Acura TSX Real World MPG Numbers

nj2pa2nc

went from north carolina to west virginia and back. Mostly highway driving (virginia and west virginia mountains) average speed was 75 mph and we averaged 34.5 mpg. the lowest mpg was 31.7 and the highest was 35.8. total mileage on our 06 (bought new 11/17/06) is 16,886. it is a 6 speed which we do not over-rev.

kris2

I have my first fill up. 13.84 Gallons and the initial tank from the dealer gave me 349 Miles. The on board computer showed a 24MPG for around 65 town and 35 highway driving.

thomcin

Town 23 Highway 34 Combined Actual Mileage 28
with about 75% highway miles

biker4

The revised 08 calculations gives:

19/28 MT
20/28 AT

drewba

It's odd that the manual gets worse mileage in the city than the auto. Usually it's the other way around.

Beating these numbers, especially the highway one, should be quite feasible.

thomcin

Town 23 Highway 34 Average w/ 80% highway miles
27.5 MPG

thomcin

Town 24 Highway 35 Combined mileage for 2500
29 MPG with 85% Highway miles

biker4

I think both of the new numbers are beatable by most folks driving sensibly. It will be interesting to see these numbers compared to the 08 Accord.

jartist

I have read the specifications of the TSX on the Acura website and they suggest using premium unleaded; however, in the fine print it states that regular unleaded can be used with reduced performance. My question is if you use regular unleaded will the loose horsepower? What about MPG?

nj2pa2nc

most other poster will tell you that you should use premium gas as the manual recommends. It will loose horsepower with regular gas. My 06 tsx that I bought new 11/17/06 has almost 18,000 miles on it. I do use regular gas with excellant results-great horsepower and good gas mileage. I average 32-33MPG. One time I did get 41.6MPG but that was only one time. there has been alot of debate on this.

biker4

It's been mentioned many times - the cost savings from using regular is lost in an almost equal amount in lower mileage (assuming the typical 20 cent diff between premium and regular).

nj2pa2nc

from reading what other's are getting I seem to get as good and even better mpg using regular gas-so i will continue.

biker4

You can't go by what others are getting - they don't drive like you and don't have your exact car. You'd have to try it in an apples-to-apples comparison. Again, when that was tried the mileage using regular was lower than using premium to the tune of the cost savings at the pump.

See the chart below done on an 04 TSX. Look at test 1 and 3. There could be a slight change for MY06 and later because of the different engine.



If you want to see the whole write up go here: http://tsx.acurazine.com/forums/showthread.php?t=23721

BTW, this also shows why the speed limits laws of the 70s are still applicable today - the best mileage is at the old double nickel limit.

And of course this is only a cost comparison - never mind the fact that the manufacturer recommends premium and that you make more power with premium.

nj2pa2nc

if I am not supposed to be comparing to what other's are getting then why are you? (no offense) I have an 06 tsx with 6 spd which I do not try to redline. I also gave up on my racing days. In my younger years (where did they go) I did get stopped for speeding many times (never got a speeding ticket-only warnings (knock on wood) as I have stated I get more than enough power. As you know most highway speed limits are higher than 55. As the Van Halen song goes I can't drive 55. I noticed you post what other people are getting-how many mpg do you get

biker4

It has nothing to do with what I get - that's not the point here. The point is that with the MY04 TSX using the recommended premium will get you better mileage than using regular thereby eliminating most if not all of the perceived gains by the lower cost of regular.

thomcin

Highway mileage 34 Town Mileage 24
Combined mileage 31
Best Tank full 35 Worst Tank 28

nj2pa2nc

since I do not know what your mpg is I can not know whether it is better than what I am getting using regular gas.

biker4

Obviously you don't get it - so there's no point in discussing this further. :lemon:

strawbs1

I did a statistical test of the three MPGs from the 91 octane vs. the 38.1 MPG of the 87 octane and there was statistically no significant difference. To be sure, you probably need additional tests.

biker4

I don't quite understand this statement but I agree that more testing is needed. My statement was based on the best test I've seen to date - the one I quoted.

fedlawman

It was a good effort, but I saw a few issues with that test you linked. Here are a couple off the top of my head:

Test 1 and Test 3 were both done at 55 MPH, but one had cooler temps and a headwind, and the other had warmer temps and a tailwind.

Test 1 and Test 2 appear to be from the same stretch of road (on the same day even), but Test 2 was done at a slower road speed.

I agree with your thinking though. The only way to compare 87 octane and 91 octane economy is to do it with the same car, on the same road, under the same environmental conditions.

It's meaningless to try and compare a TSX in NJ that gets 41 MPG on 87 octane and a TSX in San Francisco that gets 22 MPG on 91 octane.

astropup

Not surprising with an n of 3. Yep, you'll need more trials for a good statistical test. But, I respect the geekitude.

blueeyedmurder

For shame. "I can't drive 55" is NOT a Van Halen song, it's a solo by that sham of a lead singer they hired after David Lee Roth left the band. NEVER confuse solo Sammy Hagar with Van Halen. Further, with him at the helm, the band was "Van Hagar" and only a shell of its former incarnation.

mrgold35

If you drive the TSX well below its performance envelope (around town, cruise control on level highway, light loads in the car, etc) all you need is regular fuel. You will not see much of a difference in mpgs.

If you drive your car closer to its performance envelope (sprints to redline, very spirited driving on mountain switchbacks, full load in the car, etc), then you need 89 or 91 octane to squeeze the max performance from the k24 engine.

I do most of my traveling in New Mexico, Arizona, and Colorado at altitudes from 1100 feet to +11,000 feet. I-70 westbound mountain pass around Clear Creek, west of Denver, is at 11,013 feet. Put 87 octane in your TSX and hit that stretch of road. Run your mileage test in this environment and then you will see a “statistically significant” change in your mpgs/power/performance.

Choose the fuel that best fits for your driving environment/habits.

nj2pa2nc

thanks-that is what I have been trying to say-regular gas works for me but maybe not for others-

nj2pa2nc

the real van-halen is getting ready to do a tour. david lee roth will be with them. yes he is alot better.

blueeyedmurder

Yup. Toronto October 7th - Cleveland October 10th. I'll be there.

kts62

This MAtches my very slight experience as I only picked up my TSX a couple days ago...

Mine is an 2008 and just one tank of gas. I'm getting 34 peak highway and 31 +/- on commute (mix Hwy, Local)

Incidentally, the 2008 brochure says 91 Octane REQUIRED and the manual simply says specifies "91 Octane" without any recommended or required language... I followed up with both GM and Service Mgr at the selling dealer and then hadn't noticed the change as yet and admitted it was change to te documentaiton. Then at delivery, I found out that they filled it with 87 octane ! Go Figure !!!

thomcin

Total Highway MPG for 5,500 miles 34.3 MPG
Total City MPG for 1500 miles 24 MPG
Combined Total MPG for 7,000 miles 30.5 MPG

sm1

Hi,
I bought my new 2007 TSX 2 months back and am getting only 18 MPG for about 1500 miles of mainly city driving (75% city/25% highway). I use 89 Octane fuel.

It is summer in DC and so the AC is working overtime but, this appears really low. Anyone else with the same experience? Should I call the dealer?

Thanks,

mrgold35

In heavy city stop and go traffic, 17-20 mpg sounds about normal for the TSX. You would get pretty much the same mpgs with 87 or +91 octane fuel.

The TSX really hates city driving. Stop/go traffic in an I-4 pulling +3500 lbs from a dead stop every 300-600 feet(car's mass, gasoline weight, passenger(s), junk in the trunk, A/C, etc). Maybe a longer route with less lights might be better compared to a shorter route with more lights?

Take a drive on the hwy with the cruise set between 70-75 mph, you will see around 30-34 mpgs on average.

kts62

I'm not sure I'd get my car checked, but I think better MPG is available to you. Mrgold35's reply sounds right on target. The TSX has good driving feel in part because its solid - which inevitably leads to at least a bit heavier. Accelerating from a stop takes much more gas than cruising at constant speed.

I use my TSX for commuter driving which here in greater Boston means congested Highway miles with Urban Stop-n-Go at both ends (80 Hwy/20 City). I am averaging 31.3 - 32.5 for my first few tanks and I can't tell the difference between the 87 Octane the dealer filled it with and the Shell V-Power 93 I have now filled it with 3 Times.

thomcin

Total combined mileage to date (4 months) 8,000 miles
30.0 mpg

Total mpg highway 32 Total mpg city 26

Have used all three grades of gas with premium getting the best mileage by about 5%. What little you save getting another grade of gas (87 or 89) tends to be eaten up in less mpg using the lower grades.

mrgold35

I took a weekend trip during Labor Day from Albuquerque to Bison Ranch in Northern Arizona. On the way back from Arizona, I average 42.5 mpg at 60 mph for 40 miles until I reached the interstate. I watched my mpgs decline on the interstate for 240 miles to an average of 35.3 mpg with the cruise set to 80 mph (used 91 octane, elevation between 5000-7700 feet, outside temp between 75-90 degrees, no wind, 3 passengers and lots of junk in the trunk, recent oil change of Mobil 1 5w-30 and cleaned my K/N filter before trip).

thomcin

Best Tank MPG 37.5 for 470 mile interstate trip in Sept.
Worst Tank MPG 20.0 for 240 miles of city driving
Total MPG for 12,000 miles is 30.3 with 90% highway 10% Town

thomcin

Best Tank MPG 38.0 for 530 interstate trip
Worst Tank MPG 20.0 for 240 miles of city driving
Total MPG for 15,000 is 31.0 with 93% Highway 7% City
Has anyone beat this for 15,000 miles?

nj2pa2nc

average 32-33 mpg best was 41.6 worst was 27.6. mostly highway driving- speed limit is 70. 06 6 speed with nav. bought new 11.17.06

obladida1

First off: You guys are my heros! I WISH I could get that kinda mileage out of my '07 auto/nav. I live in the L.A. Valley and I commute to the beach, so I have a big twisty hill to get over twice a day. My average for almost 4K miles is 26.9.

When I am going downhill, I sometimes drop the tranny to neutral and coast much of the way. Is it bad for the automatic transmission to be popped in/out of neutral and/or left in neutral for extended periods?

nj2pa2nc

l live near the coast of nc-extremely flat here-i think our biggest hill is a speed bump. i really can not answer your question-sorry- i have MT.

samiam_68

When I am going downhill, I sometimes drop the tranny to neutral and coast much of the way. Is it bad for the automatic transmission to be popped in/out of neutral and/or left in neutral for extended periods?

Why in the world would you want to shift to neutral and coast? :confuse:

gt_fan

I'm not sure I'd be willing to risk damaging an automatic tranny by coasting in neutral like that, but I do it all the time with the 5MT in my '02 Elantra. It's one of the fuel saving techniques I've used to average 33.2mpg over the last 99,000 miles versus the car's 21/30 revised EPA numbers. If you've got a long downhill stretch where you don't need to use engine braking to retard your speed, you can save a lot of gas. Before they put in a couple of traffic lights, I used to coast over six miles on my daily commute from the top of the Palmer Divide clear down past the infamous Ted Haggard's New Life Church (Ted being infamous - not necessarily the church) on highway 83 here in Colorado. Traffic was always very light at 5am and I never went more than 10mph over or under the limit.

You might want to check your local laws, though. I don't know about California, but it's technically illegal to coast in neutral here.

Thanks to all for the great info on TSX mileage. I've about settled on one as my next ride. I get the feeling that it'll be a lot harder restraining my right foot in an Acura than a Hyundai, though!

nj2pa2nc

i wish that were true but my husband tends to speed more in our 05 hyundai elantra GT 5 speed than he does in our 06 acura tsx 6 speed. we also get good gas mileage in our elantra-average 33.5 mpg. it has just over 60,000 miles-

civic2k

I picked my new 08 6spd TSX up about a month it ago. It was my third car (till my Civic was stolen last weekend) so I only filled it up twice. The first tank was about 27mpg, and most of the miles were highway (bought the car in VA, drove it back to NJ). My second tank was 22mpg, and according to the MID this one's not going to be much better...

I don't get it. I don't floor it, and always shift at around 3k rpm's..75% of my driving is highway, 25% city.

samiam_68

Give it a few more tankfuls to even out fill variations. However, don't expect stellar MPG in NJ or anywhere else in the Northeast - ethanol blended gas used in these areas will drop your MPG by 5-15%.

biker4

Any numbers on the new model?

fjpthree

Had mine for 1 month. Best mileage (highway) was 34. Mixed driving has been around 30. Using mid-grade without any issues...

haidongh

My new 2009 TSX automatic trans, mixed drive highway and local is about 27, it should be better because my wife do not have a light foot. we live in Dallas, it is flat, so there is no up hill or down hill. But there is some traffic jam, so I think this number is pretty good.

troylikesbikes

Just filled up my lightly used TSX for the first time, 24 mpg here in Denver. Using midgrade.

kjnorman

I have an 08 TSX that has now done about 4600 miles. With every gas receipt I have been recording mileage and gas used. I have noticed two things with the car:

1) The trip miles - reset at each fill - does not total the total mileage accumulated. It is typically 1 to 2 miles lower on each fill than the total mileage being accumulated on the car. Initially I thought this was just me not resetting the mileage in time, but since I have been aware of it, I have deduced that it is the trip computer than can not add up, and not me.

2) The average mileage per gallon that is calculated on the trip computer is over calculated. Typically it reads 2 to 3 MPG over and above what I am calculating. Now I understand that by filling on different pumps that the gas used may be sightly under or over read, but it usually balances out over a few fills. But I am not seeing this. Take for instance, my last few fills. Last one was recorded at 29.9MPG by the car, 27.7MPG by me. The one previous to that was 29.8MPG by the car, 27.5 by me, and the one prior to that was about 27-28MPG by the car and 25.9 by me. I don't remember this last one exactly but it was significantly off and was the point that sparked my interest in the accuracy of the trip computer. It seems to be consistently off.

I am now adjusting my spreadsheet that I use to calculate my gas mileage to track the trip computer totals as well, just to see how bad the trip computer is.

Has anyone else been seeing this?

rickpoole

I found this to be true in my 07 TL. Most of the time the trip computer reads 8-10% too high. This past weekend I had an 09 TSX while my TL was in the shop and used 1/2 a tank and compared the real mileage to the indicated mileage and it too read about 10% too high. No one at any dealer or at Acura has been able to explain why their trip computers all seem to display number that are consistently 5-10% too high.