MPG with automatic

[sg11]

I recently traded in my 5 speed Mazda2 for an automatic. I knew I would take a little hit with the mpg. I was getting about 35 MPG fairly consistently without really trying with the manual before I traded it in. With the automatic my first fill ups were 31,31 and a most recent of 29. This kinda frustrates me. My automatic Yaris I used to have, I was able to squeeze out 36-37 mpg fairly easy with a best of 42 MPG. I do realize this car is still new but have to wonder how much better if at all my gas mileage will get once I put more miles on it. My question is for those of you with automatics. What kind of gas mileage are you getting now vs what you got when your car was new?

 

[DrWebster]

Your mileage should definitely get better as the car breaks in...I'm averaging 40mpg these days. Try to keep your speed down; MPG drops in a hurry if you're going above 55-60mph.

 

[Mazdamatic]

mind u the auto is a decent but only a 4speed. even with that said my 4spd 2007 aveo got around 37 and my 5spd fit got over 40

but my 2 auto gets about 33-36 depending on how heavy my foot is that week.

but from new to almost 20k miles now my mpg has gone from about 29 to 35

 

[sg11]

Your mileage should definitely get better as the car breaks in...I'm averaging 40mpg these days. Try to keep your speed down; MPG drops in a hurry if you're going above 55-60mph.

That's great to hear that 40mpg is obtainable with the automatic. How much air are you running in your tires?

 

[sg11]

mind u the auto is a decent but only a 4speed. even with that said my 4spd 2007 aveo got around 37 and my 5spd fit got over 40

but my 2 auto gets about 33-36 depending on how heavy my foot is that week.

but from new to almost 20k miles now my mpg has gone from about 29 to 35

36mpg is decent. I would be ok with that. Just filled up today and got 30mpg. Definitiely need more. Do you use regular or synthetic oil?

 

[DrWebster]

That's great to hear that 40mpg is obtainable with the automatic. How much air are you running in your tires?

I have them set to about 38psi.

 

[sg11]

Checking in. I filled up a couple more times and got 30 and 31 mpg. Cant seem to hit 32 mpg. I was checking out the fuel log on my 5 speed that I traded in and saw that I was already pulling almost consistent 35-37 mpgs at the same mileage period as Im at now with my auto. Thats kind of a big difference. Im wondering if the auto takes ALOT longer to break in than the 5 speed...

 

[Mazdamatic]

Checking in. I filled up a couple more times and got 30 and 31 mpg. Cant seem to hit 32 mpg. I was checking out the fuel log on my 5 speed that I traded in and saw that I was already pulling almost consistent 35-37 mpgs at the same mileage period as Im at now with my auto. Thats kind of a big difference. Im wondering if the auto takes ALOT longer to break in than the 5 speed...

well the auto on the 2 is prolly the worst gas wise of any 4spd ive driven. power wise it shifts and transmits pretty well.

wish it wouldve been a 5 or 6 spd.

 

[Axela05]

I hate to laugh but yeah, I have almost 24,000 miles on my Automatic Mazda2 that I purchased 2 years ago and the ONLY time I was able to attain anything over 32mpg was when I drove 100% highway miles while drafting a semi going 60-65mph. That got me around 38mpg. Usually with normal highway driving I'll get around 30-32mpg. Mixed driving (city/highway) I'll get 27-29mpg.

It's been that way for the life of my car so far and I don't ride it hard at all. I always make sure the car is shifting at or below 2,500 rpm, always use Shell gas, unless I'm low and no Shell around, I use BP or Chevron which I can count on one hand the number of times I've had to do that.

Sorry if I sound upset but I am. I've had this car for 2 years now and expected so much more. I'm ready to trade this thing in the first chance I get. This is my 3rd Mazda and the only one I've disliked. Good luck.

 

[rchrist364]

I hate to laugh but yeah, I have almost 24,000 miles on my Automatic Mazda2 that I purchased 2 years ago and the ONLY time I was able to attain anything over 32mpg was when I drove 100% highway miles while drafting a semi going 60-65mph. That got me around 38mpg. Usually with normal highway driving I'll get around 30-32mpg. Mixed driving (city/highway) I'll get 27-29mpg.

It's been that way for the life of my car so far and I don't ride it hard at all. I always make sure the car is shifting at or below 2,500 rpm, always use Shell gas, unless I'm low and no Shell around, I use BP or Chevron which I can count on one hand the number of times I've had to do that.

Sorry if I sound upset but I am. I've had this car for 2 years now and expected so much more. I'm ready to trade this thing in the first chance I get. This is my 3rd Mazda and the only one I've disliked. Good luck.

I drive mine rough and get about the same as you do. There are chips you can purchase that i'venseen that improve mpg. Specifically one from Germany I saw.

 

[Mazdamatic]

I have them set to about 38psi.

damn...i run them at 32....i need to put more air in them.

 

[genericmoniker]

You and I both.

 

[Axela05]

Alright, so here's an update if you'd like. I drove 70% Hwy/ 30% City this past week. During my highway driving, I used minimal A/C (usually on setting 1). For the city portion of my driving, I didn't use my A/C at all, mostly just had my rear passenger window cracked. I also made sure the car shifted at or below 2,500 rpm. I wanted to really push this test to get a solid figure for mpg. I ended up driving 225.7 miles (65 miles left until empty according to the readout), filled up 7.381 gallons of fuel and attained 30.5 MPG.

After this test I'll tell you this much, I won't be doing it again. Not being able to use the A/C on a comfortable setting in Florida blows, especially in the Summer. Also, having to drive like a granny in this car just to get a somewhat respectable MPG figure is ridiculous. Driving normally, A/C on whichever setting I want, shifting at whatever rpm, not having to care, I'm getting 27mpg usually. I've said it once and I'll say it again, I expected so much more from this car. I know the car states 27/32 for the estimated MPG but I figured I'd at least get 29-30 at a constant average without having to drive like gas is $10/gl.

 

[Mazdamatic]

people thing this is the eco car of mazda but thats the sky series. this is just a car mazda wants people to experiment with man. its all a conspiracy man.

also i filled all my tires up to 35-38ish as opposed to 32.

 

[kwaits92]

While I don't drive an automatic, I drive the s*** out of this car and I constantly maintain 34-37 mpg per tank and I do not drive conservatively by any means( I dont use AC however). I find some of these numbers disturbing. My tires are 33-36.

 

[Ryno666]

I have them set to about 38psi.

damn...i run them at 32....i need to put more air in them.

No 38 psi is way too much I run 31 psi door sticker shows 29. I have k&n filter and get 35 mpg and I drive like a hellbat.

Remember unless you have a lot of weight in your car you do not need a lot of air pressure. When you put too much air in your tires you reduce the contact patch to the center of your tires. This makes the tires wear out faster and gives you less grip, find the right for you psi. Don't deviate too much from factory regardless of wheel and tire size it is all about wieght. Example my Chevy 2500 hd I pull a trailer and have tool box in bed so I run 60 rear and 55 front because it basically pops a wheelie when towing. Ive prematurely replaced a lot of tires because of improper inflation at a tire shop I used to work at.

 

[Mazdamatic]

No 38 psi is way too much I run 31 psi door sticker shows 29. I have k&n filter and get 35 mpg and I drive like a hellbat.

Remember unless you have a lot of weight in your car you do not need a lot of air pressure. When you put too much air in your tires you reduce the contact patch to the center of your tires. This makes the tires wear out faster and gives you less grip, find the right for you psi. Don't deviate too much from factory regardless of wheel and tire size it is all about wieght. Example my Chevy 2500 hd I pull a trailer and have tool box in bed so I run 60 rear and 55 front because it basically pops a wheelie when towing. Ive prematurely replaced a lot of tires because of improper inflation at a tire shop I used to work at.

i ran 32 before cuz thats what the door said. but since i haul s*** for my copmany (heavy metals/signs/neon/vinyl rolls) and houston streets are s*** i need more psi. when i was at 32psi i would go down to 15 every few days thanks to the lovely roads of kirby and shepard. but now that im at 35-38 i havnt had any problems.

 

[racercentral]

Can't understand the complaints.
Only get 13 mpg on track days

 

[Mazdamatic]

Can't understand the complaints.
Only get 13 mpg on track days

yeah but racecar.

 

[DrWebster]

For the record, I've been running 38psi in my 2 since it was new (17k on the clock now) and the tire wear looks great. I've also run 38psi in our Mazda3 for the last 60k (89k on the clock now) and same deal. An increase of 6psi isn't going to drastically reduce your contact patch or cause crazy tire wear...now, the hypermilers who keep their tires at 50+psi on the other hand...