[pretzelboy]

I'm in Socal and will do mostly short around town in a 5 speed.....what can I expect mileage wise....is 60mpg with a few miles here and there attainable?

 

[devin1955]

I'm in Socal and will do mostly short around town in a 5 speed.....what can I expect mileage wise....is 60mpg with a few miles here and there attainable?

I'm curious about the same thing. SoCal driving is different than in most of the rest of the country. Lots of cars on the road 24 hours a day in the populated areas. Seldom do you get a lot of oppertunity to cruse as a consistant speed. I'm in the Riverside/Ontario area.

The used car I just bought has a LMPG reading of 48.4. I'm hoping it's for the above reason or driving habits. I'm going to record the present info and then reset it at my first fillup, then I can monitor MY mileage.
-Don

 

[Joeatslo]

I find 60mpg on only city streets impossible to maintain in socal. I can get 70-90mpg on the freeways here in san diego but I watch it plummet when I get off the freeways. I've been able to keep a 70mpg for the last month by keeping my speeds down to the speed limit 60-65mph range. Before that I was usually 10mph over and holding 60-62mpg. Also gas from Shell and Arco refineries in So Cal give noticably better milage.

It still takes alot of skill in learning the car and when to shift and trying to smooth all transitions from stopping to accelerating. If I try to keep everything linear so to speak and it seems to work best.

I don't really do any of the mods they talk about on this site. Not even the tires. I am considering bumping up the tire pressure and installing the radiator block since mine temp is always at six bars whether I drive to San Fran or just go to work. I never use the AC unless my fiance insists its necessity on a road trip or something (which isnt that often) and even then I havent seen it move.

All in all probably 66+% of your driving needs to be on the freeway to hold the 60MPG number. Cause in the city, I can get 40-50mpg on good days but I live in a hilly part of san diego. Im sure flatter areas you can have less freeway driving and more city in order to hold 60mpg. Also if you are in traffic just leave space and be a constant speed while everyone else stops and goes. they'll all change lanes into front of you but they leave just as fast as they came while you can hold 70+mpg in traffic.

good luck

 

[Joeatslo]

In the 8 months of driving, here are the trends I've noticed....

city traffic distance isnt a variable. 48-58mpg. less stops = more mpg...

10 mile commute some freeway few stops 60mpg / many 50mpg

20 mile commute mostly freeway fair amount of stops 70mpg / many 55mpg / few 75mpg

50 mile commute mostly freeway fair amount of stops 75mpg / many 62mpg / few 80+mpg

 

[AmyAlkon]

Joe, thanks so much...you've really eased my mind about mileage. I live in Venice and drive just to Santa Monica to coffee shops or to pick up the mail, mostly, and my mileage now is 41.8. It goes up a notch every time I take the freeway! I have been worried for months that there's something wrong with my car. I understand Priuses are supposed to do better in stop and go traffic. Is that correct (if you have any idea of that)? I LOVE my Insight...and I could never drive anything so ugly as a Prius...just curious.