Figuring out fuel consumption

[POODLES]

Hi all!

My first posting here and I hope I'm in the right area. Sorry if this has been explained somewhere else, but I have not seen it after looking around for a while and reading some other posts that seemed interesting or related to me in some way which is why I'm sort of writing.

I have an 09 CX-7 GT AWD I got used last September with 13000 KM. It now has roughly 30000 KM. I enjoy driving it, but like I've read, it does use a lot of gas considering it's a 4 banger, even with a turbo. I suppose the way I drive does not help either. Knowing this as well as keeping the tires inflated properly, no jack rabbit starts, and watching my speed (I can have a heavy foot), any other suggestions? Usually I get around 350KM on a tank of gas with a mix of highway/city driving. I have not been on any long trips with it yet where I have used a full tank up. I will be next week so I'll have an idea. I have a Honda van and we roughly get 400 km on a tank, give or take, but I have gotten around 700 on the highway on a road trip with the kids and luggage.

My wife had a 323 when we got married 14 years ago, and it was a good little car, but replaced it with a van. This is my first Mazda and from what I've read, other models seem to have a fuel consumption guage. I don't have the navigation system in mine, just the center display with the radio/time/temp setting. So, how does one figure the mileage ones getting per tank of gas? Do you devide the mileage by the number of liters/gallons?

Also, is there a way of showing my consumption on the display that I'm not aware of yet, or how come it does not have it? It would be nice to see my consumption!

 

[njaremka]

to figure out gas consumption, fill the tank and zero the trip computer. run the dank down to almost empty, and fill the tank again. divide the amount of gas by the miles/kilometers driven on the trip computer, and you have your fuel consumption. i like to use the same pump and station every time i fill up to keep it consistant.

 

[oaklandopen]

Reset your tripodometer everytime you fill up. Take the mileage from the tripo and divide it by how many gallons it took to fill up. This number will be your mpgs.

If you prefer to do it the metric way, its the same calculation just with different units of measure. Tripo kilometers divided by the liters it took to fill it up

you do this everytime you fill up and either write it down or remember it, and you will get a sense of what your overall average is. You can also use these totals to help determine if your driving style actually changes the gas mileage, if there are any issues going on with your engine, or if you need to change your habits at all

i found in my Ms3 my mileage was really no different between me driving spirittedly or like a granny

for you, make sure your tire pressures are correct, check/change your air filter and oil regularly, and dont carry around a bunch of unnecessary stuff in your car

honestly, the biggest change in mileage youre gonna get is if you change up your regular daily route to work. I tested that out once by doing 2 tanks going one way and 2 going a different way and found one way was more efficient than the other by about 2-3mpg