Honda Fit Real World MPG

ohthelawd

Re: the compressor/fan speed:
It doesn't matter what fan speed is selected. When the compressor is on, it's on. Period. And it is affecting the efficiency of the engine, ergo the MPG. The speed of the fan is literally just electronically controlled, and has no bearing on the compressor whatsoever (except that when you go from "Off" to "1-4" with the A/C button pressed in, that prompts the compressor to start doing it's work).

Re: cars in Puerto Rico:
I don't mean to sound ignorant, but I had a thought in regards to your mileage and the comment you make about the quality of the vehicles delivered to PR. That very well could be an issue, but I was also wondering about possible issues with the quality of gas you're receiving. Is it possible that gas in PR may not be subject to some of the stringent refining requirements that it is here on the mainland? If you're getting a lesser quality gas (or one with an ethanol additive), that may be negatively affecting your mileage. Just a thought.

ohthelawd

Yeah, I get in to work about 8-ish. And when I go home, I have 10yr-old twins and a VERY energetic Boxer puppy that need to be entertained, so I'm going to be nasty one way or the other!

A/C is for special occassions...haha. :P

thegraduate

A/C is for special occassions...haha.

Well golly, you must be in the lap of luxury with things such as power steering and door locks!

I have 10yr-old twins and a VERY energetic Boxer puppy that need to be entertained, so I'm going to be nasty one way or the other!

I can't help but imagine which would require more energy to entertain!! Just don't try and contain the twins AND the puppy in the Fit. That might be an energy overload!

radiolandog

"At the half tank the car gave 150 miles. When the gas light turned on the mileage was 272 so I decided to make a stop at the gas station and purchased a 2 gallon tank, filled it up and stored in the cargo area. By then the mileage was 292 and I drove all morning on the highway where the traffic was light, still I caught some traffic but I found something important. When the gas light turns on you have 2 gallons left in your tank, my fit went from 272 to 353 miles before it ran out. So if your driving is city and city highways and your truly interested in getting the best mpg do what I did and you'll be amazed. "

I am amazed!
But, guess what?
Miles per tank does not equal miles per gallon.

How to compute MPG:
1. Fill up
2. Reset odometer
3. Next fill up - Divide miles on odometer by gallons used to compute MPG
4. Reset odometer
Repeat steps 3 & 4..

It doesn't matter at all how many miles you get per tank!

My 2008 Fit AT is now at 4207 miles.
My total MPG is 35.88.
Last 4 fill ups: 36.85 MPG.

The most important things you can do to improve MPG is to change your driving habits.
Accelerate slowly. Coast to red lights.
On the highway go slower and use cruise control.

b4wrn

A lot of cars have a regulator on the A/C which keeps the A/C radiator from getting too cold and freezing the water to where no air can get through it. This regulator turns the A/C compressor off when it gets too cold. When the fan is at a lower speed it takes longer for the A/C radiator to warm up to the set temperature the regulator turns the compressor back on. At a higher fan speed the larger volume of warm air warms up the A/C radiator quicker and therefore the compressor comes on sooner.

fitman548

as an AZ driver I have the ac on 3 for the whole summer practically, and I don't think it affects MPG more than 1-2 MPG. At the MOST.

marytrary5

First tank on an AT, dealer fill-up, 24MPG, A/C on full-blast most of the time, 100% city driving. Crossing my fingers it creeps up with break-in.

bobw3

Consumer Reports states that AC use reduces MPG by 1-2mpg at the most, so you're right on.

sandt22

what is 'AT'?

kipk

>"what is 'AT'? "

AT=Automatic Transmission.

MT=Manual Transmission.

Kip

fitman548

almost the whole tank spent on the highway, about 72 MPH, A/C on 2. Sometimes 75mph, sometimes 55.

38.4 MPG
June 2007 sport AT.

anahita61

Wow, that's great for an automatic, fitman548! I've slowed down to 60 and my mileage has increased noticeably. I don't think I'll ever go over 60 again, not with gas approaching insane high prices.

ahightower

"If you are the first in line at a stoplight, it is sometimes embarassing."

To heck with 'em! I'm in no hurry to accelerate, just to brake that much harder at the next red light. Let them tailgate and cuss. I don't drive unsafely, I do try to stay with the flow of traffic. I never speed, but I do stay in the right lane. Let them go around if they must. They'll soon forget about you and direct their road rage at the next person who is "in their way". Jerks.

ftlmatt

i am getting 30mpg in the city and 35-38 on the highway. when i first purchased the car, i was only getting 25mpg city though. i paid more attention to my driving habits and changed them...i also use the cruise control more often to stay at a steady RPM :shades:

smile100

My 2007 Fit was totaled last October. So I bought another 2008 Fit. However, this one didn't have great gas mileage until 6000 miles. Right now, she keeps average 40-42 mpg (50% city/ 50% highway), just like the previous one. The odd thing is the previous one got this far only needed 1500 miles to break in.

Anyway, I am happy now, finally!

ftlmatt

yeah the gas mileage is amazing! just imagine if it had a 13 gallon gas tank like my old 2003 Civic did! my Civic was totaled :sick: this past March when a guy racing lost control, started fish-tailing and slammed right into me head on doing 55mph...i got $10,500 for my 2003 Civic which had 50,000 miles on it!! used that for the down payment for the Fit..wish the 2009 Fit was out at the time.. it is a hot car? you got a chance to look at it?
http://automobiles.honda.com/2009-fit/
and check out the CR-Z...HOT!!!!

radiolandog

smile100 -
manual or automatic?

I'm guessing stick...

anahita61

I've slowed down to a max of 60 mph on the highway, and my commute to work is mostly highway (speed limit of 65 mph - and remember, kids, the speed limit was designed to be the maximum speed allowed!), and I just got my second tank at 40 mpg.

I've got about 10,600 miles on my '07 Fit Sport MT, purchased March '07. No, I don't drive much, only to work and home lately, with a trip to the grocery store or PetSmart in between. I can't afford to fill up often, and lately I'm only filling up every three weeks.

40 mpg makes me very happy. I recommend slowing down!

bobw3

Depending on the highways you drive, going 5mph below the speed limit can be dangerous. Did you ever drive at 65mph and calculate your MPG? If it's 38mpg vs 40mpg then the question is whether or not the 2mpg difference is worth it.

If you drive 10,000 miles getting 40mpg at $4/gal you'll spend $1000 and at 38mpg you'll spend $1052, or an extra $1/week. So is driving 5mph less than the speed limit worth $1/week? That's up to you, but where I drive it wouldn't be worth the $1/week having semi passing me on a regular basis and other drivers cutting me off on their way to exit ramps. But that speed is comfortable to you then that's great and you might want to drop the speed to 55mph and save even more gas.

upstatedoc

Someone over on the "crash test results" forum is interested in how the Fit stands up in a crash.....

backy

IMO it's realy more a question of driving the speed limit vs. way over, e.g. driving 75-80 in a 60-65 zone, and not only driving faster but more aggressively, using the brake more, little or no coasting to stops, etc. That kind of driving will exact much more than a 5% FE penalty, more like 20-25% in my experience (yes, I've actually run tests in both modes on the same course to see the difference).

bobw3

I agree. I generally drive on or slightly above the speed limit on all roads. I use the cruise control as often as possible and while I don't stomp on the gas after a red light or stop sign, I don't crawl forward either. I've been doing that for the 1 1/2 years of ownin my Fit Auto Sport and after 22,000 miles, my mixed driving is in the low to mid 30s MPG and my highway driving is in the upper 30s MPG, and I can get 40mpg on long pure highway drives by keeping to the speed limit.

I'm satisfied with this MPG and for me, the methods for squeezing another 1-2MPG out of the car aren't worth the couple of bucks each week I might save each week. I'd rather be a more considerate driver to those around me, I'd rather feel safer, and I'd rather feel less frustrated myselft and have a little more fun driving.

kipk

Good Post!

milanored2008

2008 Honda Fit 5-speed manual. My driving is about 60% highway (65 mph limit) and 40% city (mostly 25-40 mph limit). First tank was 43.4 mpg, second one was 43.3, and that included sitting in a traffic jam for an hour and a half to go 12 miles. Weather has been cool- no A/C.

anahita61

Depending on the highways you drive, going 5mph below the speed limit can be dangerous.

Well, bobw3, I stay in the right lane, and there are five lanes, so it's not like I'm being unreasonable. I know the minimum speed is 45 mph, and the max is 65 mph, and if the average person wants to do 80 mph, that's fine with me. Is it worth it to me? Yes.

Re: calculating my mileage at different speeds, I have logged every gasoline purchase since I bought my car in March of '07, at fueleconomy.gov, and this is the best mileage I've gotten, slowing down to 60 mph max.

As far as people passing me, and "cutting me off"? One has to leave the ego behind. It's not a race after all. I'm out to get the best mileage per tank, because I cannot afford to spend a lot of money on gas, yet I have to drive to get to my job. I researched taking buses, but it would take about two hours more per day, and cost a few cents more actually. I'm doing well with my new routine, and I have a sticker on the back of my car that lets people know I'm driving slowly to conserve. I got it at greenslowmovingvehicle.com.

anahita61

I'm satisfied with this MPG and for me, the methods for squeezing another 1-2MPG out of the car aren't worth the couple of bucks each week I might save each week. I'd rather be a more considerate driver to those around me, I'd rather feel safer, and I'd rather feel less frustrated myselft and have a little more fun driving.

bobw3, I hear what you're saying. And if I had a job that paid me more money, it wouldn't matter so much. For me, buying my Fit was a necessity, as my previous car was 23 years old and I didn't want to keep pouring money into it to keep it running, but taking on a car payment is not easy for me. Some people can more easily afford to fill up, and fill up more often, and to them, sure, drive 70 to 80, and have "fun" as you say (to me, having fun driving my Fit is when I calculate my mileage and find I got 40 mpg!) driving fast. If you can afford it, go for it.

As far as being "considerate"? I think staying in the far right lane when there are four to five other lanes to choose from is quite considerate. "Slower traffic keep right" - remember those signs? If I'm on a two-lane road, it's a whole different story. I won't hold anyone up by driving below the limit when there is no way to pass me. What I won't do is drive ten to twenty miles per hour over when some jerk is tailgating me. Tailgating someone driving slightly below the limit, when there are four to five other lanes to choose from? That's just moronic.

Atlanta traffic is horrible, but I'm managing to drive conservatively so I can afford to pay my bills.

smile100

radiolandog, my Fit is automatic.

radiolandog

40-42 mpg (50% city/ 50% highway) ?

I was guessing with those numbers it had to be a stick - which seems to get much better MPG in the city than an automatic.

wow - what's the trick? I'm at between 35 - 38 every tankful - not that I'm complaining - and that's with more like 75% freeway.

smile100

All the tips to save gas work. http://illinoisgasprices.com/tips.aspx has all the tips. The tip #1 and #2 are especially useful. If you drive at 60 mph on highway, you can have your Fit 45-47 mpg.

By the way, I don't do hypermiling, Following a big truck closely is dangerous.

bobw3

I'm managing to drive conservatively so I can afford to pay my bills

That's great, and I'm doing the same thing, and if you have 5 lanes of highway then you're right, you can probaly stay safely in the right lane. However, if driving 65mph vs 60mph is only going to save someone $2/week at the most, then I'd rather drive in the middle lane doing 65mph.

Possibly one of the reasons you're only getting 40mpg driving 60mph is that you're in the right lane and probably having to adjust your speed due to traffic leaving and entering the highway. But if can drive a consistent 65mph in a middle lane, you'll probably get better MPG then driving an inconsistent 60mph in the right lane because you don't have to slow and and speed up. I'm not talking about driving 70-80mph in a 65mph zone...I don't do that either. But the main thing for good MPG, safety and courtesy is to drive at a consistent speed based on the conditions around you.

BTW, lets be realistic, if a person's bills are such that a dollar or two a week is that significant, then they probably shouldn't even be buying a new car. Better to buy a 2-3 year old vehicle and save the thousands in depreciation. Or buy one less cup of coffee each week!

Personally I bought the Fit because of the price and because the long-term gas usage and maintenance are low. Based on the roads I drive on, keeping it right at the speed limit or slightly over will allow me to drive using cruise control a lot and prevent the need for any shifting due to slowing down and speeding up on the highway. Like I said, I can get 40mpg doing 65mph on the highway, and that's good enough for me.

highmiler650

Well, $ 2 less per week in gas, a few $$ here and there on groceries, Starbucks, etc, etc. and we are talking big dollars, especially if you multiply this by millions of people.

So many people must have a reliable and miserly car, just because there is no public transportation they can take and to keep the job the car is a must.

May be one of the few pleasures remaining is owning a brand new car and keeping it for a very long time.

aaykay

I have filled up 2 times now, not including the 1 gallon or so I filled up, when I came away from the dealer. Since I wanted a good baseline to start with (dealer fillups could be unreliable for calculating mileage), I filled up the tank till the first click at the pump (followed by re-setting the trip-meters), when I came away from the dealer, and it filled up to roughly one gallon.

After that, the following were the mileages I obtained:

1st tank
-------------
Miles Driven (since last fillup): 139.8
Gallons filled till first click at pump (well before the tank emptied): 4.169
Mileage: 33.533 mpg

2nd Tank
-------------
Miles Driven (since last fillup): 291.4
Gallons filled till first click at pump (well before the tank emptied): 7.849
Mileage: 37.126 mpg

I have been driving in mixed driving conditions with pretty heavy stop-and-go traffic (40%) and the rest on highways (60mph to 75+mph). I have been shifting at around 3000-4000rpm. Got to say that at 75-80mph, the cross-winds are VERY noticeable in this car, unlike my 2007 Subaru WRX wagon, which would not even feel it (probably the skinny tires of the base fit is not helping much either).

At around $4/gallon, I did not see much of a difference between regular and premium (18 cents difference) and hence have been filling up on Shell Premium, during and after my 2nd fillup. Don't know if that had an impact on the bump in mileage the 2nd time around (from 33.533mpg to 37.126mpg), especially since the engine is a fairly high compression engine (10.4:1), and thus MIGHT benefit from premium.

bobw3

Well, $ 2 less per week in gas, a few $$ here and there on groceries, Starbucks, etc, etc. and we are talking big dollars, especially if you multiply this by millions of people.

Exactly...some people would rather keep the coffee and drive slower, but I'd rather give up the once every two week Starbucks and just drive a little more relaxed. There are lots of ways to save a couple of dollars/week and for me, driving 60mph vs 65mph isn't the top way on my list, based on the driving environment I live in, but for others it may be worth it. I'm just trying to put it into perspective.

On the other hand, there is a pretty significant difference to driving 75mph because there will be a lot more slowing down and speeding up as you're passing other vehicles, as well as the overall MPG decrease at 75mph. In my area, keeping about the 65mph speed limit seems like the ideal speed in 65mph zones.

anahita61

Possibly one of the reasons you're only getting 40mpg driving 60mph is that you're in the right lane and probably having to adjust your speed due to traffic leaving and entering the highway. But if can drive a consistent 65mph in a middle lane, you'll probably get better MPG then driving an inconsistent 60mph in the right lane because you don't have to slow and and speed up.

"Only 40 mpg"? I don't slow down and speed up, in fact I do not brake on the highway, unless I am forced due to someone cutting me off. I usually use my cruise control, even in traffic. 40 mpg is fantastic, to me, for me.

...if a person's bills are such that a dollar or two a week is that significant, then they probably shouldn't even be buying a new car.

We no doubt need to agree to disagree here. I look at it like this, the more miles per gallon, the less gas I have to purchase, and if I can currently go three weeks between fillups, that's maybe $76/month on gas, versus over a hundred. To me, it's not about $2 here and there. We all have to do what's right for us. I needed a car, I bought what seems to be the best in its class, and I am thrilled with the mileage I'm getting. I'm driving conservatively, but at my age, and after starting out with a Firebird 350 and working my way down to a 4 cyl subcompact? I'm doing really well for myself.

I'm also not out to convince you to do what I do, but merely to share with others what has worked for me to get the best mileage yet from my Fit, which is why I think this forum exists.

Peace.

anahita61

May be one of the few pleasures remaining is owning a brand new car and keeping it for a very long time.

I am so with you on this one! My last car was a 1984 Toyota Tercel that I bought new and kept for 22 years. I intend to keep my Honda Fit for at least as long.

And when you don't have a lot of money, saving a little bit here and there does add up, indeed. Plus, while I'm not a hypermiler, I do get a huge kick out of beating the EPA estimate each tank full.

nascartrash

my fit sport auto has 27,000 miles

my avg real world mpg is 30 to 35 mpg with san francisco bay area traffic.
still a blast to drive,just this weekend I moved a 32" tube tv just put it in the back hatch without folding down the seats!still had room for two goats in the center.
I am happy. what should I do about the smell?

kipk

>"I'm also not out to convince you to do what I do, but merely to share with others what has worked for me to get the best mileage yet from my Fit, which is why I think this forum exists."

Well said !

upstatedoc

nascartrash wrote:

"I moved a 32" tube tv just put it in the back hatch without folding down the seats!still had room for two goats in the center."

:P :confuse: :confuse:

thurst1963

Well I got the whole Illinois football team inside my 2008 sport fit but one bad thing I did have to lay the back seats down :P

thurst1963

I forgot about the BULL ELEPHANT LOL LOL

ohthelawd

Pretty much! When I bought my '03 Outlander, it was the first car I'd had with power locks and windows in 10 years. The last one with power? A 1983 Toyota Celica GTS. I loved that car, though!

bobw3

I don't slow down and speed up, in fact I do not brake on the highway, unless I am forced due to someone cutting me off
Exactly my point...that's why I said you might be "only" getting 40mpg by driving too slow for conditions. I can get 40mpg doing a constant 65mph, so that's why I said "only 40mpg" if you doing 60mph because I'd think you might do equally as well by doing 65mph because you might have less folks cutting you off getting on/off the highway while you're driving 5mph below the speed limit.

"he more miles per gallon, the less gas I have to purchase, and if I can currently go three weeks between fillups, that's maybe $76/month on gas, versus over a hundred. "

Also, even if you are getting a couple more MPGs by driving 60 vs 65mph, that will equal going 400miles on 10gal vs 380miles on 10gal, so you can get 20 more miles to the tank, which equals 1/2gal or about $2 in savings. So that was my point...for every tank of gas, you're saving $2 by driving 5mph below the speed limit. I'm just trying to put it into perspective for folks.

You're right in that it's good to give advice on improving MPG, but we all want to put a realistic image of the actual dollars gained.

jaggrin

1st tank 27.94 mpg
2nd tank 32.03
3rd tank 38.97
4th tank 36.50

aaykay

MT or AT ? Base or Sport ?

nascartrash

my sons drum set no problem.
mpg last tank 32 sport/AT 27k odo.

protrack

2008 Sport auto.
Broke in car with trip from Daytona to Atlanta. Highway was 44 mpg. with cruise set to 65.
:shades: Daytona Bob

jaggrin

AT sport.

artman60

Hi, First post here, just picked up new Fit on Sat 6/14/08. First fill up it took 8 gallons and worked out to almost exactly 38 mpg, am almost halfway thru second tank and if gas gauge is accurate am looking at about same. I would say my driving is about 75% highway and 25% city. Love the car, a base model automatic. Artie

fit49104

I've kept careful record of all gas put into my 2008 Base Model 5sd Manual Fit since we bought it on April 18, including the dealer fill which I estimated generously at 10.8 gallons, since that is the size of the tank.

The car has been driven by two drivers, with different driving styles. Approximately 1700 miles have been on the highway, without cruise control, at a wide variety of highway speeds. The rest has been around town on short trips and a twelve mile round-trip daily commute. At 4339 miles, with the fuel needle on E, and several miles into the warning fuel light (so the tank was essentially empty), we have used 118 gallons of gas, for a comprehensive of 36.6 mpg.

We're pleased.

racerski

I have the base Fit 5 speed one year old with a manual transmission and live in NYC. I drive 125 miles to my summer house in PA on weekends and just took a trip to the 1,000 Islands (720 miles round trip) doing 70 and 80 MPH consistently. Every time I checked the MPG it was always 39 with the air conditioning on and tire pressure at 32 PSI.

My buddy drives the automatic sport and says he set the cruse at 57 MPH and got 42 MPG.