Indicated MPG vs. Real MPG

[Kaps]

EPA does not measure all of the vehicles for a model year. It measures vehicles which are specific in some nature. First diesel hybrid - EPA will test, first 48 v mild hybrid with cyl. deactivation - it will check. Honda Accord carrying same engine as last year - Honda does the tests based on EPA specs.

For me the read out and real mpg has been different by upto 1.5 mpg. Read out is less than real world. I only fill at 2 gas stations near my home, one near office and one on the way. My CX5 would give fuel warning at 11 gallons consumed. By 11.5 range would be 0.

After a year and half - I was at the pump and it filled 12.5 I was astonished - something clicked or unlocked. 12.5 fill ups at 28 would be very sweet instead of 11.5 - less trips to gas pump.

 

[Moonlighter]

ECU has to decide how long to keep the injectors open by knowing how much they are putting out. The injector specs are known, but a dirty injector can throw it off - the ECU will adjust a trim variable to compensate if it detects it (which it should these days). Should be very accurate on a modern system... that programming is critical to good MPG

Correct. The fuel used data is very accurate indeed, even when there is an issue like a dirty injector, it will detect and take it into account.

I think that people are focussed on the wrong part of the equation when they question the accuracy of the economy data - remember, there are two bits of data required for this calculation - fuel used, and speed/distance.

We know the fuel used equation is accurate due to the ecu data as mentioned earlier.

Which leaves speed/distance as the likely culprit when there are variances outside the normal range.

 

[craigo]

EPA does not measure all of the vehicles for a model year. It measures vehicles which are specific in some nature. First diesel hybrid - EPA will test, first 48 v mild hybrid with cyl. deactivation - it will check. Honda Accord carrying same engine as last year - Honda does the tests based on EPA specs.

For me the read out and real mpg has been different by upto 1.5 mpg. Read out is less than real world. I only fill at 2 gas stations near my home, one near office and one on the way. My CX5 would give fuel warning at 11 gallons consumed. By 11.5 range would be 0.

After a year and half - I was at the pump and it filled 12.5 I was astonished - something clicked or unlocked. 12.5 fill ups at 28 would be very sweet instead of 11.5 - less trips to gas pump.

Distance to empty should not be used for any calculations. It is intentionally conservative - you have ~2.3 gallons left at 0.

 

[dougal]

It may be the most accurate method, but the EPA's number are reliably unreliable!

Keep in mind, the EPA uses 20 mph for the city and 48 MPH for the highway.

 

[Pardz17]

I bought my cx5 gt awd 2017 a month ago, it has 40k miles on it already..but I notice I'm only getting 19.5avg mpg is this bad? I cleared the trip a and trip b still getting same gas avg. and I only drive 5 mins to work at 40mph in city and 70 mph in highway.

 

[Kaps]

I bought my cx5 gt awd 2017 a month ago, it has 40k miles on it already..but I notice I'm only getting 19.5avg mpg is this bad? I cleared the trip a and trip b still getting same gas avg. and I only drive 5 mins to work at 40mph in city and 70 mph in highway.

Pull up avg mpg on right side of dash via info button. Press middle of that button to reset. Trip A and B only reset miles not any other factor. You can reset your avg speed as well. Range gets reset after a fill up automatically.



Ignore my original post, reading comprehension failure:

If you are driving on highway a lot in a 17 I would expect nothing less than 27 for AWD (you have 40K already so assuming its mostly highway).
This is a problem. Make sure you reset it properly. 19.5 could mean your brakes are dragging, also top up your tire pressure to whats on door + 2 psi. For highway you wont notice much ride quality difference but it will help in even wear and better mpgs.

19.5 is a bad sign.

 

[Kaps]

Keep in mind, the EPA uses 20 mph for the city and 48 MPH for the highway.

Not true.
Those are avg speeds. Pretty accurate imho. 20 mph for city is ballpark - stop light is 0mph.
48 mph is again avg with top speed of 80 mph.

EPA's methods are outdated. It does 3 different tests, it can only test 15% of new cars released a year and rest is done by manufacturers. It needs to be improved or ignored in some cases.

I love my CX5s fuel economy. But i never ever get 33 in a FWD on highway - even if I hypermile a bit. Disappointed or maybe EPA tested with single thin occupant and I am fat.

 

[Pardz17]

the 40k miles on it is not me driving it. it already have that 40k on it when I bought it, its cos they keep moving the car around according to the dealership..anyway I did reset them and still the avg mpg stops at around 19.5avg mpg. how do I check about my brakes if its dragging? do I need to take my car back to dealership to check it.

 

[Kaps]

the 40k miles on it is not me driving it. it already have that 40k on it when I bought it, its cos they keep moving the car around according to the dealership..anyway I did reset them and still the avg mpg stops at around 19.5avg mpg. how do I check about my brakes if its dragging? do I need to take my car back to dealership to check it.

what you told in your first post - you were resetting only your trip A and B, this does not reset avg mpg. Avg mpg can be reset by using info button to pull it up and pressing the round center on info button. Trip reset is via a different long button on dash. Are you sure you reset the avg mpg and not just the trip? they are different.

 

[mazdadude]

the 40k miles on it is not me driving it. it already have that 40k on it when I bought it, its cos they keep moving the car around according to the dealership..anyway I did reset them and still the avg mpg stops at around 19.5avg mpg. how do I check about my brakes if its dragging? do I need to take my car back to dealership to check it.

If you only reset TRIP A and TRIP B like you stated, then you DID NOT reset your MPG computer.
You need to press the INFO UP/DOWN button on the wheel until your AVG MPG is displayed.
Then PRESS AND HOLD the MIDDLE of the INFO button on the wheel until you see your AVG MPG Display "---".

 

[7eregrine]

I bought my cx5 gt awd 2017 a month ago, it has 40k miles on it already..but I notice I'm only getting 19.5avg mpg is this bad? I cleared the trip a and trip b still getting same gas avg. and I only drive 5 mins to work at 40mph in city and 70 mph in highway.

You bought used?

 

[Pardz17]

no its new. anyway I was able to reset my mpg through the infotainment screen through the app fuel economy and reset it from there and not through the info button on the wheel..i got 26avg mpg driving for 40 mins at 70mph.

 

[Monterra]

You bought used?

Pretty epic month of driving otherwise eh?

 

[Puyapim]

no its new. anyway I was able to reset my mpg through the infotainment screen through the app fuel economy and reset it from there and not through the info button on the wheel..i got 26avg mpg driving for 40 mins at 70mph.

40k or 4K? 40k in one month is like 24/7/365 driving.

 

[Monterra]

no its new. anyway I was able to reset my mpg through the infotainment screen through the app fuel economy and reset it from there and not through the info button on the wheel..i got 26avg mpg driving for 40 mins at 70mph.

40k miles in ~1 month..damn son! (bowdown)

 

[banjos-n-beer]

hmmm

40,000 miles / 31 days month = 1,290 miles per day.

divided by 70 mph = 18.4 hours of driving per day.

(uhm)

i guess you could say its broken in.....

edit- just glanced back... bought new but with 40,000 miles? sounds odd... maybe a loaner or demo vehicle? i hope you got some type of extended warranty cuz the b-2-b is already gone.

 

[Puyapim]

40k miles in ~1 month..damn son! (bowdown)

It works out to 1300+ miles a day. I think something is not right. He must mean 4K.

 

[Pardz17]

lol sorry for confusion, I checked the paper it says 41 miles..but I been driving it for a month now and checked my odometer and says its 4386 right now.

 

[Puyapim]

lol sorry for confusion, I checked the paper it says 41 miles..but I been driving it for a month now and checked my odometer and says its 4386 right now.

Much much better. You still put some miles on your vehicles each month.

I would try the reset via the info button on the steering wheel as described above. Also my experience is that the best mileage happens from around 50-60mph. Getting up to 70 reduces the mpg considerably.

 

[Monterra]

I take it all back...you suck!