Fairly New Civic Owner. Low MPG. I understand

[moomamichelle]

Hi. I got my '17 Coupe 3 weeks ago and I don't understand why my mpg is so low. With econ on I get 30.0 mpg and with it off 29.0 mpg. I do more city driving than highway and alot of stop and go's. I drive the highway 2-3 times a week and it's 15 min trips each way. My job is 4 and 1/2 miles each way so I don't drive much Mon-Thurs just to work and somewhere on my lunch hour. I fill up every 6 days no matter how much driving it seems I do on the weekend. I'm just trying to figure out why so low. I'm learning about this car and haven't had time to read the manual yet but I plan to this weekend. I don't know if I'm doing anything wrong.

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[inv4zn]

Give it 500 miles to break in.
City driving w/ lots of stop+go will result in terrible mileage, especially if you're on short trips.

For example I fill up at a gas station 1 mile from my house. When I get home display reads something like 5mpg.

Considering it's a brand new unbroken in car, and your driving style/habits, it's completely normal.

 

[xjoshuax89]

"City" driving is quite a loose term that is used. Some companies have a more broad definition of what they deem to be city. For me city driving since I live near D.C., D.C. city traffic driving. There I can get as low as 18 mpg where I don't reach speeds higher than 35. However, in some places where I'm driving around 40-45 in the "city" I can average around 34. It really depends.

 

[LoveToDrive]

My friend has an Odyssey which is a heavy boat. She usually has her foot on the gas pedal (even accelerating) until the last minute she needs to brake to stop instead of taking her foot off the gas pedal, letting the momentum move the car forward to a stop. This kind of habit could also affect MPG in the city.

How was your MPG in your previous cars? Is it all of a sudden lower than spec with the Civic? If that is the case, you can eliminate your driving habit as a contributing factor.

 

[Snoopyslr]

This car really doesn't get impressive "city" driving mpg. It really shines on the express way tho.

Lots of stop/go = lots of boost = lots of fuel.

 

[dthatcher7]

Yeah city mpg seems more realistically in the mid 20s. Overall MPG will improve after your first oil change. Do be absolutely sure to use Top Tier gas, this seems to make a difference.

I'll bet you have the 2.0L engine (LX, EX) don't you?

 

[xjoshuax89]

Also don't forget that cold temps = lower mpg.

 

[Snoopyslr]

Also don't forget that cold temps = lower mpg.

We get winter blend gasoline here in Michigan... That really hurts MPG for me.

 

[Billy4202]

Everyone here has valid points. Temps, driving style/coasting and timing lights, stop and go, dipping into the turbo, and the confoundingly broad definition of city driving (I've had as low as 18 in DC in the summer vs. 40+ driving through the cutesy "city" where I'm at) all are factors.

Bigly.

 

[hondacm450e]

Hi. I got my '17 Coupe 3 weeks ago and I don't understand why my mpg is so low. With econ on I get 30.0 mpg and with it off 29.0 mpg. I do more city driving than highway and alot of stop and go's. I drive the highway 2-3 times a week and it's 15 min trips each way. My job is 4 and 1/2 miles each way so I don't drive much Mon-Thurs just to work and somewhere on my lunch hour. I fill up every 6 days no matter how much driving it seems I do on the weekend. I'm just trying to figure out why so low. I'm learning about this car and haven't had time to read the manual yet but I plan to this weekend. I don't know if I'm doing anything wrong.

Interesting. I've got a 16 touring sedan. I wasn't seeing anything above 24 city and 36 mpg highway and I have been driving the same moderate highway route every week day. Then last month I filled it up with high octane for one tank on a hunch from my uncle. The mpg went down to about 33 on that tank but after switching back to regular again I've been averaging 39-41 on the highways and 29-31 in the city . I can't explain it. The car is at 10,000 miles. maybe just coincidence.

And also that winter blend does hurt mpg - I get it in Chicago and it kills mpg.

 

[proanimus]

My fuel economy seems to be very strongly affected by any additional weight added to the vehicle. When I'm driving by myself, I can quite easily average 37-40 mpg (I weigh about 150lbs). With a passenger added to the equation, I get closer to 32-36-ish, depending on the person. For reference, I drive about 75% on the highway at around 70mph.

If I'm by myself and intentionally driving as frugally as possible at highway speeds, I can manage 45+ mpg.

 

[verbalj]

"City" driving is quite a loose term that is used. Some companies have a more broad definition of what they deem to be city. For me city driving since I live near D.C., D.C. city traffic driving. There I can get as low as 18 mpg where I don't reach speeds higher than 35. However, in some places where I'm driving around 40-45 in the "city" I can average around 34. It really depends.

Agreed - my city driving on Long Island is very different than city driving in the city.

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