I have a 2011 Sport and am getting pretty good mileage. It's rated to get 35 mpg highway by Honda but I've been getting 37.8 mpg on a recent long road trip where I drove 8,900 from NYC to So Cal and back to Nashville via Portland and Texas (I think I made a wrong turn somewhere).

I'm looking for people who have made any changes to their Fit to get better gas mileage that actually worked (No theories, please. I'm looking for stuff Fit drivers have done that actually worked). Thanks!

 

drive slower
increase tire pressure
lower it
make it lighter

 

The climate control in my '12 Sport seems to really destroy my mileage around town. The A/C especially. And it's always on when the defroster is on. I routinely get 23-25 MPG around town in the winter, when I have to use the defroster and thus the A/C. In the summer, it's closer to 26-29. And on flat stretches of freeway, I get between 33-36. The A/C seems to affect the mileage less when I'm at cruising speed with the cruise control on. I drive pretty gently most of the time.

 

Install the CR-Z underbody panel.

 

Higher tire pressure, UltraGauge, grille block.

The UltraGauge is the most effective mod, because driving technique is where there's the most room for improvement.

 

Are you a leg foot?
Drive with minimal weight as possible in the car.
Increase tyre pressure but not recommended unless it's really low I have mine around 40psi it's max is 44 but that doesn't mean to put it to that because I have to leave room for expansion on warm to hot road or highway where expanding of the tyre happens.
Clean air filter
Clean map and other sensors
On take off don't go past 1500rpm
Coast as much as possible.

All this works for me I get about 4.7-5.5L per 100km, depending on a/c usage.

 

Revving the car that little is going to do more harm that good.

 

I get employee cost on everything from honda because of how long I've been purchasing from this dealer. How much are people paying and what mpg gains are they seeing. I guess it's like how 3rd Gen Fits are installing the LX underparts on their EX.

I pump my tires to 36psi crazy gains on highways. I usually get 38mpg but I live on Sea level so I'm thinking that's what's helps my car alot. I'm in Wilmington, NC which is a beach city. I rarely go west of I-95 other than to Charlotte. Most of my travels has me using I-95 south. Elevation less than 100ft anywhere. Mpg only drops in construction areas.

Some hypermill too. When coming to a stop, put car in neutral. When at a stop, turn car off. When light turns green, start the car again and go. The negative to this is you'll be replacing the starter a lot.

 

How's it going to do more harm then good got proof to back that up. Past 2 years it hasn't.

 

The car is working harder to accelerate at those low rpm. A car wants to be at the point in the power band where it is most efficient, the Fit likes to be shifted around 3k RPM in my experience.

 

U do realize the car at idle is 8-900rpm. In town I just drive it like I stole it. The way Honda were meant to be. I don't worry about MPG until on freeway but that's just me. My MPG in town are usually low 20's.

 

Mine idles at about 300rpm until I release the break it goes up to about 800rpm

 

Initial acceleration plays the biggest factor in fuel economy. Low 20's in town is awful, ease off on the accelerator.

 

Most efficient for me is 2000-2500. All things being equal, I'll be shifting around 3000 as well- but I'll happily go higher if I need to get up to speed.

In town is where the big mileage numbers are if you're doing it right- the highway's where I have a struggle staying in the 40s (50s if it's warm out).

 

Run the A/C as sparingly as possible. Even if the A/C button is off, it still runs when the vents are set to defrost.

There are ways to cool yourself without A/C. I wear my undershirt and put on my long-sleeve dress shirt when I get to work. Drink ice water. Park in the shade or use a sun-shade. When stopping at a light or stop sign, try stop under shade. You can also scoop up cool air by briefly opening the windows when driving through a shady patch of road.

There are opportunistic times to use the A/C. If you are going down a steep hill, traffic is slowing, or you otherwise need to lose momentum, instead of slowing down with your brakes, turn on the A/C. Better to trade gasoline-earned momentum for cold air than waste the energy as heat dumped into your brake pads. You will need to maintain a healthy following distance to successfully do this because enabling the A/C doesn't slow you down very much. Try to avoid running the A/C when climbing a hill or accelerating.

My best tank was 47.2mpg according to fuel tracking. My best trip was 63mpg according to trip computer. Not running the A/C seems to boost my mpg from around 50 to 55. If you aren't hypermiling, A/C will be less of a proportion of your fuel use so gains will be minimal.

 

I do mainly highway miles (Toronto to Northern KY) and put taller tires on my car. I installed low roll resistance Pirelli 205/50R16's on my OEM HFP rims.

It threw the speedometer/odometer out a little, but I use GPS for my speed so it didn't bother me.

Engine speed on the highway dropped a few hundred RPM. This probably wouldn't benefit someone who does mainly city driving.

 

I just clocked 30 mpg city only downtown core only, winter gas. I accelerate slowly and shift early; I can't say I keep it below 1500 at takeoff...Toronto motorists would kill me, but I consistently keep it below 2500. In fact, in the city I never go above 2500. I did disconnect the a/c on the defogger. Most important mod is the very light foot on the gas, and shifting early. 2008 lx MT

edited: I misconverted l/100 to mpg. Turns out all city I was 30mpg, not 36! Next fillup all city I was 28mpg. Much better on the highway...40 mpg.

 

One minor trick I learned from Fuelly that might or might not be actually decreasing my fuel usage but I like to do it anyway is to back into my parking space. That way the car is warmed up when you are maneuvering, and when it is cold, you just drive right out.

Another minor trick I l do is that I wait until everyone in the car is buckled in before I start the car. Who knows if these ideas actually save much gas but they make sense to me.

 

Wow lots of idea's here. You guys should move down here where gas is expensive and give us all some lessons to save $$$!

Best advice is to drive as smoothly as possible, try and not brake or accelerate too hard. Take corners as smooth as possible, which is fun anyways!

When it comes to AC, Mythbusters did a test to see what costs more, windows down or AC on. From memory at lower speeds windows were the most economical, at higher speeds AC as the drag caused a big drop in economy. On a hot day I always drive the first minute or so with the windows down to air out the car and let the heat out. That and you can chuck an arm out the window and look super fly.

I have company-car-itis where I've only driven cars on a company gas card for the best part of 7 years, now i've bought the fit I'm trying to learn to go easier on the pedal, that said being too soft on the car wont do it any favours so give it a rev out now and then, it'll thank you for it.

As for Mods, best thing you can do is wheel alignment, tyre pressures. Honda engineers have already done all the smart work when it comes to economy.

 

You're sure right about that one! Hello to my fellow southern Ontarian haha I think Toronto's motto should be "merge, or be merged! Kill or be killed" 😂

Cruise control on the high way helps too. 105 baby! lol