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Mazda3 Real World MPG

961 messages,  Last post on Jul 27, 2012 at 1:44 AM

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What is this discussion about? Mazda MAZDA3, Mazda MAZDASPEED MAZDA3, Fuel Efficiency (MPG)

Messages Page 94 of 97

#922 of 961 Re: About to break 40 MPG on a tank for the 1st time [backy] by autonomous

Apr 26, 2012 (3:02 pm)

Replying to: backy (Apr 26, 2012 10:49 am)
In case you have not already seen this article on the Edmunds site ...
 EPA and Real world fuel economy. The Hyundai Elantra is cited a few times in the article.

#923 of 961 Re: About to break 40 MPG on a tank for the 1st time [farkle0079] by woochifer

Apr 26, 2012 (3:47 pm)

Replying to: farkle0079 (Apr 25, 2012 6:14 pm)
Well, the pump calculation came out to 39.3 MPG, while the trip computer displayed 40.8 MPG. A smaller variance than normal, but the calculated MPG matched the EPA-rated 39 MPG for the Mazda3 Skyactiv hatchback.
 
Has your trip computer's average been above your pump calculation? My trend is that my trip computer's average is lower than my pump calculation (better for me).
 
My trip computer readings are usually 2-3 MPG greater than the pump calculation. Only once did the pump calculation come in above the trip computer reading, and I think that was due to a short fill at the gas pump.
 
In general, I think the trip computer is more accurate if the routes consist of mostly flat terrain. My daily commute includes hills, and I suspect that the trip computer exaggerates the efficiency on the downhill side.

#924 of 961 Re: About to break 40 MPG on a tank for the 1st time [chickrae] by woochifer

Apr 26, 2012 (4:03 pm)

Replying to: chickrae (Apr 25, 2012 11:58 pm)
I think your experiment is good, but personally I don't want to have to think that much when I am driving, as how I am going to achieve the 40mpg.
 
This was just a tankful where I consciously tried to maximize the fuel economy. I wasn't hypermiling by cruising below the speed limit or drafting behind big rig trucks. I just drove with at more of a steady pace and throttle position, and limited the short trips. With just the highway portion, I think that capping the speed and limiting the acceleration/decelerations gave me about a 2-3 MPG gain compared to my normal driving.
 
My typical fuel economy is about 35 MPG with 75% highway driving. It's really that 25% consisting of short trips and stop-and-go driving that kills the fuel economy.
 
P.S. I am driving a Mazda3.

#925 of 961 Re: About to break 40 MPG on a tank for the 1st time [backy] by woochifer

Apr 26, 2012 (4:27 pm)

Replying to: backy (Apr 26, 2012 10:49 am)
What is there to get past? It's very simple. Hyundai is advertising 40 mpg because that's what the Elantra achieved on the EPA tests. Every manufacturer does this.
 
A lot of the outcry about the Hyundai Elantra is with how badly the Elantra misses the EPA rating in a lot of real world calculations. The Consumer Watchdog alert basically calls for the EPA to conduct its own fuel economy test and revise the MPG rating if necessary (in much the same way that they did when the EPA downgraded the BMW 328i highway efficiency from 36 to 33 MPG). With the Elantra, my understanding is that the EPA fuel economy rating comes from tests conducted by Hyundai (only about 25% of car models are actually tested by the EPA). That's why you see forum posts out there accusing Hyundai of gaming the test.
 
I believe that the Mazda3 Skyactiv fuel economy rating came from a test conducted by the EPA (Mazda executives were reportedly waiting anxiously for the EPA results not long before the Skyactiv Mazda3 went on sale). That might be why the Skyactiv fuel economy more closely matches the EPA rating.
 
40 MPG is a very powerful marketing tool, and the claims at that plateau really need to be scrutinized, since it has given Hyundai a clear advantage over its competitors. If that advantage is undeserved, then it needs to be pulled ASAP like it was with the BMW 3-series.

#926 of 961 Re: About to break 40 MPG on a tank for the 1st time [autonomous] by backy

Apr 26, 2012 (7:32 pm)

Replying to: autonomous (Apr 26, 2012 3:02 pm)
I've seen that. Have you seen the articles by Popular Mechanics, Automobile Magazine, Consumer Reports et. al. that report the Elantra CAN hit or exceed 40 mpg?
 
Didn't think so.
 
Back to the Mazda3. It's a superior car to the Elantra in most respects anyway.

#927 of 961 Re: About to break 40 MPG on a tank for the 1st time [woochifer] by chickrae

Apr 27, 2012 (12:31 am)

Replying to: woochifer (Apr 26, 2012 4:03 pm)
Oh sorry. Somehow I thought you were driving an Elantra..my mistake.

#928 of 961 Re: About to break 40 MPG on a tank for the 1st time [backy] by dudleyr

Apr 27, 2012 (6:41 am)

Replying to: backy (Apr 26, 2012 7:32 pm)
Actually Consumer Reports only got 39 mpg out of the Elantra on their highway test and they usually beat the EPA number.
 
For comparison the 39 EPA Civic got 47 mpg on the CR highway test.
 
CR drives 65 mph on level ground for their number - pretty close to ideal (even slower would be better). So 39 is pretty close to max for an Elantra, any city at all (or faster speeds) brings that number down quickly.

#929 of 961 Re: About to break 40 MPG on a tank for the 1st time [backy] by autonomous

Apr 27, 2012 (1:17 pm)

Replying to: backy (Apr 26, 2012 7:32 pm)
articles by Popular Mechanics, Automobile Magazine, Consumer Reports et. al. that report the Elantra CAN hit or exceed 40 mpg?
 
Thanks for the list. Popular Mechanics reports that driving at 70 mpg the Hyundai Elantra achieves 39 mpg which almost matches the EPA highway number of 40 mpg; more impressively they say it exceeds this EPA number significantly if driving at 55 mph (47 mpg). Simillarly, Consumer Reports found the highway number close (39 mpg) but it seems the city number is seriously deficient (20 mpg and not the 29 from the EPA). My sense is Hyundai is moving in the right direction and made the latest Elantra one of the more fuel efficient vehicles on the road.
 
In a related vein the Mazda3 SkyActiv is achieving its numbers and was rated recently by TrueCar as offering the best economic proposition.

#930 of 961 Re: About to break 40 MPG on a tank for the 1st time [autonomous] by backy

Apr 27, 2012 (6:15 pm)

Replying to: autonomous (Apr 27, 2012 1:17 pm)
Simillarly, Consumer Reports found the highway number close (39 mpg) but it seems the city number is seriously deficient (20 mpg and not the 29 from the EPA).
 
I guess you must think the Mazda3i is "seriously deficient" also, since it averaged 22 mpg in CR's city test but EPA rating is 28 mpg. No high mpg car seems to get anywhere close to its EPA city rating on CR's city test. The Civic for example scored worse than the Elantra and Mazda3i on that test.

#931 of 961 40.555mpg on 2285 mile trip by boodrow

Apr 30, 2012 (9:28 pm)

I recently purchased new Mazda 3 I Touring with the Skyactive 2.0 engine and 6 speed manual in Portland OR. Returned to Fairbanks, AK from Spokane, WA for a total of 2285 miles. Speeds were generally 65-70 mostly around 70. Temperatures ranged from 30 to 75 but mostly in the low fifties. The trip computer showed 42.2 for the trip but calculated brim to brim fill up came to 40.555mpg. This is the best I have ever done in a gasoline car and I am pleased that I easily beat the EPA numbers.
 
 

Messages Page 94 of 97

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