Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!

Honda Civic Real World MPG

1262729313242

Comments

  • tryin2svtryin2sv Member Posts: 1
    I am new to the forum - just joined so I could discuss mpg. I have an 08 Civic EX 5 speed manual, about one month old, with about 1200 miles on it now. The car gets about 27 - 28 mpg city (commuting on thoroughfare streets, rush hour driving). Do other Civic owners see improvement after the break in period? When does the break in period end? I have been taking it easy - no sudden revs or stops (except when cut off by someone who then slams on brakes ahead!), and I have tried to vary speeds for shifting and rpms. I live in the Chicago area, and I realize that cold temperatures and winter gas additives affect mileage. This is my first new car in over ten years - drove a Toyota Tercel 5 spd manual almost 201k and averaged 37-40 mpg city or highway (even when cold engine left oil burning contrails down street, which is only reason I got rid of it), so lower mpg now is a surprise. (Yes, I read the EPA ratings on the window sticker). The Civic is heavier than a Tercel, and I am glad I chose a Civic over Corolla, but I really miss the high mpg. Any suggestions? I thought technology in the last ten years would have improved the mpg a little more, even with a heavier car.
  • blufz1blufz1 Member Posts: 2,045
    That seems normal to me. Your engine is also much larger,isn't it? I save by combining errands and shopping on required driving routes. Try to just drive less miles per year,you save everything that way.
  • mjstenmjsten Member Posts: 17
    I am relieved to hear that I am not the only one...
    I now have around 6500 miles on my 08 Civic Automatic..
    Averaging between 29 & 31 MPG. 80% Hiway...
    I was told by my sales and service guys (after I purchased of course) that teh mileage is what I should expect....
    Sorry to say, I traded from an Accord to the Civic for the mileage and made a huge mistake. My 02 Accord was getting between 27 and 30 with much more room.
  • caazcaaz Member Posts: 209
    Not to worry, after it is broken in it def will get better mileage. You should have considered the regular civic, lx model, gets much better mpg. However, it will improve.
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    Are you suggesting that a Civic LX gets measurably better mileage than a Civic EX? How do you figure and for what reason?

    Best Regards,
    Shipo
  • caazcaaz Member Posts: 209
    I dont know in 2008 if it is still the same shipo....but in the past...the civic ex has ALWAYS had a larger, more horsepower engine in it...i have 15 yrs of books (buyers guides), that show a slightly higher horsepower each time its an ex....thats usually always been the difference... the higher horsepower and the sunroof...

    p.s. my sister has an 05 civic, as long as she stays at 70mph or under on a trip, she always gets 40 MPG, as soon as she crosses over 70, it drops, and she averages 34 mpg overall..
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    I'm thinking that you need to update your library. Starting with the 2006 model year, the Civic DX, LX, and EX are all endowed with the exact same engine and horsepower.
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    Yes I think the value of a site like this you can post whatever situation and get multiple viewpoints.

    So for example, I am swagging that you probably owned the 02 Accord. If that is/was so, the biggest stumbling block would/would have be/been the monthly payments.

    On the fuel mileage issue alone, you can buy a whole lot of commute fuel at that monthly rate (300/400 per mo@ 3.25 per gal) At that point, you'd have to doing almost exponentially more miles or the next vehicle you are considering gets a min of 2-3x better fuel mileage- ideally 3-4 x. I think you would agree, those are very high obstacles. (metrics)

    In the case you describe, keeping the 02 Accord 5,10, dare I say 15 years, (past a normal 5 year payment cycle) would have saved you up to $24,000, $48,000, $72,000 dollars, respectively.

    The good news going forward, you have a (close to in your case/ will already be driving and own a) 35 mpg vehicle. The other is you see now the wisdom and utility of having far less money in vehicles.

    Since your Honda Civic probably has the chain driven timing belt, if you see the utility of keeping it longer, then the only thing I would do is to have the chain inspected at 225-250,000 miles, and have it replaced, if so warranted. I have not studied the technical data to see if the design is a NON interference type design: as surely MY 2004 Civic is an interference design; aka, almost certain CATASTROPHY if the timing belt snaps.
  • ras314ras314 Member Posts: 43
    For what it's worth I don't see better milage with 9000 miles on the '07 Civic LX manual sedan. I switched to Mobil 1 around 6200 and show 70% oil life left.

    I have been trying to find some repeatable driving conditions and have a few hwy speed/mileage results with no wind, mostly level with little elevation difference, 35 psi in the tires.

    55 mph 51-53 mpg, 65 mph 45-48 mph, 70 mph 38-40 mph. These were on cruise control and are averages over several runs, using the ScanGuage II. This gadget has been reading very close to tank mileages calculated from tank fills so I have some confidence in it's readings. Btw, no wind isn't easy to find nor tell unless you stop and step out of the car. Also small slopes can be difficult to see but will sure show up in mileage readings.

    I have no idea how to compare city mileage results. My overall mileage is over 40 but is probably something like 95% hwy 5% city. I have yet to burn a whole tank in a city but have seen mileage averages under 30 mpg on the ScanGauge.
  • ras314ras314 Member Posts: 43
    Sorry, my post isn't very clear, even to me. :blush:
    Should have said mileage hasn't seemed to increase after 9000 miles.
    Also most of my mileage has been at 5000 to 6000 ft elevation.
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    You might not see what your data is really telling you, but your conclusion is almost predictable given the fact you/your driving style/environmental conditions are very very easy on the vehicle. This is reflected in very highly standard deviated fuel mpg. Your oil at the mileage indicated has a LOT of active life left. So in that sense you are walking the walk, but talking like you are not very sure. In addition it is remarkable as you get those figures at altitude!!! Altitude as most folks know saps both power and mpg in a normally aspirated engine like our gasser Civic's.

    ..."I switched to Mobil 1 around 6200 and show 70% oil life left."...

    This is HUGE as the OLM is calibrated for the CONVENTIONAL 5w20 Honda specified oil with a TBN of 7 with no provision for calibration for synthetic oil Mobil One 0w20,5w20) or operatively, a TBN of 12.

    So (given your quote) your consumption rate is 6200/2.1= 2,952 miles per TBN. If you were to keep the oil to ZERO TBN (or some safety factor usually), The lightness on the vehicle indicates a OCI of 20,000 miles!!!!!! This is with, I repeat CONVENTIONAL OIL! So the same math with a 12 TBN comes out to 35,424 miles OCI's!!!!! .These are absolutely awesome numbers!! I would just do a baseline UOA at say 10,000/20,000 miles and going forward do trend UOA's to see if you are on track. So if you just do the 10,000 miles OCI's or the OLM you will almost have as much safety factor left as you had consumed !!
  • ras314ras314 Member Posts: 43
    I reset trip B at the oil change so just checked the thing. Current miles 9131, trip B 2970 miles. However oil life has been reading 70% for some time, should be clicking down soon. Present oil is Mobil 1, 5w 20 as recommended by Honda I think. I did change the filter though, just haven't broken the habit.

    I sort of try to make clear my driving conditions are not typical to most people. Also being a retired old part I am seldom in a big hurry to get anywhere and rarely exceed speed limits. However the payback is beginning this winter, unless the mud is frozen the Civic won't make it to the hwy or back I have use my 4 W drive Dakota.
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    I am not sure how comfortable you are with these, but two things:

    1. Change the oil filter at the Honda oem recommended "every other oil change" or in my case 20,000 miles. Indeed if you are so inclined (since you use Mobil One 5w20) change oil AND oil filter at 20,000 miles!!

    2. Switch to 0w20 Mobil One. You MIGHT notice a .5 mile increase. But given what you are getting for mpg, it will probably just shorten the "dry lube" cold weather oil flow. There will be NO sotp feeling.
  • morrisos1morrisos1 Member Posts: 3
    We bought our '07 Civic a couple of months ago primarily for achieving better gas mileage. We almost bought a Prius and now wish we did.

    The car is great except for the consistent mileage of 21-22 mpg. Maybe a bit higher with all freeway but 21-22 mpg for normal metro driving. Revised EPA now show 25 city and 36 hwy.

    This is horrible for a little car. My 6-cylinder Sienna approaches 19 mpg regularly. I could have an SUV and get similar mileage to our Civic.

    I feel ripped off and won't recommend this car based on mileage to anyone.

    Anyone else getting poor gas mileage?

    Morrisos
  • caazcaaz Member Posts: 209
    it sounds like one needs to change driving habits. Accelerate slowly coast as much as you can up to red lights. I think its a matter of the way you drive....i.e. you just stated you can even almost average 19 with your Sienna. To illustrate my point.... on 12-19, just two days ago i borrowed my wifes...yes..you guessed it..SIENNA... used it for a couple of hours. Ran from Orange County to Los Angeles, about 50 miles each way, plus about 10 more straight city. Kept it at 65 mph all the way there..went real easy in city driving.. coasting to lights all i could. Averaged 33.6 mpg. In my civic on a trip like that...driving identically, would have returned me between 41 and 42 mpg, its all about how you drive. Hope this helps
  • ras314ras314 Member Posts: 43
    "Maybe a bit higher with all freeway but 21-22 mpg for normal metro driving. "

    Something bad wrong with that freeway mileage. May need the car checked? Even the metro sounds out of line.

    As somewhat of a comparison, with a 6 cyl 4w jeep cherokee I routinely ran 25 mpg mostly hwy and average a bit over 40 over the same route with the civic.
  • blufz1blufz1 Member Posts: 2,045
    Look. You are your driving route! That's it! Many cold start,short trips and anyone is lucky to get 20.
  • ras314ras314 Member Posts: 43
    Unfortuntaly most of this winter will be short (7mi) trips in the Civic because my driveway needs to be frozen to get the car to the hwy or back. Besides I don't want to be in heavy snow with it. So far it looks like around 30 mpg in cold weather vs maybe 35 in warm weather. Not stop and go but includes some warm up time.

    I think a bit more than 21-22 mpg for freeway driving is unacceptable and may indicate a problem with the car.
  • mjstenmjsten Member Posts: 17
    After reading the above, I feel pretty good about my average 28 to 30 MPG. 85% Hiway no stops to and from work. Am still quite disappointed as I was assured that it would average 34 to 35 in everyday driving. Moved to this from an 04 Accord that got me 27 to 28 MPG average on the same route. Downsized for very little impact.
  • wrmarionwrmarion Member Posts: 1
    I purchased the car for its gas milage as well. 34 - 40 what a pipe dream. I travel 60 highway miles one way in little to know traffic and the best I get is 28 MPG. Have taken back to the dealer twice and the same response. Can't replicate problem and diagnosics check out fine. What a piece of crap. Had three Dodge's with v-6's that got better gas mialge than this. I have been had. Any other stories? Has anyone got the dealer to acknowledge the car is crap.
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    If you can, you might want to take the competition like a Toyota Corolla for a spin for a day and do the same. Most dealerships will let you test drive one for a day. (or they do around here anyway)
  • murph705murph705 Member Posts: 1
    I purchased a 2007 Honda Civic Ex because it's supposed to get good gas mileage. It doesn't. I regret the purchase. It is supposed to get 30 in the city. It barely gets 15mph. The dealership (Capital Honda) tells me that I should expect that. But that is the opposite of what they said prior to my purchasing this car. They won't agree to look at anything to see if there is a problem like a possible partially functioning thermostat. Based on what I am hearing now, the poor gas mileage is a common problem. The dealership, as well as the car company itself, should be ashamed. The old Honda's got great gas mileage. The new ones are horrible. I feel duped and resent it. Don't waste your hard earned money on a Honda.
  • kipkkipk Member Posts: 1,576
    "It is supposed to get 30 in the city. It barely gets 15mph."

    That would depend on the type of "city" driving you do.

    What kind of car did the Civic replace? What kind of mileage did it get in same driving conditions?

    Kip
  • kevman3kevman3 Member Posts: 30
    My 08 Civic EX-L is getting about 31-32 consistantly on a 100-mile round trip commute averaging 70-80 mph. Was hoping for a little more, but I am sure if slowed down, I'd do a little better. Otherwise the cars been great. But I would have probably gotten an Accord had I known.

    Kevman3
  • crv139crv139 Member Posts: 41
    I have an 08 exl auto and Get no less then 30 mpg usually combined driving 40 percent highway 60 city I get 35 mpg.
  • kipkkipk Member Posts: 1,576
    kevman3,

    Your mileage would increase a lot at 65-70.

    An Accord (same year model and equipment) will not get the mileage that a Civic does, under identical driving conditions.
  • drmbbdrmbb Member Posts: 80
    I just came back from a trip up to Canada in my 2007 EX/AT Sedan. The round trip was about 1300 miles (straight shot up I-81 from Virginia to Ontario and back). I averaged a total of 38.5mpg, using cruise control as much as possible and sticking between 65mph and 70mph.

    Even in my normal work week commuting driving - all local urban traffic (nothing over 40mph) and rarely more then 5-8miles per trip I average around 26mpg. I figure that's pretty good, since all the idling in city traffic intersections is bound to make a big hit on mileage. And the car barely gets really warmed up with my short morning commute on these cold mornings.

    For what it's worth, from past experience, my civic's highway mileage plummets as soon as I start cruising above 70mph.
  • sandman46sandman46 Member Posts: 1,798
    Getting a consistent 29 mpg's on my 10 mile commute to work...it's just a straight shot up one major road with multiple lights. Can't really complain about that kinda mileage and am still pleased with the car.
    My daughter has her mind set on a Hyundai Elantra but we'll look at all the cars in this segment just to be sure.

    The Sandman :)
  • wooderwooder Member Posts: 9
    29 mpg's for the freeway? My 04 4runner gets 23mpg's....please tell me that you get more than 29mpg's, I'm considering trading my 4runner in for a civic gas milage purposes.... :confuse:
  • mjstenmjsten Member Posts: 17
    My average mileage for 3500 miles is 28.3. 80 - 85% of the driving is on hiways at 65 - 70 mph. I would strongly recommend that you ask your dealer to let you test drive for a short period, maybe ovenite, and test the mileage. I have been told that it will get better after some magical "break in" limit is reached, will wait and see, but from the first tank, the mileage has been consistant.27 to 31. As a matter of rafct, today, I filled it up and averaged 27.4 mpg.
  • sandman46sandman46 Member Posts: 1,798
    '06 Civic LX.

    The Sandman :)
  • wooderwooder Member Posts: 9
    27.4 mpg.....maybe I will hang on to my 4runner.....if thats the case.
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    My dad drives with a lead foot. According to my Garmin StreetPilot, with an average speed of 79 MPH, a max speed of 91 MPH, and regularly passing with a downshift and zing to 5-6k RPM - he got 32 MPG. Under my mom's driving (she is much more gentle, and always got EPA or better in her Odyssey van as well), she sees around 37 MPG at 75MPH with A/C running.

    2007 Honda Civic EX Automatic, and they already have 30k + miles on it!
  • kevman3kevman3 Member Posts: 30
    My 08 EX-L gets 31-33, going 70-85. I am sure if I slowed down, I would do better. But the morning commute on the Garden State Parkway and NJ Turnpike will not let you go 65. Everyone is doin 70-90. Gotta keep up. My 01 Maxima used to get 22-24 same commute, and used premium gas. This includes a 15-20 minute average wait at the tunnels too. Love the car. Gas may be $4.00 by this summer....
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    During the Christmas and New Year's Holiday Season, we did the "Pizza Dude" delivery drill.

    (short trips, short mileage, short term, lots of start and stops, lots of idling in strip malls, retail malls, club stores, parking lots, super market stores, LOADS of MAX fan heat and A/C use, etc. ) 4 to 6 different drivers, up to 5 folks in the car)

    We filled up and turned in a 34 mpg for a tank full.

    (normal commute 38-42 mpg: for a 10.5% to 19% range of decrease)

    (We have a 20,000 mile oil and oil filter OCI coming up in 3k for a 60,000 miles interval.)

    Wishing all who follow this thread, A Happy, Healthy, Prosperous New Year!

    Probably more on topic, Wishing one and ALL: great fuel mileage with NO break downs!
  • wooderwooder Member Posts: 9
    Ruking1....is this on a new Civics?
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    No. 2004 MY.
  • mjstenmjsten Member Posts: 17
    2008 EX
  • kipkkipk Member Posts: 1,576
    wooder,

    "29 mpg's for the freeway? My 04 4runner gets 23mpg's....please tell me that you get more than 29mpg's,"...

    Sandman46 said it was 10 miles of a single road with multiple lights.

    We don't know his speed between lights, how many lights there are, or total time for the 10 mile commute. How much starting and stopping, how much idling, etc...

    If you are getting 23 on a 4Runner, You should do very well in a Civic, under similar conditions.

    Kip
  • targettuningtargettuning Member Posts: 1,371
    Ours is a 2006 EX automatic sedan.....in town between 23-25 mpg depending on the season, lower in winter (north east) and middle 30's on highway drives with a high of around 37 mpg driving responsibly. You cannot believe a 4 Runner is as fuel efficient as a Civic!!! Not possible given the physics of the vehicle...weight, gearing, blocky body with poor aerodynamics, 4 wheel drive and all the complexities and parasitic losses involved with it, probably a V-6, nope no way. The current EPA sticker (for 2008) is very much more aligned with what we actually get than the previous "pie in the sky" EPA stickers including the one on the car in 2006 which said 30/40 city/highway.
  • sebring95sebring95 Member Posts: 3,241
    I think he made it clear that the 4Runner wasn't as efficient as a Civic.....but what I understood was that he didn't feel only getting 29mpg (as one poster mentioned) was enough to warranty a change from a vehicle getting 23mpg. Assuming a mere 6mpg difference in vehicles, the average driver would only save $420/year in fuel. Hardly worth a change, particularly if you enjoy the characteristics of your current vehicle.

    I don't think the average Civic is only getting 29mpg on the highway though. Perhaps there's a problem or they're driving more aggressive than they think. I was getting low 30's-35mpg with mine as an average, which is probably quite better than the average of a 4Runner. I'm using my V8 4x4 Tundra at the moment and averaging around 17-18mpg for the same driving as I was the Civic.
  • targettuningtargettuning Member Posts: 1,371
    Oh sure I agree that this person knows that his or any other 4 wheel drive SUV or truck isn't as fuel efficient as a Civic (or almost any other car) but I feel with daily fuel price increases ($3.20 now for regular in our area up from $2.92 over Christmas) that a long term assessment of operating a poor economy vehicle is definitely in order. I wonder at all the SUV's on the road and the large pick-up trucks as well. Most or many at best have one passenger or none and many are the fastest vehicle on the road passing everything in sight. I am NOT a "green" person and I am a former two time SUV owner. It has started to sink in what a waste most of these types of vehicles are. Few are used to their potential. No lecture from me but it seems smart to improve your fuel efficiency and assuming this person is getting 22 mpg and the average Civic is getting 35 on the highway ( this is from personal experience) and also assuming that a big blocky 4 wd SUV isn't absolutely necessary in ones daily life then I would say the difference of 13 mpg IS significant. Hell, in my opinion a difference of 6 mpg is significant. Just some random rambling..take it or leave it.
  • kipkkipk Member Posts: 1,576
    Good Post ! :)

    Kip
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    I would agree!!

    However really the key words are IF, IF, IF. So to me nothing substitutes for the research. In my case, pure dumb luck and good inadvertent timings have not hurt either.

    All of us ultimately vote with our dollars. Let me throw out a few examples to hopefully contribute (keep the issue moving) to the discussion. If you own (aka no payments) a lower MPG vehicle, to make financial sense to buy strictly on MPG alone, the higher mpg vehicle needs a min of 3x the lower MPG vehicle to make sense. .To illustrate, suppose you need an F150 mostly for work (12,000 miles) does it really make sense to purchase something like a Honda Civic to do another 3,000 miles? (12,000 to 15,000 miles yearly total, but it also happens to be the average yearly US total per driver). So say the gasser F150 gets 20 mpg. You might just as well do the additional 3,000 miles in the F150. If they make a diesel model available that gets 20-40% better fuel mileage that is 24 mpg to 28 mpg. Why would you switch to a MUCH smaller vehicle when you need a much larger vehicle for most of your miles and the larger vehicle gets pretty close to a lower figure for the higher mpg Honda? Needless to say the gain is huge and overall cost cheaper.

    The other is just a diesel in place of a gasser (actually in all segments) would add a min of 20-40% better fuel mileage. So you can still buy the appropriate sized vehicle.
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    Back in 2005 I let my lease car go and started driving our spare (and long since paid off) car due to a ~100 mile per day commute to a new client. Even though that car now has well over 150,000 miles on it, it continues to be the model of reliability and has given me no justification what-so-ever to buy a new car, errr, except for fuel economy. On my normal daily commute it delivers about 21.5 mpg (now that our fuel has moved to E10 from straight gasoline), and if gas prices pass through the $4.00 barrier for Regular, and if my next contract requires me to do a similar or longer drive, then I'll be able to justify a new Civic based just on the fuel savings alone. A new 6-Speed Diesel Jetta (which I've heard can deliver as much as 60 mpg when cruising at a stead speed between 65 and 70 mph) is also a possibility.

    Best Regards,
    Shipo

    Edit: Hey, my 7,000th post! Woooot!
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    Congress as you know has passed the "energy bill". Among a plethora of items are the new 2020 35 mpg fuel standard legislations. Despite all the bru ha ha, it might serve some utility to put it in some kind of perspective.

    First of all as most folks know, the current fleet standard is 27 mpg. However it is commonly known (among those that uncommonly keep track of these things) the DEFACTO average is currently 22 mpg, for a deviance of 18.5%. So with the new 35 mpg standard a 18.5% deviance would be 28.5 mpg or 6.5 mpg more!!??

    So the good news is quite a few and a high % of Civic owners are already there. (see my past post for a link to a very interesting 587 person Civic mpg poll) The interesting news is the so called compact/small cars population of which the Civic is in) are a minority position. (less than 25% of the passenger vehicle population). One consequence, might be the landscape(percentages and volumes) will not look much different if the implementation plan is not much different for the 35 mpg standard as it WAS for the 27 mpg standard.

    Indeed if the deviance is MORE, not much will change at all. Consider for example the greater use of ethanol E85 (which was not even used in the past) is a min of 25% MORE consumptive than RUG to PUG . In a like model comparison a diesel model gets 56% mpg better than E85!!!! So it will be interesting to see what vol and % E85 is mandated.
  • dgecho1dgecho1 Member Posts: 49
    My civic from mile1 has done 40 mpg or better on the hiway...epa numbers can be met and exceeded...keeping up with traffic also.....it can be done....
  • hpoohhhpoohh Member Posts: 35
    Hi all, something to share

    i am driving about 22miles one way 70%hwy at 70~80mph on a daily basis. Here are my # w/ different cars that i have had.

    08 Civic 4dr Ex manual, 34mpg
    06 Sienna LE FWD, 23mpg
    05 C230K sedan auto, 26mpg (gone)
    03 4Runner RWD V6, 18mpg (gone)
    02 Corolla S auto, 36mpg (gone)

    the Civic is not that bad, really depends on how you drive.

    i have some other #s but my driving route w/ those cars are different and i don't really care much about gas back then when gas price is $1/gallon
  • lfc4evrlfc4evr Member Posts: 8
    Apart from the break in recommendations listed in the manual, can anybody list some other things that should be done for the 1st 10,000 miles break in. I remember ruking1 mentioned sporadically revving up to just less than the redline rpm. I realize proper break in will enhance future reliability, but dont know if there is something else that can be done to promote engine life. I'm currently very gentle on my car, very gradual acceleration, hardly exceed 3000rpm on the tacho, but is this a bad thing? Maybe I should just drive like I normally would.
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    Just drive like you normally would without exceeding the metrics set forth in your Owner's Manual.

    Best Regards,
    Shipo
Sign In or Register to comment.