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SUVs Mazda CX-9 Mazda CX-9 Real World MPG
140 messages, Last post on Feb 13, 2009 at 11:14 AM
You are in the Mazda CX-9 Forum. Your Hosts are steve_ & tidester
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Hi, All: I have installed a ScanGaugeII on my CX9 for about 1000 miles now. I am here to report my findings. I used the ScanGauge as the trip computer that is missing on our CX9 (the 2009 model shall have it!) On my CX9 GT AWD (loaded with accessories and options - saved DVD entertainment system), I found that - it is easy to get 22 mpg with CX9 on highway. On my trip to Sacramento (a bit hilly on some portion of the roads), at 70-75 mph I was able to get 22 mpg w/o much effort. - it is no so easy to get 15mpg on city that full of lights and stop signs. Unless you can time lights perfectly and acceleration so gently (to the extent that does not piss off your fellow drivers), it would be hard to get 15mpg on this heavy CX9 with short 1st gear (4.15 ratio). With some try and error, I am able to do it now with help of ScanGauge to show me the instant MPG. The idle easy kills the MPG you tried so hard to improve. A red light auto-shutdown and start (like in hybrids) would be nice. I did try to drive it like what I did to my BMW, I consistently get 10-12mpg on city street. This what a heavy vehicle with short 1st gear can do to your MPG. It revs hard to get you off line (zoom-zoom). Overall, since my commute is a mix of city and highway, I was getting around 16mpg. With the help of ScanGauge (to change my driving habits), I am consistently getting around 17mpg. As I said, there is not much you need to do on highway other than maintaining constant speed (at whatever you desire). The trick is to be gentle and smart on city streets. Of course, what I found is not ground breaking. It is all common sense, really. However, if you are getting 13mpg now, you should know what is wrong now.... P.S. I have K&N filer in my airbox. I will change it back to OE filter and see what happen to the MPG.
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Replying to: ceric (Aug 04, 2008 3:31 pm) I have been contemplating purchasing a Scan Gauge II for our CX-9 since it does not have a mileage computer (ridiculous on a $30,000 + vehicle!). Would you say it is worth the money? We recently moved from OH to Eastern PA and even going through the mountains at an average speed of 65 - 70, we averaged close to 26 MPG! We were in SHOCK! Anyway, just wanted to let you know if you do drive with a conscientious effort, it is possible to get noticeably better mileage (~18/19 in city, 24-26 highway). Please let me know about the Scan Gauge. |
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Replying to: blueru (Aug 04, 2008 4:54 pm) ScanGaugeII is in short supply now (because it is so popular, thanks to the gas price). Besides the trip computer, you also get the Scan and Gauge. Scan functions to see error codes and look up the codes on internet (hope you never have to use it!) and clear them if you want to. Gauge functions allow you to monitor many parameters of the vehicles such as coolant temp, battery voltage, on and on. If you are not technology challenged, I bet you would love it. Installation is super easy (Doable in a couple minutes). I put it in from of the "trip meters" (Odometer) with Velcro strips that came with the ScanGuageII. We all wish that the CX9 came with a trip computer (2009 model will have it), but even if it did, it wouldn't have the extra functions you get from ScanGaugeII. I am surprised that you got 25-26mpg on highway. I bet you have a FWD. As I said, CX9 (with 0.36 drag coefficient) is very aerodynamic on highway. One can easily get good mileage on highway if one holds the pedal steady. On city street, you definitely need the help of ScanGaugeII to get better mileage (choose a better commute route, for example). I am getting 1mpg better per tank. That is 7% saving (out of 16mpg). Assuming that I drive 12,000 miles per year. I would need 750 gallon (on  16mpg). 6% of that is 45 gallons. At $4 per gallon, that is a saving of $180 per year. $159 is recovered within 1 year of driving. That is in addition to all the extra gauges and a great diagnostic tool. Besides, one can use it on all vehicles, not specific to the CX9 (after some initial setup steps for Trip functions). P.S. I am not a ScanGaugeII salesman 
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Replying to: ceric (Aug 05, 2008 9:13 am) 
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Replying to: ceric (Aug 05, 2008 9:13 am)
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Replying to: nxs138 (Aug 05, 2008 2:07 pm) Then, you need to adjust the error of fuel consumption once. The procedure is to - fill up at the pump - drive at least 1/2 tank (I did 3/5) - check fuel consumed in ScanGaugeII (say 11.4) - fill up again at the same pump (click-off/top-off), take down reading at the pump (say, 11.7) - proceed to adjust the error in ScanGauge (in this case 3%). From then on, the fuel consumption should be very accurate. OBDII monitors fuel consumption by injection counts. Therefore, a small error might be present due to other factors. It is important to pump gas at the same station and the same pump to eliminate uncontrollable factors. Let it click off 2 times to be sure. |
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We took a 800 total mile trip in July. We had a car-top carrier (pushing the 100# total roof-rail capacity), 2 people + 2 big dogs (~ 480# live weight total), plus some additional cargo in the vehicle where we could fit it. 1/2 the trip was freeway, going 75 mph. Got about 21 mpg for that leg. The other half was non-freeway highway, going about 65 mph. But more passing on 2-lane roads there with often heavy acceleration (it was GREAT for passing). Got about 22-23 mph then. AC going for 99% of trip. That was better than I was expecting considering the carrier and total cargo weight. I'm getting about 17-18 mpg in the car driving solo, mixed 65%35% highway/city driving. That improved from closer to 15-16 mpg earlier in the winter/spring. I also changed the oil to synthetic at 5000 miles (right before the trip). |
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Please see my CarSpace album. I took them with my lousy Moto Razr cell phone camera. My digital camera is broken. I am shopping for one.
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I have got 850 km (530 miles) on the odometer of my 2009 GTX AWD. The trip computer (thanks Mazda for this improvement in the 2009 model!) shows that the average MPG is 19.8. City/highway - 40% / 60%. A/C is always on. Average number of passengers: 2. Terrain: flat. The car is still under 1000 km so I don't drive it too fast - max. 100 km/h (60 MPH). I am currently quite happy with this MPG, it's similar to what I get on the other car - a toyota camry 1998 V6 3.0L.
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