I just bought an '08 Fit Sport and immediately took a road trip that involved a lot of highway hills and long grades. I got extremely consistent gas mileage, and I want to share how I did it.

First, my average mileage ranged from 32.26 to 32.93 MPG, calculated at four segments over a 902 mile trip. I kept 75 MPH the entire time. Because I was coming from a high-altitude area, gas octane was between 85 and 88 depending on the station.

My focus was to keep the torque converter in lockup as much as possible. On any grade that appeared to challenge 5th gear, I immediately downshifted to 4th using the paddle shifters in "S" mode. This took the motor to ~4400 rpm for 1-2 seconds, then down to 3900 at lockup. Upshift at the top of the hill.

At times this meant staying in 4th for miles, such as the long grade west of Las Vegas on I-15. I was sure I was going to suffer in gas mileage, and remarkably only lost about 0.25 MPG on that segment of the trip. I think the lesson is to not be afraid of higher RPMs and to force the transmission to stay in a lower gear when climbing hills.

Incidentally, the Fit is awesome.

 

It's pretty easy to get good MPG in the Fit... I averaged something like 32mpg on a 1200 mile road trip from CT to FL with another passenger and I and a fully loaded Fit while doing 75-80mph straight through.

 

Yeah, I guess I'm too old school to accept EPA numbers (even the new ones). I have been made a believer.

 

Yeah the Fit is pretty right on with EPA numbers I think. If not above par, many here get in the 40s. Must drive pretty slow though lol

 

I just got my Fit last night and I hope it'll get at least 34mpg. My 2002 Civic EX got 32-33, so this thing better get more! haha

iftheshoefits: When you downshift, are you in the D mode? Last night I was driving up an incline trying to downshift to fourth in D mode and I think the computer took over and just left it at fifth.

 

I ran into this behavior at first, which is why I stuck it in S to prevent the car from upshifting unless I wanted it to.

 

It's good an gas for sure! My fiance lives an hour and a half away so im always making trips to go see him... if it wasnt for the fit.. id be in debt

 

i get around 32-34mpg on the weekends and 27-29 during the weekday to and from work

 

the fit gets great gas mileage on the highway. However from what i've noticed in the city the gas mileage kinda sucks.

 

My Fit will get it's first long road trip this coming weekend - from Tampa to Durham NC. Yesiree, 11 hours straight...oh god, kill me now. I consistently get @32mpg with every tank (50/50 in town/hwy) so I'm hoping to do better than that this weekend. Just put in a scan guage, now I have to resist the addiction of getting too-glued to it.

Was checking numbers on the hwy today, 65mph gets around 50mpg but jumping up to 70 or 75 drops to around 40mpg (which I'm ok with!) IF it would truly get that. I'll post results after the weekend.