41 MPG in an AUTO equipped fit!

[kennef]

ok, so i lied a little. 40.78 observed. here are the specifics:
1. target speed of 65mph, but due to traffic and very heavy rain, had significant periods of 45-50 mph driving and periods of traffic where we slowed to 25 mph.
2. as much as possible, i used the cruise control to increase or decrease speed. used the brake as little as i could.
3. tires inflated to 40psi hot after approximately 20 minutes of around town driving.
4. this observation was highway only.
5. 3 adult passengers of approximately 500lbs and 50lbs of luggage.

i'm really quite happy. i thought i had some freak low mileage fit for some time now, with my average of 31mpg pure highway and 26mpg of city. turns out i just dont really have the discipline to keep it slow.

car achieved 34.7mpg on the same trip northbound on friday night, target speed of 73mph. traffic was much more favorable then and speed stayed much closer to target speed throughout. same parameters as above, just faster target speed.

[MINI-Fit]

I hope you are right.

The reality is with heavy traffic, short trips, hilly or urban driving and less discipline most of us with Fit Sports with AT will be getting closer to 26 to 28 mpg most of the time.

Maximum speed limit in my area on the highway is 45 to 55.
Most roads are congested during rush hour times.

I don't think I will ever be able to get 34 mpg given my driving conditions.

[pb and h]

That is good. Technique............its all in the technique which requires discipline.

[Fray Adjacent]

Just shows once again that THE biggest factor that controls your fuel economy is...


YOU.

[kennef]

#1 best thing ever - cruise control. letting the computer take care of minimizing your speed changes lets the driver look further down the road at traffic patterns, stop lights, etc.

one thing i'm gonna try - bumping down the speed on uphills and bumping up the speed on downhills. like with a target speed of 65, climbing the hill at 60, and going down the hill at 70, and cruising at 65. doesn't exactly make up for the time difference, but it's something new to try.

another note about time - though going slower clearly saved me gas, going faster clearly saved me time. i think that for shorter trips, i'll go slower to save gas because the difference in time really isnt that great. but for looong trips, i think i'll pay the extra couple bucks to get there faster.

[Sid 6.7]

Another 40+ MPG! Good to hear.

[kennef]

update - 35.6mpg, cruise control set for 72mph, and this time with significant city driving (approximately 33 miles) which was not a factor in the first test.

i wish that i had filled up on the highway so i could compare purely highway results. but i did notice that at 72mph i was better keeping up with the pace of traffic and in some instances passing. which to me seems a safer position - not holding people up, not being passed all the time seems a lot safer than when a 18 wheeler is passing in the lane immediately to my left.

next, i'm going to do a true 72mph target speed, highway only so it's comparable to the first one. then a 67mph. i'm curious as to what speed is the point where we see the maximum change in MPG.

[Sid 6.7]

I cruised for about 150 miles on the way back from Mobile Alabama, at a steady 73mph when I got 43.8 mpg.

[gofastredfit]

I'm going to have to get more patience... I'm always revving around slow people... I know it cost me gas... then I could be in the more than 35 mpg club!
**My best so far is 34.**

[wontfit]

Originally Posted by MINI-Fit

I hope you are right.

The reality is with heavy traffic, short trips, hilly or urban driving and less discipline most of us with Fit Sports with AT will be getting closer to 26 to 28 mpg most of the time.
.

really? because i REGULARLY get 30mpg in my sport auto and that's mixed driving of coastal highway, ranging from 45-55MPH and also slowing to 25MPH through cities, with the occasional "fun run" through the RPM band. keep in mind, my fit just passed 2000 miles on the odometer. so its not even getting the best it could get!

[Black01]

Originally Posted by kennef

ok, so i lied on mpg observed.

Yep. I already figured that out

[MINI-Fit]

Originally Posted by wontfit

really? because i REGULARLY get 30mpg in my sport auto and that's mixed driving of coastal highway, ranging from 45-55MPH and also slowing to 25MPH through cities, with the occasional "fun run" through the RPM band. keep in mind, my fit just passed 2000 miles on the odometer. so its not even getting the best it could get!

I've checked a whole bunch of times so far with 2700 miles driven and only once did I ever get 31 mpg on a highway only trip at 55 mph since speed limit is only 50-55 in my area.

72 mph as mentioned is not possible as everyone else is limited to 55 tops.
Police will be happy to ticket those over the speed limit.

My sport auto gets about 26 mpg and down to 25 sometimes or even less.

I have a scan gauge II to assist but still stuck at about 27-28 mpg at best.
I got 28 mpg in my over 200 HP modified MINI driving the same roads.

I do have a hill to climb about 4-5 miles long each day but it is offset by the long hill down when leaving. It's not excessively steep about 680 foot rise from sealevel.

[rocksnap]

Rarely do I get more than 32.5 MPG. I do about 2/3 highway driving buzzing along at 70-75 MPH. I usually get 32+ MPG. Once I got 34+ MPG. I try to drive to get good mileage, rarely going over 4000 RPM. Tires are at the recommended pressure.

[pokems23]

You should get a 40+ mpg sticker to show up all those hybrids!

[xorbe]

I got 40.15 mpg (usa a/t sport) on a recent ~397 mile trip on ~9.9 gallons -- I knew I wouldn't make it back to my home gas station pump, so I added 2 gallons out of town and did the full fill-up in home town as usual, so it's legit. That was with 2 people half of the time, and A/C about half of the time. 99% freeway @ 65 mph. I used 42 psi all around. It can do better, but that requires drafting a big truck at 55 mph...

Scangauge claims 35-45 mpg using cruise control @ 65 mph on mostly level ground. The variance must come from slight grades and wind factor and freeway traffic.

Around town, mpg does not look good on the SG, 25ish?

[Black01]

Originally Posted by xorbe

I got 40.15 mpg (usa a/t sport) on a recent ~397 mile trip on ~9.9 gallons -- I knew I wouldn't make it back to my home gas station pump, so I added 2 gallons out of town and did the full fill-up in home town as usual, so it's legit. That was with 2 people half of the time, and A/C about half of the time. 99% freeway @ 65 mph. I used 42 psi all around. It can do better, but that requires drafting a big truck at 55 mph...

Scangauge claims 35-45 mpg using cruise control @ 65 mph on mostly level ground. The variance must come from slight grades and wind factor and freeway traffic.

Around town, mpg does not look good on the SG, 25ish?

Okay, here we go again

[Burbio]

i cruised at 67 mph from san diego to santa barbara a few weeks ago and observed 42.2 MPG. i even ran the A/C for a while. the trick is to keep the cruise control on. don't break for slow cars, change lanes to pass them, even if you cause a speeder to slow behind you while you pass. have no mercy!!!

[xorbe]

Originally Posted by Black01

Okay, here we go again

I suppose now isn't a good time to mention 46 mpg drafting a semi @ 55 mph the other day?