Mazda5 real-world Mileage numbers
- Thread starter perfecto
- Start date
We picked up our 5 with 54 miles on the odometer on Dec. 17. We put 400 miles on it around town, during which time I wasn't tracking mileage. Then, with a freshly-full tank of gas we set off on a 600-mile trip south to St. Louis.
It was cold on the trip - we started out at -5 F in Minneapolis and end at +19 F in St. Louis - but since it was all high-speed highway mileage the car should have been amply warmed up within the first few minutes so that shouldn't factor in. Two adults and a 5-year-old, plus a back full of stuff but not heavy stuff.
Anyway, we got ~25-26 mpg on the highway for that trip south. Our Elantra would have gotten 33 or 34, and the EPA claims 28 so I was a bit disappointed. Just three tanks of gas means there are a lot of variables that could make the number inaccurate, but it shouldn't be wildly off so i was a little disappointed; not terrible.
While in St. Louis we bought the Mazda roof rack, a Thule Ascent 1100 box, and a Peloton bike rack to haul back a variety of things from my parents' house, including a bicycle. We did *not* get a wind deflector for the front of the rack. On the way back, with the bike and box up there in similar weather, we got an abysmal 20 mpg - and that's based on four fill-ups so still maybe not totally accurate, but good enough for a general idea.
In town since the trip I'm averaging about 21 mpg on streets, which is pretty good given that we live 2 miles from work and do a lot of stop-start driving - so I'm surprised at the lousy freeway mileage. I understand the rack condition is asking a lot, but still I would have expected 28 or 29 on the freeway with a clear roof, 23 or 24 with the stuff up there, and 21 around town. At least around town I'm happy, and that's most of our driving.
We drive 70 - 75 on these highways, all divided highway and on cruise the whole way.
I know with motorcycles it's normal to see reduced mileage until the engine is fully broken in but I've never seen that with cars before; so I'm hoping my mileage will improve as the car breaks in but I'm not counting on it.
It was cold on the trip - we started out at -5 F in Minneapolis and end at +19 F in St. Louis - but since it was all high-speed highway mileage the car should have been amply warmed up within the first few minutes so that shouldn't factor in. Two adults and a 5-year-old, plus a back full of stuff but not heavy stuff.
Anyway, we got ~25-26 mpg on the highway for that trip south. Our Elantra would have gotten 33 or 34, and the EPA claims 28 so I was a bit disappointed. Just three tanks of gas means there are a lot of variables that could make the number inaccurate, but it shouldn't be wildly off so i was a little disappointed; not terrible.
While in St. Louis we bought the Mazda roof rack, a Thule Ascent 1100 box, and a Peloton bike rack to haul back a variety of things from my parents' house, including a bicycle. We did *not* get a wind deflector for the front of the rack. On the way back, with the bike and box up there in similar weather, we got an abysmal 20 mpg - and that's based on four fill-ups so still maybe not totally accurate, but good enough for a general idea.
In town since the trip I'm averaging about 21 mpg on streets, which is pretty good given that we live 2 miles from work and do a lot of stop-start driving - so I'm surprised at the lousy freeway mileage. I understand the rack condition is asking a lot, but still I would have expected 28 or 29 on the freeway with a clear roof, 23 or 24 with the stuff up there, and 21 around town. At least around town I'm happy, and that's most of our driving.
We drive 70 - 75 on these highways, all divided highway and on cruise the whole way.
I know with motorcycles it's normal to see reduced mileage until the engine is fully broken in but I've never seen that with cars before; so I'm hoping my mileage will improve as the car breaks in but I'm not counting on it.
take a look at my report (maybe a mod could merge this)
http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/showthread.php?t=123763442
I did my whole trip w/ a roof box, and total avg was 26, best was 29.
Do you have a picture of your 5 with the box up top? In looking at the picture of my 5 with the box I see I have the box a good deal forward of the roofline, which I surmise might have a significant effect on gas mileage. Next time I'll see how far I can put it back, in hopes of getting it more in the airstream of the car. But a picture would be great; here's mine for comparison:
Attachments
What kind of rpms were you pulling up there @ 80 mph? I wonder, b/c I top 4000 rpm w/my '06 Touring MT. I searched, and it seems that the tranny remain unchanged from '06-'09, but on 500 mi round trip on the flat Western desert (w/AC, mind) we got almost 25 1 time, but were getting 21.5 as an average in resultant trips. Actually stopped taking it, switching to the Accord wagon for a guaranteed 25 mpg every time. This is W/O a box.
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IIRC RPMs @ 70 are around 3500 maybe? so I'm sure @ 80 its at least 4K.
here's the only picture I took w/ the box mounted:
rweatherford
Member
- :
- Mazda 5
I've noticed that the 5 seems to be sensitive to temp, tire pressure and speed the most. I can tell when one of my tires gets down to 30 PSI vs the 50 I normally run it. It sounds crazy, but I can tell. Had a nail in my tire. If you drive 60 MPH on the highway you are almost certain to get 30+ MPG if the tires are inflated and it's not below 20F. 75 MPH will almost always be < 27 MPG. I was tracking almost every tank for a year or two.
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- 2008 Mazda5 5MT Sport w/ Popular Package
Done
checked more carefully this afternoon. 3500rpm @ 75mph. about 3750rpm @ 80mph. 5th gear of course.
WhiteStar III
Member
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- Mazda5 Sport
4 speed auto and I'm at 3500rpm @ 80mph
mazdaspeedster3
Member
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- Mazdaspeed3. 2008
4 speed doesnt do as well for highway miles. Those 5 speeds save a ton of revs at 70.
2010 Mazda5 with auto trans,
I do service work and the Mazda5 is my new service vehicle. I've had it for about 3 weeks and have close to 3000 miles on it already. Driving is a mix of city and suburbs, been averaging about 26 miles a gallon although I backed off on the lead foot last tank and got it to 28 mpg. I took out the center captains chairs to lighten it up a bit but the weight is probably close to the same once all my tools are in.
I do service work and the Mazda5 is my new service vehicle. I've had it for about 3 weeks and have close to 3000 miles on it already. Driving is a mix of city and suburbs, been averaging about 26 miles a gallon although I backed off on the lead foot last tank and got it to 28 mpg. I took out the center captains chairs to lighten it up a bit but the weight is probably close to the same once all my tools are in.
WhiteStar III
Member
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- Mazda5 Sport
Agree which is why I'm surprised I'm pulling lower rpms at those speeds.
rweatherford
Member
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- Mazda 5
He was talking about the 5-speed auto. The numbers posted were for a manual.
ljmattox
Member
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- 2012 Mazda 5 Grand Touring
What I've seen with our 5 so far...2010 Sport M/T
Very pleased so far. We live on the west edge of metro St. Louis, so going anywhere is typically 5 mins to a highway, drive awhile at 65, 5 minutes to the address. IOW, about 80-90% highway.
I checked tire pressure today...39psi cold all around. I'll leave it alone for now, we think it rides great compared to what we had, even if that's a bit above the 34 psi posted on the doorframe.
Very pleased so far. We live on the west edge of metro St. Louis, so going anywhere is typically 5 mins to a highway, drive awhile at 65, 5 minutes to the address. IOW, about 80-90% highway.
I checked tire pressure today...39psi cold all around. I'll leave it alone for now, we think it rides great compared to what we had, even if that's a bit above the 34 psi posted on the doorframe.
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tortugazoom
Member
First Tank 26.1 MPG
Currently have conventional oil in there from the oil change the used car dealer performed. I will be switching to synthetic Penzoil Ultra 5W-20 next oil change. That should give me a good baseline for my MPG numbers with conventional oil. Car has roughly 12,000 miles currently. I drop some Gumout fuel injector cleaner in with this tank.
Loving the 10.5 MPG gallon increase over the V8 Jeep Grand Cherokee that was my wife's daily driver before the 5.
Currently have conventional oil in there from the oil change the used car dealer performed. I will be switching to synthetic Penzoil Ultra 5W-20 next oil change. That should give me a good baseline for my MPG numbers with conventional oil. Car has roughly 12,000 miles currently. I drop some Gumout fuel injector cleaner in with this tank.
Loving the 10.5 MPG gallon increase over the V8 Jeep Grand Cherokee that was my wife's daily driver before the 5.
