Is it just me, or has anyone else noticed that running the AC doesn't seem to affect the gas mileage AT ALL? I have tested over and over...on flat ground cruising, for entire tanks....and in my experience, running the AC doesn't seem to affect my gas mileage at all. Strange! I'm getting (real MPG, not the gauge reading!) between 33-36 MPG either way.

Warner

 

Modern auto A/C compressors use little power compared to yesteryear. Plus, based on the performance of the A/C in the Fit, I'd say Honda has it "tuned" to maximize economy (low capacity (BTUs) and run compressor less time and not at all when accelerating quicker than I can on foot).

I wish the Fit had switch to override A/C economy mode (the civic I test drove had that feature).

 

Really? We've had some pretty hot days here in the Chicago area and I've been pleased with how the AC has worked. I think it's completely adequate.....

Warner

 

from wat ive seen it wasn't been HOT in chicagoland this year so you haven't been exposed yet to extreme temps.

wait until the pumps use winterized gas come late october. that plus defrosting (a/c turns on) will net you lower milage. hahaha. but still probably not less than 30mpg.

 

It keeps the car comfy after it's cooled down, and if you keep it at a constant speed, but it takes a long time to cool down. Stop and go city traffic make it worse. All this can be mitigated by rolling down the windows and letting out the super-hot air (if it's been sitting in the sun), then running it on recycle. But none of these fully make up for the low capacity. If I didn't have covered parking at work and home I'd be annoyed.

My daughter drives an '03 Accord and I replaced a '97 Odyssey with the Fit. Both cool down much quicker. Ditto for my wife's '98 Camry. We don't have to play games with the windows with those cars.

 

We've had 90 degree days, which is about as hot as it gets here, and I've been satisfied with the AC performance. Obviously others are not as pleased as I am it seems.

Warner

 

Hmm.... I also have a 2006 Civic and I haven't really noticed any significant difference in the AC performance between the two. Perhaps I'm not paying that close attention to it? I don't know....it seems fine to me, though.

Warner

 

Probably because the AC pretty much sucks. The air never gets really cold. My girlfriends TSX AC gets ICE COLD within 10 seconds of turning it on... not so in a Honda Fit.

 

didnt myth busters bust this myth? many people thought that it wastes more gas but they come to a conclusion that it didn't... or was i dreaming ?

 

Not so sure about losing fuel economy directly from AC, but I lose alot indirectly because it kills the Fit's power a ton as soon as you turn it on. Idle RPM jumps 100-200 and vacuum drops 2-3 inches as well - and that's on AC 1. The car feels like it doesn't have any torque whatsoever when the AC is on.

 

That's funny I thought that gas mileage was worse with ac on, but I noticed it the same in the Fit. The graphic guage (sorry don't know what it's called) that shows mpg looks totally wrong, it's almost always on 40 and never low enough for the posted digital average to be at 33.
Can anyone tell me if you are supposed to get paperwork about the warranty that comes with the car? Thanks!
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My experience with my MT GE would contradict this. I average 39-40 MPG with AC off, but only 35-36 MPG during the couple of really uncomfortable weeks where I had to run the AC all the time.

AC costs me 4 MPG.

 

No........

 

Well, I have tried two runs with about 100km each way (to a destination and back home). First I had AC on, and it was about 12°C outside and almost no wind. AC set to 18°C and music on. I tried driving on the speedlimit (about 90km/t) all the way. I then noted the mpg from the car computer and reset thos numbers.

On my way back home I thought I should try to drive as economical as I could. First I tried turning off the music and drived the same speed (90km/t) but could not register any change in mpg after 25km compared to the first 100km. I then turned of AC first and driving the same speed in 25km and the mpg just changed just a minor bit. Third I tried lowering speed down to 85km/t and that had much more impact on the mpg. I dont remember the numbers right now, but I concluded that AC or music does not have much impact on the mpg, but driving style and speed has much more impact.

The most economical speed seems to be 70-75km/t. And the motor is running at 1500-1700rpm (after it has heated up) at this speed. But remember I have a CVT transmission.

 

Does anyone know for sure which option is better on gas, driving with the windows down or the AC on? I've heard compelling arguments for both options but have never come away with a verdict either way.

 

Depends on your speed, type of car, condition of car, etc. but as a general rule:

Highway driving 55mph plus it's about break even whether you have the A/C on or the windows down.

City driving, with less wind resistance, the A/C will use more gas.

Here's the mythbusters write-up. It's inconclusive about highway speeds, but at 45mph or less you get better mileage sweating.

I'll pay the price to run the A/C any day (you're talking pennies per trip here...)

 

No your not supposed to get paperwork or no you dont know?

 

Yeah I'd have to say I'd like my AC to be much colder. We've had a number of weeks well above 100, somedays close to 110, and the AC takes forever to cool down, even on the freeway. Theres a DIY somewhere on here that shows you have to change the resistance of something to make your AC run cooler. But I'm just not that ballsy!

 

The Accord and Camry are sedans or wagons/hatchbacks?

Even if all three vehicles had the same A/C compressor, the Fit interior temperature would be higher, due to more glass, and more interior space.

Sort of like taking a window A/C unit that used to keep one bedroom cool and expecting it to keep an entire studio apartment cool. It's not going to happen.

If the Accord and Camry are sedans, then how cool is the trunk? Not cool at all?

I'm sure if you could effectively block off the cargo area as well as the back side windows and some of that front windshield to be roughly equivalent of the exposed window area and interior dimensions of the Accord or Camry, the cooling power would be quite effective.

How "cold/cool" does everyone expect their car to be? Seriously?

I know when I'd shop at the mall, various stores had different A/C settings. And I just couldn't shop at Victoria's Secret, because I was convinced they had a meat shop in the back. Sides of beef, etc. It was that cold. So cold it was too uncomfortable trying on skimpy lingerie.

The only people who might find that temperature bearable are Arctic explorers and menopausal women in the midst of a hot flash.

So while one person says "It works great" when it comes to the Fit's A/C, the next person might say "It barely gets cold"...and both would have the same interior temperature. And both would be completely correct in their own observation and preferences.

I didn't have working A/C in my former car. And I got along fine. But I'm not in a hot area either. Those few days it gets kind of warmish, I'd simply sweat a lot.

I used A/C once or twice in the Fit, just to get an idea. It works good in my opinion. But I'm not expecting the chilled air to hit my moist breath and create snow flurries in the back seat.

 

Every time I hear people complain about A/C performance I think about the movie Wall-E and how we're all going to be super fat some day