[Moviemike]

I took delivery of a new EX two days ago. Tire pressures the morning after I drove off the dealer's lot were 38 front / 36 rear. I pumped them up to 40/38 and went for a test drive with the VSA turned off. I was pleased to find that at 60 mph, 65 mph, and 70 mph the car stayed in a straight line with my hands not touching the steering wheel. I also found good rear tire grip of the road while moderately swinging the car left to right within my lane at highway speeds. So I come away reassured that the extra air in the tires are not a safety /maneuverability concern for me.

Currently there is 70.2 miles on the car with an average of 24.1 mpg. Although I've been able to hit a high "current drive" of 57.x mpg for around 20 miles. I attribute the low mpg to lots of time sitting still on the dealer lot, ICE on, exploring the electronics - touch screen. As with prior Honda's I set car mpg computer Trip A to reset with each gasoline fill-up, Trip B I will manually reset at the end of each day's travels or where needed during the day to check mpg effect of different driving styles or routes from here to there. I'll get my first fill up today or tomorrow then post it, and all future fill ups, at Fuelly.

I can see that the trick to high mpg with this car is gonna be to get max benefit, when the ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) is operating, and to have it operate as little as possible while also meeting my demands for power and maneuvering. That means most battery charging while cruising city streets and rural roads, max regen from slowing down and downgrades, and using heater when the ICE is on for other purposes.

 

[andrew28]

I will probably be able to set my psi higher during the summer. In the winter here in Boston, I would rather be sitting at the recommended psi, or slightly under due to all the potholes.

 

[hasarad]

Mike,

If you calculate your first tank's actual numbers at your fill-up, don't assume the dealer filled the tank full at delivery. I disregarded the first tank numbers because they were so far off.

Don

 

[Moviemike]

Mike,

If you calculate your first tank's actual numbers at your fill-up, don't assume the dealer filled the tank full at delivery. I disregarded the first tank numbers because they were so .far off.

Don

YES!!
My first gas input was 2 days ago, with 77 miles on the odo. The hose was stretched from the right side. It took around 1.5 gal to fill, but driving off I noticed that Trip A did not reset as programmed, indicating a less than fully filled gas tank. I took a 50 mile drive, at mostly 60 mph, and did a lot of in town driving yesterday. I filled up again in the early evening (177 miles on the odo), this time with the hose on left side. This time Trip A did automatically reset, yay.

I'll sign up with fuelly later using the 177 figure as my starting odo reading.

BTW Car computer history is indicating 47.x mpg for both my road trip and in town mpg. A not bad number for the hwy, but low in town due to wet roads, lots of defroster, and heater use.

This morning I turned the car on. The EV light was green, went out the driveway, down the hill to the traffic light, used a very light touch on the throttle and drove 0.6 miles before ICE started up, giving a 199.9 mpg!! A further 3/4 mile or so down the road and the "current drive" mpg was down to 34.6 mpg. Understandable yet AMAZING nevertheless!

 

[Moviemike]

I think I've got the hang of driving this car for great mpg! We got some clear sky's, dry roads (first time in 1.5 weeks!), little change in temperature leading to no use of heater and very minimal use of defroster.

I pulled into the driveway at the end of today's travels with 218 miles on the odo and a terrific 57.8 mpg for 28.8 miles.
Similar travels and weather conditions in '15 Cvic Hybrid would yield me 54 - 55 mpg on the trip computer.

Given that gen3 Insight computer under estimates mpg by 1 mpg, actual gas pump mpg would be 58.8.
Given Civic's computer over estimates mpg by 1.5 mpg, actual gas pump mpg would be 52.5 - 53.5.
That would mean a 5.3 - 6.3 mpg improvement by the Insght over the Civic !!!
All I can say to that is WOW!!

 

[insightfully]

BTW Car computer history is indicating 47.x mpg for both my road trip and in town mpg. A not bad number for the hwy, but low in town due to wet roads, lots of defroster, and heater use.

This morning I turned the car on. The EV light was green, went out the driveway, down the hill to the traffic light, used a very light touch on the throttle and drove 0.6 miles before ICE started up, giving a 199.9 mpg!! A further 3/4 mile or so down the road and the "current drive" mpg was down to 34.6 mpg. Understandable yet AMAZING nevertheless!

There are a few related threads that may be interesting for you, as they parallel your observations:

1 - The car's MPG indicator tends to be close but directionally lower than actual calculated MPG.
https://www.gen3insight.com/forum/2...ace/122-accuracy-mpg-number-touch-screen.html
https://www.gen3insight.com/forum/2...ge-mpge-economy/610-vehicle-mpg-accuracy.html

2 - The MPG indicator seems to top out at 199.99
https://www.gen3insight.com/forum/266-2019-honda-insight-range-mpge-economy/338-199-9-mpg.html

 

[Moviemike]

There are a few related threads that may be interesting for you, as they parallel your observations:

1 - The car's MPG indicator tends to be close but directionally lower than actual calculated MPG.
https://www.gen3insight.com/forum/2...ace/122-accuracy-mpg-number-touch-screen.html
https://www.gen3insight.com/forum/2...ge-mpge-economy/610-vehicle-mpg-accuracy.html

2 - The MPG indicator seems to top out at 199.99
https://www.gen3insight.com/forum/266-2019-honda-insight-range-mpge-economy/338-199-9-mpg.html

Thank you for the links I read through them and rediscovered by posting from 12-14-18 regarding the importance of filling the tank to the same point each time for accuracy sake.

Anyway, what blows me away is the EX's capability to go .5 mile from a standing start, with a freezing cold ICE, on electricity only!

 

[hasarad]

Anyway, what blows me away is the EX's capability to go .5 mile from a standing start, with a freezing cold ICE, on electricity only!

Unless you turn on the cabin heater! I generally freeze to death until I know the car is warm. Only then do I turn on the cabin heat - but only when going up a steep hill where the ICE would run anyway. Once at the top, I kill the heat.

Yeah, I'm a miser. I'm okay with that. I saw a pickup truck on Fuelly.com the other day that had an 8mpg average at fill up. It must be nice to have that kind of money!

 

[Moviemike]

Unless you turn on the cabin heater! I generally freeze to death until I know the car is warm. Only then do I turn on the cabin heat - but only when going up a steep hill where the ICE would run anyway. Once at the top, I kill the heat.

:angel::angel::angel: My wife and I are laughing, cause we're doing the same kind of thing........and even more with the defroster use, in this cold and dank weather.


P.S. I have an EX

 

[andrew28]

Unless you turn on the cabin heater! I generally freeze to death until I know the car is warm. Only then do I turn on the cabin heat - but only when going up a steep hill where the ICE would run anyway. Once at the top, I kill the heat.

Yeah, I'm a miser. I'm okay with that. I saw a pickup truck on Fuelly.com the other day that had an 8mpg average at fill up. It must be nice to have that kind of money!

I pretty much do the same thing unless I need to remote start the car to melt snow/ice. Always nice to start the car up with no sound in ev mode and drive it down the street.

 

[hasarad]

41 miles to take my daughter to dance class tonight. I'm happy with the results. I'm creeping closer to 70mpg for this trip. Once it gets a little warmer, I'll hit it.

 

[hobokencentral]

41 miles to take my daughter to dance class tonight. I'm happy with the results. I'm creeping closer to 70mpg for this trip. Once it gets a little warmer, I'll hit it.

Hasarad, you are doing much better than me, even though I have been impressed with the 60-63 mpg that I have been getting lately in evening eastbound traffic on Route 80 (Morris to Bergen County). Warmer weather seems to have helped somewhat. Congrats on your mpg...

 

[mgldan]

You guys are insane! My route brings me on Route 15, between Morris and Sussex counties. Very hilly, relatively frequent traffic lights. I thought I was doing well when I cleared 43 MPG in my Touring.

 

[hasarad]

You guys are insane! My route brings me on Route 15, between Morris and Sussex counties. Very hilly, relatively frequent traffic lights. I thought I was doing well when I cleared 43 MPG in my Touring.

You have no idea how much I grumble when I hit a traffic light. All that energy wasted in having to start out from 0 MPH again! Morris and Sussex are where the "hill people" live. Are you able to keep the power meter in the blue, or do you get into the grey hash area? Anything above blue risks engine whine and sub-par mileage. Sometimes, it can't be avoided - like on Jugtown Mountain (https://bethlehemnj.org/jugtown-mountain/) near me - unless you drop way below the speed limit. If traffic is light, I have no problem going below the limit. At most, it may make my drive five minutes longer, so, no a big deal. Why is everyone in a rush these days?

 

[mgldan]

I lived in Allamuchy for my first three years in Jersey, before moving to Morris County. Reading your guys' posts makes me wonder what I'd be seeing if I still had that commute.

I can keep it in the blue in city driving, but along Route 15, there's no avoiding going into the hashes. Too many inclines and too many other cars around. The hashes don't necessarily mean that I'm not using battery, as confirmed by the power flow mode, but there are ICE-only times all along that road.

Also, when my battery gets to 2-3 bars, the lights at the northwest and northeast corners of the DII aren't even a faint green. They're just off. When I get to that point I've started switching into Sport mode. I think it gives me a few more electrons to push when I get to the next straightaway.

I do think I've gotten better at avoiding engine whine as I drive. I'm nearly at 6000 miles now. Observing reasonable highway speeds does help a lot. I only do 70 MPH now when I'm on a flat surface, and I keep a close eye on the EV indicator. Otherwise I'll top out at 65 MPH, over in the right-hand lane.

 

[hasarad]

I am rescinding my recommendation of using sport mode when approaching hills. I've been a little better about driving in ECO while keeping things in the blue band and have not had engine whine while also increasing my winter mpg numbers. I arrive about two minutes later to work over a 50 mile drive, so the time cost is negligible. I only have about five miles of actual highway driving on the commute, but I stick to the right lane. It's amazing how much a 5mph difference can affect mpg numbers. I suggest everyone leave five minutes early for their commute and try it out.

 

[insightfully]

I drive exclusively in ECO and only use Sport when accelerating onto highways. I find momentum to be the key to climbing hills in ECO mode, and sometimes accelerate ahead of the climb to prevent engine whine. I gain the energy back on the downhill section.

 

[Moviemike]

I'm up to 394 miles on the odometer. I'm calling the car “Rally Racer”. Trip A shows 221.7 miles since the fill up, documented on Fuelly, and a very nice 58.8 mpg. My driving has been on city streets and rural roads. Much of it at 40-45 mph with rare visits to 50 mph. Weather has improved, not as cold , dry roads (a big help to mpg), less heater or defroser use (also helps mpg). Trip B mpg (at the end of each day's travels) over the past several days have been 60.x, 60.x, a colder then ususal over night temperature leading to 60.8 (but some questioning regarding the EV icon harder to get to go on). The next day I noticed the EV icon continued hard to get to turn on and ended the day at 57.1. In the morning I checked tire pressures. They were all 1.5 psi low. I pumped them up to 40 front / 39 rear. During the day's travels I noticed that the car feels a little lighter on its feet, and came in with 63.3 mpg at the end of the day!!


I'm developing a new habit for stopping the car (say from around 40 mph to a stop at an upcoming traffic light). I'll give two flicks on the paddle shifter, then apply the brakes as I get to close to the intersection / if needed. This is giving me lots of regen, and prolongs EV icon activation (ie ICE off).

 

[Moviemike]

I've been exploring the use of the 3 buttons on the center console (ECON, SPORT, and EV). My usual mode of operation is to have ECON turned on (green leaf between power and speedometer lit) and just drive the car. For now, here is how I'm using the buttons:

EV: I push the button to use electric only to get up to cruising speed; or much more often, to climb hills, when I know that once at the top there is a downgrade which I can use to re-charge the battery. Sometimes EV won't engage, speed over 25 mph or “engine too cold”.
SPORT: While cruising at a steady 40 mph (or so) I'll push ECON (to turn it off) then push SPORT. I'll focus on maintaining that steady speed. Then, when the battery state of charge meter show 7-8 bars, I'll push SPORT again (to turn it off) then push ECON again to turn it back on.
ECON: I notice even greater throttle travel with ECON on then in the Civic Hybrid. One initial discovery was that I found myself driving a little slower than I thought (35 instead of 40, 40 instead of 45). A little extra push on the gas has fixed that!

I've also discovered that the extra pedal sensitivity opened up some subtle mpg improvement opportunities. On long gentle declines I can give two flicks on the paddle shifter, then press the throttle to such that the pointer on the Power meter is holding in the green, just below the line where it merges into the blue. I'm also able to move the pointer just barely into the blue, to regain some lost speed, and then return to the green. This has given me some long runs in electric only operation!! The extra air in the tires (above recommended psi) is a real BIG help in this process.

Overall, it looks like here in winter I'm beating the routine summer time Civic mpg while often equaling or beating its very best. Currently I'm looking forward to summer, when a 65mpg tankful is looking realistic. But today, next Tuesday's trip to Eugene (across the coast range of mountains and 250 miles at 60 mph round trip) should crush my good numbers above into the upper 40's. Vs the Civic's 52 mpg for a similar round trip.

 

[insightfully]

On long gentle declines I can give two flicks on the paddle shifter, then press the throttle to such that the pointer on the Power meter is holding in the green, just below the line where it merges into the blue. I'm also able to move the pointer just barely into the blue, to regain some lost speed, and then return to the green. This has given me some long runs in electric only operation!! The extra air in the tires (above recommended psi) is a real BIG help in this process.

Could you share tips/tricks you use to prevent the (temporary) extra regen from ending, while stepping on the throttle in Eco mode?