I'd have to disagree here on the MPG estimates. The FIT, in certain Circumstances is easily capable of doing 40+mpg. I average 38mpg lifetime on my fit so far and that's with 30K miles on the ODO. I have a post on the forum that shows every fill up since day one and my mpg avg is just under 38. Many are over 40 and up as high as 44mpg.

It's the conditions and how you drive. (honestly, if I drove like a serious grandma... I'd be over 40 lifetime... but the fit is too fun)

~SB

 

That's cool, but would you say it reasonable for the majority of Fit owners to expect 38mpg on their daily drive? I'd say you're an outlier but realistic given your typical drive. I think anyone with a lifetime average over 40MPG is not driving realistically.

Also I encourage prospective buyers to compare what they get with their current cars to the EPA's estimates, and use this as a guide of what to expect with a Fit. If you're getting within the EPA estimates currently, don't expect to get above EPA on the Fit. If you exceed the EPA's estimates for your current car you will probably do the same in the Fit by a similar percentage.

Fit enthusiasts populate this forum, and an inordinate number report higher than average mileage. Whether their reports are accurate (I have no reason to doubt yours) isn't a given (IMO).

For example:

I came off a 97 Odyssey. The EPA estimates are 18-24MPG. I averaged 23. (Happily the EPA is now providing estimates adjusted to 2008 standards so direct comparison is possible.)

With the 09 Fit Base Auto the EPA estimates are 28-35. I average 32-33 over the same drive routine as the previous car (sorry, haven't kept comprehensive logs). I'd say the EPA estimates are very helpful in predicting what an individual will get.

 

For me, it's a slightly different story for EPA estimates on previous vehicles. our 07 Nissan Altima 3.5SE was EPA rated at 22/27 and my lifetime Average on that was 26.7mpg with a little over 30K miles when we traded it. My Integra GS-R was rated 25/31 and I averaged just under 32 the last 4 years (here in VT) with 80K miles when traded. Our Rigeline is rated 15/20 and I average about 19mpg. Going by Those numbers, I should be at 2-33mpg as the Sport 5MT is rated for 27/33 and my average on all of my previous/current vehicles is right around highway. But the Fit is a different Story; With the Same commute, same driver, and (supposedly) worse gas, due to ethanol, I am getting a lifetime average of 5mpg OVER what the EPA estimates for the highway economy on the FIT Sport 5MT

Personally, I think the EPA Estimates are off on the FIT.

~SB

 

Of course they are off, that has been stated by hundreds of people already. I am getting 44.x for the past 4 months. My worst city driving and uphill with ac was 38. It's about how you drive. Most people burn gas and waste brake pads ignorantly.

I used to have a 95 nissan altima. the Epa hwy was 29. I was routinely getting 33 of 85% hwy and 15 city and 40 mpg on the highway at optimal conditions.

The epa is a political thing. No ford focus will get 40 mpg. Even car and driver report mid 20s of their observed mileage.
For me the fact is that my car is getting 42+mpg hwy whether by the meter or hand calculated over the previous 25000 miles.

 

07 Altima 3.5 auto (?) is now rated by the EPA using 2008 criteria at 20/26. Don't know about the others (you didn't specify the years).

In any case you're an outlier. Most people fall in the middle and will continue to do so when they switch cars. Hondas are no different.

It's not political. It's a test that is repeatable that gives accurate results useful for comparison. It isn't intended to tell you what you will get.

 

We've had a chance to check the mpg on about a dozen Fits, some automatics. 32 mpg is pretty usual. Couple of the automatics reached 40 mpg on level interstates but none of the manuals. In town about 28 to 30 is pretty usual.

 

no rear seats, windows mostly up, no ac (un-installed), no tools, no spare tire, light weight everything i can get (lugs rims ect), gives me a 37-38 mpg ave. and i drive like my fit is a racecar

 

Here are couple of additional data points. We have a pair of '09 AT Fits, my wife's Base with 23K miles, and my sport with 15K miles. The Base has averaged 35.2 MPG over it's lifetime and the Sport is at 35.1. Both are calculated MPG.

Some details:

The Base is used year round, about 60% non-highway (mostly an 11 mile one way commute to and from work with minor hills and a stop sign or traffic light every mile or so). 40% of its miles are for 500 mile one way highway trips on slightly hilly terrain with only a driver plus a small amount of cargo. My wife drives gently, but not grandma-slow. This car had one highway fillup that calculated to a whopping 49.8 MPG, but that was only 6 gallons and was preceded by a fillup that calculated to just 31.5. It just goes to show that you have to average your MPG calculations to even out variations in how "full" the tank is after a fillup. But I think that this car has realistically done an average of 41-42 MPG on a couple of the highway runs.

The Sport drives very little in winter, and is split about 50% easy commuting (6 miles one way) + country driving, and 50% highway consisting of 800 mile one way trips on fairly hilly terrain with the car loaded very heavily (fixing up a house out of state). I drive moderately, seldom going over about 3300 RPM. But with the car loaded up on highway trips, there's a lot of 4th gear time even on minor hills. Like the Base, I can claim high MPG numbers on a couple of fillups, but the realistic best averaged-out highway MPG is around 38.

Both cars probably average 70 MPH for the highway trips. Both run about 2 psi over the recommended tire pressure. Fuel is generally 10% ethanol. We pretty much both fill up until the pump clicks the first time (no overfills). A/C used as needed, which is often with all that glass. Typical non-highway MPG for both cars is 32-34, but the Base has dropped close to 30 MPG at times during the coldest part of winter. Interestingly, fitting a trendline to all of the data with Excel, neither car shows any trend to improving MPG as the car adds miles. We either don't drive aggressively enough to promote any break in that would improve MPG, or there is no effect of break in on MPG for us.

 

Did you mean Fiesta? EPA ratings for 2011 Fiesta MT are 28/37 or 32 "combined" Road and Track got 32MPG.

The same Road and Track article got 34MPG in the 2011 Fit while EPA estimates are 27/33 and 29mpg combined.

The EPA testing criteria calls on manufacturers to perform the tests with their own dynos and drivers (the EPA spot checks them).

No conspiracy. If anything Honda's drivers may be more conservative leading to real life mpg a bit better than EPA estimates, but not 30% better on average.

You outliers should get together for a rally, with the best MPG taking the trophy.

 

I just filled up the gas tank for the first time on my new 2011 Fit Sport Auto and i averaged 37mpg. This is while breaking in the motor. Screw Hybrids. The Fit is the way to go

 

My first fill up was about 36, all short trips in town w/AC always on. I was really impressed. Now I am disappointed, I have not got that kind of mileage again! I have no idea how I got that kind of mileage out of the first tank
JIm 0311

 

They could do it without getting together, just take pictures of their avg MPG displays!

 

The Altima was a CVT, the Ridgeline is an '06(auto), and the integra GS-R was a 2000 (5MT)

The point I was aiming for was not that I have a tendency to be on the high side, but more that while I regularly meet or exceed the manufacturer's (primarily Honda) highway miles, this car just blows away the highway mileage. What happened with the EPA numbers as the only thing that seems to have changed, is the car. not my driving style, not my commute, but only the car. with the other cars, I've been within 2-3% of the highway mileage but I'm 20% over the highway mileage.

From my experience, it is easy to get much better mileage than what the EPA estimates for the FIT.

You'd need a video. It's easy to show the mpg display upwards of 50mpg, just reset it at the top of a hill. you need a video to toggle through from mpg to the trip miles. someone showing 50mpg with 300 miles on the trip meter got game... 50mpg with 3/4 of a mile is cakewalk.

~SB

 

This car REALLY needs a taller final drive for the highway...

Ive gotten as high as 48.5 on the way to work, driving back roads/through town.

usually I do 42-43mpg doing mostly 55mph. I get on the interstate... it drops down to 32 pretty fast. With a taller final drive Id be doing 45-50+ no problems. If you dont want to shift, you should be driving an automatic.

 

The Auto already has a decently tall final gear for cruising. The 5MT wouldn't do well with anything much taller than it currently has due to the fact that it's powered by a Singer Sewing Machine. The 1.5L is small and not very Torquey. if a taller 5th or a 6th gear were put in, MT owners would be shifting all the time from 5th to 4th or 6th-5th-4th at the slightest gust of a headwind or the smallest Hill. The Engine needs more torque to be able to pull a 2500 lb car up hills with a taller top gear. the auto has it because it shifts for you...

~SB

 

OK, I've realllllly tried, but I can no longer restrain myself!!! I get 67 MPG with my Fit!!!

I get 28 city and 39 highway 28+39=67!!!!! JIm 0311

 

watchit; your fit is liable to float away with you in it...

 

I own a 2001 Jazz/Fit. My manual says the best shiftpoints are at 24km/h, 40, 64 and 74. But when I shift at those points, my rpm goes up to 3000. Isn't that a little high? I thought the lower the rpm, the higher the fuel savings?

 

First tank done, 282 miles on 9.45 gallons, 30 mpg .. thats with about 2/3 (perhaps more) local suburban ny driving and very low a/c use for cooling or defogging. However, I have been driving a bit like a granny so the true test will come after the engine break in period.

 

I consistently get over 32, most of the times over 34, one tank on a highway trip I got 38.3, but I don't hypermile. I'll enjoy the car a little more and spend the extra $0.32 a day on gas
I use a free mpg tracker I got off itunes, I simply log my odometer, the gallons, and the price per gallon and it tracks everything for me, nice.