[Moviemike]

I'm up to about 2280 miles. I've been using my 7 bullet points in the What I've Learned thread to very good effect! The temperature has gone up to the upper 50's, and most importantly the roads are drier, leading to (for me) a record high 66.7 mpg tank full last week.

Last week with the tank full, I headed out on my 3rd highway trip. This time to Salem, which is just like a trip to Eugene plus an additional 1/3 the distance on I-5. Although its warmer, the additional distance cruising at 70 mph should lower the overall trip mpg. My goal was to achieve 50 mpg for the round trip. On the drive to Salem Current Drive showed me 52.9 mpg, and 50.5 mpg for the return (wet roads and rain 2/3's of the way). I filled up at home the day following my return and Trip A showed 51.1 mpg This includes short trips with cold engine around Salem. On this trip I made much more use of ACC, set at 60 mph on the two lane, 70 on I-5.

1. With ECON on there is increased pedal travel in the throttle. Below about 50 mph that is useful to me for fine tuning acceleration for top mpg. Above 50 I'm really pushing the pedal to get power responsiveness for passing and etc. ECON off feels much more comfortable, with plenty of subtle power control in the 55-70 mph range that is not dis-similar to ECON on at slower speeds. (The ECON button in my old Civic Hybrid and gen 2 seemed to give greater access to ev mode, not the case in the gen 3)

1. I made lots of use of the white EV button for use in getting up to speed or for climbing hills (there are several in the 4-7% grade category). Pushing that button many times gets the engine off at times the system is not doing so on its own. Also in the on position the system sometimes seems more willing to dig deeper into the battery reserve before engine turn on. I think doing this helped my mpg a lot! Knowing the road also was important for occasionally using SPORT to build battery, and saving pushing white EV button on to near the top of hills helps some too.
2. I discovered that from a standing start, EV button off; the car will go forward with green EV light on till around where the power meter moves past the first notch past the green/blue charge/discharge line. At near that point, the light will go off and the engine come on. I found that starting out with the white EV button on, the engine can remain off till the power pointer moves past the blue / gray boundary. This can be a road conditions and traffic sensitive thing to play with, but retarding my acceleration to the blue /gray boundary can greatly reduce the amount of gasoline needed to get up to speed.
3. I really liked the ACC, it turns out to be all I'd hoped. I found that when passing a slower vehicle ahead, it best to change lanes further behind than usual, to prevent slowing for speed matching the other vehicle. Also found it best to cancel ACC when traffic speeds up after a mass slow down. This allows for gentler acceleration back to cruising speed ….also better mpg.

 

[mgldan]

I made lots of use of the white EV button for use in getting up to speed or for climbing hills (there are several in the 4-7% grade category). Pushing that button many times gets the engine off at times the system is not doing so on its own. Also in the on position the system sometimes seems more willing to dig deeper into the battery reserve before engine turn on.

Retarding my acceleration to the blue /gray boundary can greatly reduce the amount of gasoline needed to get up to speed.

Also found it best to cancel ACC when traffic speeds up after a mass slow down. This allows for gentler acceleration back to cruising speed ….also better mpg.

totally agree with these points. If I'm not being followed by other cars then I use these judiciously to eke out more MPG.

I wasn't really expecting to become aggressive about these tactics when I bought the car. It's like, I should be happy when I achieve the EPA rating of 45 highway / 51 city, because that's what I thought I was getting. But now I'm only happy with "more". Had I bought an ICE car I would be exploring things like 0-60 MPH time and handling.

 

[hasarad]

totally agree with these points. If I'm not being followed by other cars then I use these judiciously to eke out more MPG.

I wasn't really expecting to become aggressive about these tactics when I bought the car. It's like, I should be happy when I achieve the EPA rating of 45 highway / 51 city, because that's what I thought I was getting. But now I'm only happy with "more". Had I bought an ICE car I would be exploring things like 0-60 MPH time and handling.

I totally agree! It's all about getting moar! I get bummed when I have a drive that gets less than 60mpg. I should be satisfied with getting 52mpg (EX avg) combined, but I'm not!

 

[Moviemike]

totally agree with these points. If I'm not being followed by other cars then I use these judiciously to eke out more MPG.

THANK YOU !!


.

.... But now I'm only happy with "more". Had I bought an ICE car I would be exploring things like 0-60 MPH time and handling.

Want more? The Insight gen3 can deliver. Find a winding road with no people on it and speed limit 45. Drive it at 60-65 mph. Not enough challenge? Do it again with VSA off!


There are a series of corners like this coming down the Coast Range on the road from Eugene to the coast. A bonus is that since its a variable downgrade (from 7% at the top to 3% near the bottom) I can do it with the green EV light lit :wink:

 

[Wasabi]

I travel a lot for work and do a lot of highway time in the 75-85MPH range. These are normal speeds on I75/I95/I4/etc. here in FL or else you basically get run over. Can I still expect some good MPG? This is one of the main reasons I'm looking at the Insight obviously. I understand there are a lot of different factors and am just looking for experienced opinions. I'm going to drive the Insight today. I currently drive a BMW 535i and I realize this will be a big change but am hoping the Insight can work for my needs and save me some dough. Hopefully I can still get in the 45MPG+ range with my driving or else I may start looking at something bigger.

 

[Mobilcams]

I travel a lot for work and do a lot of highway time in the 75-85MPH range. These are normal speeds on I75/I95/I4/etc. here in FL or else you basically get run over. Can I still expect some good MPG? This is one of the main reasons I'm looking at the Insight obviously. I understand there are a lot of different factors and am just looking for experienced opinions. I'm going to drive the Insight today. I currently drive a BMW 535i and I realize this will be a big change but am hoping the Insight can work for my needs and save me some dough. Hopefully I can still get in the 45MPG+ range with my driving or else I may start looking at something bigger.

I drive I-75 between Brandon and Sarasota every day. I have had my Insight since January - I do not drive more than 70mph usually and I am still averaging over 45mpg.. My overall MPG since the car was brand new is around 48mpg. Stay in the middle lane or the right lane. I do not have a problem getting ran over. I have ran a few times at 75-80 and have gotten around 40-43mpg.

I do not understand why you would want to get something bigger if you are wanting to get 45+MPG... ???

 

[Mr. Natural]

My experience would say at 75-85 mph you might get 40 mpg. At 70-73 I’m happy if I get 43.

 

[insightfully]

I travel a lot for work and do a lot of highway time in the 75-85MPH range. These are normal speeds on I75/I95/I4/etc. here in FL or else you basically get run over. Can I still expect some good MPG?

Agree with responses that 40-43 mpg is reasonable for highway speeds at 75-85 mph. At these higher highway speeds, the car is primarily gas driven. You'll get some help/efficiency from electric motor, but not as much as in hybrid operation which is why the mpg takes a hit. The Insight's highway rating is 6 mpg lower than city for both the LX/EX (49 hwy) and Touring (45 hwy) trims, AND these highway test ratings are only based on top speeds of 60 mph. Speeds over 60 mph will get less than these highway ratings.

I also noticed that the terrain for the mentioned routes is pretty flat, except for a stretch between I-95 / I-75. Hills can both hurt (gas engine to climb) and help (downhill regen), but it looks like the route would be about neutral energy effect and the rest of the drive flat (mostly gas driven). So unfortunately, it doesn't seem like you'll get much regeneration/EV battery mpg help on the drive.

 

[gremal]

Agree with responses that 40-43 mpg is reasonable for highway speeds at 75-85 mph. At these higher highway speeds, the car is primarily gas driven. You'll get some help/efficiency from electric motor, but not as much as in hybrid operation which is why the mpg takes a hit. The Insight's highway rating is 6 mpg lower than city for both the LX/EX (49 hwy) and Touring (45 hwy) trims, AND these highway test ratings are only based on top speeds of 60 mph. Speeds over 60 mph will get less than these highway ratings.

I also noticed that the terrain for the mentioned routes is pretty flat, except for a stretch between I-95 / I-75. Hills can both hurt (gas engine to climb) and help (downhill regen), but it looks like the route would be about neutral energy effect and the rest of the drive flat (mostly gas driven). So unfortunately, it doesn't seem like you'll get much regeneration/EV battery mpg help on the drive.

This parallels my experience. For my first couple of tanks I was driving like I normally did with my '06 Civic, in the fast lane, looking to pass slower vehicles. My commute is mix of highway and city driving, so I got in the mid-40s for those tanks. But something happened during my first month of owning the Insight, and I realized I actually prefer driving with the ACC making a lot of the decisions for me. I found myself getting less annoyed by other motorists if I just let the Insight do its thing, stop passing cars. Now I'm on track to have my current tank average over 50 mpg, and I am less stressed and less judgmental of other drivers. And I find myself using the fast lane less and less.

What does everyone find is the sweet spot for highway driving, where you're getting the best mileage without going so slowly that you're a hazard?

 

[insightfully]

I'm lucky (?) in that nearby highway speed limits are 60 mph, and no speed limit exceeds 70 mph within a 30 mile radius. I generally drive ~65 mph when on highway and can stay middle-of-pack. I see the "average mpg" result drop noticeably at 70+ mpg, which also makes me pull back on speed. I only go 70+ when I'm running really late and decide that getting there trumps the immediate (painful?) mpg feedback from the car.

 

[Jc_vt]

Unlikely to get 45 mpg at those speeds, especially if used to driving a BMW. Something bigger will most likely do much worse. Some people have found the Prius does better on highway speeds than Insight, which does better a city driving.

I travel a lot for work and do a lot of highway time in the 75-85MPH range. These are normal speeds on I75/I95/I4/etc. here in FL or else you basically get run over. Can I still expect some good MPG? This is one of the main reasons I'm looking at the Insight obviously. I understand there are a lot of different factors and am just looking for experienced opinions. I'm going to drive the Insight today. I currently drive a BMW 535i and I realize this will be a big change but am hoping the Insight can work for my needs and save me some dough. Hopefully I can still get in the 45MPG+ range with my driving or else I may start looking at something bigger.

 

[Wasabi]

I do not understand why you would want to get something bigger if you are wanting to get 45+MPG... ???

Specifically I was thinking an Accord Hybrid or Camry Hybrid. I know I'd be laying out more cash but maybe one of them are a better fit for my needs?

 

[Wasabi]

Unlikely to get 45 mpg at those speeds, especially if used to driving a BMW. Something bigger will most likely do much worse. Some people have found the Prius does better on highway speeds than Insight, which does better a city driving.

Man I just can't drive a Prius. They are just too fugly. :smile_big:

Maybe I'll splurge on an Accord or Camry Hybrid? I guess it's a balance of roominess, real world MPG for my needs and is it worth the extra coin? The BMW has spoiled me for highway driving but I'm probably lucky to get 25 MPG on the highway with it.

 

[insightfully]

Man I just can't drive a Prius. They are just too fugly. :smile_big:

Maybe I'll splurge on an Accord or Camry Hybrid? I guess it's a balance of roominess, real world MPG for my needs and is it worth the extra coin? The BMW has spoiled me for highway driving but I'm probably lucky to get 25 MPG on the highway with it.

Out of the 3 (Accord Hybrid, Camry Hybrid, Insight) - the Camry Hybrid has the highest potential highway-only fuel efficiency at 53 mpg. It will still be downhill from there, for speeds >60 mph, but at least you'd start from a higher mpg base. Toyota seems to optimize their fuel efficiency for highway driving conditions.

 

[Carfreak09]

I travel a lot for work and do a lot of highway time in the 75-85MPH range. These are normal speeds on I75/I95/I4/etc. here in FL or else you basically get run over. Can I still expect some good MPG? This is one of the main reasons I'm looking at the Insight obviously. I understand there are a lot of different factors and am just looking for experienced opinions. I'm going to drive the Insight today. I currently drive a BMW 535i and I realize this will be a big change but am hoping the Insight can work for my needs and save me some dough. Hopefully I can still get in the 45MPG+ range with my driving or else I may start looking at something bigger.

I live in Orlando so I know the roads you travel. I recently went from Orlando to West Melbourne and back at speeds of 70 for a short distance and then predominantly 75-80 after that. So about 1/4 of the tank was the trip with the rest around town at speeds of 40-60. I still managed to average 53mpg. My previous tank with little highway use was 57 mpg, so I lost 4mpg to the highway trip. Not bad at all really. I noticed that at 70, the engine will shut off for 1/2 mile increments. At 75, the engine will shut off in very short bursts. Once past 76, the engine runs all the time. I think you could get 45mpg at speeds of 80.

 

[Moviemike]

I live in Orlando so I know the roads you travel. I recently went from Orlando to West Melbourne and back at speeds of 70 for a short distance and then predominantly 75-80 after that. So about 1/4 of the tank was the trip with the rest around town at speeds of 40-60. I still managed to average 53mpg. My previous tank with little highway use was 57 mpg, so I lost 4mpg to the highway trip. Not bad at all really. I noticed that at 70, the engine will shut off for 1/2 mile increments. At 75, the engine will shut off in very short bursts. Once past 76, the engine runs all the time. I think you could get 45mpg at speeds of 80.

I 've been having similar experiences, when I take highway trips out of town in 60 degree temps.


In my old 15 Civic Hybrid I'd use a/c at highway speeds. I'd always turn a/c off when in stop and go city traffic leading to minimal impact of hot weather on overall tankful mpg.

 

[Mobilcams]

Luckily for me I live where it’s pretty flat (or not lucky depending on how you look at it). I can drive 70 and get 48-50mpg without too much trouble. At 75 and above the engine will stay on constantly save for the few inclines we have - that seems to drag my EX down to a measly 45mpg lol.

 

[insightfully]

Luckily for me I live where it’s pretty flat (or not lucky depending on how you look at it). I can drive 70 and get 48-50mpg without too much trouble. At 75 and above the engine will stay on constantly save for the few inclines we have - that seems to drag my EX down to a measly 45mpg lol.

Do you run mostly in Normal or Sport mode to help keep the battery charged on flat stretches? 65-70 mph is about the highway speed I use because it 'hurts' to see the instant mpg drop at higher speeds, knowing I could do better.

 

[Mobilcams]

Do you run mostly in Normal or Sport mode to help keep the battery charged on flat stretches? 65-70 mph is about the highway speed I use because it 'hurts' to see the instant mpg drop at higher speeds, knowing I could do better.

I keep mine in Econo mode 90 percent of the time. Sport mode is fun sometimes and that would be the other 10 percent.

 

[Insighter2019]

Hey, just wanted to see what’s the best setting for driving on the highway. Econ, Normal or sports? I am trying to get the best mileage so sports is out of the question. Please share your thoughts. Thanks