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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 97 of 97

#955 of 961 Re: Results from first 4 fill-ups 2012 Mazda3 iTouring HB 6MT [k2q] by m6user

Jun 05, 2012 (5:17 pm)

Replying to: k2q (Jun 05, 2012 2:47 pm)
That's still a very, very good avg.

#956 of 961 my 2012 mazda 3 itour auto skyactiv hatch mpg by kmh3

Jun 12, 2012 (1:55 pm)

I am somwhat schooled in hyper mile techniques, sidewall max PSI in tires,
shut off the engine at long lights (you can put it in neutral and stop the engine).
Maintain momentum at all costs, use very gentle accelleration, and over all just slow down.
 
I wanted to see what this car could do if I babied it as best I could, and compared that
to more normal (but not exactly fast) driving.
 
My mpg results so far (after a few weeks of experimentation):
 
70mph cruise on a flat, no air - about 42 mpg, with air - about 32 mpg.
    If I cycled the air by hand I could get 36 mpg (50% on/off).
    Give it some gas (but not much) and closer to 36 mpg70mph (no air).
    Slow to 65 and draft a bit (no cruise), I sustained 46+ mpg for 100 miles, didn't try with air.
City with all the babying I could manage, I can average 32 mpg (no air).
City (give it some gas - but not much) about 26 mpg (no air).
 
The highway miles were confirmed by fillup measurements,
city mileage is just from the trip computer.
 
Overall I think these are fantastic results, except the air is a pig.

#957 of 961 Re: my 2012 mazda 3 itour auto skyactiv hatch mpg [kmh3] by m6user

Jun 12, 2012 (2:11 pm)

Replying to: kmh3 (Jun 12, 2012 1:55 pm)
That is a huge decrease in MPG with the air. I wonder if the smaller engines are affected more by having the A/C on? It seems with all the V6s I've had over the years the A/C had only a very minor affect...like maybe 2 mpg or so. Even with our Mazda 4cyl I don't recall it being affected anywhere close to what you're experiencing.

#958 of 961 Re: my 2012 mazda 3 itour auto skyactiv hatch mpg [kmh3] by roadburner

Jun 12, 2012 (8:56 pm)

Replying to: kmh3 (Jun 12, 2012 1:55 pm)
My 2007 Mazdaspeed 3 returns 31 mpg at a steady 70 mph cruise with the A/C on automatic- and my 215/45-18 tires are inflated 34F/32R per the tire placard on the door jam.

#959 of 961 Re: my 2012 mazda 3 itour auto skyactiv hatch mpg [kmh3] by farkle0079

Jun 12, 2012 (9:15 pm)

Replying to: kmh3 (Jun 12, 2012 1:55 pm)
Wow you saw that large of a drop with AC? I barely see any drop when I use the air. My last road trip with four people (including myself), as much luggage as you can fit into the 3 hatchback, driving 75mph constant and AC on the whole time got me 35mpg.
 
I normally get between 37-39mpg per tank on my weekly commute and haven't seen that AC makes any difference.

#960 of 961 Re: my 2012 mazda 3 itour auto skyactiv hatch mpg [kmh3] by kmh3

Jul 26, 2012 (2:17 pm)

Replying to: kmh3 (Jun 12, 2012 1:55 pm)
I want to retract my previous claim that using the air drops mpg by 10mpg.
 
It does drop that much when you first engage the air, but the average mpg doesn't drop any where near as much, maybe 3-4 mpg instead of the 10 I thought I was seeing previously.
 
That means this car has no bad points for me, the air is nice and efficient although not super powerful, exactly what you would want in a car tuned for high mpg.
 
I wish I could edit my previous post to remove bad info.

#961 of 961 Re: my 2012 mazda 3 itour auto skyactiv hatch mpg [kmh3] by smoothsailin

Jul 27, 2012 (1:44 am)

Replying to: kmh3 (Jul 26, 2012 2:17 pm)
A drop of 3-5 mph when the a/c is engaged is about what I'm accustomed to seeing with my '05 Mazda 3i w/5-speed manual also.
 
The a/c compressor seems to consume most of the torque produced by my 3i's 2.0 L engine, especially at low rpm. If the compressor engages while I'm accelerating or climbing a hill below 2.5k rpm the feel is comparable to driving w/the emergency brake engaged or as if the car may be towing a trailer. At higher engine speeds the a/c compressor's effect is less noticeable, but I can still view the negative effect on my Scangauge II's instantaneous and average calculated mpg results. If engine rpm is below 2k my car simply falls on its knees when the a/c compressor engages.
 
I'd like to see Mazda and other manufacturers begin to offer a/c compressors powered electrically vs. directly by the engine (rpm dependent) like Toyota is using on its hybrid vehicles like the Prius.

Messages Page 97 of 97

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