[Red2004]

After about 2000 miles, lifetime mpg on my 2004 was approximately 57. Seems a little disappointing, compared to the EPA estimate of 60 mpg in the city. My daily commute . . . 38 miles, one way . . . is a mix of 2-lane country road, city stop-and-go, and some expressway (which can also be stop-and-go during rush hour).

When someone asks me about my car, I tell them my current favorite Insight story. I took a little trip a couple of weeks ago. It was mostly highway driving . . . and for the return trip home, I filled the gas tank and reset the trip odometer just before getting on the expressway. When I pulled into the driveway, the trip odometer read 73 miles . . . and the trip mpg was 73.5 mpg. Home on one gallon of gas! My best gas mileage so far!

Since buying the Insight, I've acquired a new nickname: "Granola Girl".
(I tried to change my user name, or even re-register with this as my user name. Since I can't do either of those things, I'll proudly add it to my signature.)

 

[dan]

You go Granola Girl!
57 overall is not bad. 66mpg/hwy is not unrealistic, but 60 in the city? I’d like to know what city the EPA lives in. It is certainly not mine.

 

[Rick]

Granted in creep and stop driving mileage takes a big hit. I think the EPA tests some wierd method, half mile, idle for 2 min, another half mile, stop... something wierd like that that's supposed to simulate "real world" driving. Where I live the light are about a half mile to 3/4 of a mile apart. With gradual acceleration, lean burn as long as possible (I try holding between 100 and 125 mpg) and then wean as much as possible out of regen I can average mid to upper 60's. If I time it just right I can roll through most of the lights and occasionally see 70ish.

The car will teach you. I remember the first time I got 73mpg, I though it was so hard to get, now on the same route I can routinely acchieve that mileage. Plus now your car still needs to break in some more yet.

 

[dan]

73 MPG

Thanks Rick, I always wondered about that. Here it is rare to go three blocks without a stop, and most of my in town trips are 3-5 miles one way. Berkeley is not known for being auto-friendly. I was also referring to the fact that of late, the “Environmental Protection Agency” has been seen by many here as an oxymoron, or Orwellian “doublespeak”.

 

[ElectricTroy]

I use the full-throttle/press-clutch-and-coast to the red light method. I learned this method from the Fuel Efficiency Record Holders. I'm sure my slow coasting to a red light annoys the drivers behind me, but that's there problem, not mine.

Also, I go into as high a gear as possible. 5th gear @ 1100 RPM is not unusual just to maintain a minimal speed.

 

[Red2004]

Thanks for the tips. I'll experiment with both methods. Also, I'm trying to find the right combination that will allow me to shift smoothly from 1st to 2nd . . . so smoothly that a passenger wouldn't notice, as was mentioned in the thread on downshifting.

My previous car was a '91, 4-speed Civic hatchback (over 260,000 miles and never replaced the clutch), and I don't think I had a problem shifting smoothly, but I may have been using a poor technique (slipping the clutch). One of these days, I'll drive my husband's '91, 4-speed Civic hatchback (over 180,000 miles) and pay attention to how I shift, but it's hard to choose that one when the Insight so much fun to drive!

 

[Aaron Cake]

I use the full-throttle/press-clutch-and-coast to the red light method.

This method makes no sense to me. Well, the full throttle part anyway. Coasting is great, as is using the regen to slow instead of the friction brakes.

I seem to get mileage on part with the "mileage record holders" and I certainly don't accellerate full throttle as suggested on this site. If you get up to speed faster, you use more energy, period. That energy comes from the gas engine. So you use more gas. If you accellerate at a normal pace, you use a faction of the energy.