2015 AWD Sport getting less MPG than expected

C

CJnum6

Member
:
2015 CX-5 AWD Sport
Just hit 1k miles, and I do manual calculations on the MPG which does match up with the sensor in the CX-5. I reset the sensor every tank just to see if it was different as it wore in.

I drive highway, 70-80mph, and am only getting <26.4mpg since owning. I waited till I hit the 1k mark to call it, and it's still young, but it just doesn't seem right at this point. My prior car was rated 36 highway, and actually got OVER 36 so I know this can't be my driving style. I'm very steady with the pedal.

I don't really have a choice currently aside from waiting another 1k miles to see if it breaks in more, but wanted to see if there's any comments on this from other owners if they have seen the same or if it got better?

Thanks
 
MPG plummets after you start going faster than 60-65, particularly in a big high riding SUV. EPA is done at 55, I think?
 
For a sample trial, turn the MPG computer to display the "current MPG" instead of the "total since last reset MPG"

While driving at a steady pace, pick several different speeds and note the MPG at that speed.

For me, a 2015 CX-5 AWD 2.5L, 55mph= 33 mpg 65mph= 29 mpg 75mph= 25 mpg

My best instant mpg over a 5 min duration has been following a large trailer closely at 55mph at 37mpg.
 
Sounds correct for driving 70 to 80 mph. This is excellent mileage for an SUV and should not be compared to a small car. ed
 
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I'm driving basically in the city, even when I'm on the freeway(stop and go), 11 miles each way and I'm around 22-24 mpg, FWD though.
 
tibimakai said:
I'm driving basically in the city, even when I'm on the freeway(stop and go), 11 miles each way and I'm around 22-24 mpg, FWD though.
Click to expand...

You're doing good. I barely break 20mpg under similar conditions. Can't believe this car is just as bad as the old RAV4 I traded in.
 
I'm satisfied with my mileage at 27.5 mpg average throughout 9000 miles. I have a 2014 AWD. I often see my average speed between gas fill-ups are around 35 mph, which is about 50% hwy. 15 miles to work place. The large frontal area of the SUV makes it not so good for high speed cruising. I try to not go over the speed limit on 55 mph highways, and on a 65mph zone I go with the flow (about 60 mph) on the most right lane.

CJnum6, you are going too fast if you are trying to save on gas.

edit:
In addition, when I do city 100%, short trips, I average 20 MPG.
 
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mazdadude said:
For a sample trial, turn the MPG computer to display the "current MPG" instead of the "total since last reset MPG"

While driving at a steady pace, pick several different speeds and note the MPG at that speed.

For me, a 2015 CX-5 AWD 2.5L, 55mph= 33 mpg 65mph= 29 mpg 75mph= 25 mpg

My best instant mpg over a 5 min duration has been following a large trailer closely at 55mph at 37mpg.
Click to expand...

That is roughly what I am getting. I also have larger wheels, a different intake, catback and a modified tune. Also the car drives and sounds great in this -1000ft density altitude we are having.

CJnum6 said:
Just hit 1k miles, and
I don't really have a choice currently aside from waiting another 1k miles to see if it breaks in more, but wanted to see if there's any comments on this from other owners if they have seen the same or if it got better?

Thanks
Click to expand...
It just depends on how slow you are willing to drive/accelerate. Some people on here like Mike reported 400+ miles tanks if I remember correctly, but that is certainly not my driving style, except for a long distance drive. There are people getting 55-70 mpg in the Mirage and its rated at just over 40. It just depends on how you drive, and I drive WOT often, and I cruise 75+, and accelerate relatively quickly, and my avg mpg is ~22.
 
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Chris_Top_Her said:
It just depends on how slow you are willing to drive/accelerate. Some people on here like Mike reported 400+ miles tanks if I remember correctly, but that is certainly not my driving style, except for a long distance drive.
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Actually, the most miles I've seen from a single tank was 507 miles (37.5 mpg) when my wife and dog and I took a trip over the North Cascade Pass (which is actually three separate passes). While that trip did have a lot of 55-60 mph sections at lower altitudes, I railed the steeper portions of the passes pretty hard, blowing by the drivers who didn't want to downshift an extra gear in the thinner air. I spent a good amount of time at 70-75 mph climbing with the tach between 4500 and 5500 rpm's. These grades regularly slow trucks and RV's to 30 mph in the lane reserved for slow vehicles. My impression was that the little 2.0L really likes to spin at altitude, I had power to spare and the engine sounded and felt smooth and sweet. My only explanation for this trip having my best mpg ever is that the sections driven at speeds above 65 mph were all at altitude where there is less aerodynamic drag.


IMO, getting good mileage is more about not using a lot of braking than it is about avoiding hard acceleration. Those who are not getting the expected mpg might want to feel their wheels for excessive heat after driving some distance without much brake usage. Heat implies dragging brakes.



I railed the corners hard enough to feel the tires scrubbing but, let's face it, this is an SUV with Geolanders. This road is a lot more fun on my Ducati. The only reason I drove like that was because the engine wanted me to ;-) Of course my Ducati whispers the same thing in my ear and the result is much more fun and impressive.
 
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Dr_Watson said:
Trying revving to 5500 rpm at 75mph up a hill, seems to work!

Sorry, couldn't resist.
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I do think that bit of spirited driving was responsible for the better than average mpg the remaining 200 miles on the tank. I'm guessing it effected the programming in a beneficial way. Altitude probably had something to do with It too.

That's just a guess but, one thing is sure, it's hard to argue with 507 miles on one tank. And it still had about 1 1/2 gallons left.
 
piotrek91 said:
Looks like someone is jealous that their diesel can't rev that high :)
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CX5 is my wife's car, I have her old car, a Mazda 2, 1.3, I know all about revving an engine :)

The diesel is a dream to drive, and likes to be revved high which was quite surprising, but it really pulls from low revs so from 20mph just leave it in 4th, overtake a car up to 80mph and put it in 6th. My low record is about 38mpg driving like a criminal, thats pretty impressive!

I tried the 2.0l petrol for a 10 min drive, was quite nice, it just so happened that I got a great leasing deal on the diesel from another garage, otherwise I might have bought the petrol, when all that crap with high oil levels was going on, I was regretting it, but that is sorted now and no more regrets. I have never leased a car and didn't like the idea, but 5% interest and final payment of $1000 was much better that any deal I could get privately.

Regarding mpg expectations, most people set their sights far too high, check your car is working correctly on a flat road at 40mph over a mile. As long as that mpg is what you expect then the car is probably perfect, then the rest is down to driving style and other factors outside your control, weather, topography, traffic, letting your wife (who thinks and emergency stop at every traffic light is normal) drive the car etc etc
 
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I have a 2015 Touring AWD. I run the hilly interstates here in WV typically with the cruise set at 73 MPH. I've done numerous business trips in the Mazda since I got it, and, MPG on my trips is usually 28.5 - 29.

Regards:
Oldengineer
 
Mine plummets too when I do 80 mph so yours is no different. BTW I just got 35.3 MPG all highway on my last tank calculated at the pump and this is with the Skyactiv 2.5. The computer was showing 33.6 I believe. My Mazda 5 with the ancient 2.5 gets 32 on the highway if I keep the speeds at or below 70 MPH in the same conditions but only manages around 23.5 with mixed city.
 
26MPG @ 70-80 MPH is not bad actually. There are plenty of other factors to consider, but this is not bad for AWD CX-5 at those speeds.
 
Mpg

Since we got our FWD CX-5 GT in July, all but 3 tankfulls have been in the low 30s; worst was 28mpg.
 
Based on the info here, I am getting decent gas mileage around 24MPG based on mix city/highway and when on the highway I do about 65-75 and use cruise when on the interstate where I can. Far better than my gas guzzler sequoia's loved them, but hated the 15-16MPG.
 
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