Does anyone have part numbers or pictures of the magic panels that Honda neglected to put on the higher model fits.

Find it funny that any car manufacturer would purposely reduce their fleet mpg average with obamalaw and all.

Unless they are devious and for the mid cycle face lift add them as a feature and tout better gas mileage. $$$

 

Honda isn't worried about their fleet average, and leaving the panels off the high end helps throw a bone to the economy minded, letting them market the low priced ones as more economical, not just low on features. Anyway, I'm not a Honda parts guy and estore.honda.com doesn't list 2015s yet.

I still haven't gotten around to getting the CRZ panel for my 13 yet.

 

Are magic under panels plastic pieces that cover the bottom of the car to increase aerodynamics? (Sorry, I haven't read anything about these in other threads in the 3rd Gen section)

 

I am sure any dealer can get it for you...but probably pricey. Not worth 1 mpg, IMO

 

CRZ panel that fits right underneath the Oil pan is only 40 bucks. Reported to give some MPG but gives protection as well.

A Beatrush panel on the other hand can give up to 2 mpg on a GE8

 

If the EPA estimates are correct, then the LX gets 41mpg highway and the EX 38 for a 3mpg advantage.

Driving 100,000 miles and paying $4 per gallon, the LX driver saves $770 over the EX driver. At $5 per gallon the savings is $962. $4 per gallon for 200,00 miles, the savings is $1,540. $5 gallon, 200,000 miles, savings is $2,310.

Are we sure that the under panels are the sole reason for the 3mpg advantage? If so I might try to get these panels, my odometer is only at 200 so now is the time for me to invest.

 

You have to put weight into the factor as higher end models are slightly heavier due to extra materials on options.

 

I'm not worrying about the underbody panel until I do my lower grille block. And yes, they help.

Driving style is where the most gains are, though.

 

You guys are reading WAY to much into the published EPA numbers. Such numbers, as reported by the manufacturer and not by any third party testing, are not accurate to real world fuel economy. Careful attention to averages reported here or on Fuelly.com will be better indicators as to whether LX CVT models actually produce better fuel economy than EX models. For the previous generation Fit, the automatic was rated at higher fuel economy than the manual and it is well documented that the manual transmission cars regularly produced better real world fuel economy.

People like to think that EPA testing is some highly controlled and super accurate test, that is consistent across all models and manufacturers. But in reality, it is the manufacturers doing their own testing and reporting whatever numbers they want, and being ready to defend the number if required. Kind of like people's taxes. One accountant my claim lots of deductions that another would not, and he just hopes the IRS doesn't audit him, but if they do, he does his best to defend the deductions he took.

Also keep in mind that EPA fuel economy numbers are derived from a dynamometer test. Drag coefficient, is a factor pugged into the dynamometer and is used by the machine to simulate the effects of wind resistance on the car by adding rolling resistance to the spinning drum. It is not real world.

 

$40 bucks? Hell, even the rear bumper appliques is well over that!

 

Seems like the 1" bigger wheels would cause most of the MPG difference.

 

Yes, look at the issues that Hyundai and Kia had with inflating their self-certified MPG numbers. People weren't getting anywhere near the published numbers and only when the owners started to communicate and the discrepancy became apparent did the manufacturer give a few bucks back to the affected owners.

Honda has likely limited their liability by inflating their value only for the lower-trim version. That gives them the ability to advertise "HONDA FIT 41MPG!!!" with a lesser possibility that the LX owners will get together and contest the numbers.

It will be interesting to see when somebody instruments an LX an EX and gets some long-term mileage figures. I'll bet the difference won't be nearly as dramatic as the EPA numbers.