The 2016 Fit 6MT has a buttery smooth manual transmission that I really appreciate. Rowing through the gears is a lot of fun. On either side of the speedometer are green/blue LEDs. These are the same lights as the CVT's Eco Assist System. In general, when the engine rpms are around 2k, the green LED lights. Rev above 2k rpms and the blue LED turns on. I believe this is a tool for MT drivers to encourage higher fuel economy. There is nothing in the user manual explaining this feature.

The Fit engine redlines at 6,800 rpm. It seems to me that shifting at only 2k rpm is really not in the engine's power band. Peak torque of 114lb occurs at 4,600 rpm, and the max 130hp occurs at 6,600 rpm.

Shifting at 2k rpm feels like I'm short shifting the engine, though it does not complain at all. If I'm in 5th at 2k rpm with the green LEDs on, then let the car slow to 1,800 rpm, the blue LEDs turn on. If I downshift to 4th and back up to 2k rpm the green LEDs will then reappear. If I shift into neutral, for example on a decline, the blue LEDs turn on. Only when I get back into a gear that has the engine at 2k rpm does the green LED appear.

It sounds like the green LEDs are an indicator to keep you driving in the narrow band of 1,800-2k rpm. I wonder if these Eco Assist shift recommendations actually save fuel? In the user manual, pp 90, Honda's recommended shift points are:

1 -> 2: 16mph/25kph
2 -> 3: 26mph/42mph
3 -> 4: 35mph/56mph
4 -> 5: 41mph/66mph
5 -> 6: 43mph/69kph

By following the Honda user manual's shift recommendations I think you'd be shifting around 3,500 rpm or so.

By following the green Eco light I can cruise in 6th at 37mph/60kph, 2k rpm, without engine stumble, and the car does not complain at all. Left to my own choice I'd probably be in 4th gear at around 3,500 rpm.

It seems to be that the Eco Assist lights are a driver anti-hooligan control device, or more positively, a hyper-miler encouragement device. Following the Eco Assist light recommendations seems to dampen down the power so the car drives more like a CVT, on Eco Assist.

Do the Eco Assist shift recommendations or the Honda Fit manual shift recommendations make more sense for fuel economy? My car is new and fuel economy numbers are currently 7.7l/100km or 31mpg, all city and short trips, new engine, which is in line with many others here. Any advice?

 

I'd just drive it the way you feel most comfortable.




Unless you feel the need to 'hyper-mile', you are probably looking at a 5% to 8% difference in MPG. (This, from my actions with my CR-V when the price of fuel was high a few years ago.)

Having driven several cars over the years with upshift indicators (like the green LEDS), IMO they are of limited value.

++++++++++++

Did you know that engines are most efficient un-throttled? (Wide open throttle) Anyone remember the Mobil Economy Runs?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobil_Economy_Run

In those, the drivers would use full throttle to accelerate to speed, then shut off the engine and coast, to get the best MPG. You'd probably burn out both the green and blue LEDs if you tried those repeated start-stops, LOL.

 

Forget about shift lights or rpm recommendations in a book.

Get a ScanGauge or an UltraGauge and the car will tell you what it's actually doing. Then you can ge the results you want in the conditions that you drive in.

 

+1

I bought one and love that little device - it's easy to hook up and shows more than just mpg, like intake air temp, coolant temp, atmospheric pressure, etc.
I move this device between a few cars whichever I drive.
I noticed my actual mpg is a bit lower than what it says though.
Could be a bit lower priced for what it is though.

Below is from my RAV4 4WD.

 

My advice is to cover up the tach for a week and drive it seat-of the-pants and learn what feels right.
Something I learned from riding my vfr, let the engine tell you what it likes.
For max econ, just shift as early as you can while getting the acceleration you need for the current traffic situation you're in. Sometimes I shift 1-3-5 or 1-2-4-6. It's true that wot generally yields highest output per unit of fuel used, so don't feel bad about brisk acceleration, its the brake pedal that throws away your fuel around town. No need to feel guilty about hooning that sweet motor, just drive smart.
If you keep your highway speed down in the legal zone it will reward your patience with low fives on highway trips - my daughter drove from Pickering to Guelph and back on the 401 and averaged 4.9L/100km. I regularly see 8 to 8.5 pulling a trailer load of dirt bikes up the 400 as fast as I dare.

 

Thanks all for your advice. I've started disregarding the Eco Assist LEDs and shift like my motorcycle. This is very similar to what is recommended in the Fit user manual. It seems my gas mileage is increasing, but too soon to tell.

 

I find it doesn't matter if I drive it hard or easy. 36 to 37 mpg in town and 41 to 44 mpg highway. And with gas below 2 bucks a gallon, it doesn't matter to me at this point.

 

That's where the gauge comes in. You know immediately.

 

My ScanGauge is my driving bible. I pay more attention to that than any other instrument or gauge on my dash.

 

What are you viewing most of the time with your gauge?

 

My guess is MPG reading?

 

On the left side it's instant mpg, coolant temp and fuel level remaining.
On the right it's short trip mpg, long trip (tank) mpg and DTE.

I reset the UG and the car's trip odometer at every fill up. The UG itself is mounted on the steering column, offset to the left so I can see the trip odometer- all it's blocking is the tach north of the redline.

 

Maybe where you live. Where I live is around 4 up to 5 dollars and when the minimum wage is 7 dollars a day it adds pretty quicky. That's why I change my ram 2500 to my little fit. And I love fuel consumption.

 

That's less than a $1/hr!
That can't be in the U.S.

 

I though my bad english would give you a hint. No form the USA i'm from Mexico.

 

So that are you finding. Does the mpg shown in the display of the fit is accurate? Does the lights in the Rpm are a good educator on how to accelerate? Any more info to improve the consumption based on your information with the gauge will be welcome.

 

I have my SG set to display:
1. engine temp
2. instant MPG
3. current trip MPG
4. tank MPG

Those are just the 4 gauges I display on my unit. I then scroll through the other info as needed (e.g. gallons used, gallons remaining, max RPM for the trip or for the day, etc)

My SG is mounted front and center on my steering column and does not block anything on the Fit's instrument panel. There is no doubt in my mind that without the immediate feedback I get from the SG, my MPGs would suffer quite a bit.

 

I had to go without for a few weeks in my last car- I mailed the UG out to get its software upgraded so I could hit the ground running with the Fit. I lost a bit, but the Gauge had alreay taught me enough about the car that I did almost as well as with it.

 

Is Engine Temp as same as coolant temp?
Is Tank MPG same as Avg MPG?

If not, can you post a photo of your SG screen showing the above 4 parameters?
I scrolled through my SG a while ago but don't remember seeing those. Maybe I missied them...
Thanks!

 

I use a Garmin EcoRouteHD in my CR-V. (Reads through my GPS)

Feedback from that device improved my MPG ~8%.