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Comments
A family member has a 2006 4WD ex-l Pilot with 15,000 miles on it, she never got more than 17mpg highway, and around 14 city. She has a bit of a heavy foot but not nearly the worst I've ever seen. But considering what a heavy car it is it does make sense.
Personally I'm a bit skeptical of any claims over ~23ish highway, because that seems off.
The recent posts by a few people claiming mpg way above the EPA estimates is curious, to say the least.
I think you have set a new record high. I'll keep you posted with my 2007 2WD. Jimmy
Way to go Pacer2!
Good to see folks posting good mileage!
Kip
2007 EX-L 4WD 7800 miles on the odometer, synthetic oil and 36 psi for tire pressure.
Trip average was an even 22.0 with a high of 24.4 and low 19.5. Outside of those two tanks it was very consistent hovering around 22. We traveled with another vehicle (07 Odyssey EX-L)and they consistently got 26 with three people. Our lifetime average on the Pilot is 17.5
My best ever mpg was 24.5 on an all I-40 trip this spring. I usually expect 17-18 mpg city, 20-23 highway.
On highway runs, what load, what speeds, type of terrain, and are you using Cruise?
Thanks,
Kip
Highway runs are usually fully loaded - 4 people plus luggage. Terrain is typical southeastern US (NC, SC, GA, VA, TN) - mostly flat with rolling hills. I do use cruise as much as possible, typically 65-75 mph.
Thanks,
You got a pretty healthy load there.
Leaving here, from the Atlanta area to most anywhere, it seems the terrain is mostly rolling. Very little flat. Not unusual for the tranny to drop out of overdrive or at least unlock the Torque converter on some of the longer uphill "rolls".
With 4 souls and luggage at 65 mph = around 26 MPG. 70 mph = more in the 24 mpg range, 75mph = 22 or so, and 80 mph down to 18 +/-. Using CC on some flats and AC when needed but not excessive!
Speed and increased wind resistance really pull the mileage down on this guy. Hard to understand how 15 mph difference can = 8 MPG difference, but it does on this one.
Kip
tidester, host
SUVs and Smart Shopper
3rd tank = 19.861mpg. 88% highway, heavier foot this day, probably 75mph average with hills again and also wind. 3 adults, cooler, luggage. ECO was probably 50/50 on/off.
Back to mostly city driving this week and next. Will keep posted as I hope others do, also.
Is there a chart for wind drag?
When it becomes a serious factor, how it increases and so forth?
Thanks,
Kip
When you are running near 80 mph, does ECO operate on flat terrain? Or mostly on down hills? or what?
Thanks,
Kip
Probably. Wikipedia has a nice writeup on drag.
The basic idea is that wind resistance varies as the square of the speed (v2) and starts to become important at highway speeds for most vehicles.
tidester, host
SUVs and Smart Shopper
- 22 MPG, 90% highway, 65 mph, moderate rolling terrain, fully loaded, 100% AC
- 17.6 MPG, 100% city, 0-50 mph, flat terrain, half loaded, 100% AC
- 18.5 MPG, 100% highway, 80 mph, moderate terrain, fully loaded, 100% AC
- 20.5 MPG, 100% highway, 85 mph, flat terrain, fully loaded, 100% AC
The best highway MPG might be produced from 60-70 MPH. Increasing to 80-85 seems to drop fuel efficiency. My goal is to learn to drive this car to obtain its RATED MPG in city and highway.
Anyway, My last tank gave me 20 mpg with half the tank on a trip to the Sierras (7000' MSL) and the other 1/2 normal carpool commute.
Mileage seems to be getting better and I am ready for my first oil change.
Joe
This is our first car w/automatic climate control. Can anyone out there help w/this question: does it matter, MPG-wise, what you set the A/C thermostat at? E.G. the outside temp is 90 degrees and you want to be really cool so you set your climate control at 65 degrees. Does this setting cost you more fuel than if you didn't mind being a little warm and set the climate control at 75 degrees?
Guess my basic question is if the A/C compressor cycles on less of the time with higher climate control temp settings. Thanks in advance for any insight into this. feet2fire
Whether you have the control on 65 or 75 will make no difference.
When on "Automatic", the compressor runs all the time anyway. The upper left hand corner of the display will say "AC/ON" The temp is regulated by the computer adding more or less heat to the system.
To turn the compressor off the "AC" button can be pressed with a resulting "A/C OFF".
"AC OFF" mode is for days when the AC is really not needed for cooling or dehumidifying.
That is the way is works on our '03 Pilot.
Kip
Way back when I worked in a service shop, we recharged AC's until the "high-side" reached a specified pressure and also monitored the "low-side". We had to do this with the fan on high so that we could make sure the compressor was cycling at the correct low-side pressure. I remember the low side stayed more stable (higher pressure) with the fan on low and the compressor didn't run as often. But.....
I think that most new systems don't use a valve anymore and that the auto climate blends more or less air through the evaporator to maintain the desired temp. But setting the temp to a lower setting also automatically increases the fan speed and may make the compressor run more often.
So, my feelings on this is (here comes some of my wacky physics) since the system is designed to remove heat from the cabin, the faster that you try to do this, the more energy it will take and the more gas it requires!
How is that for bringing a wandering post back home to the thread?
Joe
- 22 MPG, 90% highway, 65 mph, moderate rolling terrain, fully loaded, 100% AC
- 17.6 MPG, 100% city, 0-50 mph, flat terrain, half loaded, 100% AC
- 18.5 MPG, 100% highway, 80 mph, moderate terrain, fully loaded, 100% AC
- 20.5 MPG, 100% highway, 85 mph, flat terrain, fully loaded, 100% AC
The best highway MPG might be produced from 60-70 MPH. Increasing to 80-85 seems to drop fuel efficiency. My goal is to learn to drive this car to obtain its RATED MPG in city and highway.
- 20.6 MPG, 90 % highway, 80 mph, 90% flat highway, then 10 % slowly up 2000' in elevation, fully loaded, 100% AC
In a hot car the fan will run faster and even the recirculate light will come on. Of course in cold weather there is no problem as all it has to do is add heat when necessary.
Then if the fan "speed" and "Mode" buttons are used in conjunction with the AC on/off feature, we can put the air where we want it, with or without cooling or heating it, and the fan at a constant speed.
I just think it to be a rather clever system! :shades:
Kip
I agree!
Jimmmmy,
The 80 mpg and fully loaded with ac on is going to keep you below the Highway EPA rating.
Kip
I imagine you were saying it is not safe to go 85 mph on the highway (your note said 45 mph).
I know 85 mph is above the speed limit. We were traveling west through Nebraska on I-80 where the speed limit is 75 mph. We would not drive much over the speed limit if other cars were present.
My wife had a heavy foot and took it up past 80 mph when the road was clear, dry and straight.
I'll keep my posts going after every tank I fill.
o.k. thanks now I get it! Thanks, Jimmmmmy
- 22 MPG, 90% highway @ 65 mph and moderate rolling terrain, fully loaded, 100% AC, dry conditions, MI, WI, MN
- 17.6 MPG, 100% city, 0-50 mph, flat terrain, half loaded, 100% AC, dry conditions, MN
- 18.5 MPG, 100% highway @ 80 mph, moderate terrain, fully loaded, 100% AC, dry conditions, MN, IA
- 20.5 MPG, 100% highway, 85 mph, flat terrain, fully loaded, 100% AC, dry conditions, NE
The best highway MPG might be produced from 60-70 MPH. Increasing to 80-85 seems to drop fuel efficiency. My goal is to learn to drive this car to obtain its RATED MPG in city and highway.
- 20.6 MPG, 90% flat highway @ 80 MPH then 10 % slowly up 2000' in elevation, fully loaded, 100% AC, dry conditions, CO
- 22.2 MPG, 90% flat highway @ 70 MPH and 10 % slowly down 2000' in elevation, fully loaded, 100% AC, dry conditions, CO
- 21.4 MPG, 100% flat highway @ 84 MPH, fully loaded, 100% AC, dry conditions, CO, NE
- 21.0 MPG, 100% highway medium terrain @ 82 MPH, fully loaded, 100% AC, dry conditions, NE, IA
- 22.2 MPG, 100 % highway medium terrain @ 78 MPH, fully loaded, 100% AC, dry conditions, IA, MN
I'll keep you posted. Jimmmmmy July 23, 2007
ECO light stays on 99 % of time with cruise set at 75, which is what I did this trip. Past trips in '91 Legend Coupe usually driven at 85, so this was also an experiment in how well I could deal with lots more people passing me !
I found on earlier short flat NC freeway "tests" that 80 in the Pilot causes the ECO light to constantly switch on / off - just takes all cylinders for that extra speed - and 85 was 6 cylinders only.
Driver plus light luggage only. Interestingly, my elapsed trip time was just as good as my 85 MPH trips in the Legend - I noticed that I could hold speed better and not have to back off for traffic nearly as much - there's a lesson in there somewhere.
Out side air temp mid 80's to high 90's - I expect that mileage would improve in the winter.
Did miss the terrific seat in the Legend !
Oh yeah, 'The Beast' is a 2006 EX 4WD.
Odie
Odie's Carspace
tidester, host
SUVs and Smart Shopper
Worst tank local driving = 16.1.
Average tank local driving = 17-19.
Highway worst with full load 100% AC, 90% cruise and 80+ mph = 18.4
Return trip next day, same load but with very little AC or CC @ 65 MPH = 28.7
Avg highway with 2 aboard at 65-70 mph, AC as needed and CC on flat ground only = 25-27 MPG.
Recent trip of 300+ miles with AC on 100% and cruise 90% with 2 souls at 68-70 MPH and rolling terrain = 23.7 MPG
Posts 502 and 503 have more detail!
Worse tanks and best tanks have some meaning, but not as much as several tanks averaged.
Kip
That's very close to my experience exactly and what the vast majority of owners of Pilots report. There is no doubt in my mind that this truck is certainly not capable of getting 28.7 mpg, and hearing that absurd claim repeated over and over and over does not make any more believable. No doubt isolated instances of what "appears" to be great mpg do occur due mainly to differences in how "full" the tank is at each fill up.
I have accepted the mpg you state as what my truck will turn in, and given the size and weight of this vehicle, it is okay.
Joe
I do believe that "absurd" remark is aimed directly at me.
Spend a little more time reading and a little less time with the personal attacks and just maybe you can learn something about averages and how you can get better mileage.
As I said, individual tanks don't have as much meaning to me as the averages of several tanks do. In an earlier post I stated that particular trip involved 2 fill ups other than the starting one. One when I got toward the destination and one when I got back.
I went over this one time, but for you, I'll do it again. Suppose, for a moment, that the first fill up received a gallon or so more due to the angle the Pilot was sitting compared to the way it was sitting in the get ready for trip fill up. Then when I got back and filled at the starting fuel pump it was more level again.
That near destination fill up of 318 miles and 17.3 gallons was with the front of the car sitting considerably lower than the front. If it were level it may have taken only 16.3 or less gallons. That would have reflected 19.5 MPG or more instead of the 18.4 mpg.
Then with 1 that gallon less in the tank leaving the destination, the 456 miles returning would have taken a gallon more to re fill. That would have dropped the 28.7 to 26.9. A 2 gallon difference would have meant 20.7 and 25.7!
Any way you choose to slice it, that trip with 318 miles at 80+ mph and the AC and Cruise on full and another 456 miles at 65 mph with very little use of the AC and Cruise averaged 774 miles driven and 33.2 gallons of fuel used. That is an average of 23.3 MPG for the trip.
Whether or not you or you vehicle have the ability to do that is really YOUR problem. To say someone else can't do it is indeed absurd!
I use those numbers to illustrate the differences in mileage that can be achieved with different driving styles and speeds and accessories used under the same load and road conditions.
Sorry if you don't comprehend that.
On a trip to Indiana from Georgia with 2 people and light luggage we averaged 26.8 MPG for the entire trip including running around town a good deal in Indiana. Average speed 65+, little AC or Cruise. Those 5 tanks figured 28.8, 26.2, 21.3, 30.3, and 27.6 mpg. Notice the correlation between the 21.3 and the 30.3?
The tank that got 21.3 mpg was filled with the right front of the car considerable lower than the left rear. It took more gas than if it had been sitting level. Consequently that extra full tank reflected better mileage on the next fill up.
Had I driven at 70-80 mph on those trips, with the AC and cruise on the whole time, I imagine the mileage would have been closer to the 21-22 mpg.
Kip
I have gotten 22 mpg on occasion, but typically get around 19 mpg in normal commute driving in my 2007 4WD (18mpg last tank and my wife drove around town with it for a day). I only have 5600 miles on it and my mileage is still improving.
But I do NOT expect to see 28mpg with my vehicle.
Joe
You realize, of course, those numbers for me are Tanks, not averages. Think we once figured my total average for the life of the vehicle is 19+ or so over all. Close to yours!
Something I have trouble understanding is how some of the guys with the newer, lower geared Pilots get better mileage than I do at the higher speeds.
Drive mine at 80 and it seems to develop a hole on the tank! :sick:
Kip
The only thing that I can think of is that the new ones, due to their lower gear ratio, stay in the top gear longer (or always) when going over small hills. Our 2004 Odyssey doesn't like to stay in top gear even for the smallest hills at around 70 mph.
Joe
Recon that '03 "Brick" moving through the air at 80 mph combined with the gravitational pull of the up hill kind of overwhelms the engine/gear combo.
That could be the reason that Honda lowered the final drive on the newer Pilots. :confuse:
Kip
- 22 MPG, 90% highway 65 mph and moderate rolling terrain, fully loaded, 100% AC, dry conditions, MI, WI, MN
- 17.6 MPG, 100% city, 0-50 mph, flat terrain, half loaded, 100% AC, dry conditions, MN
- 18.5 MPG, 100% highway 80 mph, moderate terrain, fully loaded, 100% AC, dry conditions, MN, IA
- 20.5 MPG, 100% highway, 85 mph, flat terrain, fully loaded, 100% AC, dry conditions, NE
The best highway MPG might be produced from 60-70 MPH. Increasing to 80-85 seems to drop fuel efficiency. My goal is to learn to drive this car to obtain its RATED MPG in city and highway.
- 20.6 MPG, 90% flat highway 80 MPH then 10 % slowly up 2000' in elevation, fully loaded, 100% AC, dry conditions, CO
- 22.2 MPG, 90% flat highway 70 MPH and 10 % slowly down 2000' in elevation, fully loaded, 100% AC, dry conditions, CO
- 21.4 MPG, 100% flat highway 84 MPH, fully loaded, 100% AC, dry conditions, CO, NE
- 21.0 MPG, 100% highway medium terrain 82 MPH, fully loaded, 100% AC, dry conditions, NE, IA
- 22.2 MPG, 100 % highway medium terrain 78 MPH, fully loaded, 100% AC, dry conditions, IA, MN
- 19.7 MPG, 100 % city driving with a LIGHT-LIGHT foot, half loaded, 100% AC, dry conditions, MN
I'll keep you posted. Jimmmmmy July 30, 2007
AC on at any hint of heat, around 45 miles highway, rest to and from work/store. Pushed her quite a few times just to see. Almost at 1000 miles soon, so break in should be almnost there I would think. Have weekend trip coming, will post afterwards.