I think most people are getting around 24 in mixed driving. The 14 Mazda 3 has the skyactiv engine which is designed for better fuel mileage. It's not a proper comparison. Many factors can effect fuel mileage, tire inflation, proper alignment, load, ambient temp, throttle usage, a/c use and fuel quality. Cruise control use can effect it greatly as well. Ask her to drive it one full tank being conscious of fuel mileage and see what happens
Mazda5 real-world Mileage numbers
- Thread starter perfecto
- Start date
She's a pretty laid back driver. No hard starts or excessive revving of the engine. She got better MPG doing the exact same driving in her 2011 Volvo XC60 R-design - that was 500lbs heavier with AWD and had twice the horsepower and torque. She also did better in her 2009 Honda Pilot....that car weighed 1250lbs more and had a severely underpowered engine that you had to rev the crap out of it to get the car to move.
I know you can't compare the SkyActiv 2.5 to the Mazda5 2.5 directly but I'm more than DOUBLING her MPG....I have a pretty heavy foot too!
I just can't comprehend 14 MPG in this car........she's able to go 175-190 miles per tank with two bars left on the fuel gage.
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Well what your seeing on the car is unusual. First I would have her do a good fuel mileage check over the next couple of fill ups, not just a rough estimation. If you're still seeing unusually low fuel mileage then have the car checked out. My personal experience is 30-32 straight highway travel and 24-26 mixed. I don't do a lot of true stop and go city driving and from the sound of it that is what kills the fuel mileage on these cars. So your number may be accurate if that is 70% but that still doesn't sound right to me.
idmd, sorry to say there is nothing wrong. Its a low powered vehicle and its working fairly hard in stop and go conditions which kill mileage. AC use is even worse for economy. My last 6 tanks were: 25.5, 23.3, 22, 16.7, 16.5, 18.8. My average is 20.5 since I own it and I'm not thrilled with it either but glad I didn't get something bigger, people around here do single digits with large SUV's.
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- 2008 Mazda5 GT
Switch cars for a week and do your usual routes/routine, then report back. Curious to hear how this comes up.
We are going to go on our first family trip in two weeks....it's 99% highway driving so I'll see if that makes a significant difference.
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- 2008 Mazda5 GT
you will see a huge difference and it will be a poor indicator –unless you drive 99% highway all the time.
You are your best measuring stick. What did she drive prior to the Mz5 (assuming you haven’t moved or a vastly different driving routine) and what kind of MPG was she getting compared to estimate? You should notify your dealer of these low MPG as courtesy, err formal documented complaint, just in case you have the rarity of getting a lemon – it happens. The new engine does need some miles to break-in so report back and hope things get better.
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I know for a fact at 80-85mph which is the speed we drive in LA, I don't get 31MPG EVER
My wife drove a 2011 Volvo XC60 R-Design with the Polestar upgrade - 500lbs heavier + 325HP and 354 lb-ft + AWD and she did better on gas mileage doing the exact same driving.
It's just weird....BTW....I say "city" driving but I live in a CT suburb so it's not stop and go city traffic. Just the kind of driving you'd do around town mixed in with the occasional highway trip to visit the in-laws or Costco.
Drove to Vancouver, BC and back. Almost made it there and home on a single tank. Got nearly 350 miles out of the tank, surprisingly.
IMG_20140714_213235 by tuanies, on Flickr
IMG_20140714_213242 by tuanies, on Flickr
IMG_20140714_213235 by tuanies, on FlickrIMG_20140714_213242 by tuanies, on Flickr- :
- 2008 Mazda5 GT
I believe the Polestar upgrade is purely tuning, correct? If so, this prob makes the car run more optimally and benefit MPG; tuned turbo cars do better on gas. I suspect your wife is use to the driving manner of the Volvo’s power to weight acceleration and drives the same way with the Mazda. I fully suspect the low mpg is due to her driving behavior; not that it’s wrong, just not what she’s use too. She may have to adapt or this is wrong car for her. FWIW, ALL city (short blocks fill with stop sign and poorly timed/unsync lights) can get below 200 for me.
Doesn’t the new model come with instant MPG readout??
I’ve gotten a little over 350 miles/tank a couple of times visiting family in VA. Driving 40% @ 70-80ish highway + 60% 50-60ish rural roads. I “think” I can break 400 if the stars align. Anyone here ever crack 400 miles (without hardcore hypermiling, driving like a more normal folk)?
The Sport gets nothing.
I have gotten 417-435 on 3 tanks, over 29K miles (per my excel spread sheet).
I do have instant MPG.
The Polestar upgrade was applied as stock to R-design cars starting in 2012 - those XC60's are rated at 17/23. Most sources say people average about 20MPG in mixed real world driving. My wife is NOT a lead foot either. I actually find myself frustrated sometimes thinking to myself "Good God woman push the accelerator" and I've driven with her in this car and she drives it the same way.
I understand the Mazda5 is underpowered and in order to move it with any haste it means you have to "ring it out a little" but I'm actually surprised how quick this car feels 0-40mph. Maybe it's just the gearing but it doesn't feel underpowered at all until I'm trying to merge onto the highway - zero to 40mph is great and then after that it loses its gusto. The Honda Pilot was the same way except it felt underpowered from a start....when I drove it around town I probably averaged 4000 RPM because you had to really beat that engine just to get the car going. The Volvo certainly wasn't underpowered and you could be gentle on the throttle and still accelerate normally...in the end though it's still a much heavier AWD SUV (500lbs) that felt like it's 2000lbs heavier than the Mazda5. It really felt bulky.....she averaged better MPG in the Pilot than she currently is in the Mazda5 and that thing is a PIG....it was hard for her to do better than 16 or 17 MPG around town and when I drove it I was in the 13-14MPG range....that was REALLY BEATING that car.
Anyway...I don't mean to beat a dead horse...hoping it will get a little better after break-in. I'm interested to see what the MPG is on our trip....I guess if it comes back 30+ it tells me the car is ok and my wife is secretly an acceleration freak when I'm not in the car and if it comes back getting 20 MPG I know something is wrong. I'd switch with her for a week as suggested but my three kids won't fit in my car for the week.
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Its the gearing, it feels peppy but you will come to realize you're using ~85% of the available acceleration without noticing it. if i did not live in New York City I would never have bought this car, it's not powerful enough for me if I were using it on the highway regularly.
I bet the extra cog helps significantly.
Next generation Mazda5 needs:
1. 2.5L Skyactiv engine
2. 6-speed Skyactiv AT
3. 3 more inches of front leg room AND 3 more inches of cargo space behind 3rd row
4. SAT-NAV Infotainment option
and I think it would be one of the best cars for its intended purpose...a great people mover that's not big and bulky with decent power and great fuel economy.
Aside from the 60 hp Lancia we rented in Italy, in no other vehicle have I ever been compelled to shut off the AC for more power. Nor have I ever turned to my wife and just said, "damn, this thing is slow", and have her ask puzzled, "this is floored?" 90% of the time its perfectly adequate for my needs, it gets the job done. We have even discussed whole topics while accelerating to cruising speed lol. I bet its close to 15 seconds 0-60 with AC and a light load.
On a recent trip to Pittsburgh, my 400 whp(500+crank) Mitsu 3000gt VR-4 got 24 MPG cruising at around 80mph with AC on, lots of passing and occasional 100+mph excursions. My 5 on a recent trip down to Florida, got 25 average at the same speed but with a roof box on it and 2 adults, 2 kids. For the performance it returns, its not very frugal. I think a power boost would make it more efficient personally but we will never know. I highly doubt there will be a next gen of any kind, this may be its last year according to the folks at Mazda I spoke to.
On a recent trip to Pittsburgh, my 400 whp(500+crank) Mitsu 3000gt VR-4 got 24 MPG cruising at around 80mph with AC on, lots of passing and occasional 100+mph excursions. My 5 on a recent trip down to Florida, got 25 average at the same speed but with a roof box on it and 2 adults, 2 kids. For the performance it returns, its not very frugal. I think a power boost would make it more efficient personally but we will never know. I highly doubt there will be a next gen of any kind, this may be its last year according to the folks at Mazda I spoke to.
