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Comments
Mark
slaterac.
Eric
After the engine is broken-in I would expect to get close to the EPA standard (28 city). This is a dream compared to the 15-17mpg I was averaging in my Tribute (4WD) in mostly city driving.
I'd also say I average 75-80 mph most of the time, too. A lot of Atlanta commutters drive at those speeds. They don't call I-285 the Atlanta Autobahn for nothing. Fuel economy figures are much better down at 60 mph or so.
I've been average within .5 of 27mpg for the last two tanks. That's also with the A/C running constantly. In the winter I was getting as high as 29mpg.
slaterac.
Ok so ive pretty much heard all the common sense as well as lousy gas saving tips. but this one was really interesting, and it answered pretty much all my questions.
i like it alot! so just sharing the 'green'.
what do you guys think?
[URL=http://www.cargens.com]http://www.cargens.com[/URL]
I think the biggest issue I have with MPG is the unrealistic EPA testing standards. Sticking a vehicle on a dynamometer and running it at a constant speed of 48mph with little to no wind, no stop and go traffic, no air conditioning and not taking in to account that many highways are 65mph (and most folks drive at least 70mph) is not realistic. The EPA has proposed new testing that is supposed to simulate "real world" driving conditions. They expect the new testing to alter most vehicles EPA numbers by 15-20%. I agree with the author of this article though. Depending on what type of vehicle you drive, and where you live, it is more like 30%..
Living in a congested (stop and go), hot and humid area where I run my A/C constantly I am happy to get within 10-15% of the EPA numbers. The bottom line is that most folks are simply not going to get the EPA numbers no matter how hard they try..
It is a good article - lots of useful tips. Thanks, johnnyklude!
You also have to account for the fact that it takes time for a vehicle to be broken-in. Some folks claim they get 20mpg city in a 3s, but once they hit 5K miles or more they get more like 23-25mpg city. I also think owning a manual helps as well ( I own a 3i). I am averaging very close to the EPA numbers and my car has less than 500 miles on it. While I don't baby it too much I can also optimize the shift points vs an automatic.
dc_driver, "Mazda3: Problems & Solutions" #3526, 14 Jul 2006 4:15 am
Enjoy
The big point in the article I agreed with was to not hit the brakes on the highway but use on/off the gas pedal to keep a smooth speed going. Most people don't do it and it kills your highway mileage.
Did find it hard to believe the EPA ratings are "30%" too high - -that means a 3I manual should only get 20/25 instead of 28/35.
- Do little to no highway driving
- Jack rabbit from stop light to stop light
- Brake at the last minute
- Have their A/C constantly blowing at max temps
- Make a lot of short (under 5mile trips)
- Have their tires improperly inflated
- Have not changed their oil and air filter regularly
then wonder why they are averaging well below the EPA numbers. For my last four cars, I almost always hit the EPA highway numbers (within 1-2mpg) but can average anywhere from 3-5mpg under the city MPG. The reality is, I live in a congested area, drive somewhat spirited, run the A/C, and make a lot of short trips... I am not surprised that I average 26-27mpg (about 90% city driving) in my 3i manual... If I owned a 3s it would be closer to 22-24mpg. If I owned a Honda Civic I would probably average about 27-29mpg...
Think the wholw idea in getting good gas mileage is to be smooth - anticipate red lights or slow downs, etc. But some can or don't won't to sdo it. I tell my girlfriend, for instance, to let off the gas when she sees the light ahead turn red but she tells me it's too much effort "to be thinking all the time"....then complains when her mileage suffers!
I also drive lots of rentals for work and always (90-95% highway in most cases) exceed the highway EPA for that style car even at 75-80 mph.
Filled the tank on my 3S today: 407.0 miles and 11.0 gallons.
Now that the car is broken in i am driving it a bit harder and i'm averaging (again according to the mpg computer)-for the life of the car..28.7 mpg. Not too shabby i think, considering my mix is about 70%city. My ave MPH according to the computer is 29mph...so i think thats pretty darn acceptable. As for epa, i've always tended to get at least 2mpg better than the ratings..maybe i'm a slow poke? The only car i couldn't finnesse into better mpg's than the epa was my dads toyota sequoia (what a beast).
As for why you got a 4 banger, you answered your own question
love the way the car handles
How many V-6 mid sized sedan can handle anywhere near what you 3 does.
I have the 2.3L 2006 Mazda3 Sport GT(hatch) with the 5AT. Will complete 3 months on the 11th of this month and now have 2900kms on the odometer. Driving is almost 95% city driving with the long highway trip coming every other weekend.
Up until 2000kms, I was getting 12.6 L/100kms. But recently, with a couple of long highway trips, it's now at 11.5 L/100kms. My style of driving is also mixed. Weekdays going to work is usually a LOT of stop and go traffic where I sit back. Weekends, I love to zoom-zoom.
Is my car MPG doing what it should be doing?
You may want to aim for an average of under 10L/100Km. That translates to approximately 25 mpg US. That is what Consumer Reports has rated the car and I have found that CR is realistic in their estimates. Also, expect mileage in the winter to be approximately 10% to 20% off this target, especially in a cold climate. For a comparison of your car against the Audi3, Dodge Caliber and Saab 92X (aka Subaru Impreza) see the latest issue of CR.
True. As has been noted everywhere, short trips are very difficult on engines. The engine warms up to operating temperature and then is shut down as it's reaching its most efficient level or even worse it never reaches that point because the trip is so short. Highway cruising is obviously the reverse of this and that's the reason we get such great mileage.
Reality for me is that I often take 2-4 mile trips with the A/C on in stop and go
The result - 196.2 miles / 11.1 gallons = 17.7 MPG.
I was getting a little over 20 MPG when it was used as the family car. Those duties are now handled by an Acura TL with a 3.5L 258 HP V6. Also filled it up this weekend and got 22.25 MPG.
I expected a drop in MPG - after all it was all city driving - but am a little surprised that we are getting better MPG in the TL (all 4 tanks so far have been 22 or better) compared to what we use to get with the 4 banger Mazda.
The TL is rated 20/29 - so we are only getting 2 MPG more than the EPA city rating - no big deal.
This is really normal for us - all other vehicles we have owned over the years - have gotten just over the EPA city rating in our overall combined driving - all except the Mazda3 that is.
I would give the Mazda3 a few more tankfuls before deciding on its fuel efficiency average. It seems from your posting that the city/highway ratio is 100/0, is that right?
What would you say the city/highway ratio is for the TL?
Are both cars using manual or automatic transmissions ?
Are you driving the Mazda3 or your daughter? Driving style can affect fuel efficiency, especially when comparing a sixteen and sixty year old.
Most of these miles were what I would call city stop and go - drive a block - stop at a ed light - drive a block stop at a red light.
My 16 year old drives very slow - she is not the lead foot type. I know I DON'T know 100% what she does when I am not around - but while teaching her to drive - and also riding with her all summer long - I had to tell her at least 100 times - SPEED UP - its a 35 MPH zone (most people drive 45) she would be doing 30 MPH!
I am not 50 yet - and although I drive under control -almost never get passed -
The thing that sticks out - and the reason I posted it - is the TL replaced the Mazda3 for our daily driver - used for the same trips - same traffic - same weather. All summer long we got around 20 with it - now we are getting better MPG out of the Acura TL - plus the AC blows ice cubes. Just a guess - but city / highway would be 65% city 35% highway. Only took one small (200 miles) highway trip with the TL - and got 32 MPG - best the Mazda3 ever got was 29.
Looked at new cars this summer - considered trading the Mazda3 in on a Civic coupe - could not find one in the color we wanted - plus the EX with nav was rare in any color - and we thought that our daughter should get a year of driving in before we get her a new car.
She is only driving about 100 miles a week - so the MPG is really not a big issue. By the time she graduates the Mazda3 should have a little over 30K miles - and still have 6 months of warranty left - will be a good time to trade it off.
Maybe a 2008 Mazda3! I wonder if they will have all the bugs worked out by then?
Glad to know you have found some "peace". The next car we will be shopping for is a new SUV.
Very happy. Pretty sure I can achieve 30mpg once it is broken-in..
i'm going to lease, the gas is my reponsiblity, so i want the best hwy mileage i can get and try try to get something that is a hoot to drive getting to that speed (you are not a cop are you??)
thanks for any help you can give me. but for others that have the trip computer maybe we can post our own test for 45, 55, 65, 70 and 75 mph and associated mileage.
and a city run, stop and go.
i also find consumer reports to be the most accurate of any site, since they also give, city, hwy, 150mile trip and overall to address most situations EPA is a 30 year old joke. but i can't seem to find CR eval for a 2.3 manual which i will buy (seems to have a slick shifter, unlike the mustang--cramp city.)
Last 3 tanks average is 24.86mpg on 51%H/49%City. EPA #'s for 51H/49C would equate to 26.31 mpg based on 29H/24C. So I'm only 5.51% lower than EPA suggests. Very nice weather. A/C not on for more than 10 min over the 3 tanks. Not bad considering my city driving is very stop go with signs or lights my first 10 blocks. The bulk of my highway driving is single lane at 50-60mph (deer and wildlife) for frequently only 5 mi one way...on occasion 18mi one way. By the time I hit the highway going out engine is warm from putting through town.
Return highway trip engine is stone cold after sitting 4-5 hours so not particularly fuel efficient the first few miles of return trip I would think.
The nice number above will be drastically lower though when cold weather sets in.
My last all highway trip (200mi) was 29.4mpg at 60-65 mph.
Anyway...haven't posted here for a long time...used to be chronic mpg complainer but mpg is slowly getting better.
Maybe because I drive so little it's taking even longer than normal to break in.
everfeb
Sounds like you are right on the money. An average of 25 mpg is what :
- Consumer Reports tested for the Mazda3 hatchback with ATX (automatic transmission);
- my Mazda Protege5 (predecessor to the Mazda 3) hatchback with ATX is getting.
At a steady 40mpH would it show you are getting 40mpG
At 50mpH would it show you are getting 35mpG. At 80mpH-22mpG.
Just curious if the computer can do this type of thing?
I'd like to know what kind of mpG the computer says one would get at 40mpH compared to say 80mpH.
everfeb