Mazda5 (UK) - Low MPG?

[mbailey]

Hi,

Just wondered if many other UK users are on this forum? Alternatively is there a better forum where more UK users can be found?

I have a Mazda5 Sport Nav, 2L Petrol Manual, first registered in March 2012. I have had the car since August and the MPG I have achieved for each tank of petrol is as follows:

August: 31.55
September: 28.87, 26.31
October: 25.53, 32.58, 28.05, 29.02
November: 27.71, 23.89
December: 28.74, 26.35

These figures are all calculated based on the millage the car has done between each fill up and the number of litres of petrol used to fill the tank.

The reported MPG figures from the car are actually higher than these actual figures, but still pretty low. The Car MPG are per tank, as I reset the stats each time I fill up.

Actual MPG Car MPG
32.58 38.2
28.05 32.9
29.02 34.6
27.71 33.0
26.35 30.9

When I look at the brochure for the Mazda5 it quotes the following figures:

Combined: 39.2 (7.2) mpg (l/100km)
Extra Urban: 47.1 (6.0) mpg (l/100km)
Urban: 30.4 (9.3) mpg (l/100km)

There is absolutely no chance I can get anywhere near these figures with my car, which makes me think there could be a problem with the car itself.

I am not a fast driver, not an aggressive driver, aircon has always been off, always getting into highest gear when possible.

Just wondered what other Mazda5 owners are getting to see if they are close to what I am getting or not.

Cheers

Matt

 

[ukulele]

You say MPG (MILES per gallon) but you also quote liters, and I'm not big on conversion, so putting all that aside, I can tell you my on-board computer is saying I average 18.9 MPG (U.S. miles per U.S. gallon). I usually check it myself when I buy a car, like I would fill it up completely, then reset the trip, then just divide, but haven't done so on this car and I probably don't even care. I bought the car knowing that a 2.5L 4 cyl. is are not the most fuel efficient 4 cyl. in the world. I miss my old 1.5L in my Yaris, I would get 40-41MPH highway, with no A/C, no extra loads, using cruise at 65MPH or less.

I believe the computer about 18.9 MPG.... just how I drive. I don't have time for other ppls drama... Red light I stop... green light I go... (drive2)

 

[mbailey]

To quote the full data from Mazda using Imperial, US and Metric measurements:

This is for the Mazda5 2012, 2.0 (150 PS) Petrol Engine.

Fuel Consumption Imperial (miles per gallon)
Urban 31.40 MPG
Extra-Urban 49.60 MPG
Combined 40.90 MPG

Fuel Consumption US Gallons (miles per gallon)
Urban 26.14 MPG
Extra-Urban 41.30 MPG
Combined 34.05 MPG

Fuel Consumption Metric (litres/100km)
Urban 9 l/100 km
Extra-Urban 5.7 l/100 km
Combined 6.9 l/100 km


So based on the figures quoted, I was hoping to get someone close to the combined figure of 40 mpg (imperial).

How ever since owning the car I am getting an average of 27.5 mpg (imperial) which to me is alot lower than the manufacturers claimed MPG.

So hence the question, what are other UK users actually getting and is it anywhere near to the figures quoted from Mazda?

 

[Orangutan]

I don't think we have many UK users unfortunately. Those numbers seem pretty close to the urban estimate. Has you driving been mainly urban? How have your previous vehicles done?

 

[vinisterz]

I thought I would be getting higher mpg myself but it seems it is a constant 18 to 20mpg all street local driving. But it seems to get 30mpg when it is driven mostly highway.

 

[DKaz]

Do you do a lot of short city trips? Driving less than 5km/3mi on a cold engine will not net you very good gas mileage.

To compare, with my old 2007 5 with 2.3L 5 speed manual, I averaged 27 Imperial MPG in the city but I've done as bad as 23, 40 Imp MPG on the highway, 30 Imp MPG overall.

I'm averaging 39 Imp MPG overall in my Skyactiv 3.

 

[ukulele]

Imperial? LoL sounds like Star Wars units.

Says 2.0 (L?) Petrol, sounds like a smaller engine than our 2.5L that's why it says 26.14 MPH urban, which I guess means city. Nope. 19MPG here. My old POS 2011 Corolla S gave me 27MPH city, then again, the car barely moved.

 

[MarkVII88]

Euro Mazda5s do have more engine options with more chances to also get a manual transmission. The smaller engines and stickshifts will get better mileage up to a point. I've been averaging about 23MPG over 2500 miles with my 2.5L automatic Mazda5 since I brought it home in October, with a high of about 28.5 MPG on a road trip of 500 miles. I have had snow tires on for basically the whole 2500 miles so I think I've given up some MPG there. Two things I wish were true are that the Mazda5 was available in the US with the 2.0L skyactiv engine and transmissions, and that a diesel version was also available. I would have gladly spent a little more money to get one of these drivetrains. I do like my 2012 with the 2.5L very much but it just seems that this vehicle should perform a bit better. Either the car should get 10-15% better mileage or the 2.5L should put out the same 170hp that it does in the Mazda6.

 

[ukulele]

I know what you mean, it's lacking something. I think it needs handling more than anything else. A diesel would be nice but you know you can't say the world "diesel" at a board meeting of a North American arm of a major automobile manufacturer without getting the "your fired" look from the boss. It's like taboo. They'd rather you stick an E85 compatible engine even though I have yet to see one E85 filling station in all of New Jersey. A Volt-like hybrid would be really nice, imagine getting like 50mpg city in a Mazda5?? I don't think Skyactive will solve any problems, not after test driving the Mazda 3 Skyactive, it actually creates more questions than answers lol

 

[eyeballs]

Supposedly mazda is bringing the 2.2L diesel to the states soon. That should be a nice motor, apparently mazda using a 2.2 diesel in some race applications as well. On the high end our 5 has gotten 34 mpg (hwy driving, roof rack off, 38 psi in the tires) and the lower end is 24 (in town, heavier on the go pedal, rack on). Best tank in my Mazda 2 has been 43 mpg.

Sure I'd like the skyactiv, but I rather enjoy the powertrain in the 5. Mine has the 6MT, and I'm sure the gearing allows it to feel more zippy vs the autos. It certainly makes my 2 feel slow.

 

[MarkVII88]

I grew up driving manual transmissions and having one available in the Mazda5 was definitely a selling point for me. Where we live though, they just don't get many of the manual transmission Mazda5's in-stock. When I was shopping for my 2012 Mazda5, I communicated with three or four dealers in the NY, VT, NH area to find out that in all of New England, where these dealers are able to swap around cars, that only 3 manual transmission-equipped Mazda5's were on dealer lots. The very next day I got a note from one dealer to say that there were now only 2 of these available. Understandably, the 6MT cars were hard to come by and they were flying off the lots. Since I wasn't ready to buy right then, what I decided to do was to go to my local dealer and take a test drive in the one 2012 Mazda6 they had on the lot with the 2.5L and the 6MT to see if this engine-transmission combo was worth waiting for in the Mazda5. After taking the test drive I determined that it wasn't worth waiting for for a few reasons. First gear is so low in the 6MT that you basically have to upshift as soon as you step off the line and the top gear RPMs on the highway were not any lower than those we see in our 2008 Mazda5 with the 5spd auto. I didn't think that the 6MT was terribly zippy in the Mazda6, I knew that the 2.5L in the Mazda5 was rated at 157HP instead of the 170HP of the Mazda6, and the fuel economy rating of the 6MT is the same as the 5spd auto in the Mazda5. For these reasons I didn't think the 6MT offered anything more than the 5spd auto. Besides, I really wanted a pearl white Mazda5 and this color is not available with the 6MT, only the automatic. My local dealer who we bought our 2008 Mazda5 from had a pearl white Mazda5 Sport AT on the lot and that's the car I ended up getting.

Supposedly mazda is bringing the 2.2L diesel to the states soon. That should be a nice motor, apparently mazda using a 2.2 diesel in some race applications as well. On the high end our 5 has gotten 34 mpg (hwy driving, roof rack off, 38 psi in the tires) and the lower end is 24 (in town, heavier on the go pedal, rack on). Best tank in my Mazda 2 has been 43 mpg.

Sure I'd like the skyactiv, but I rather enjoy the powertrain in the 5. Mine has the 6MT, and I'm sure the gearing allows it to feel more zippy vs the autos. It certainly makes my 2 feel slow.

 

[FukuokaKid]

I thought I would be getting higher mpg myself but it seems it is a constant 18 to 20mpg all street local driving. But it seems to get 30mpg when it is driven mostly highway.

That's what I get here in Hawaii. Never broke 22mpg average. I think not having any ethanol free gas readily available is partly responsible. Only a few stations have Ethanol free for sale. Almost all here are E10. I think all manufactures test on ethanol free because ethanol percentage and formulations differ from state to state. Also, E0 would allow them to post the best numbers... HP, MPG etc... feel deceived.

 

[eyeballs]

Almost all gas here in GA is E10, and I have no problem exceeding the mpg rating if I'm not in a rush.

 

[vikingaero]

mbailey,

Have you checked the tyre (tire!) pressures? I'm pretty anal about tyre pressures. All manufacturers tell you to check them when "cold", ie when the car has not been driven. A few tell you to check them cold at 0C/32F.

You have to remember that a car will use more fuel as winter gets colder. You will be using the fans, heater, lights. demister a lot more. The main thing is that the engine will be running rich for a lot longer.

 

[ukulele]

mbailey,

Have you checked the tyre (tire!) pressures? I'm pretty anal about tyre pressures. All manufacturers tell you to check them when "cold", ie when the car has not been driven. A few tell you to check them cold at 0C/32F.

You have to remember that a car will use more fuel as winter gets colder. You will be using the fans, heater, lights. demister a lot more. The main thing is that the engine will be running rich for a lot longer.

I just changed my oil at 3700 miles (first oil change) used Mobile 1 (0W-20) I picked that oil because I have used it in the past in most of my other cars and is great oil for the money, at least up until almost 100K miles, which is when I usually get rid of the car and get something else. Like I posted in another forum, I'm getting at least 2 MPG more in combined driving. The factory oil definitely was not made for 5000 miles. Coincidentally, at 3700 miles Toyo and the dealer swapped out the original tires under warranty for the vibration issue that is common among Mazda5's here in the states, the ride is better but not perfect, there is some vibration when the tires are cold but smoothens out as they get hot. That may play a role in my better MPGs. I'm getting different tires anyway, going to sell these, they are almost new.

 

[MarkVII88]

I just changed my oil at 3700 miles (first oil change) used Mobile 1 (0W-20) I picked that oil because I have used it in the past in most of my other cars and is great oil for the money, at least up until almost 100K miles, which is when I usually get rid of the car and get something else. Like I posted in another forum, I'm getting at least 2 MPG more in combined driving. The factory oil definitely was not made for 5000 miles. Coincidentally, at 3700 miles Toyo and the dealer swapped out the original tires under warranty for the vibration issue that is common among Mazda5's here in the states, the ride is better but not perfect, there is some vibration when the tires are cold but smoothens out as they get hot. That may play a role in my better MPGs. I'm getting different tires anyway, going to sell these, they are almost new.

I also heard that another way to improve your MPG and keep your oil cleaner is to use a larger oil filter. The idea, as I understand it, is that a larger oil filter will have a greater surface area to aid filtration and also will help reduce the pressure required to pump the oil through the engine. I haven't yet done the first oil change on my Mazda5 but I'm planning on using either Mobil 1 or Castrol Syntec 0w20 with the bigger filter. I've always used the Purolator PureOne filters in my cars. The PureOne filter specified for the 2012 Mazda5 is PL10241. Other members of this forum have mentioned using the PL20195 instead. This filter has all the same specifications such as bypass valve activation pressure (12-18 psi), circular dimensions, and thread pattern/type. The PL20195 is about 1.4 inches longer though and should better filter the oil and perhaps reduce back-pressure. I'm certainly not expecting the world in terms of MPG but what could it hurt to try? There's even one guy who posted using a 1 quart-size filter.

 

[ukulele]

I also heard that another way to improve your MPG and keep your oil cleaner is to use a larger oil filter. The idea, as I understand it, is that a larger oil filter will have a greater surface area to aid filtration and also will help reduce the pressure required to pump the oil through the engine. I haven't yet done the first oil change on my Mazda5 but I'm planning on using either Mobil 1 or Castrol Syntec 0w20 with the bigger filter. I've always used the Purolator PureOne filters in my cars. The PureOne filter specified for the 2012 Mazda5 is PL10241. Other members of this forum have mentioned using the PL20195 instead. This filter has all the same specifications such as bypass valve activation pressure (12-18 psi), circular dimensions, and thread pattern/type. The PL20195 is about 1.4 inches longer though and should better filter the oil and perhaps reduce back-pressure. I'm certainly not expecting the world in terms of MPG but what could it hurt to try? There's even one guy who posted using a 1 quart-size filter.

Makes sense. I just like to use what the manufacturer states (unless the car is out of warranty and there is specific reason for me not to follow OEM). All modern oil filters, from what I learned in school, have bypass valves, this is to protect the engine in case of a problem with the filter, it will allow unfiltered oil to flow, it's either that or no oil at all, they use that as a selling point but in reality they all have to have it. As far as pressure, that probably varies. I also learned that oil pumps put out much higher pressures than what is actually needed to flow oil through all the galleys, but the pressure is controlled. I suppose this would leave some room for smaller/larger oil filters, but I don't mess with it, I use OEM.