40% city. My 1995 V6 (now driven by teenage daughter) still gets 25mpg as well. The truly amazing thing is that the 08 has 268hp vs the 95's 178hp.

dudleyr

In response

I run about 40psi in the tires.

I use mobil 1 0w 20 oil.

I also only use 100% gasoline. No ethanol and no winter additives.

malmouza

On my daily commute, 20% city and 80% highway I get 33 MPG early in the morning and 37 to 41 MPG in the afternoon. The distance is 13 miles each way. The only explanation to the difference in MPG for both directions is the wind and the temperature, as the route is free of hills. There is one thing I would like to know if heating the gas line will improve the gas mileage, as the gasoline evaporate a lot faster in hot weather, and by consequence ignite a lot faster. This situation is more noticeable when we have to commute a short distance, as the engine does not burn the fuel efficiently until it reach a specific temperature, my guess for any distance less than 18 miles, the MPG will be less than satisfactory. So it does help if you have a warm garage where you park your car overnight. Another thing that manufacturer need to think about it, is to have the radiator vents on the bumper, and the hood, closed when the engine is cold, and they should open automatically when the engine reach certain temperature. This will not cost a lot, but it will help the gas mileage, for people that they have a short commuting distance, or they live in cold weather states.

kiawah

More likely to be your anxiousness and speed in getting 'home' from work, as opposed to you dragging in going to work.

Mixture is all computer controlled within the engine, and your engine would be up to correct normal operating temperature within a couple minutes. I'm up to temperature before I leave the development in the mornings.

thegraduate

Haha... um, one problem. They get much better mileage in the afternoon.

My question; how do you do mileage in such a short commute?

tankbeans

Hey all-

Haven't posted in awhile. My last few tanks have been BAD. This last tank was 23.8 or thereabouts. I know what did it though.

I've moved about 10 miles closer to work instead of 19 I'm now just over 9 and there were a good number of 6100+ rpm acceleration events, with some aggressive passing.

What can I say? I've gotten a little lax? With winter coming I think this is going to be the norm.

I'm going to go back to my little game with myself, which is to say that I want to crack 30 again, before winter. It will be very difficult. Stupid E10.

malmouza

You are wrong; the normal temperature will not be reached in a few minutes. The fact that your heater start blowing hot air in 3 minutes does not mean the engine is hot enough to operate efficiently. I worked on mechanic and I study thermodynamic, in cold weather the oil does not flow fast enough, or get pumped easily, in the engine, this include the oil in transmission too. When the oil is not viscose enough to move freely around the parts, the engine parts do not get lubricated completely, which put a lot of stress on the engine and by consequence, the gas consumption goes up. Heat can be considered as enemy and friend at the same time of any combustion engine. Too much heat and you can destroy your engine, and an engine not hot enough will not operate efficiently. This is not me talking, this mechanic 101. Have nice day. :shades:

blufz1

Your mileage has decreased because your trips at operating temperature have decreased. You also have more engine start cycles per tank.

kiawah

Take a look at this article, it'll give you an overview of internal engine operations....there's a fair amount of info regarding the energy available in fuel, and the relatively low percentage of energy that is actually used to propel the vehicle...versus....the majority of energy wasted and dispersed as excess heat and exhaust. Fuel burns in the cylinder at 4000 degrees.

Internal Engine

You can also buy a software program and adapter to plug your laptop into your OBD2 port, so you can track/plot your engine parameters. You can see just how quick your engine actually comes up to normal operating parameters. It's a little pricey, but if you want a more limited (but cheaper) alternative.....buy a carchip from alltrackusa. It will allow you to track 4 of approximately 20 engine parameters, including things like engine temperature, fuel trim, O2 sensors, throtlle position, engine load, etc. Runs about $150 if I remember correctly, records every 5 seconds, and also plugs into your OBD2 port.

Track your engine, you'll see factually how fast it gets up to normal operating parameters. It will take transmission oil longer to get up to temperature, obviously.

Have a nice day

malmouza

So you know how to use the search engine Google!!! I do not think that link you provided contradict in anyway my explanation. I own two hand held computers that plug right into the OBD2, they give me a real time data.
But in your response you just contradicted yourself, you agree that the transmission oil need more time to reach the optimum temperature, and at the same time you disagree the engine need more time to heat up???? Isn’t the engine also has also oil to keep the friction to a minimum? The transmission is connected to the engine, as the engine heat up so does the transmission, if you drive a car in bellow freezing temperature weather the engine will have a hard time to reach the optimum temperature, as the vents in the front bumper of the engine are open, and they keep the engine from reaching the required operating temperature. All the cars are designed on the basis that they can withstand the heat for a long period of time, but they are not designed for a short commuting; which we do notice in some used cars with low mileage but with abused engine. :confuse:

kipk

Next door neighbor keeps his Ridgeline in an enclosed garage, that is attached to the house. There are no heat vents in the garage, but it stays reasonably warm just from house heat escaping, through the walls and door.

At 25-30 degrees outside temperature, his Ridgeline temp gauge will get to operating temperature just before reaching the end of our street. About 1.4 miles. My Pilot is under an open carport, and requires nearly 2.5 miles to reach operating temp, according to the gauge.

With outside temps of 50-55, the Pilot will reach the operating temperature within the "end of street" measurement. At 80 degrees or so, the distance is very short.

Note: It does not make sense to me that a 20-25 degree swing in outside temp would make that much difference, but it does with our experiences.

Most of us realize that a cold engine runs "Richer" than a warm one. Thus, short commutes generally get poorer mileage than longer ones, under similar traffic conditions.

Does it seem reasonable that an engine block heater might be a reasonable way to prepare or keep the engine at a better temperature for early morning starts ? Or would the electricity used cost more than the extra fuel required to run the "c~o~l~d" engine.

Kip

dudleyr

I think the misconception here is that the car is at operating temperature once the temp gauge stabilizes in the middle.

This is not the case. The temp gauge shows water temp, and the engine is not warm until the oil temp has reached the optimum level. This can take about 15 miles in the winter much more when it is very cold. I have only had one car with an oil temp gauge (scirocco) and it was very eye opening. The water warms up very quickly, but the oil takes much longer.

When it is below zero I can idle my car for 15 minutes to warm the cabin up a little and then drop the kids at school and drive to work. When I get to work the water temp is still pegged at the bottom. I could go weeks without reaching operating temp - not good for mpg. This was with my Integra - it has not been so cold since I got the Accord. This is one of the major benefits of using synthetic oil as it flows much better at low temps it also alows one to drop some viscosity while mainting the same or better protection. This is why I dropped down to 0w-20 from 5w-20. The lower viscosity warms up faster and offers better cold start protection. Faster warmup means better mpg.

Many reasons for better return mpg. Warmer ambient temp may mean no use of the heater which draws heat from the engine and makes it take longer to warm up. The hotter an engine is the more efficient it runs. The car has probably been run a few times (lunch beak) during the day and the engine is probably warmer. The warmer temp also means the tires have more pressure and the oil is a little thinner. Warmer temp also means that the grease on the drivetrain is thinner and offers less resistance.

You will get the best mpg on the warmest day that you can stand to not use the A/C. If you could stand to drive in 100 degree weather with no A/C the mpg would be phenomenal.

tankbeans

Curious. Is 0w-20 synthetic a lot more expensive than 5w-20 regular and how long does it last before you need an oil change? Currently I have about 4,000 miles before the dealer says I need an oil change, I've only gone because the changes have been free, and I went in about 4,000 miles ago. I went in at 51,3xx now I sit at 55,9xx.

What do you think should I just change it now? Fram filter?

dudleyr

0w 20 is about the same as the quarts at places that sell it. I have only seen synthetic 0w 20 so it is not cheap. Unfortunately they don't sell it in the jugs.

The oil life indicator on my Accord had my last change at 9,200 miles. I am more commfortable with synthetic at those long intervals .. used to do 3k changes, but realized it was a waste to have a perfect engine on a car that was falling apart. Even at 9k the oil does not look too bad as it comes out.

I would probably wait till the next oil change unless you live in a real cold climate. My favorite filter is the pur 1 by purolator, the sythetic media works well. Check the oil forums here on Edmunds for more info... those guys seem to like the walmart brand fillter over Fram. I think fram was one of the best years ago, but uses cheaper components now.

tankbeans

I live up in MN and the temps are starting to fall. My friend is probably going to do it, we'll have to see what the oil looks like coming out.

I guess I'm in your boat, 3k oil changes is so far ingrained in my psyche that it is hard to accept anything else.

tallman1

3k oil changes is so far ingrained in my psyche that it is hard to accept anything else.

Do a Google search on "3000 mile oil change myth" and you might change your mind.

kipk

>"I think the misconception here is that the car is at operating temperature once the temp gauge stabilizes in the middle"

I agree ! Thus maybe an engine block heater would be a good idea.

Start a reasonably warm engine, with reasonably warm oil for quicker and better lubrication. The water, that in in the engine itself is warm. The thermostat will open a little quicker, allowing the water to flow through the radiator sooner.

Auto transmission fluid flowing through the radiator will possibly warm a little quicker.

Engine leans out quicker, resulting in better mileage.

tankbeans,

Do yourself a favor and use genuine Honda parts in your Honda. They probably know more about their components that most aftermarket stuff. Especially CHEAP after market stuff.
There are many places, such as these two, that sell Honda Parts fairly reasonable.

http://www.handa-accessories.com/accmaint06.html

http://www.hondaautomotiveparts.com/auto/jsp/mws/PartsSearch.jsp

If you change your own oil, try to purchase a case and possibly save some $$ on shipping or purchase price. Although sometime it is just as inexpensive to get at the dealer and not pay for shipping. Seems the last Pilot filter I purchased was in the $6 range. Could have saved $2-$3 at Wal-Mart on a cheap filter to install in a $30,000 car. NO THANKS ! Been there, done that, had problems.

Kip

blufz1

I drive about 7k per year in my 02 v6 Accord. Thinking about changing the oil 2x per year but changing the filter out only 1x per year. Pros/cons?

kipk

That would save you about $6 a year, if you use a genuine Honda filter.
Think about it.

kiawah

Pro's.....saves about 5 bucks a year as pointed out, will save you about 3 minutes of time during the change.

Con's....leaves about 1/2 quart of dirty oil in the vehicle, plus whatever other contaminates are in the filter.

On a vehicle worth 15Kish, with the cost of an engine job multiple thousands of dollars and the inconvenience if the vehicle was ever laid up for repairs.....I say, why bother with the risk (to save 5 bucks).

However in full disclosure, I have the same logic on those wanting to stretch the miles between oil changes to as long as they can....to save 20-30 bucks in total. Why risk it.

thegraduate

However in full disclosure, I have the same logic on those wanting to stretch the miles between oil changes to as long as they can....to save 20-30 bucks in total. Why risk it.

Exactly. That's why I go by the owner's manual with instructions from the manufacturer on when to change my oil.

tankbeans

That's why I go by the owner's manual with instructions from the manufacturer on when to change my oil.

True. I'm all for following the manual on most things, but oil changes every 10,000 and filter changes every 20,000 miles seems to be a little screwy. It does say that the filter only needs replacing every 20,000 miles and the oil every 10,000 at least for my 03. I don't know if the recommendation changed for the 06, well it did since the 06 was the year MM was introduced.

thegraduate

The way you drive, though (which you have disclosed to us in past conversation), I'd think you should follow the "Severe" schedule, meaning 5,000 mile changes.

In my car, I drive relatively conservatively when I can (around town I don't usually end up revved past 3k RPM). My minder suggests an oil change around 7500 miles.

tankbeans

I completely understand where you are coming from. I'd never wait 10k anyway. I'm just waiting until I can get my friend to help me do the change. He has some stands and ramps that we can use so we can get under the car a little bit easier.

blufz1

Thanks,guys.

dpmeersman

08 EXL-V6, from central Mass to Western Mass to Northern Vermont and back. 85% hwy avg 70 mph max 80 mph, balance primary state roads avg 40-50 mph, some extended idling and several cold starts, morning temps mid to high 30's and daytime temps 60-70, tach never exceeded 4,000 rpm AC use was minimal.
566 miles, 20.072 gal = 28.2 mpg.
Once again I had to add a quart of oil @ around 6,000 miles since last change. While some have mentioned in these forums that their experience has shown that Honda engines do not consume oil, my personal experience is add a quart every 6,000 miles. Engine currently has 6,100 miles miles on its' current oil with MM showing 30% oil life. Could the oil consumption be another result of VCM?

The system is electronically controlled, and uses special integrated spool valves that do double duty as rocker-shaft holders in the cylinder heads. Based on commands from the system's electronic control unit, the spool valves selectively direct oil pressure to the rocker arms for specific cylinders. This oil pressure in turn drives synchronizing pistons that connect and disconnect the rocker arms.

08-09 V6 owners with VCM, do your self a favor and check your oil levels.

tankbeans

Hey all-

My quest to crack 30 is in full swing. I'm not there yet, but I just filled up today and got 27.08ish. I've been trying to moderate my speeds and keep the revs down. I have been able to use cruise control more often.

I've noticed that it's easier not to speed when you aren't driving during peak times. I'm not as tempted to keep up with people as there aren't that many people on the road.

tankbeans

Unfortunately, my quest to crack 30 isn't going to come to fruition, but I've leveled off at 26-27. The nice part is that if I'm smart, but still drive pretty much the same as always I can hit 27 which I'm happy with. Sure 29 is nice, but with winter coming I have to get ready to take the hit again. Snow, defrost, different fuel mix all add up to nasty mileage.

bigbutr

Got my 08 Accord LX-P back in February. Heading into this past week, I was sitting on around 6100 miles, all but a couple of hundred being city driving. First few tanks were a little lower than I expected - 20.5 - 21.2 range. Not what I was getting in my old 4-cylinder 96 Chevy Beretta (24-26), but at least the Accord is much bigger, has four doors and is a lot more comfortable.
Last fillup on only city driving saw it increase up to just over 22.
Finally took a long highway trip for a postal union meeting - Panama City to Jacksonville, Fla. Trip there, averaging 68-70 mph and hitting Jax rush hour, I got 31.22 mpg never running the A/C.
Coming back, same route and probably similar average though I did hit 100 briefly to get away from a block of cars and semis and using the A/C for defrost, I topped off and tallied a 35.96 mpg average.
While I do wish the city average would be a little better, given how I drive it, getting at least what the sticker said (21/31) is OK, unlike our previous 06 Odyssey.

tankbeans

I like your style. Find an open spot and gun it. That's what I do.

tankbeans

Woot, I was able to fill my car today for $22 and change. I got a net 26 mpg or so. Not happy, but not upset. It is what it is. I've had the heat going on and off since the temperatures are trending down in my area. Trying to keep my mileage up, but you know I'm only human and there are factors up here in MN that I can't control.

The other day I even had a Canadian tell me that he prefers Canadian winters to the winters in MN because it's too cold here.

tankbeans

Hey all-

I just filled up and got just under 28 mpg mixed with a 60/40 city/hwy split. Excited. Today it cost me $16.41 for 8.465 gallons of gas. Awesome. Just thought I'd report back.

Oh and I'm not sticking to 65 or anything like that. I'm just avoiding jackrabbit starts. That is such a buzzword anymore. Anywho, I'm happy.