Engine Size

ALafya said:

I am sorry to hear you can only get 23-24 MPG. My overall average is 27.5 so far.
You typically can't get a more powerful engine and keep the same fuel-economy, even if you drive exactly the same. Such an engine will increase the curb weight of the vehicle and can introduce more parasitic friction losses.
Mazda being a small company already has 3 engines for this vehicle (2L, 2.5L and Diesel). Obviously, their bulk sales are 2.5L in north America. I think they will only lose money if they introduce another engine. If anything, I'd like to see the Diesel offered in the US more than another gas engine.

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I'm sure the 19 inch wheels also hamper our mileage. I'm basing the 23-24 off of what the instrument read out says. My wife does drive in heavy but moving traffic to work which makes it worse. I have seen closer to 30 mpg on long trips (calculating mpg myself). But in mixed driving she is seeing the same mpg as she did in her 07 GTI with 200 hp (although about 500 lbs less curb weight and needed premium gas)

Technology has proved otherwise with engine size though. Consider how a 450+ hp corvette V8 can still manage close to 30 mpg is pretty impressive. (of course there are a million other variables that play into that number)

thedaddyb said:

I'm sure the 19 inch wheels also hamper our mileage. I'm basing the 23-24 off of what the instrument read out says. My wife does drive in heavy but moving traffic to work which makes it worse. I have seen closer to 30 mpg on long trips (calculating mpg myself). But in mixed driving she is seeing the same mpg as she did in her 07 GTI with 200 hp (although about 500 lbs less curb weight and needed premium gas)

Technology has proved otherwise with engine size though. Consider how a 450+ hp corvette V8 can still manage close to 30 mpg is pretty impressive. (of course there are a million other variables that play into that number)

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While impressive, keep in mind the Chevy has significantly less drag than the CX-5, has one more cog in the transmission and that its city millage is 17 and average is 20-21.
Similarly with the GTI which is significantly lighter and has significantly less drag.

thedaddyb said:

Nothing can compare to the thrill and rush of riding a bike. Unless you are one of the rare few that can afford vehicles like the Koenigsegg One:One.

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Had to Google that. The One:One looks positively insane! Such a performance beast. Still, I think what provides me with the most satisfaction is the way motorbikes remain balanced in a curve compared to the centripetal force of a four wheeled vehicle trying to force your body to the outside of a turn. On a motorbike the rider, machine and corner just meld into one being.

I think the main thing I look for in a vehicle is the enjoyment in driving, which for me is a mix of handling, power, aesthetics, and overall feel. Honestly I can "enjoy" a slower vehicle more for many reasons. Think something like a Miata or S2000. Not blazingly fast, but an amazingly balanced vehicle, that is toss-able and takes some skill in rowing the gears to milk all of the power out of the car. (too bad I can't fit comfortably in either)

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I have to agree. Even on a high powered motorcycle there exists conditions where more power would definitely be useable but I find it more fun to focus on maximizing every little bit I have. Being power limited presents creative challenges that are more fun to solve than simply determine how much power can be fed to the pavement without losing control or spinning up so much that the result is actually slower. The now defunct Westwood Racing Circuit in lower British Columbia was not always in the best condition but that just added to the challenge and thus the fun. And, of course, it's always fun to wind an engine out to the perfect shift point with the throttle wide open, something that would not usually be possible on a car like the One:One.