38.5mpg according to the multifunction display

[Marc]

EPA ratings of 29 mpg city, 40 mpg highway are, frankly, lousy for a small car. The actual mileage will be lower. This guzzler is no substitute for the Insight or Civic hybrids from Honda. Even our 2006 Fit Sport (manual transmission) has gotten over 30 mpg for the life of the car -- getting 42 mpg highway in real life driving. Our 2001 Honda Insight has gotten 45.5 mpg for its life and 60 to 80 mpg highway depending on conditions. So let's not pretend that the Ford Fiesta gets good mileage. It's mediocre at best for a small car.

2011 Ford Fiesta user ratings and Sedan user reviews and reviews (Page 2) - CNET Reviews
(another Honda fanboy who wrote a review without (f)actual data, bringing down the average user review score)

Someone care to write a review how good the milage actually is?

[tjl]

Originally Posted by Marc

2011 Ford Fiesta user ratings and Sedan user reviews and reviews (Page 2) - CNET Reviews
(another Honda fanboy who wrote a review without (f)actual data, bringing down the average user review score)

Someone care to write a review how good the milage actually is?

Sounds like that reviewer is making the common mistake of comparing EPA numbers to his/her actual numbers. Also, the Honda Fit was not available in the US until the 2007 model year.

Actually, I wonder how the reviewer in question got only 45.5mpg in a first generation Honda Insight. EPA numbers for that car are 48/60 (61/68 before 2008 adjustment) for the manual version, 45/49 (57/56 before the 2008 adjustment) for the automatic version.

[Jaxx]

I drove from Northwest Missouri across Iowa to Northwest Illinois today and got 41mpg!!! The AC was on all the way. I used the cruise control almost the whole way, too. I was so excited when the numbers went to 40 that I let out a yelp and scared my dog!

I've got just a bit over 1,000 miles on the car now. I love, love, love it!

Since we're seeing some high mpg numbers from cars without the SFE package, I wonder what kind of mileage a car with that package will get.

[tjl]

Originally Posted by Jaxx

I drove from Northwest Missouri across Iowa to Northwest Illinois today and got 41mpg!!! The AC was on all the way. I used the cruise control almost the whole way, too. I was so excited when the numbers went to 40 that I let out a yelp and scared my dog!

How fast was your highway speed, what was the average speed (from the multifunction display), and what fuel economy relevant options does your car have (i.e. manual / automatic transmission, wheels (15" steel, 15" aluminum, 16" aluminum), SFE or not, hatchback / sedan, etc.)?

Originally Posted by Jaxx

Since we're seeing some high mpg numbers from cars without the SFE package, I wonder what kind of mileage a car with that package will get.

The larger diameter tires will effectively raise the gearing a bit, and the aerodynamic stuff should improve highway fuel economy a bit (EPA tests indicate a 2mpg improvement on the highway).

[iamz]

Originally Posted by tjl

The larger diameter tires will effectively raise the gearing a bit, and the aerodynamic stuff should improve highway fuel economy a bit (EPA tests indicate a 2mpg improvement on the highway).

The SFE has larger diameter tires?

[anverc]

Originally Posted by iamz

The SFE has larger diameter tires?

I think so, SFE and SES have 16" wheels, there are 15" on everything else.

I haven't done the math on the different tires for each, but I bet it's off by a bit

[cat]

Originally Posted by anverc

I think so, SFE and SES have 16" wheels, there are 15" on everything else.

I haven't done the math on the different tires for each, but I bet it's off by a bit

The SFE has 15" Alloy wheels. The non-SFE has 15" steel wheels. The only models to have 16" wheels are the SES and SEL.

[tjl]

Originally Posted by iamz

The SFE has larger diameter tires?

SFE comes with 195/60/15 instead of 185/60/15 (S/SE) or 195/50/16 (SES/SEL).

Overall radius in mm:

195/60/15: 307.5
185/60/15: 301.5
195/50/16: 300.7

So the SFE tires are about 2% larger in radius or diameter.

Of course, when the tires are worn out, they lose about 5 to 6 mm in radius.

[Jaxx]

Originally Posted by tjl

How fast was your highway speed, what was the average speed (from the multifunction display), and what fuel economy relevant options does your car have (i.e. manual / automatic transmission, wheels (15" steel, 15" aluminum, 16" aluminum), SFE or not, hatchback / sedan, etc.)?
.

The average speed according the the display says 41mph. That seems odd to me but I've done a bit of in town driving since I arrived so I don't know if it's registering that or what. Right now the display shows the car is getting 41.4mpg. For the bulk of that long drive yesterday I had the cruise control set at 75mph. My car is an SE hatchback with automatic transmission and the sports appearance pkg. Off the top of my head I don't know if those are 15" aluminum or the steel wheels.

[iamz]

Originally Posted by tjl

SFE comes with 195/60/15 instead of 185/60/15 (S/SE) or 195/50/16 (SES/SEL).

Overall radius in mm:

195/60/15: 307.5
185/60/15: 301.5
195/50/16: 300.7

So the SFE tires are about 2% larger in radius or diameter.

Of course, when the tires are worn out, they lose about 5 to 6 mm in radius.

SE shows 185/65/15