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Honda Fit Real World MPG

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Comments

  • steveskyrmsteveskyrm Member Posts: 7
    We have a 2007 Fit Sport AT, with now onver 55,000 miles (and only 23 months old!)

    For the first 1/2 years we were happy with 30/32 MPG everyday, and about 36 on long freeway trips. After reading about Hypermiling, we started really watching our starts & stops, trying to time the redlights, and setting our cruise at 55 on freeways, even in a 70 zone.

    Just came back from a weeklong camping trip in Maine, with the back loaded to the ceiling with our gear. Average per tank was 44.5MPG, with a high of 45.8. Even in Acadia National Park, with all it's mountains we got 37.

    We are quite happy with the greatly improved mileage. The thousands of cars that pass us may not be, but they don't buy our gas! :)
  • tlylejeeptlylejeep Member Posts: 3
    Just purchased a 2008 Fit Sport with the 5 speed manual. We have been through a few tanks of fuel so far and our MPG is:

    1st tank: 32.52 from the dealer fill up
    2nd tank: 40.47
    3rd tank: 39.16

    I don't do anything different to obtain this mileage from my last car, I drive the speed limit, anticipate stop lights and stop signs. Accelerate slowly when traffic allows and have our tires pumped up to 40 PSI which seems to be a good compromise between MPG and ride comfort. I am thrilled with the MPG results so far and love the car. :)
  • marytrary5marytrary5 Member Posts: 7
    Now I am even more bummed with these recent high-mileage posts. I have about 1900 miles on my base AT, and I am still only getting 26mpg at best, lowest was 22. Admittedly, A/C is always on (live in Tucson, it is 110 degrees here daily) and mostly city, but I was really hoping to get better than EPA estimates based on this board. :( To those who got significantly better mileage after break-in, at what mileage did you "break-in"?
  • upstatedocupstatedoc Member Posts: 710
    40 psi!

    If normal is 32-35, you may get premature wear in the center of the tire.
  • tlylejeeptlylejeep Member Posts: 3
    I am not worried about tire wear, on all of my last few vehicle's I have always exceeded the manufacturer's recommendations but never what the tire maker recommends and have never had a problem with abnormal tire wear. The easier your car rolls the better the mileage you will receive. I will monitor the tire wear and let you know if they start to wear in the center but I do not expect it.
  • vdalvdal Member Posts: 6
    Now I'm worried my first tank went 21 mph(dealer) :cry:
    I hope next will give me better millage.I'm driving 99% in city, I'm not speeding so I don't know what a hell :confuse:
    I've got Fit Sport 08' AT
  • andysdandysd Member Posts: 87
    This is a great forum, and objective compared to some of the forums I've seen that are full of annoying petty arguments. Although I'm retired and don't drive many miles, I plan to buy a base 5-speed 2009 Fit not so much for fuel economy, but because it appeals to me - including the fact that it did so well in the Car & Driver lane change test (beating Ferrari, Corvette). Its power-to-weight ratio (the '09 has 120 h.p.) is not shabby. I'll install 17" Kosei racing wheels with 215 Kumho sport tires left over from the 2004 Civic I owned before our 2007 SE Accord.

    My contribution to this forum is to check your odometer's accuracy and adjust your calculations before believing your mpg. You can do this by finding a section of highway with several measured mile signs, or by imaginative use of your Garmin/Magellan/TomTom, etc., GPS. Some lawyers got together and sued Honda a year or so ago because of the odometers reading more miles than actual (affecting car lease terms). The odometers are not at fault; it has to do with the tire diameter.
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    The thing about that lawsuit is that the odometers were actually within spec (5%, I believe), and broke no laws. Over a tank, the difference in 315 miles per tank and 300 miles per tank, on 10 gallons is only 1.5 MPG, which is about the max difference, 1.5 mpg, you'll ever see with the odometers. Not a giant difference if you ask me.

    You are absolutely right though; the difference just isn't that great.
  • hermperezhermperez Member Posts: 1
    Love this thread, just spent several hours going thru it.

    I drive a 1990 Nissan pickup truck, bought it new and has gone over 200k miles, still going strong. My nissan averages about 23mpg combined hwy/city but pure hwy driving at 55 mph it will get 35mpg.. if I speed up to 60 mph then it drops down to 24-25mpg.. makes a tremendous difference. Why?, because of air drag.. the Fit is a lot more aerodynamic than my pickup but dont forget speed kills your gas mileage. I get better gas mileage driving manually than if I use the cruise control because it is always trying to compensate for slight hills, wind gusts ect.. drive smoothly if you want gas economy. I have a stick shift and a 2.4liter 4 cylinder engine. It is hard to drive at 55mph, you have to concentrate but after a while you go into a zen like state and you relax.. I find it keeps me awake.

    I was a big fanatic about fuel economy in the late 70's, grew up to see the gas lines from the first gas embargo. I remember from way back then an article that stated that every extra 70lbs of excess weight in the car would cost you 1mpg (city driving, not hwy), so keep all the junk out of the car and leave it at home.

    Regarding tires.. tires pressure should be measured COLD, before you have driven the car, driving will heat up the tires as it flexes.. tires should be inflated to the maximun pressure listed on the tire itself, not what the car manufacturer recommends.. it is safer that way, tires overheat and explode if kept under-inflated, modern radial tires will wear evenly if kept at the maximum pressure, they will still wear evenly at lower pressures so it is not an issue. This is not the case with old style bias-ply non-radials, not sure if you can still buy those. Yes your ride will be harsh at maximun pressure but your economy and safety will be maximized.

    Do not economize on tires, buy premium.. make sure when you replace the tires in your Fit to use low rolling resistance tires (like Hoda did), it will be worth 10-15% in gas economy so dont be penny smart and pound foolish. If the tire dealer does not have those special high gas economy tires go someplace else.

    From reading all these threads I see the Fit is very sensitive regarding gas mileage.. I believe that the engine is too small for the weight of the car, and so if you are a bit agressive then that will kill your mileage.. so it would actually get better gas mileage if it had a bigger engine.. you could accelerate up to speed quicker, get off the gas pedal and settle down to cruise. The Fit is about 2400lbs, my old 1985 Honda Civic Si was 1800lbs.. big difference.
  • goosegoose Member Posts: 77
    I had a 2006 Civic Coupe EX and I averaged 34 MPG driving 50/50 highway/city in Tucson with the A/C. I recommend you pay attention to the RPM your going to before your car switches to the next gear. The EX has a vTech engine and I noticed that the car had more power once I passed the 3000 rpm range. I assumed that was the point the engine switched to a bigger opening to allow more air and fuel. If i wanted to improve my MPG then I stayed below the 3000 RPM. Your Fit might be the same or somewhere near that area.
  • marytrary5marytrary5 Member Posts: 7
    I've been trying really hard to keep it under the 3000rpm mark (not perfect), and trying to coast as much as possible. Which is why I don't understand why I can't get the mileage up for the life of me. Even when I have some highway miles thrown in, the mpg doesn't increase (and I am staying under 65mph). I am going to check the tire pressure this morning. I am really hoping it is just a break-in thing. Not that 26mpg is terrible, but better is always better :)
  • guidedbyvoicesguidedbyvoices Member Posts: 17
    I've had my Fit since 8/2006, an 07 Sport AT. Kept track of my gas mileage too. almost all of my driving is in city, in Houston (so I use the AC). First tank back then was 21.2 mpg, but since then, nothing less than 26. 26 is my city average over almost 2 years (my commute is 13 miles each way through a ton of lights and stop signs), and 35 is normal for road trips.

    Till I finally read something on how to get more miles per gallon. I haven't done much, other than the ol' coast to a stop when you see it red up ahead (or traffic stopped), more gradual starts (keeping my rpms at 2000 or less, and using the paddle shifters every once in a while to shift to 5th when the car wants to stay in 4th at those RPMs, helps get my speed up quicker). In the city I keep my RPMs between 1500 and 2000, and highway under 2500 RPMs (about 72 mph I think). On my city only tanks, I got two tanks of 29mpg and one of 31.5mpg.

    And I just took a road trip, loaded down with lots of beer and coolers and ice, suitcases, etc, and finally broke the 40mpg wall - 42.83 mpg!!! Almost got more than 400 miles out of the one tank, but I wasnt sure when the next gas station would be, and ended up only needing a little over 9 gallons. I'd gotten close to 40mpg before - a few 200 mile trips that were 39.5mpg, so I was thrilled with 40+. And that's not being too conservative on speed that I felt like I was crawling.

    I really think RPM is the key factor to getting better mileage, and I'd never heard that before. I just keep an eye on my RPM gauge, and let that dictate how quickly I accelerate.
  • upstatedocupstatedoc Member Posts: 710
    "And I just took a road trip, loaded down with lots of beer and coolers and ice, suitcases, etc"

    Now that sounds like a road trip right out of Animal House! :P
  • vcarrerasvcarreras Member Posts: 247
    2007 FIT Sport A/T 21K ..Last tank 20% highway 80% city Houston, Texas 327.9 miles 9.7 gals = 33.8 mpg. Was getting about 31 mpg but have eased back a bit driving the speed limit with cruise control on even in 30mph zones. I also try to get in high gear with lowest revs, meaning shifting below 3000 rpm, mostly between 2200-2500. Even here in Texas more people are slowing down but you still have the crazies with their BIG SUV's and pickups who think they own the road. More money then brains!! I LOVE MY FIT.. :)
  • aaykayaaykay Member Posts: 539
    I have now had several fillups and my mileages are as follows (fillups from the beginning):

    33.533mpg (40% heavy stop-and-go and 60% hwy at 65-80mph)
    37.126mpg (40% heavy stop-and-go and 60% hwy at 65-80mph)
    34.51mpg (40% heavy stop-and-go and 60% hwy at 65-80mph)
    42.53 mpg (mostly highway trip at 65-85mph with around 10% city driving)
    35.34 mpg (40% heavy stop-and-go and 60% hwy at 65-80mph)

    I am not doing anything special to increase my mileage at all (except filling up with Shell premium). I shift at around 3000-4000 rpm all the time. I am pleased thus far and know that if I really do some of these "hypermiling techniques" (no intention of doing so, at this time), I can pretty easily break the 40mpg barrier.

    Point to note is that the engine is fairly buzzy at higher speeds (except when coasting, obviously) and taking curves at higher speeds are definitely hairy, with the skinny "base" tires not helping any. :blush:
  • milanored2008milanored2008 Member Posts: 2
    Third tank 45.6, overall average 44.2.
  • andysdandysd Member Posts: 87
    Here's a follow-up to my original posting, the facts on the odometer lawsuit, to the credit of Honda:

    "Honda says odometers on 6M cars click off mileage at too-quick pace
    Updated 2/19/2007 10:10 AM ET
    "...The carmaker says its odometers were accurate to within 3.75% on the high side and 1% on the low side.

    "Honda (HMC) is notifying 6 million owners of Hondas and Acuras that they are entitled to warranty extensions and, in some cases, payments because odometers in their vehicles rolled up miles too fast.

    "That made warranties expire too soon and hit some lease customers with excess-mileage penalties.

    "...The Society of Automotive Engineers' voluntary standard is plus or minus 4%, or no more than 4 miles high or low in every 100 miles. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says it doesn't regulate odometer accuracy.

    "Honda says its odometers were accurate to within 3.75% on the high side and 1% on the low side, within the SAE standard. But it says it will extend the warranty mileage 5% and will pay lease-mileage penalties due to fast odometers, at least $6 million just for overcharges on vehicles leased directly from Honda.

    "Holmes says the fault was noted by Jay Kutchka, a Fort Smith, Ark., lawyer who drove a Honda Odyssey.

    "'No odometer is going to be perfect,' says Honda spokesman Chris Martin. But prompted by the class-action lawsuit, Honda realized, 'The customer expectation is that it would be based on zero. We weren't. So we decided to settle the suit.'

    "Starting with '07 models, Honda tightened its odometer accuracy and centered in on 0%, Martin says.

    "A U.S. district court in Texas will accept or reject the settlement, probably this summer [2007]. Holmes says it's rare for a settlement not to be approved.

    "Vehicles covered in the deal: 2002 to 2006 Hondas and Acuras bought from April 13, 2002, to Nov. 7, 2006. Some 2007 Honda Fits also are included."
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    Good to know. Now I have a warranty that extends to 37,800 bumper to bumper and powertrain that goes to 63,000, I presume. I have a 2006 Accord purchased in Nov. 2005. I'm very close to 36,000 miles now, so I don't have to worry with it expiring just yet.
  • 204meca204meca Member Posts: 369
    I have been infatuated with the Fit since I 1st saw one in Panama in 2005. I admit that I am a Fit forums voyager, Truth be told,I love Hondas & have owned about 10 Civics since my 1st 85 wagon. I want an excuse to get a Fit

    Here is my hang up. Overall I get the impression that most people who consciencious drive to get good mileage (not necessarily hypermiler fanatics) appear to get 33-36 highway mpg - that is pretty dang good mileage. Some occasionally break 40 mpg. But I can't understand why the Fit with its 109 HP engine & all the goodness of Honda engineering can't do 40+ mpg consistently on the highway with occasional runs of 45+.

    My 92 Civic Si consistently got 30-35 in the city & 40+ on the highway. Same with 2 Del Sol Sis - the manual DS got consistently topped 40 on the highway & AT DS got 43-45. Both rarely dropped below 30 in city/suburban driving. All the Sis had 125 HP & pretty good scoot! My 92 HP VX consistently topped 50 mpg highway.. Admittedly the VX was a very light, bare bones car, specialized fuel mizer. But then doesn't that also describe the Fit (althought the definition of "bare bones" has changed in the last 15 years). Even my wife's Audi A4 1.8T CVT consistently gets 33-36 highway. Compared to the Fit the Audi is huge & vastly more comfortable.

    So what is it about the Fit & the current crop of fuel misers that they don't seem to be able to consistently break the 40+ mpg barrier? Can't Honda do better with the most fuel efficient car it sells in the US? :confuse:
  • kipkkipk Member Posts: 1,576
    Good Post and good question.

    I'm thinking the Fit was designed to be more of a Town Runabout. The engine is quite small and the shape of the car may not be as aerodynamic as it could be, due to it's "utility" nature. Therefore, running at 70+ mph may place quite a strain on it's drive train.

    Living on both this and the Civic forum have shown me that the Civic, with it's larger and more powerful engine seems to consistently exceed the Fit in real world mileage on the highway.

    The Toyota forums also indicate that the Corolla equals or betters the Scion/Yaris models on the road.

    Late model cars are strapped with stricter EPA requirements than the older ones were. In the early 80s I had a Dodge Colt hatch back that consistently exceeded 40 MPG and it had a carburetor. No fuel injection, no computer.

    Also a Civic wagon with a 3 speed automatic and carburetor that delivered 32 mpg in most any type of driving.

    However, I also had an early model MT Ford Pinto that would consistently deliver 21-23 mpg on the highway at 70 mph. That is not a Type-o. 21-23 on the road! What a POS that was.

    Kip
  • marytrary5marytrary5 Member Posts: 7
    I also think the increasing government and public demands for safety features have significantly changed cars even over the last 5 years. Some of those changes make demands on design changes as well as weight, and since fuel economy was not high on public demand, there is not much motivation for automakers to "do it all". I agree with poster above, as well, that the Fit was designed to be an about-town car, that could haul people & all their gear (and a llama, apparently). I personally only see the highway a few times a year, so I don't give a hoot about the highway mileage, and the "split" between city & hwy MPG is only 7mpg vs. 10-12mpg like many sedans.
  • tfuisztfuisz Member Posts: 8
    After owning our Fit sport AT now for about 12 months, with 5K on the odometer, the last fill up gave just under 20 mpg for all city mileage. We love the car, but the mileage is a real disappointment.
    As soon as a viable electric car comes out we can use for around town errands, the Fit is gone.
  • marytrary5marytrary5 Member Posts: 7
    Are you positive you are calculating your mpg correctly? (Fill up, note odometer, next fill up note gallons & odometer, divide # miles/gallons into the tank). You may also want to average several tanks to make sure there wasn't a fluke at one fill-up. Also be mindful of excessive idling (such as long lines at the drive thru, waiting for someone with the car running, etc.) and how quickly you accelerate. Keep the rpms under 3000, and under 2500 whenever possible.
    I have the base AT, and was getting in the mid 20's for the first 2000 miles, and just started getting close to 30, all city. When you are at a red light with the A/C off, what rpm are you idling at? Look at the idle learning procedure a few pages back. You should definitely take it in under warranty, there could be another underlying issue.
  • jacksan1jacksan1 Member Posts: 504
    Today's cars are heavier, even if they are classified as compact or sub-compact. The Fit weighs about 2500 pounds. I used to have a Civic back in the early 90s, and it weighed something like 2100 pounds. That's a difference of carrying two good-sized American men, and that definitely impacts the gas mileage.

    And why are today's cars, including the Fit, heavier? As others have remarked, it is primarily the safety requirements, not just with the "bags" and other electronic gizmos, but also with the more rigid body structure, that make the cars heavier.
  • elsabaeelsabae Member Posts: 4
    I bought one of the first Fits that was available so I have had it awhile. Manual, base model. I have about 35,000 on it.

    I find that my driving habits really effect the mileage. I can race around and get about 33 mpg. Or I can drive sensibly and get it over 40. My husband and I have made a game of it and hit 45.56 yesterday. This was a combination of highway driving and back roads. (We live in rural Maine.) Lately our mpg has been 42 or higher.

    Our techniques are simple and easy. We drive 40 or so on back roads and try to anticipate stops to reduce braking. On the highway we go 55 (him) or 60 (me - I have my limits!).

    The highway drving speed has been interesting. I slowed down from 75-80 to 60. It adds very little to the total trip time, really bumps the mpg up - and I find it more relaxing. OK, it was a little frustrating at first but I was surprised at how quickly I adjusted.

    And lets face it, although very safe for a little car, the Fit is still LITTLE! Slower speeds are probably the single simplest way to increase the safety as well as the mpg. You just have more time to react. And at 60 on the highway, you're usually not tailgating anyone (if you are, wave, it is probaby my husband going 55!)

    Added bonus - you get to feel smug and make disparaging remarks about all the SUV's whizzing by you!

    BYW, just found out that at highway speeds it is more fuel efficient to use AC than to open the windows (open windows create drag.) At lower speeds, windows are better.

    I love my Fit! Twice in the last few weeks - once when loading compost and once when loading rental tools from Home Depot - bystanders have commented "So, this is your pick-up truck?" And it IS - I love how much room I have.
  • kipkkipk Member Posts: 1,576
    Well said ! Good Post! :)

    Kip
  • bobw3bobw3 Member Posts: 2,989
    Aerodynamics are the biggest factor affecting highway MPG. That's why the taller and boxier Fit won't get as good MPG as a Civic or Corolla in the real-world, especially when going above 60mph.

    But then the Fit will cost less to purchase than a Civic or Corolla, so you'll save $$ there that can be used to pay for some gas on the long highway trips. Also, the Fit can hold a lot more stuff than a Civic or Corolla so for our family, we're using the Fit instead of our larger vehicle.

    Regardless of the interior CuFt specs, when sitting in the Fit, I feel like there's a lot more room inside than in either the Civic or Corolla. Maybe the higher ceiling helps as does the hatchback design, but for me 2 adults and 2 kids in the back have more usable space then in Civic/Corolla, plus the larger cargo area and space under the 2nd row seats to put stuff (with a 7 month old and 3 1/2 year old you have a lot of stuff!).

    We'll see how the next generation Fit does for MPG...
  • ohthelawdohthelawd Member Posts: 17
    Definitely have to echo your sentiment on the Fit vs. Civic mileage question. The weight makes an ENORMOUS difference. Think about all of the safety equipment and such that are standard on the Fit (airbags, side airbags, ABS, etc.). When you only have 109hp pulling you around, weight like this really adds up and affects the MPG. I'd wager that a Fit w/o all of the new safety equipment probably could attain 40+ MPG pretty regularly. Not willing to try that, though ;)
  • vdalvdal Member Posts: 6
    ...Am i the only one that's complain about mileage on my Fit Sport.I love my little "bullet", but this mpg it just make me wonder.I'm not driving like crazy .I kept below 3000 rpm. Ac turn on only maybe 3 times for few minutes..Driving at speed limits,99.9% only in city(8 miles both sides with low traffic).I've got now 460 miles on odometer and gues what? I've filled he tank 3 times already!!! On first tank I've made 212 miles.I've put 9.5 gallon as a second tank on which i've made 177.9 miles and have filled tank with 8.5 g of gas.second thing is 2 days ago I've notice that oil life change to 90%. come on after 400 miles?!I went to dealer and they've told me to fill up third time tank and check mileage then, if it still low then they will run fuel performance check.Somebody got the same problem maybe or I'm just having bad luck or I'm a bad driver :cry:
    I've drive before Taurus Sel 03' V6 3.0 and I had 23 miles per galon in city so that's make me wonder.Is my skills went down:P :confuse:
  • thurst1963thurst1963 Member Posts: 42
    NO YOU ARE NOT ALONE My car sport fit auto tran got 13.4 mpg for the first 600 mile keeps jumping up now I have 5200 miles getting around 29-30 mpg 85-90% highway driving much better but not any where what I think I should be getting with my great small car 0-600 13.4 mpg 600-1300 17.34mpg 1300-2400 19.68mpg 2400-3600 23.47 mpg
    3600 4700 27.89mpg 4700-52389 29.88 mpg :confuse:
  • tfuisztfuisz Member Posts: 8
    Four years of advanced math and a degree in physics-if I can't do MPG correctly I want my tuition back.
    My guess with our fit is that it runs in a less fuel efficient way for the first few miles to heat up the catalyst to improve emissions. If your commute is long enough, this first little part is not significant, but if you take only short trips (like we do) you run in this mode most of the time, and the mileage sucks. Its been back to the dealer-nothing wrong with it.
    We love the versatility of the shape and seats. Don't like the mileage (and the rapid wear of the "carpet" near the mats). The in town mileage is within one or two mpg of our 1987 911. It seems like the fit should do a lot better.
  • damian1962damian1962 Member Posts: 28
    In order to get good numbers you have to shift at 2500 rpm per gear, once you get to 5th your at 50 mph and you set your cruise control. As far as anthing less than that maintain the car at 2500 rpm even when you pull out in 1st gear. Someone said the fit is not aerodynamic and this is a fact, the fit's not built like a civic and it makes no sense that the fit with it's small engine, weight and size doesn't separate itself from the mpg of a civic. The civic is right on it's toes and at higher speeds the civic get's better mpg than the fit. The fit is a small vehicle with lots of interior space, but it's tall which means it's a wind catcher. And oh yes, your driving for better mpg which means everyone is going to pass you don't run with them.
  • elsabaeelsabae Member Posts: 4
    Also check the gas where you are fueling. If there is any Ethanol in it, even 10%, it will cut your mpg substantially.
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    Indeed - I went from a solid 27.5 average in my old Accord to about 25.5 now, since they've made 10% ethanol the norm here in Alabama.
  • nedzelnedzel Member Posts: 787
    There are two parts to aerodynamic drag: drag coefficient and cross-sectional area. Aerodynamic drag is a function of the product of the drag coefficient times the cross-sectional area.

    Manufacturers and magazines typically quote the drag coefficient. It would not surprise me if the Fit has a relatively decent drag coefficient that is not too far behind the Civic. The Fit is a lot taller than the Civic, so it has a larger cross-sectional area and I suspect that is where much of the mileage difference lies.

    If you look at VW's 1 liter concept car, it has tandem seating which greatly reduces the cars cross-sectional area: http://www.autobloggreen.com/2008/07/01/vw-supposedly-still-working-on-one-liter- -car-possible-2010-lau/
  • fitman548fitman548 Member Posts: 172
    I drive a lot at 80 mph which runs constantly AT 2900 rpm, and I still get 35-36 mpg. If you're city driving I can't imagine needing to accelerate so fast that you'd get up to 3000rpm anyway.

    In other words, I don't think that solution is going to overcome whatever mechanical issue is causing his poor gas mileage.
  • hojczykhojczyk Member Posts: 2
    Went From Venice,FL....to Bandera, Tx...3487..miles average 35.20 mph...Mostly Intersate at 70 plus miles an hour....
  • retire36retire36 Member Posts: 6
    I have a 09 Fit on order in Tucson. I have read several messages indicating that the ac is marginal in hot weather.

    Anyone with experience with the ac in Arizona summer? I'm a little concerned.

    Thanks

    Dave
  • bprendersonbprenderson Member Posts: 99
    Dave,

    We live in Central Texas where it has been 102 degrees ever other day. Our 2007 Sport AC has worked like a charm. We always use outside air and set the fan speed to 4 and it does a great job. We turn off the AC temporarily when going up a steep hill. :)

    Regards,
    Bubba
  • bobw3bobw3 Member Posts: 2,989
    I don't consider an AC doing a great job when you have to run it on the maximum fan setting all the time. Once the car is initially cooled off, a good AC should be able to run at a low fan speed to keep it cool. I have a Fit Auto and live in Ohio and have found that the AC is okay, but not great. In the front row if you have the fans blowing the air right on you it's fine, but then the back seat passengers get hot, especially if the sun is on them. I recommend that you tint the windows. I'm planning on doing that and hopefully that will help.

    And you should probably use the Inside Air setting, since it's easier to cool off the inside air than 102degree outside air.
  • retire36retire36 Member Posts: 6
    Thanks Bubba. I will definitely plan on tinting my windows and my car being white should help also.

    Dave
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    The A/C will blow colder when set on recirculate instead of fresh air, as you have it set.

    In other Hondas (Civic, CR-V, Accord, etc) which have a "MAX A/C" button, when this is pressed, it goes automatically to recirculate, since it will make the cabin cooler than fresh air.
  • fitisgofitisgo Member Posts: 40
    I am seeing a lot of postings here reporting vast differences in FIT real-world MPG results. There are many, many, factors that can affect fuel economy.

    The one factor that MOST affects the fuel economy is the driver. I have 3 2008 Fit Sport Automatics -all are the exact same vehicle (they currently have 600, 4300, and 7000 miles on the odometer). My 21yr old son drives one in mostly city driving in "leadfoot" style and typically gets 27-30 MPG. My 53 yr old wife drives another, fairly conservatively, about half city and half highway conditions, but in a very "jerky" style of starting/stopping, and typically gets 29-31 MPG (she's only gassed up 3 times so far, so this is limited data for her). I am also 53 and drive very conservatively and smoothly in 2/3 highway and 1/3 city driving, and typically get 30-35 MPG. I did one 500 mile highway trip on a weekend at 65-70 mpg (on Interstate highways with speed limits of 65-75 mph) with A/C on half the time, 2 passengers, light luggage, mostly flat terrain, tailwind going one way, calm weather coming back, and averaged 38.5 MPG, well above the EPA ratings.

    You can go on and on about what a person can do to the vehicle or the type of gas or other physical/hardware devices to improve mileage, but the #1 way to get better mileage is to slow down (if you are currently exceeding the speed limit) and anticipating starts/stops so that your driving style is smooth and gradual. You are probably going to irritate a lot of other drivers who are speeding excessively (10-20 mph over the limit) and driving aggessively in their big SUVs and Trucks. But when it's time to fill up and they're getting 10-12 mpg real-world and you are getting anywhere from 25-40 MPG in your Fit, you will have the last laugh (and pay much less at the pump).
  • bobw3bobw3 Member Posts: 2,989
    From the posts I've read, the people with the most complaints are the ones getting much worse MPG than your son yet have your driving style.
  • tiff_ctiff_c Member Posts: 531
    I am also 53 and drive very conservatively and smoothly in 2/3 highway and 1/3 city driving, and typically get 30-35 MPG.

    I ended up buying a 2008 Civic Si, I average 30mpg. Yes I paid more but I have gobs of power when I need it. I drive 75-80 mph on the highway and even when I am at 50% City and 50% highway I still get 28-30 mpg. Much above 80mph and the fuel economy drops. It goes up at night when the cops are out in force and the cruise is on.
    Oh and all our gas in this state has 10% ethanol in it. :sick: :mad:
    The Fit should get much better fuel economy than it does. Hopefully the nw model will correct that. I'll probably take a long look at the new Honda Hybrid that's based on the FCX Clarity as well as other cars.
    My wife loves the Fit but most of our driving is on steep hills or the highway. Those seem to work against the Fit. I drove one when I was overseas and loved it but mileage was so-so. No reason the Fit shouldn't get 40mpg.
  • bobw3bobw3 Member Posts: 2,989
    No reason the Fit shouldn't get 40mpg.

    What car out there gets that in America?

    The Fit gets about the best MPG out there. As good as a Civic or Corolla but more usable space inside and more cargo space.
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    No reason the Fit shouldn't get 40mpg.

    What car out there gets that in America?


    If we're talking about EPA highway testing, you'll need a

    Prius
    Civic Hybrid
    VW Diesel
    Smart

    If we aren't, then drive my Accord. It's a 2006 model, but at 72mph cruise, unloaded, no A/C, I've had 40 MPG on more than one occasion.
  • bam8bam8 Member Posts: 7
    I was considering a fit or Yaris and decided on the Yaris (MT) because it was a more comfortable drive for me and the gas mileage appeared to be more consistantly good in reviews. I've filled the tank about 6 times now and I've been getting average 42-44 on longer trips (two people in the car and gear) and 40-42 around town driving. I expect to get better once its broken in.

    We have to get another vehicle in the next year and I will be looking at the Yaris and Fit again. For me, the fit has great room and I loved the MT to drive but the seats were uncomfortable, the pedal position/foot room felt a little cramped and the vehicle clearance was too low. I'm also looking at the continued feedback on gas mileage. There seems to be a wide variation with the fit and much less so with the Yaris. The fit seems to have resolved most of my concerns (except the gas mileage :)) so we will see. Yaris is making the 4 door LB this year and adding more saftly features.
  • tiff_ctiff_c Member Posts: 531
    No reason the Fit shouldn't get 40mpg.

    What car out there gets that in America?

    The Fit gets about the best MPG out there. As good as a Civic or Corolla but more usable space inside and more cargo space.


    The fact is the Fit should easily get better fuel economy tan it does. My friend had one, loved it, but hated the fact that he never got above 26mpg in the city. No matter how he drove it. He sold it and bought a Hi-Lux diesel pickup truck and his fuel economy went up to 30mpg and better. That's a 4 door pickup truck with a 5.5 foot bed!
    So why can't these small cars get better fuel economy. Saying they don't, isn't an answer. I know they don't but why is 35mpg the best you can get in the US. No one in Europe would buy a car that did so poorly.
    The Fit is a great little car, but poor on fuel when compared to other offerings overseas. My wife still wants one so probably she will get one in October. Still a Civic LX would get better fuel economy. I used to own Civic Hatchbacks, Geo Metro's etc... All of them got better than 40mpg. No excuse for a small car to get such low MPG.
  • damian1962damian1962 Member Posts: 28
    You made the right choice. The Yaris is a better car by all means. The fit is a cheap replica of what the original Jazz is. Jazz has a 7 pad shifter, Side view mirror with blinking lights, for those who need it heated seats, passenger mirror, a nice snug hatch back, the original sport alarm which shuts doors when you take off, rearms the car when left open after 30 seconds, valid parking mode, shock sensitve activation of the alarm. A nice Sun roof, rear disc brakes and a better suspension. How do I know this? I checked out the UK sites. The 2009 already lacks a sun roof and the MPG is the same story. My fit is on sale with $2,000 incentive for who ever takes it off my hands. I has all kinds of accesories like; interior trim for the doors, center mount trim, steering wheel cover, silver fit door sills, Original fit rugs, tinted glass, sport grille, rear applique, fit cargo tray, rear cover and the Fit License plate holder. I also found side moulding from UK that are silver metallic with the fit emblem, I purchased from Zeta products the crome trim for the rear hatch and a hood deflector. And door Visors, I wish I would had purchased the mungen visors that are better looking and perfect for it. I was going to puchase OEM 16" rims from Honda Majestic which sells them for $140 but I stopped. I did all I could to like the car but after seeing everything that was stripped from the original Jazz to make the fit I hit rock bottom. And here we go again, the 2009 has no sunroof and the alarm is an aftermarket already and God knows the laundry list of thing it would include which Japan fit does.
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