I'll admit to being MPG-obsessed at times. The best I got so far on my 2012 AT has been 39mpg on one trip to Monterey (mostly highway) keeping it no higher than 65mph.

A good average with "relaxed" driving (70% hwy, 30% city, w/in speed limits) has been 37mpg. "Active" driving on the same route gets me a little over 35mpg. I haven't yet had the desire to go into "enthusiastic" driving mode.

So, ... what are the secrets to making this vehicle a super fuel sipper?

 

for $50 the secret is yours....

ok kidding. Thanks for asking!

That snapshot is exactly that: a snapshot. It was taken after filling the Fit (regular fuel only passes down my filler) and driving 23 miles to work on freeways averaging 45mph. It probably helped that the office is downhill from where I live. There may have been a tailwind too.

5 days later, after combined city/highway driving, the tank average was 32mpg.

Sorry to disappoint. Maybe the guy claiming 60MPG will contribute.

If it seems too good to be true, it probably is...

edit: since that picture was taken my avg mpg seems to be improving. I switched to 0w20 (honda synthetic; I think it's mobile 1), switched tires to Michelin Energy E3As and had the thing aligned. The mechanic reported it was pretty far out-of-alignment (30K on factory dunlops). In addition the temps have dropped here so the A/C compressor is probably running 25% of what it was. I drive 30/70 city/highway. Right now, after a week's driving, the display is sitting at 37MPG. Of course I'm probably trying (subconsciously?) to justify $700 in maintenance costs with better MPG.

You're getting great MPG (up there with Specboy who has careful records). Don't obsess.

 

Ha!



Actually, you provided me with some info that might support my own impressions of MPG optimization. I expected my MPG to begin dropping when I got on the expressway and managed only 45mph. Oddly enough, my MPG remained stable or briefly increased (until I hit a bunch of stops).

On the highway, 62mph seems to be optimal. 65+mph is where I notice diminishing returns on my MPG.

The AC does seem to notably affect MPG. I should mention that the 39mpg was achieved even with the AC at max, the fan at 2 with the vents pointed up, and 3 passengers in the vehicle. I can only assume I would have easily exceeded 40mpg if it were just me. This was FROM the coast through the South Bay, then up a large hill and down to a valley.

The average mpg readout has turned my driving into a bit of a game. I feel like I'm trying to "get more points".

 

Many people report that mpg goes up after you have a few thousand miles on it. My casual observations support this (it may have continued to increase through 10K miles). Might be a function of breaking it in. Or maybe the tires wearing down make it seem like you're going farther than you are...

I also found leaving the display on avg mpg rather than just miles or trip-miles did create a "feedback loop" with my brain. It helped to improve mpg. I'm not sure about the other maintenance items I just had done. If it continues for 6 months at a higher MPG they may be significant.

 

That's been my experience as well. That's how it becomes "a game".


The average mpg display has been more instrumental to my driving within the speed limit than anything else. Lurking legislators should take note. Maybe it should be a mandatory feature in every vehicle.

 

I got 41mpg average on the 3,500 mile trip from Minnesota to Alaska in my 2007 MT fit sport. I drove 60mph the whole way with a passenger and 350lbs of stuff in the back. No A/C (I think the A/C takes about 1-2mpg) since the weather was cool enough. I just replaced the tires with Kumho Ecsta LX Platinum 195/55/15, and I pump them to their max rating of 51psi. I accelerate slowly, changing gears by 2500rpm, unless going up a steep hill. I also use synthetic oil, but I don't think that makes much difference.

 

OP do you use cruise?

 

I didn't use cruise on my highest-mpg runs. I tried it a few times but it doesn't seem to be the most fuel-efficient when going uphill or downhill.

 

I'll chime in here.

I found that Cruise control nets me about 3-4mpg LESS than if i'm controlling the pedal myself, especially on Hilly roads. Cruise kills your ability to maintain forward momentum as you end up engine braking down longer hills instead of slowly letting the car speed up to take the next upcoming hill. It also applies the gas to maintain speed up a hill when a few mph drop before cresting the drop of the hill would be acceptable. Varying speed will net you the best economy.

I'm averaging right around 38mpg with 32K miles on the the fit. My commute is all country roads and I average about 45-50mph. The fit really doesn't like highway cruising above 65 on the 5MT. A recent 700mile trip with the family (wife & 5 year old), I averaged about 37mpg on the highway. My average speed was just under 70mph for the trip and I used cruise for a short period of time. During my daily commute, right now, I'm averaging about 41mpg due to the fact I don't use the A/C & my commute is all country roads. The 5MT loves this type of driving.

As for the individual running max pressure. I'd highly recommend against it as it is dangerous and also puts undue punishment on the vehicle and tire itself. The tires are part of the suspension designed to take shock away from the vehicle. running Max pressure on the tire kills this. Also, it is reducing the contact patch of the tire on the ground which means the car won't be able to handle as well, especially during sudden maneuvers.

~SB

 

Thanks SB! That confirms my impressions. I felt that the vehicle was "braking" downhill to maintain the cruise speed and it certainly wasn't taking any advantage of momentum when going uphill.

I think cruise control would be just fine on a very long stretch of mostly flat highway ... like Hwy 5 from Tracy to The Grapevine.

Now that I think of it, I'm tempted to do a mileage-maximization run on that highway.

 

it would be nice to be able to drive the way i do and get that! not that im some speed junky ripping through the streets, but most of my commute is city so alot of stop and go and zipping through lanes. never the less, i still manage to get better gas millage than any other car ive ever owned.

 

My mileage hovers right around 34 mpg if I drive normally, with no concern for mileage. I probably have a slightly heavier than normal foot (I like the sound of the PRM CAI!)

But with my latest tankfull, I decided to see what I could coax out of it, and midway through the tank, my readout is currently 40.0. And yes, I have had the tech update that adjusts the mileage readout to more realistic numbers.

Most of this driving has been around town, with only a couple of quick jaunts onto the highways. I've tried to keep my upshifts at around 2500 rpm, and coast as far as possible when coming to a stop. I've even killed the engine a couple of times at a light when I knew it would stay red for more than a minute.

It's not any fun, other than the challenge, but it is possible to average 40 mpg. But after this tank is gone, vroom-vroom!

 

34mpg is nothing to sneeze at. That's probably what I would average if I decided to stop playing the mpg-max game.

 

amazing number guys! idk, just got my fit and finished it's first tank of gas. i managed to pull roughly 268 miles and the dash says 26.3mpg. ill have to say that this is a billion times better than the cars i have come from, such as the ap2 s2000 and si sedan, but it's not near what you guys are getting.

i would assume that it deals strictly with driving habits. i tend to have a heavy foot, not that i am consistently flooring the gas pedal, but i have noticed that my shifts are more in the 2.8k - 3.5k rpm range. i like to get to my speed quickly and coast at the speed limit. So although i am going the speed limit and as fast as anyone else, i like to hit the mph quickly. the vehicle being underpowered, it does not help my terrible habits.

my second tank, i am testing to see what i can pull out of it. strictly changing the habits to see what i can do. btw, majority of my driving is city driving (about 98% of it).

 

Sounds like you're driving normally in the city. Shifts between 2.8K-3.5K are normal (the shift logic in the auto does this under low-moderate acceleration). Shifting at lower RPM lugs the engine. While it might save some gas, it isn't kind to the car.

The EPA estimates are realistic, some will do better some will do worse.

If you drive constant speeds between 45-55mph high 30's or maybe even 40mpg isn't unrealistic; but this isn't a "normal" driving pattern for the majority, I think.

 

60 psi, downhill on an untraveled interstate, with a tailwind. you might want to read those 40+ mpg stories with a grain or even a pound of salt.

 

thanks for the input! i was worried after seeing ur guy's mpg. but it makes sense.

 

uh, my guy gets 32-34mpg. That pic is staged. Like mahoot says; downhill, going easy on the freeway, with a tailwind.

 

Not so, my friend.

Getting this:




over this:



My normal, daily commute.

 

Has your Fit been fixed for the MPG software issue? Without that, a 2009 Fit is easily 4 mpg over actual mileage calculated at the pump, that meter is pretty much useless info.