When I first purchased the car (and first 60 miles or so I drove it) the weather was nice (dry and in the 60's), then we had some light showers and it became cold (for Florida) around the 30s and 40s. I have still managed to improve on fuel economy though!!! I have 54.1 by the display, and 56.8 by calculation!!! I was very suprised. I drove 653.0 miles on 11.50 gallons. I drove on the low fuel light for about 30 miles. I had two bars and was going to make a trip around the outskirts of town I was about 30 miles from the gas station when it light up. When I saw it I was , because my brightness is turned down quite a bit and it was glaring at me like the sun. Now I know I have around 130 miles give or take when the light comes on. I was hoping for a 700 mile tank, but I didn't want to push it, now I see I could have done 750 (on fumes ) My drive home from the gas station included a couple mean hills, 4 stop signs, and 3 red lights. I managed 66.9 mpg over 5.9 miles. The temperature at this moment is 38.6 F. I am very interested on what is possible in the better temperatures. (or before I have to start using a/c ... I can't take 100 degrees)

My mileage in the database only reflects this because neither trip had all the miles.

Good luck everyone and hope you fare better than I!

(btw, I know I am a little obssessive/compulsive hehe )

 

FYI - the manual says not to run on fumes as you might damage the Catalytic Converter. Wow - great mileage though !

 

Thank you, and I don't think I will push it very often. It is nice to know that if I am in a situation how far I truly have. I will probably fillup around 2-3 bars now. I don't like seeing the fuel light and I have learned my lesson from my 99 Accord. One time the fuel light didn't come on and I coasted into the gas station, but on the wrong side ... I was driving 3 different cars at the time. Once you break your car in you should be passing me by, especially once it gets hot here!

 

Good Job!!

Isn't the MPG crusade fun!?!

 

That's GREAT! Yep, summer kills my mileage due to A/C.

I've only seen my low fuel light on my HCH twice in 38,000 miles.

 

Does your Auto Stop work at your very first stop of the day? Mine doesn't work until I've been driving for awhile. I'm wondering if it's because the weather has been 35F?

 

Kenny, yes, it is fun! Watching the bar and trying to make it stay as far right as possible. I am waiting to see what difference 60-70F makes compared to the 30-40, I have been driving in. My first day I was taking in the car too much to know the difference yet.

Rigger, I think I may see my low fuel light one more time, but that will be when the weather is planned to be ideal for the length of a tank and my skills are high enough to push the tank to a new level. I know it means nothing other than self-accomplishment, but I want a 1000 mile tank just once. It will probably be on a vacation when I won't have the short trip to work hurting/haunting me.

Moosh, The auto-stop doesn't kick-in for the first few minutes, many say on here it will not until you have warmed up the cats (and I don't mean your kitties at home ). Usually after 1 - 1 1/2 miles mine will start shutting off, I just make sure i coast as much as possible. The drive to my job is so close (less than 2 miles). The stop sign a little before it sometimes the car will auto-stop, sometimes not, then I only have less than a 1/4 mile (+ a stoplight) to the parking space. I am hoping that I can find a way to utilize coasting to not kill my mileage. I don't know the avg but it seems like I am getting enough coast to get close 60 even when cold by the amount of time I can keep it above 60 mpg vs time accelerating.

This is a new kind of fun. I went from sports cars, chirping tires shifting, maintaining high rpms to stay in the powerband (rotarys love rpms) to trying to keep my rpms low, maintaining assist at the highest mpg i can. I will say that driving more aggressive in the past has helped me now. I learned how to corner to maintain the greatest possible safe speed (outside, apex, outside), I had a loud car under load, so i learned a lot of pedal control to keep it silent as long as possible, which helps me lean burn and coast at 120 mpg. I think the CVT with IMA is as close as you can get to driving a stick with an automatic. The regen without braking makes it feel like engine braking but with more benefit. I find this car to be as fun as anything else I have driven, but just in a different way. With that said, I definately plan on buying an Insight 5-spd and modding it now (I want to find a way to put the more powerful IMA motor in it). I think the Insight would become my favorite car of all time (unless they make the IMAS). Just need to pay this off and save some $$$!

 

Shaun
I must have missed it, but what speeds do you drive?
I drive freeways and at 72 or so I get around 47 mpg the rpm I try to keep the rpm under 2500.

JC

 

Jerry, where do you live to get that good of mileage going those speeds??

 

Mike,
I live in Newport Beach S Cal and drive to the desert above Palm Springs
each weekend.(home) The trip it seems is up hill the whole way, leaving the coast.
I try to stay up with traffic in a conservative way but I need to drive at least 70 mph.
I try to keep the RPM between 2000 and 2500 sometimes hard to do especially on the very steep long hills. by the way I keep 40 psi in the tires and use 87 octain gas
JC