Real MPG over time

[mikeymast]

Have had my 2.0 Auto FWD CX-5 Sport for a year & a half. Still loving it, but it seems my (mostly) city mpg has gone down from around 26 to between 24 & 25. Has anyone else seen a drop off? My tire pressure and oil are both closely monitored. I still drive the same streets the same way.

 

[Nikoman]

My AWD 2.5 GT averaging 20.5. I'm jealous.

 

[chuyler1]

Seriously? I get better than that in my CX9!

 

[CXFive]

I have an AWD 2013 with 2.0 lt. engine, 30k miles on the odomete. I have a lifetime average of 28+ mpg. Happy!

 

[dougal]

I have close to 7000 miles on mine and have a lifetime average of about 25 with a running average of 26.3. However, since the weather has warmed, my last 6 tanks have all been ~27 MPG. This is with a 2014 AWG 2.5L in almost all city driving. I am impressed and very, very happy with the milage on this car.

 

[MikeM.]

My MPG keeps improving slightly over time (comparing like roads, weather and driving style).

I've calculated every tank for the 16,000 miles on my 2013, you can see the results clicking on my Fuelly banner.

It should not get worse unless you've added exterior appendages, carry around extra weight or there is a fault with the way the engine runs.


I live in Washington State which has excellent, common sense consumer protections lacking in some other states. Washington is particularly good at keeping the gasoline retailers honest. They do periodic spot checks to make sure the pumps are properly calibrated (both at a slow pump rate and full on). It is surprisingly easy to purposefully miscalibrate a fuel pump which essentially causes you to pay for gas you are not getting. This will cause your calculated MPG to be lower than it actually is. Spot checks (and fines) by the State removes the incentive for dishonest station owner/operators to take extra profit.

If your calculated MPG has gone down but the driving conditions have not changed and the engine is operating normally, this could be the issue.


I also recommend using the Mazda branded Molybdenum 0W-20 oil. The microscopic platelets of Molybdenum will 'plate' the surface imperfections in the engines interior. This does more than reduce friction - it causes rings to seal better which reduces combustion blow by into the crankcase. This keeps condensation and corrosion to a minimum and contributes to a long and healthy engine life.

 

[GAXIBM]

Just took a couple of trips to visit grandkids in South FL and Birmingham from North GA. About 2000 miles in the last two weeks. Running a 2.0 GT with moly oil and 36psi tires 38,000 miles. Average mpg is indicated at 33.6 - 34.0 which checks out to be less than 1 mpg optimistic from manual calculations. I am running 72-74 mph on interstate with ac on low with two people, dog and lite luggage. When I am on two lane roads around here the mileage drops to 32 or so. I usually flip it in M once on the interstate with cruse set. This widens the shift points so it does not shift down to maintain speed or to apply engine braking on a downhill slope. If it pulls down on speed enough on a hill for me to notice I manually downshift. Very happy.

 

[Bcdad182]

I have a AWD 2013 and am averaging about 24.7 mpg and that is almost entirely composed of city driving, stop and go at all the lights over a fairly short distance (about 8 miles each way). The best I've done on a tank is 28.5 mpg and I can get even lower on the freeway. My mpg is been getting better over time (well, now that the cold weather is finally over)

 

[V8toilet]

Have had my 2.0 Auto FWD CX-5 Sport for a year & a half. Still loving it, but it seems my (mostly) city mpg has gone down from around 26 to between 24 & 25. Has anyone else seen a drop off? My tire pressure and oil are both closely monitored. I still drive the same streets the same way.

Depending on your mileage and driving conditions you may just need an engine air filter. If the old filter is plugged up enough its my opinion that the gas mileage with the Skyactiv engine could be reduced unlike a typical fuel injected engine, which wouldn't be. This is because the Skyactiv engine goes into an akinsin like cycle during light throttle cruising that reduces pumping losses. With a restricted intake the gains from this cycle are less.

Check the brakes with a laser thermometer too. The temperature isn't as important as the evenness from left to right. Mine are all usually around 100 degrees after a 47 mile commute in stop and go traffic for reference on a 70-degree day. One hot wheel of more than 10% could indicate a dragging brake pad so long as you haven't activated the stability control during spirited driving. Check the coolant temperature at the goose neck with that same thermometer. After that commute mine is 192 degrees F with the 2.5. You can pick up laser thermometer at Harbor Freight for $30.

 

[SayNoToPistons]

20,XXX miles on my AWD GT 2013 and still managed a 34mpg average on my latest tank of gas (mostly highway). Yes, 34 MPG on an automatic fully loaded AWD GT. No different from when I first bought it new.

 

[CXVille]

Depending on your mileage and driving conditions you may just need an engine air filter. If the old filter is plugged up enough its my opinion that the gas mileage with the Skyactiv engine could be reduced unlike a typical fuel injected engine, which wouldn't be. This is because the Skyactiv engine goes into an akinsin like cycle during light throttle cruising that reduces pumping losses. With a restricted intake the gains from this cycle are less.

Check the brakes with a laser thermometer too. The temperature isn't as important as the evenness from left to right. Mine are all usually around 100 degrees after a 47 mile commute in stop and go traffic for reference on a 70-degree day. One hot wheel of more than 10% could indicate a dragging brake pad so long as you haven't activated the stability control during spirited driving. Check the coolant temperature at the goose neck with that same thermometer. After that commute mine is 192 degrees F with the 2.5. You can pick up laser thermometer at Harbor Freight for $30.

Although you are correct about the decreased pumping losses in the atkinson cycle, I would be very surprised if this is the difference. The power required to push the amount of air across a dirty air filter would be on the order of 1/4 hp or less. Which would probably be 1 mpg, at most. During other running cycles, it would not impact fuel mileage.

Assuming the engine is running fine, I am betting on driving style changes. Very easy to do, very hard to recognize.

 

[hp79]

I only have about 4000 miles so far, but I got 20 MPG when there was heavy traffic which took 1 hour. With almost no traffic on the same road, it takes about 20 minutes and I get 32 MPG. On every gas fill up, I average 26-27.

 

[hollis]

after 25K, my avg is 37.4MPG

was 39.4MPG during last summer/fall.

Happy with what I am getting, but hopefully will climb up again with warmer weather.

This is with avg 38MPH and 50/50 rural / hwy driving (@65MPH).

for comparison, during driving a 2013 Mazda3 dealer loaner skyactive thats rated 41 HWY MPG. getting avg 39.4MPG

good stuff.

 

[piotrek91]

after 25K, my avg is 37.4MPG

was 39.4MPG during last summer/fall.

Happy with what I am getting, but hopefully will climb up again with warmer weather.

This is with avg 38MPH and 50/50 rural / hwy driving (@65MPH).

for comparison, during driving a 2013 Mazda3 dealer loaner skyactive thats rated 41 HWY MPG. getting avg 39.4MPG

good stuff.

Nice results!
Unless there is heavy traffic I usually drive too fast to get such good numbers.

Personally I find that the biggest MPG killer for the CX-5 is engine warm up.
No matter how carefully I drive the first couple miles really bring the avg. down.

 

[speedbegone]

I am constantly getting 25+ mpg with my 2.5 GT awd.
I accelerate fast often, and always go about 65-70 mph on the highway.
I'm sure that by just going 60 mph regularly and not accelerating so fast I would get better mileage.
But this is something I just can't seem to resign myself to do

For me its night and day from when I had my speed3 (on the same roads I couldn't get better than 22 mpg)
Of course its not the point of that car... and I didn't drive with the intention of good mpg.
Plus I had to use premium fuel... I am now saving on average between 10-20$ per fill up.

I'm now quite happy with the mpg, but I must admit that because of the numbers Mazda first advertised, early on, I was not overly impressed, they have now come out with new mpg claims on a 5 cycle testing method that is a lot more close to real world driving averages, and to what I am actually getting.

 

[metalfab]

On my 11th fill up and the average is 9.4L per 100KM with the 2.5L GT. Nearing my first oil change.

 

[Bon Scott]

I envy you. I have a 2014 2.5 GT and I'm averaging 11.4 L per 100 kms. Had the vehicle for 3 months now and love it...except for the milege and USB resume playback issue.

Bon

 

[runtohell121]

I never reset the avg mpg and have 8000 miles on the car.. Shows 26.9mpg on my Touring AWD 2.5

 

[SirCharles]

My MPG

On my 11th fill up and the average is 9.4L per 100KM with the 2.5L GT. Nearing my first oil change.

So as of last fill up I have 4300KM on AT 2.5L AWD Touring. Average 8.6L/100 (10 fill ups). 1400KM's were 2 trips to Kelowna (in dry/good conditions). The rest is commute to North Vancouver every weekday (about 60KM/day).

Noticed that hills/passengers seem to reduce my mileage significantly (averaged 9.5L/100 on last trip to Kelowna with wife and baby and lots of cargo). Notice traffic/AC on my commute seem to have little effect on mileage (average 8.5 or better on my solo commute most days, often in bumper to bumper HWY1 traffic). The hills in North Van are thirsty work though.

Before this drove MT 2002 Protege 5 which got about 10L/100KM similar driving. That car now has 300000 KM and still in the family.

Very happy with fuel economy of this vehicle so far.

Anyone have advice for improving mileage. SayNoToPistons? You seem to get excellent numbers whats your secret? Always drive downhill?

 

[CaribouMainiac]

.... just adding my 2-cents.... Had my 2013 base Sport Model (Manual tranny ) for 22 months now.... 15,000 miles on vehicle.
Highway: 36mpg (plus or minus 1 mpg)
Commuting on non-highway: anywhere between 30.5 and 34 mpg. How I get 34 mpg?
* Shift at 2000 rpm
* If I'm sitting at a red light, for what I expect to be more than 30 seconds (or so), I shut the engine off.
* coast in neutral, when approaching a traffic signal, or getting off highway (on exit ramps )

If I don't pay attention to rpm or shutting off engine at red lights, I get the 30.5 mpg. (sometimes more, hardly ever less )
So..... I figure I'm getting the mpg that was advertised when I purchase the CX-5. (pleased)

I have had NO significant issues w/ the vehicle.
* had to have windshield replaced due to a rock hit. (insurance covered it, at no charge to me )
* had my "idiot lights" go crazy .... cause: The plug in device from the insurance company that tracks your driving / stopping and such, does not work well with the CX-5 (sometimes), removed it, .... no issues since then )
* had to replace the battery in my key FOB, after 16 months or so.... the weak battery started to cause some door opening issues, and a few starting issues. Replaced battery..... now all is fine.

If the diesel model, with more engine torque was available here..... a trade would occur. ( so I could easily haul my (small) Boston Whaler )