Standard transmission EPA ratings

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Stelcom66
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Standard transmission EPA ratings

Post by Stelcom66 »

I know a structured test can only provide general fuel economy results, but I've always exceeded the www.fueleconomy.gov ratings with standard transmission vehicles that I've had. The Toyota Tacoma 2.7L I have is rated for 22 mpg overall. The last 2 tanks with my 5 speed manual I averaged over 24. That's with about a 50/50 highway and backroad commute to work and some around town trips. There are hills on the work commute, I coast when it's possible and safe.

When I was considering a Honda Fit for a while, many forum members with manual transmissions reported exceeding the EPA ratings. Somewhat surprising in that case, as the gearing for the 5 & 6 speed manuals results in around 3,200 rpm at 65 mph. The automatics are significantly lower.

For the Toyota Tacoma 4.0 V6 models with the 6 speed manual are actually rated a few miles per gallon less overall than the 5 speed automatic. I've read reports that the automatic is taller overall, as they typically are - with less highway rpms than the 5 speed manual, but I know there's other factors involved, it's not just about rpm. Case in point for the Honda Fit.

I wonder - do others here tend to do better with their standard shift vehicles than the EPA ratings?
Rope-Pusher
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Re: Standard transmission EPA ratings

Post by Rope-Pusher »

Mine is rated 16 City / 22 Highway / 18 Overall.

I probably average 19 for a blend of mostly highway miles.

I haven't ever gotten 22 mpg, but I can't say that I've ever been on a long highway trip where I wasn't towing a trailer.

The EPA fuel economy testing is a side benefit of emissions testing. The highway fuel economy is NOT a steady-speed test. It is a particular duty cycle, most likely not exactly how you drive your vehicle. Also, they apply a correction factor to the measured fuel economy to make the figures closer to what you might actually get. The fuel economy they measure is higher than what they report.
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watkins
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Re: Standard transmission EPA ratings

Post by watkins »

My 9-5 is rated at 18/28, 21 combined. Over the last several years, my average has been just under 20mpg with the best tank being 24.6mpg and the worst being 16.8. The car is tuned, lowered, always has roof racks or more on top, and my foot weighs tons. I can't complain, honestly.
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Re: Standard transmission EPA ratings

Post by Rope-Pusher »

Rejoice and lettuce kill the fatted calf. I'm not a cheap hooer anymore!

I got invited to a free lunch and plastics lecture 20 miles from where I work. So, there and back is like 2 gallons of gas, a lot like $9-10.00.

Lunch was Jimmy John's.

I have no problem being thrifty, but with drive time being 30 minutes each way, and an hour and a half maybe for the facilities tour and the lecture, it adds up to 2.5 hours out of my day and $10 out of my gas tank. If the meal was something really great, I would have given more consideration to attending, but hey, we could all brown-bag it and meet on a video conference and I would learn just as munch.
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IMBoring25
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Re: Standard transmission EPA ratings

Post by IMBoring25 »

Only one of my manuals is EPA-rated and stock. Looking at that one and comparing to the revised numbers, I have multiple tanks at approximately 115% of the highway rating and an overall average of almost the highway rating, about 115% of combined.
Stelcom66
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Re: Standard transmission EPA ratings

Post by Stelcom66 »

When my commute was 90% or so highway with my former Honda Accord I regularly exceeded the EPA's rating - I think it was 28mpg for the manual transmission. I was averaging around 33 I believe. In the photo below I think the tank average was 34mpg. I could have made to 500 miles, didn't want to chance being in a traffic tie-up which was common with that commute.


Image
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potownrob
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Re: Standard transmission EPA ratings

Post by potownrob »

Rope-Pusher wrote: Wed Jul 06, 2022 7:56 pm Rejoice and lettuce kill the fatted calf. I'm not a cheap hooer anymore!

I got invited to a free lunch and plastics lecture 20 miles from where I work. So, there and back is like 2 gallons of gas, a lot like $9-10.00.

Lunch was Jimmy John's.

I have no problem being thrifty, but with drive time being 30 minutes each way, and an hour and a half maybe for the facilities tour and the lecture, it adds up to 2.5 hours out of my day and $10 out of my gas tank. If the meal was something really great, I would have given more consideration to attending, but hey, we could all brown-bag it and meet on a video conference and I would learn just as munch.
uber jelly. jimmy johns ftw!! we doughn't have one near us; think the close cist is near albany which is like 1.5 hours from potown. jimmy johns way better than scrubway and better in sum wheys than jersey ike's.
ClutchFork wrote:...So I started carrying a stick of firewood with me and that became my parking brake.
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potownrob
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Re: Standard transmission EPA ratings

Post by potownrob »

Stelcom66 wrote: Thu Jul 07, 2022 10:27 pm When my commute was 90% or so highway with my former Honda Accord I regularly exceeded the EPA's rating - I think it was 28mpg for the manual transmission. I was averaging around 33 I believe. In the photo below I think the tank average was 34mpg. I could have made to 500 miles, didn't want to chance being in a traffic tie-up which was common with that commute.


Image
wait, you got 34 mpg on a 6th gen accord? best eye got on my 5th gen ex manuel was high 20s, maybe 30 on the highway. uber jelly.
ClutchFork wrote:...So I started carrying a stick of firewood with me and that became my parking brake.
Rope-Pusher
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Re: Standard transmission EPA ratings

Post by Rope-Pusher »

potownrob wrote: Tue Jul 12, 2022 7:22 am
Rope-Pusher wrote: Wed Jul 06, 2022 7:56 pm Rejoice and lettuce kill the fatted calf. I'm not a cheap hooer anymore!

I got invited to a free lunch and plastics lecture 20 miles from where I work. So, there and back is like 2 gallons of gas, a lot like $9-10.00.

Lunch was Jimmy John's.

I have no problem being thrifty, but with drive time being 30 minutes each way, and an hour and a half maybe for the facilities tour and the lecture, it adds up to 2.5 hours out of my day and $10 out of my gas tank. If the meal was something really great, I would have given more consideration to attending, but hey, we could all brown-bag it and meet on a video conference and I would learn just as munch.
uber jelly. jimmy johns ftw!! we doughn't have one near us; think the close cist is near albany which is like 1.5 hours from potown. jimmy johns way better than scrubway and better in sum wheys than jersey ike's.
I bring a munchmeat or PB&J sammich for lunge most days, so another sammich is jess kinda whore-hum to me.
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potownrob
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Re: Standard transmission EPA ratings

Post by potownrob »

Rope-Pusher wrote: Tue Jul 12, 2022 11:16 am
potownrob wrote: Tue Jul 12, 2022 7:22 am
Rope-Pusher wrote: Wed Jul 06, 2022 7:56 pm Rejoice and lettuce kill the fatted calf. I'm not a cheap hooer anymore!

I got invited to a free lunch and plastics lecture 20 miles from where I work. So, there and back is like 2 gallons of gas, a lot like $9-10.00.

Lunch was Jimmy John's.

I have no problem being thrifty, but with drive time being 30 minutes each way, and an hour and a half maybe for the facilities tour and the lecture, it adds up to 2.5 hours out of my day and $10 out of my gas tank. If the meal was something really great, I would have given more consideration to attending, but hey, we could all brown-bag it and meet on a video conference and I would learn just as munch.
uber jelly. jimmy johns ftw!! we doughn't have one near us; think the close cist is near albany which is like 1.5 hours from potown. jimmy johns way better than scrubway and better in sum wheys than jersey ike's.
I bring a munchmeat or PB&J sammich for lunge most days, so another sammich is jess kinda whore-hum to me.
doughnt ewe talk aboot my jimmys like that!!
ClutchFork wrote:...So I started carrying a stick of firewood with me and that became my parking brake.
Stelcom66
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Re: Standard transmission EPA ratings

Post by Stelcom66 »

potownrob wrote: Tue Jul 12, 2022 7:23 am wait, you got 34 mpg on a 6th gen accord? best eye got on my 5th gen ex manuel was high 20s, maybe 30 on the highway. uber jelly.
Yes, a couple times got 34 mpg. It was a mostly flat highway commute. If I had the same car now with the current commute it would be the typical, high 20s to maybe 30 or a bit above. I liked that the Accord had a relatively large gas tank for the size, around 17 gallons.
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potownrob
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Re: Standard transmission EPA ratings

Post by potownrob »

Stelcom66 wrote: Tue Jul 12, 2022 8:01 pm
potownrob wrote: Tue Jul 12, 2022 7:23 am wait, you got 34 mpg on a 6th gen accord? best eye got on my 5th gen ex manuel was high 20s, maybe 30 on the highway. uber jelly.
Yes, a couple times got 34 mpg. It was a mostly flat highway commute. If I had the same car now with the current commute it would be the typical, high 20s to maybe 30 or a bit above. I liked that the Accord had a relatively large gas tank for the size, around 17 gallons.
yes! Big gas tank! Comfy seats!!
ClutchFork wrote:...So I started carrying a stick of firewood with me and that became my parking brake.
Stelcom66
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Re: Standard transmission EPA ratings

Post by Stelcom66 »

potownrob wrote: Tue Jul 12, 2022 10:38 pm yes! Big gas tank! Comfy seats!!
Back to those with the vehicle i have now. The gas tank, at I think 21 gallons was sized for most Tacomas which will be with the V6 and automatic. I'm so glad I found a cave man model with the 2.7L 4 and 5 speed manual. And my 1999 Accord EX 5MT had nice power adjustable seats, the 2012 CR-V EX only a few inadequate manual adjustments. I heard the basic but reliable Toyota 2.7L may not be available in the truck in future model years. There may be a different, smaller 4 cylinder but only with a turbo, or if normally aspirated, with a hybrid configuration. I wonder how those will hold up nearing 200k miles. The current engines typically do well up to around that mileage and sometimes beyond before major repairs are needed. I guess that's where drivetrains are headed - hybrid, turbos and EVs. That latter of course not needing transmissions.
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potownrob
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Re: Standard transmission EPA ratings

Post by potownrob »

Stelcom66 wrote: Fri Jul 15, 2022 9:33 pm
potownrob wrote: Tue Jul 12, 2022 10:38 pm yes! Big gas tank! Comfy seats!!
Back to those with the vehicle i have now. The gas tank, at I think 21 gallons was sized for most Tacomas which will be with the V6 and automatic. I'm so glad I found a cave man model with the 2.7L 4 and 5 speed manual. And my 1999 Accord EX 5MT had nice power adjustable seats, the 2012 CR-V EX only a few inadequate manual adjustments. I heard the basic but reliable Toyota 2.7L may not be available in the truck in future model years. There may be a different, smaller 4 cylinder but only with a turbo, or if normally aspirated, with a hybrid configuration. I wonder how those will hold up nearing 200k miles. The current engines typically do well up to around that mileage and sometimes beyond before major repairs are needed. I guess that's where drivetrains are headed - hybrid, turbos and EVs. That latter of course not needing transmissions.
21 gallons is decent sized, even for a midsized truck. you probably wouldn't even notice any poor fuel economy....til you look at the bill for the fill-up :shock: :lol: . toyota seems to have been a hold-out for going turbo (unless you count hybrid tech as turbo lol), using their cylinder deactivation, dual mode fuel injection, using 8 speed trannies, and probably other tech, they have dodged the turbo bullet, knowing N/A is more reliable. maybe they'll go hybrid instead? time will tell.
ClutchFork wrote:...So I started carrying a stick of firewood with me and that became my parking brake.
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Re: Standard transmission EPA ratings

Post by bk7794 »

So I had a 2000 Civic. Great car...but I noticed something. When driving an indicated 65 mph, I got great gas mileage. 37-40. I then got a scangauge and realized when my speedometer indicated 65, the computer was reading about 61 mph. When the computer read 65 the speedometer was close 69mph. When I went 69 I got about EPA ratings. 34.

I wonder if it was a tactic for people to think they were getting better mileage than they were. Before anyone asks...the tires were stock size, gearing was stock car was 100% stock. Car only had like 100k when I noticed it as well.
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