MS3 real world fuel mileage?

[arkitek]

Any new MS3 owners can offer what they've observed in the real world?
It's rated 20/28mpg for city/hwy.
C/D observed 18mpg which kinda sucks. Mind you, they were putting it through it's pace I'm sure.
Thanks in advance.

[CTGrey02]

If you drive legally you should have no problems maintaining said fuel economy... if you drive like a little hellion your going to see a lot less than 18 MPG. Boost has a nasty way of requiring more fuel to match the air getting shoved into the cylinders. 28's just a best case scenerio. You'll likely see less if your a lead foot.

[jbiird317]

Took a trip out to WV in the new ms3 this weekend, I got 29mpg on the first tank, 29.4 on the second. This is with about 250 miles of highway driving and about 75 miles of ripping it through the mountain roads. I would say that mazda's estimate is a very good one

[Hikaru9]

If you drive legally you should have no problems maintaining said fuel economy... if you drive like a little hellion your going to see a lot less than 18 MPG. Boost has a nasty way of requiring more fuel to match the air getting shoved into the cylinders. 28's just a best case scenerio. You'll likely see less if your a lead foot.

I like how you put "drive legally". keke~
(Umm... class, I'd like to take a brief survey of just how many of you actually drive the speed limit.) *^_^*

[SeanMSIII]

Took a trip out to WV in the new ms3 this weekend, I got 29mpg on the first tank, 29.4 on the second. This is with about 250 miles of highway driving and about 75 miles of ripping it through the mountain roads. I would say that mazda's estimate is a very good one

Good highway numbers. Around town, I think you'd have to be on it all the time, to dip below 19. I know that's the case with my MS6 and it weighs 400 lbs. more than the MS3. I'm expecting 20-22 around town in the MS3.

[CTGrey02]

Here's one for the west coast guys... You guys dont have 93.. did they end up doing a tune for 91 for you guys? If not, do any of you other guys know if it'll run with out detonation on 91 octane fuel? Just wondering if the CA guys got a slightly detuned (less timing) version to run on thier pump fuel or not. Would be interesting to see California vs Eastern coast dynojet comparisons stock.

[SeanMSIII]

Here's one for the west coast guys... You guys dont have 93.. did they end up doing a tune for 91 for you guys? If not, do any of you other guys know if it'll run with out detonation on 91 octane fuel? Just wondering if the CA guys got a slightly detuned (less timing) version to run on thier pump fuel or not. Would be interesting to see California vs Eastern coast dynojet comparisons stock.

The manual specifically says it is designed to run on 91. For those who can get 93 or higher, I think it's just a bonus, but I guess we'll have to see what the CA/NV people say about the 91 performance. I'm thinking 93 will bump up the power rating to, say, 265 and maybe race gas will get you close to 270? FWIW, I will dyno this car in a few weeks.

[CTGrey02]

Im not sure how this car will handle it but each bump in timing I made to my GT had the effect of about 10 rear wheel horsepower on the dyno. I doubt the computer will be able to distinguish the difference between 91 and 93/94 octane fuels. You'd have to have the computer reflashed to take advantage of it.

[AndrewW]

The manual specifically says it is designed to run on 91. For those who can get 93 or higher, I think it's just a bonus, but I guess we'll have to see what the CA/NV people say about the 91 performance. I'm thinking 93 will bump up the power rating to, say, 265 and maybe race gas will get you close to 270? FWIW, I will dyno this car in a few weeks.

Go to autombilemag.com, they already did the dyno thing.

[Brian MP5T]

Disi Ftw

[nondual]

Go to autombilemag.com, they already did the dyno thing.
Poorly.

[CTGrey02]

http://www.automobilemag.com/features/0610_z+2007_mazdaspeed_3+dyno_chart.jpg

Could have sworn that the Torque/HP are to intersect at 5250. They messed something up on that print out.

[nondual]

http://www.automobilemag.com/features/0610_z+2007_mazdaspeed_3+dyno_chart.jpg

Could have sworn that the Torque/HP are to intersect at 5250. They messed something up on that print out.
Once again, the Automobile dynos are faulty due to the fact that a fan in front of the engine does not simulate the ducted, hood down airflow over the intercooler.

[dread]

any car that has a top mount will have that problem, all of you fanboys are obsessed with discrediting this dyno, despite the fact that you have never seen another dyno. How would you expect them to dyno the car, with the hood closed? I like the ms3, but I am not obsessed with discrediting numbers that do not meet my expectations.

[msp35]

Ahaaaa, there is another dyno on c o b b f o r u m s . c o m .

linky link, http://www.cobbforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=31522&page=2

[CTGrey02]

I could care less about peak numbers personally, the cars gonna put down what it's going to put down and the power curve is much more important. Every dyno chart I've ever seen has the torque and HP lines crossing at 5250. Either his scaling or smoothing was off on that chart. We also don't know if the numbers are SAE, standard or uncorrected. The peak numbers are inline with the standard 15-18% drive train loss belief however.

[SeanMSIII]

any car that has a top mount will have that problem, all of you fanboys are obsessed with discrediting this dyno, despite the fact that you have never seen another dyno. How would you expect them to dyno the car, with the hood closed? I like the ms3, but I am not obsessed with discrediting numbers that do not meet my expectations.

No, I expect them to have a cooling fan on top of or aimed directly at the top of the TMIC. How is it going to work anything like it would on the road if the airflow is coming at a 90 degree angle to the surface of the TMIC? Why did the GTi result on the same dyno, same day show 11% less than claimed output (just like the NA Civic), while the MS3 showed 18% less? Under the new SAE standards for rating engines, it seems unlikely to me that either engine is under/over rated. Under the new standards, any number of manufacturers have had to increase/decrease claimed output. This leads me to believe that the TMIC should have been cooled properly. Put a box fan on it like the Subie tuners do.

But then I am a middle-aged fanboi, so I do my best make reality fit my expectations and to fend off the anti-fanboiz.(enguard)

BTW, just past 400 miles and this car just keeps getting better and better every day. The power feels stronger and the steering feels sharper as I work my way through the break-in period. I love it!

[dread]

All I am saying is that who cares about the dyno numbers at most they are off by a few percent. If you want to look at numbers look at the quarter mile times. Glad to hear the car is improving with age. I am sure gas milage will improve as well. It typically takes mazdas 5k of break in before gas milage is at its best. So do you feel like you made the right choice in ditching the 6 for the 3? I really want the ms3 but might settle for the ms6.

[CTGrey02]

A good dyno sheet shows you where you need to shift going down the drag strip.

[SeanMSIII]

All I am saying is that who cares about the dyno numbers at most they are off by a few percent. If you want to look at numbers look at the quarter mile times. Glad to hear the car is improving with age. I am sure gas milage will improve as well. It typically takes mazdas 5k of break in before gas milage is at its best. So do you feel like you made the right choice in ditching the 6 for the 3? I really want the ms3 but might settle for the ms6.

Yes, I really like the more connected road feel and steering. The 6 is just more isolated as a more upscale car should be, I guess. And I also like hearing the exhaust/engine. If I were to keep the 6, I would definitely go for an aftermarket exhaust that is more rumbly and a little louder. The 6 sounds like it's trying to roar with a gag on. But, if you've seen my comparo post, you know I think they are really close in all performance aspects. It comes down to more conservative image, having a little more elbow room and bigger back seat vs. more informal image, more driving fun, and hatch utility. I don't think about AWD because we don't have any snow here and I think it's only an advantage performance-wise for much faster drivers than I am. Of course, there's also the MS6's availability and massive discounting to consider. After everything is said and done, I'd still go with the 3.

[dread]

good to know. When I test drove the ms6 I did notice how quiet the exhaust is and that I couldn't even here the turbo. I agree that is sounded like it was gagged and that a sportier sound would benefit the car. I can't wait to hear the ms3 in person, it sounds so evil in the vids. How is the exhaust at cruising speeds, is it a loud droning noise and has it gotten any quieter since you have broken it in somewhat?

[vindication]

http://www.automobilemag.com/features/0610_z+2007_mazdaspeed_3+dyno_chart.jpg


Could have sworn that the Torque/HP are to intersect at 5250. They messed something up on that print out.
you have to look closely at the graph. notice the hp and torque scales are not the same

[CTGrey02]

Yeah, nearly impossible to read on my monitor at work though. I figured it was the scaling. Like I said, the numbers presented were with in the norms for driveline loss. I just wish they scaled it properly.

[tsunami]

holy thread jack... lets get this back to gas milleage and take the dyno discussion back to its respective thread....

thank you please......

[SeanMSIII]

good to know. When I test drove the ms6 I did notice how quiet the exhaust is and that I couldn't even here the turbo. I agree that is sounded like it was gagged and that a sportier sound would benefit the car. I can't wait to hear the ms3 in person, it sounds so evil in the vids. How is the exhaust at cruising speeds, is it a loud droning noise and has it gotten any quieter since you have broken it in somewhat?

Sorry, one last thread jacked comment. The exhaust at highway speeds is very noticeable but not annoying. A bit louder and it might be, but I think Mazda got this exhaust just right. I'm even hesistant to modify intake/exhaust to get the extra 30 hp b/c I don't really want to change the sound. Dopey, I know, but I'll have to get pretty bored with the current levels of power before I make a change, and it will probably just be intake to get more turbo sound.

[dread]

thanks for the comment, as for gas mileage who cares its cheap again at least for a little while.

[nondual]

any car that has a top mount will have that problem, all of you fanboys are obsessed with discrediting this dyno, despite the fact that you have never seen another dyno. How would you expect them to dyno the car, with the hood closed? I like the ms3, but I am not obsessed with discrediting numbers that do not meet my expectations.
Somebody posted their dyno a few days ago...

Much better numbers. It's on the forum under 'Engine'.

[dread]

yeah, but that dyno does not make sense. Hp is greater than torque in the dyno when infact the reverse is true.

[nondual]

yeah, but that dyno does not make sense. Hp is greater than torque in the dyno when infact the reverse is true.
Right. They're prolly both bogus.

I'm just saying that the Automobile Magazine dyno was teh suxor.

[Mspeed3]

I haven't even used a half a tank yet, but I will say you drive around with occcasional boosting and the fuel economy seems accurate to what mazda said. I find it hard not to boost because at every shift the engine teases you to just push a little more. For the break in period I'm trying to stay away from full throttle and >3,000rpms.

[arkitek]

Took a trip out to WV in the new ms3 this weekend, I got 29mpg on the first tank, 29.4 on the second. This is with about 250 miles of highway driving and about 75 miles of ripping it through the mountain roads. I would say that mazda's estimate is a very good one

Those are good numbers. I'd be very happy with that.

[jbiird317]

Those are good numbers. I'd be very happy with that.

yeah i was really surprised. This was in the break-in period, so I was taking it easy most of the time. Since I've been home and the car is 90% broken in, its a lot harder not to rip on it. Even with burning through the gears on my 10 mile commute back and forth to work I'm getting just under 20mpg. I figure once I calm down a little bit and figure out how to drive it slow I could easily be at 22-25 mpg city and 30 mpg hghway.

[Hikaru9]

yeah i was really surprised. This was in the break-in period, so I was taking it easy most of the time. Since I've been home and the car is 90% broken in, its a lot harder not to rip on it. Even with burning through the gears on my 10 mile commute back and forth to work I'm getting just under 20mpg. I figure once I calm down a little bit and figure out how to drive it slow I could easily be at 22-25 mpg city and 30 mpg hghway.

under 20 mpg... ^_^;;
Someone might think you're driving an SUV. keke~

I'm sure my gas mileage won't be any better when I get my MS3. ^_^
I'll miss the excellent 30mpg (city&hwy combined) of my RSX using 87 octane.

[jbiird317]

under 20 mpg... ^_^;;
Someone might think you're driving an SUV. keke~

I'm sure my gas mileage won't be any better when I get my MS3. ^_^
I'll miss the excellent 30mpg (city&hwy combined) of my RSX using 87 octane.

yeah i miss the 30mpg of my protege too, but its so much faster, therefore totally worth it

[Hikaru9]

yeah i miss the 30mpg of my protege too, but its so much faster, therefore totally worth it

Amen to that. *^_^*

[SeanMSIII]

yeah i was really surprised. This was in the break-in period, so I was taking it easy most of the time. Since I've been home and the car is 90% broken in, its a lot harder not to rip on it. Even with burning through the gears on my 10 mile commute back and forth to work I'm getting just under 20mpg. I figure once I calm down a little bit and figure out how to drive it slow I could easily be at 22-25 mpg city and 30 mpg hghway.

My second tank, around town driving and not taking it easy: 19.5 mpg. Just what my MS6 got. Should get better as I get past the break-in period, I suppose.

[DeepBlue]

I got 27 mpg on my first tank. I will see if it will remain i that range for the next tank.

[BKK Jack]

http://www.automobilemag.com/features/0610_z+2007_mazdaspeed_3+dyno_chart.jpg

Could have sworn that the Torque/HP are to intersect at 5250. They messed something up on that print out.

I think I remember reading something about that, too. So do think the whole thing is wrong, or do the lines just need to be shifted about 500rpm to the right?

[CTGrey02]

The scaling is completely off. No big deal. My work computers resolution wont let me see small scales like I can at home... Im not inclined to change the res at work just to see a dyno chart. It looks fine.

[TRUEREDMS3]

I'm getting great numbers, now that I'm past engine break-in.

Curr Avg Consum 25.9Mpg in mixed driving, including heavy traffic. Before the car hit 1K miles, I was only averaging 24.4Mpg. Hope it continues to get better.

[jma57]

19.5 mpg, all city driving. Still breaking it in, 547 miles. I've not yet gone past 4000 Rpm or so.

[SwampAss]

what is the official break in mileage? I am getting about 24mpg with assorted driving.

[benzo]

3100 miles on my speed3 and getting about 25 mpg. That is mainly highway with average city driving. I do hope it gets better. I cant seem to get to the magic number of 28 for some reason.

[BuckyBoost]

I got just above 20 mpg on my first tank of mostly stop and go commuting. which is a huge improvement over the 14 mpg I was getting on my RX8 so I am very happy.

[Hikaru9]

Almost 800 miles in my MS3.

I got 24 mpg for the first and second tanks of gas.

Then... I think I was a bit too happy after breaking in the car
because I got 19.5 mpg when I filled up the tank a few minutes ago.

I need to figure out how not to be "too happy" while driving my MS3 somehow. ^_^;;

[jbiird317]

Good news everyone! I just got 30 MPG today!! I drove back and forth to PA today to visit my parents and the results came in, 200 miles, 30.3 miles per gallon!

(I also took the car up to 140 mph - it was my first time with the ms3 over ~110, it was scary as hell, but on a wide open highway, it was just too hard to resist) - and before ppl start flaming me for driving that fast, it was a wide open highway and as soon as I saw traffic coming up ahead I dropped it down to ~85 pretty quickly

[Vixen]

Gas Mileage? Are you kidding?
Who Cares?!!!?!!
But seriously folks...It really depends on what mood I'm in. I would say that I have been averaging 22mpg with mostly city driving. Not too bad compared to my Escape that gets 19 if I'm lucky. Oh and my Mazda is a heck of a lot more fun to drive:)

[Vegasdriver]

If you want to log your MPG as well as to compare with other Mazdas, go to this MPG survey site:

www.brianbauer.org

(developed by a Mazda owner)

[DeepBlue]

Ok, I just past 5,500 miles on my MS3 GT and I am getting anywhere from 22 mpg to 28 mpg. It all depends how bad traffic is and how hard you push the pedal.

I did manage to get it up to 140 mph on a trip to San Antonio last week. I know because my Garmin GPS shows max speed and it locked it in at 140 before I had to back off. It holds the road like glue. It feels solid even at that speed.

[SwampAss]

If you want to log your MPG as well as to compare with other Mazdas, go to this MPG survey site:

www.brianbauer.org

(developed by a Mazda owner)


I've been using this tool since it was posted.


This is for my Mazdaspeed 3 (there was no option for turbo, just 2.3)


http://www.brianbauer.org/viewdata.php?vehicle=133


BTW, I've been getting very froggy with it lately. That's part of the reason my mileage is going down. I've also been warming it in the am for about 5 min prior to leaving.