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Midsize Sedans 2.0

13217 messages,  Last post on Nov 22, 2009 at 5:39 PM

You are in the Sedans Forum. Your Hosts are pat & karens

What is this discussion about? Hyundai Sonata, Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, Nissan Altima, Volkswagen Passat, Mazda MAZDA6, Ford Fusion, Chevrolet Malibu, Saturn Aura, Car Comparisons, Sedan


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#10464 of 13217
Re: for those looking [thegraduate] by jeffyscott
Aug 11, 2008 (11:52 am)
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Replying to: thegraduate (Aug 11, 2008 7:47 am)

EPA "highway" numbers are not based on cruising on the freeway at a constant speed, so most cars should easily exceed the EPA highway rating when driven on the freeway. CR always reports much better "highway" numbers than the EPA figure because their number is based on a steady speed of (I think) 65 mph.
 
I used to not be too sure about your mpg numbers, but my Mazda6i is now broken in and getting 27-28 mpg in my suburban Milwaukee commute (which is similar to Birmingham). Given the relative EPA rankings, I'd expect it to be 2-3 mpg less than an Accord and it is. I have not had an opportunity to check it on a freeway cruise, but when it was new it was getting about 32. My commuting mpg has gone up by 2-3 mpg since then...so I would not be surprised to see 34 mpg now.
#10465 of 13217
Re: for those looking [jeffyscott] by thegraduate
Aug 11, 2008 (12:00 pm)
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Replying to: jeffyscott (Aug 11, 2008 11:52 am)

Considering the difference in EPA estimates, I'd say your mix of driving and driving style probably does compare to mine, based on your 28 or so MPG in the commute. I always try and let people know I'm not a speeder, and I don't rev up much above 3k RPM regularly; only when a passing maneuver is necessary, or when a short on-ramp looms.
 
I certainly understand people being skeptical of my numbers. My own dad was the first time I got 36 MPG on a trip in the Accord. Ever since, my highway mileage has leveled off to around 37-38 MPG on trips, depending on the passengers/cargo I've got (adding a person means I stop at more rest areas, as well as have more weight to pull up the hills). The 40 MPG tanks are outliers on these trips, but so are the tanks that I only get 35 MPG.
 
Out of curiousity, how many MPH do you get per 1000 RPM? My 4-cyl Accord (5-speed Auto) runs at 30 MPH per 1000, meaning my typical crusing speed of 72 MPH puts me at only 2,400 RPM. Most Mazda's I've ever been in rev consistenly higher in top-gear than their competitors.
#10466 of 13217
Re: for those looking [thegraduate] by aviboy97
Aug 11, 2008 (12:04 pm)
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Replying to: thegraduate (Aug 11, 2008 12:00 pm)

I'll agree with that about Mazda's high gearing. My 4 cyl Mazda6 is turning 3,200 rpm's at 70 mph.
#10467 of 13217
Re: for those looking [aviboy97] by thegraduate
Aug 11, 2008 (12:07 pm)
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Replying to: aviboy97 (Aug 11, 2008 12:04 pm)

My 4 cyl Mazda6 is turning 3,200 rpm's at 70 mph.
 
Is that a manual trans?
#10468 of 13217
Re: for those looking [aviboy97] by mz6greyghost
Aug 11, 2008 (12:14 pm)
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Replying to: aviboy97 (Aug 11, 2008 12:04 pm)

My 4 cyl Mazda6 is turning 3,200 rpm's at 70 mph.
 
Not much different with the 6 V6 and manual. 3,300 rpm at 75 MPH. The automatic is slightly lower, but not by much.
 
I've always found Mazdas to rev higher at highway speeds, but the trade-off for me is that I usually don't have to downshift out of top gear to pass on the highway. It can't be affecting gas mileage too badly, since I get 28-29 MPG on highway trips, and can break 30 if I really tried.
 
I've heard the '09 6 with the V6 keeps the revs below 2500 RPM at 65 MPH, and I hope to confirm this for myself soon...
#10469 of 13217
Re: for those looking [mz6greyghost] by jeffyscott
Aug 11, 2008 (12:36 pm)
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Replying to: mz6greyghost (Aug 11, 2008 12:14 pm)

No, the auto in the Mazda6 runs significantly lower rpms as of the 2006 model year, when they went to the 5 speed. The auto in top gear is about 25% lower than the manual...which would mean about 2400 at 70 mph.
 
Grad - I do rev above 3K frequently and my pedal hits the floor fairly regularly. I keep meaning to try a tank where I keep rpms down and see if mpg changes, but have not done it yet. I tried that once in our windstar, mostly stayed under 2500 rpm and did not detect a difference, so went back to my leadfooted ways. I do save on the deceleration side though, often cars pass me on the way to a red light...I guess so that they can stop sooner.
#10470 of 13217
Re: for those looking [jeffyscott] by thegraduate
Aug 11, 2008 (12:50 pm)
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Replying to: jeffyscott (Aug 11, 2008 12:36 pm)

I gotcha... my foot probably hits the floor twice a week. And thanks for the info about the RPMs in the auto. When accelerating, I've noticed my car shifts about every 13 MPH when on a 50 MPH road, maybe that gives you an idea of how I leave a stoplight.
#10471 of 13217
Re: for those looking [thegraduate] by aviboy97
Aug 11, 2008 (2:00 pm)
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Replying to: thegraduate (Aug 11, 2008 12:07 pm)

yeah, the 5-speed manual. Mine is a 2005.
#10472 of 13217
Re: for those looking [elkein] by tedebear
Aug 11, 2008 (2:17 pm)
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Replying to: elkein (Aug 10, 2008 10:45 am)

It can be reset at any time for an effectively instant reading, or by the tank.
 
Until I started reading this thread I used to only reset mine right after I filled up at the pump. The last few days I've been experimenting with the instantaneous reading where I reset it while cruising down the highway at a set speed.
 
On the 6-mile stretch of hilly interstate between work and home I discovered that 70 mph shows a 1.0 mpg lower average than 65 mph. That result may not be accurate to what the difference actually is, since I've determined with a calculator that my overall mpg is 1.5-2 mpg higher than what the computer says it is. However, it is relative and I'm using the same measuring method each time.
 
Various other cruising speed tests to follow.
 
Cool - another toy to play with.
#10473 of 13217
Re: for those looking [thegraduate] by madpistol
Aug 11, 2008 (2:20 pm)
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Replying to: thegraduate (Aug 11, 2008 12:00 pm)

That sounds about right. The Altima is also only turning about 2,400 RPM 70ish. I haven't really paid attention to this detail though. I do know that it's well under 3000 RPM 80-85 MPH. You have to dip close to 90 MPH (possibly above) to get the revs above 3000 RPM.
 
Cruise Control is where the '07-'08 Altima has the advantage here (sorry graduate). It's quite uncanny with the CVT. I've gotten to the point that I don't even look the tach anymore, because the car doesn't "downshift" when trying to maintain speed on a hill. It simply revs up and maintains speed. Then when the terrain levels out, the revs just die down, and you're back to cruising. There's no drama at all. I don't know if that idea was in the original conception of Nissan's CVT, but you just can't beat it at highway speeds.
 
I'll do some research on my car and post back what the actual MPH per 1000 RPM is, but if I had to guess, I'd say its right around 30 mph per 1000 RPM. However, the CVT acts dynamically based on power needs. I've noticed that when cruising 30mph the engine stays around 1200-1500 RPM to maintain power, but when you get closer to 60 mph, its right around 2000 RPM. It's quite interesting to watch actually. It's not like any automatic I've ever driven.

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