Before I got my Fit, and was driving other vehicles (Full-size pickup and a full-size sedan), one of my favorite tricks to maximize mileage was to go a little faster than I was comfortable with, and then take my foot off the gas pedal (leaving the car in drive, though; not shifting to neutral) and just coast along. Regardless of if it actually helped or not, I got used to it as a routine driving habit.

However, attempting this in the Fit doesn't seem to work so well. When I accelerate and take my foot off the pedal, it seems to coast along normally for a few seconds, and then it feels as if something is actively braking the car. There is a noticeable slowdown. Also, when I try this same thing, but shift to Neutral, this slowdown doesn't occur.

I test drove three different fits, and I remember it doing this on the first and third test drives, but not on the second. They were all 2008 Sport Automatic.

I've been told that it may be because the engine is super tiny and unable to move the car when the accelerator isn't pressed, and that almost makes sense, but not enough for me to buy it.

So my question(s) is(are), does this happen to other people, or is it just me. What could be the real cause of it, and is it something that could be fixed/undone?

 

They have a name for it, I think it's Grade Logic or something like that. It's intended to help maintain the vehicle speed when decending a long steep grade like in the mountains. But, like you, I like the way my full sized pick-up feel like it kickes into neutral when you take your foot off the gas, and I miss this on the Fit. My wife's Acura is the same way, in-fact, you can actually fell it down shift as you coast to a stop light and the speed hits a cetain point. In city driving through, I'd prefer it to just coast and let me slow down with the brake, I feel my gas mileage would really increase! To bad you can't disengage it when in city traffic and just engage it when needed driving in hilly or mountinous roads.

 

If you have the sport version, maybe try putting it in S and keep the car in 5th gear with the paddles. I don't have an auto so I can't be too sure what the car is doing but I'd imagine it's just the car down shifting itself.

However, in regards to BAF, you'll get better mileage engine braking rather than coasting and using your brakes. If you're in gear slowly going down the RPMs, the ECU will pretty much cut off the engine, as the friction between the tires and the road is enough to keep the crankshift turning (keeping the engine alive). If you're in neutral or coasting in gear, the ECU will have to regulate fuel and throttle, unbeknowst to you, so that the engine doesn't die out. So even if you're driving an auto, and the auto downshifts as you slow down, keep off the accelerator and you'll be saving more gas than if you were to cruise in.

 

Thanks! The only drawback with how Honda does this is the fact the car slows much quicker than other cars due to the drag created by the engine. There are stretches on my commute where I could literally coast for close to a mile or more with my foot completely off the gas, with the Fit it slows to quickly and I have to give it gas to maintain the speed limit and not get run over!

 

This works great in my Manual. Also you can see with the scanguage, that fuel is actually shutoff so you are saving gas. I guess something is different with the auto.

 

Welcome and Congrats on the Fit

If you have the sport version try and use it in "S" mode (as stated ealier) and then keep it in 5th when coming to a stop with your foot off the gas. It should coast easier and the fuel cutoff should engage.

In addition to the car having that "grade logic" (mentioned earlier) thing,
I would imagine that it also has to do with the slightly brick shape our car has for its size and weight, and the engine compression when engaged (sound right to me ....idunno )

I used to do what you mentioned in my 7th gen Civic coupe AT with wonderful results.
The Fit seems to do it quite well also...but in MT trim (thats what I have
and thats what I have noticed)

Oh and the diff between keeping it in gear and coasting and going into neutral really has more to do with how far you can coast as its possible (I have not proven it yet with a scangauge, but I am doing extreemly well) to go way, way further when in neutral than when in top (MT)