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Hatchbacks Honda Fit Honda Fit Real World MPG
2432 messages, Last post on Oct 29, 2009 at 4:50 AM
You are in the Honda Fit Forum. Your Host is pf_flyer
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Replying to: wistlo (Feb 05, 2009 1:14 pm) |
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Replying to: pmeyers (Jan 19, 2009 2:49 pm) |
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| I have a 2008 Fit Sport MT and typically get around 30 to 35 mpg driving around town and on flat highway. I have gotten 40-45 mpg under very specific circumstances. No headwind, no air conditioner, no passengers (these really hurt your mileage). Hilly terrane where you can coast downhill helps alot, especially if steep enough to be to be totally off the throttle - I think the gas shuts off completely to the engine. If not quite that steep, then either shift into neutral temporarily or just keep the clutch pressed to coast while the engine idles to maintain an acceptable speed without using the engine. These intervals of coasting can more than offset the periods of charging up the next hill. When you do accelerate, do so pretty quickly to get in top gear as soon as possible. Try to minimize braking. Try to coast up to red lights as much as possible and turn off engine at long stoplights. If not crowded on flat terrane, try speeding up to say 65 or 70 mph, then coast back to around 55 mph (in gear or in neutral), repeat as long as you can bear it. I think small engines run most efficiently at heavy throttle and at idle. The barely-open partial throttle to maintain a steady 50-70 mph is not efficient. Finally, get a ScanGauge if you have a 2008 Fit. It's difficult to calibrate accurately with each fillup because of the Fit's small gas tank but it really helps by keeping you aware of your mileage. | |
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On a road trip from the Gulf Coast to Pittsburgh during Mardi Gras (last week of Feb), our 2009 FIt got between 34 and 38 MPG. We had driver + two passengers (about 450 lb, don't ask about weight distribution, please), luggage, toys, about 50 lb of bottled water. Tires were at 38 PSI, up from the 32 recommended. Terrain was rolling hills, almost entirely on cruise control. Sporadic A/C use with defroster. Mileage definitely depends on speed; 60-65 yields near 38 MPG, 70 MPH about 34. Coasting: On a 2001 CIvic manual with a OBDII meter connected, I noticed that fuel flow seems to drop to near zero when decelerating with the engine engaged. (I have not tried this on the Fit yet). I theorize that if the throttle is at idle (no pedal), the ECU will reduce or shut off fuel flow as long as engine speed is over idle speed. On both Hondas (Fit & Civic) I have stopped coasting with clutch disengaged, which requires the engine to idle under its own power, and I now keep the car in gear during deceleration. It is difficult to tell whether this makes a significant difference in consumption. After the trip with the Fit, the left front tire developed a bubble in the sidewall. This wasn't covered by the OEM warranty, but fortunately I took out a road-hazard warranty when I bought the car. The warranty people would not cover a sidewall bubble unless there was damage to the inside of the tire. The tire technician helped me find a very small split near the bubble site. The Fit Sport's tire size, 185-55-16, is not common (in fact, I think the Fit is the only car using it, so far). I had to drive for a day with the bubble while waiting for it to come in by special order. |
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wonder if the high 38 PSI had anything to do with the tire bubble. Seems way too high, even for 100% highway driving, than the recommended 32psi. Any variance in temperature could've brought it even higher, which is not good for tires.
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Replying to: gatortom1 (Feb 03, 2009 1:45 pm) The computer provides the current gas mileage (in the moment). Unless you maintain a given mileage reading over the entire range of a tankfull of gas, you will find that the actual mileage (calculated the old fashioned way) is about 3 mpg less than the computer reads when you stop for fill-up. This has been my experience with predominant highway driving in an 09 Fit Sport. In town driving my vary even more depending on how you drive. Overall, I find the Fit gas mileage quite sensitive to the speeds maintained. At 80-85 mph on the highway I can consistently get 30-31 (real) mpg. Lower speeds 60-65 can produce 37-40 (real) mpg. In town is around 26-28 without trying too hard.
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Replying to: seaf (Mar 12, 2009 12:54 pm) Low profile tires (for the Fit Sport, 55 series, meaning the tire is 55% as tall as it is wide) I suspect are more susceptible to damage from striking discontinuities in the road surface. The older Civic has same width (185) but are 65 series, and those tires soak up bumps with more compliance. The lower profile does give the Fit lightning-fast, go-kart like steering response. It is a true pleasure to drive. We have studiously avoided the legions of potholes in post-Katrina New Orleans. I suspect the damage was done by a large unexpected gouge on I-65 N just south of Cincinnati. (Middle lane, left side). |
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Replying to: rterry (Mar 20, 2009 7:03 am) BTW, my measured MPG for the first 4,000 miles or so has been roughly 36 mpg with 70% city/suburban, 30% freeway mileage. 
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| About 5800 miles on 09 Fit Sport Auto in Alaska. MPG 33 using math. Computer is about 20% higher. Since Nov I've run Michelin Xi i2 snow tires (awesome) on Civic steel rims purchased form the Honda dealer for something like $55 each. Size 185 / 60 15". The Alaska cold and road conditions may influence mpg | |
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Replying to: cmobi (Mar 10, 2009 9:25 pm) And if the effort of going uphill was offsetted by coasting downhill, then you might want to ask a biker if it's easier to pedal 10 miles on flat ground or up and down hills...they'll tell you that it takes much less energy to go a given distance on flat ground than up and down hills. And likewise for a car it takes more energy to go up and down hills. It's the "objects in motion tend to stay in motion" theory, so once you have a vehicle at a certain speed, it doesn't take much energy to maintain that speed. What you may want to try to test this is drive a couple of hundred miles on a flat highway. Once at a constant 55mph and the other doing your accelaration/coasting method and then manually calculate your MPG and report back. |
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