Worst Mileage

[Todd]

I set an all time worst mileage record yesterday on my way home from a huge (2000 mile) road trip. With my Insight loaded to the gills with camping gear, the rack on the back with two bikes and driving 70 mph I averaged 27.3 mpg for 203.7 miles on the last leg of my journey . Just great . These are great cars but boy they suck when the conditions aren't correct. I'm now back to 50+ mpg unloaded thankfully. I had to ask what happened when I got back. I left with gas prices almost .50 cheaper than they are now. Just had to share.

Todd

[boogetyboogety]

These are great cars but boy they suck when the conditions aren't correct.

Just a WAG, but I would hazard a guess that "correct" conditions wouldn't include "loaded to the gills with camping gear, the rack on the back with two bikes and driving 70 mph" for 200 miles . You're using your car in a way it was not really designed to be used, yet it still returned a most reasonable 27 mpg. Imagine if you'd taken the smallest available SUV out there, and loaded it similarly, I just bet you would not achieve that kind of mileage.

I just reread the above, I hope you don't take it as a slam, it was not at all intended that way, just MHO... I do agree with you that Insights are "great cars." You'll soon get your mileage back up!

[Rick]

Wow, the worst I've ever managed was 44mpg driving in 3rd up hill in heavy rain. Of course apples to oranges here, this would be comparing a 5 speed to a CVT.

[james]

Yeah, sounds like you must have had some pretty stiff headwinds too, or a long uphill.

[Scott]

It's not so much the added weight and gear inside the car as it is the 2 bikes on a rack that reduced your MPG. If you think how aerodynamic the Insight is, mounting anything on the roof or behind will greatly reduce mileage. I've had my CVT pretty heavily loaded and not noticed that much of a mpg loss on a long trip.

[Todd]

Very true in all cases. No slam taken. This is a condition that is way outside the operating conditions the car is designed for. My total trip was around 2000 miles and average mileage was 37.6 mpg. Not too bad I guess and like you say better than any suv. One side note is now I'm very aware of all things affecting mileage. This week’s average is still over 60 mpg so far. My mileage usually runs between 50 and 54 mpg (3000ft pass to cross on my commute).

Todd