RPMs and MPGs??? 6MT only

[TCroly]

Let's hear about the RPMs that you shift your manual transmission equipped CRZ at, and what fuel economy you achieve.

The Eco assist, shift indicators in my car tell me to shift at 1800 to 2000 rpms. That works out to be 4th gear by 25 mph and 6th gear by 40 mph. I find such extreme short shifting to take much of the fun out of driving my CRZ.

As a result, I usually shift between 2500 to 3300 rpms and achieve 38.3 mpg.

Just for fun, I will occassionaly wind the car out to 6000 rpms. But the CRZ's higher RPMs offer little thrill, and as a result I am not often drawn to drive my CRZ like my NSX or many previously owned sports cars.

Tell us what RPMs you shift at, why and what fuel economy you achieve?

[kyo]

The lower shift point the better the fuel economy (as long as you aren't too low) ...

efficiency and thrilling rarely go hand in hand you pay the price for speed

This car will never compare to an NSX in looks nor acceleration. I really wanted to buy a used NSX instead of this car (pick up in a couple days), but practically, the gas mileage + repair costs (used cars rarely are perfect) vs good gas mileage and full warranty was hard to beat at my current budget

The VTEC in this car is not going to give you the thrill of the Si, which is pretty thrilling for the 0.5 seconds it takes to redline

I'd guess that you'd improve your mpg by about 3-5 by keeping rpm under 2k, maybe more ... but is it worth it? that is up to individual owners to decide about mpg vs fun tradeoff

As I've become older, I've found that I persue less and less speed and acceleration. I was a rotary-head ... loved my high winding RX-7, chirping in 2 and 3rd a lot just because, racing to speed limit, and hitting a slight drift into corners. It was FUN. I don't expect the torque of the big block in my old pontiac (I miss a lot), don't expect to go 150 mph like I did in my Eclipse GS-T Spyder, nor expect the handling of the 50/50 weight balance of the 7.

I do expect something with more pickup and go than a civic hybrid, more engaging handling than the Prius II ... while getting 2-3x (or more) than the other vehicles I listed above.

It's a sexy 'sporty' design, which is brilliant, and misleading

I'll let you know how things go once I start filling up.

Main thing though, drive it how you enjoy it the most, which sounds like in the mid-range rpm ... then smile that you are enjoying yourself while getting 30-40 mpg (with all the safety features and quality components the older mpg kings don't have like the CRX).

[wicked1]

I was just thinking about this..
In 1st I'm usually up around 3500rpm (You get there so fast, it's hard to avoid.. Almost don't even need 1st gear on flat roads), in second about 3000, 3rd 2500, and I'm going fast enough at that point to either (don't kill me) skip to 6th gear, or quickly row through the last few gears. (I've got to admit, if I'm going up near 40mph in 3rd gear I find myself skipping to 6th a lot. It goes in easy... seems to be ok). And doing that my MPG meter is down to 0 until I shift to 6th, and it;s right up to 50mpg on the instant read (if I'm cruising on county roads).

As far as why, it's like you say.. It's more fun! Plus there's something gratifying about punching it up to the speed limit and then instantly getting 50mpg while you drive down the road.

My average is about 38mpg now.. getting better all the time. It was 36mpg from the time I got the car last summer until a couple of months ago, when the MPG started rising w/ the temps.

--Ok, just got back from a drive.. And, I'm usually actually just below the RPM's I posted above.. and I usually shift to 4th before skipping to 6th. I'm in first for like 1/2 second so wasn't really counting all the gears earlier when I was thinking about it. So yeah, my average is high rpm's to get up and go, then they slowly lower to 1500 or 2k in 4th gear, then I shift up to 6th for cruising.

And for another reason why, besides it being more fun to drive this way, it's the way everyone else around here drives! Even driving like this I'm still the slowest off the line and have someone on my ass.. I think it's a social responsibility to at least kind of keep up w/ the way everyone else around you drives, and not be THAT guy/girl in the hybrid that messes up traffic.

[TCroly]

Originally Posted by wicked1

I was just thinking about this..
In 1st I'm usually up around 3500rpm (You get there so fast, it's hard to avoid.. Almost don't even need 1st gear on flat roads), in second about 3000, 3rd 2500, and I'm going fast enough at that point to either (don't kill me) skip to 6th gear, or quickly row through the last few gears. (I've got to admit, if I'm going up near 40mph in 3rd gear I find myself skipping to 6th a lot. It goes in easy... seems to be ok). And doing that my MPG meter is down to 0 until I shift to 6th, and it;s right up to 50mpg on the instant read (if I'm cruising on county roads).

As far as why, it's like you say.. It's more fun! Plus there's something gratifying about punching it up to the speed limit and then instantly getting 50mpg while you drive down the road.

My average is about 38mpg now.. getting better all the time. It was 36mpg from the time I got the car last summer until a couple of months ago, when the MPG started rising w/ the temps.

--Ok, just got back from a drive.. And, I'm usually actually just below the RPM's I posted above.. and I usually shift to 4th before skipping to 6th. I'm in first for like 1/2 second so wasn't really counting all the gears earlier when I was thinking about it. So yeah, my average is high rpm's to get up and go, then they slowly lower to 1500 or 2k in 4th gear, then I shift up to 6th for cruising.

And for another reason why, besides it being more fun to drive this way, it's the way everyone else around here drives! Even driving like this I'm still the slowest off the line and have someone on my ass.. I think it's a social responsibility to at least kind of keep up w/ the way everyone else around you drives, and not be THAT guy/girl in the hybrid that messes up traffic.

From what you have just posted, you drive about like I do and you get about the same fuel economy. I am hoping others will chime in and we can see what is to be gained by shifting earlier. Personally, I find following the Eco assist lights results in torturously slow acceleration. Like you said, too slow for most drivers following you.

I am also wondering if there are other owners who regularly rev their CRZs out to 4000+ and what their fuel economy looks like.

[Colin]

This is an interesting thread. As I've noted before this is my wife's daily driver so it should come as no surprise that she's gotten better at driving it than I am. She can turn the car over to me with a 42 mile per gallon average (on the MID) and I'll give it back to her with a 40.5 mile per gallon average.

This might be due to the fact that during the weekdays her average freeway speeds are closer to 45 mph but traffic often keeps her lower than that. If I drive the car it's on weekends and with less traffic my average freeway speed might be closer to 65 mph.

As for shift points; when driving in city traffic, stoplight to stoplight, I usually shift out of first gear as soon as the car is moving, probably no more than 2000 to 2500 RPM. I'll typically hold second gear a little longer before jumping straight into fourth gear, and then on to sixth gear. Driving in this fashion usually means that I'm slightly slower than surrounding cars to 15 mph, but then it evens out.

BTW, I had posted elsewhere that our tire pressures had dropped to ~25 psi cold, we're much higher now (around 34psi) and 40+ mpg seems the norm.

[kyo]

Originally Posted by wicked1

I think it's a social responsibility to at least kind of keep up w/ the way everyone else around you drives, and not be THAT guy/girl in the hybrid that messes up traffic.

OR, you could take the lead at being socially responsible at leading the pack on how to accelerate for better fuel economy and teach everyone to not drive like they have 3 seconds to get to the liquor store before it closes!

Get a sticker that says,
I love America, therefore I drive slow to reduce dependency on foreign oil, thus increasing our independence and national security.
Yeah, I know, a bit long winded

I don't personally care about the people behind me, I accelerate like someone who has left the house at the proper time (not late), and drive at speed limits. If people want to break the law (go above speed limit), or accelerate excessively fast in urban/suburban areas (which is not safe - children/pedestrians, pets, etc), then they can wait. Keep the racing around on auto-x, race tracks, and wide open highways/non-urban twisties - save a life; also, leave for your destination early enough to handle your route.



Tomorrow or Wednesday ... I get my SSM EX 6-spd Get ready to pass me on the left world! 50+ mpg here I come (I do it on an 05 Civic Hybrid CVT all the time).

[Jordan]

I shift between 1,500-2,000 rpms. I have gotten mid 40s on all my tanks so far. I don't see a sense in holding a gear any higher unless I have it floored or am climbing a hill and I have to. I drive mostly highway so I don't think my shifting pattern has much of an effect on my MPGs.

I personally don't accelerate fast in this car very often because that triggers more assist and it has to create drag at some point to recharge the batteries. I know some might be quick to point to the braking system, but I drive around an aweful lot more with one bar charge when I accelerate harder. I can actually tell without looking as it feels just like kicking on the AC.

I have fun in my CRZ to it is just out on curvy back roads. Not flooring it to the next light just to keep up with everyone else, which usually involves stomping on your brakes at the next light because you are not paying enough attention to know they are on timers half the time.

[TCroly]

Originally Posted by Jordan

I shift between 1,500-2,000 rpms. I have gotten mid 40s on all my tanks so far. I don't see a sense in holding a gear any higher unless I have it floored or am climbing a hill and I have to. I drive mostly highway so I don't think my shifting pattern has much of an effect on my MPGs.

I personally don't accelerate fast in this car very often because that triggers more assist and it has to create drag at some point to recharge the batteries. I know some might be quick to point to the braking system, but I drive around an aweful lot more with one bar charge when I accelerate harder. I can actually tell without looking as it feels just like kicking on the AC.

I have fun in my CRZ to it is just out on curvy back roads. Not flooring it to the next light just to keep up with everyone else, which usually involves stomping on your brakes at the next light because you are not paying enough attention to know they are on timers half the time.

If you are managing to average mid 40s fuel economy as an average, then you are among the top 10% of all CRZ owners in fuel economy and I would have to think much of that success has to do with your Driving style and shifting pattern. Don't sell your efforts short.

I do not fully understand your second paragraph. Are you saying that you drive in such a way to avoid using IMA? So when you see assist being provided you reduce the amount of throttle input?

[Jordan]

Originally Posted by TCroly

I do not fully understand your second paragraph. Are you saying that you drive in such a way to avoid using IMA? So when you see assist being provided you reduce the amount of throttle input?

I try to use the IMA as little as possible yes. If I am accelerating and I see two or three bars I am cool with that, any more and I will adjust my foot position. There are a couple of hills I go up where it is unavoidable, but for the most part I can get around everywhere like that.

I kind of use the assist bars on this car like the eco meter. The more bars the less efficient I am driving.

[SFLA-Z]

I'll use sport mode as necessary, where my left hand shifts between normal and sport in conjunction with the regular 6 gears. My last four fill-ups gave: 35.0, 35.1,37.9 and 35.3 mpg, where I tend to drive for maximum fuel-efficiency at rest-of-traffic pace following the upshift light, but every other day the 'strut-your-feathers' or let's compare situation arises, where I'll smoothly engage the clutch then floor the accelerator to 6,400 rpm, to a smooth upshift into second and floor to redline again. I suspect that the low end & mid rpm IMA assist deflates the spirit of many a would-be Mario, unbenowest that the CR-Z's bottom line performance is not overwhelming (maybe I lucked out with a high powered production engine). My CR-Z is much more flexible than my old RSX Type S, which had its performance between 6,000 to 8,200 rpm and brought attention to itself, otherwise it was a task of rowing gears. Again, the IMA gives the CR-Z the outward appearance of being a powerful car. When I floor it in any gear, the electric motor doesn't care about rpm and works quietly. Finally, I can't kick my 93 octane habit, which I think is useless in the CR-Z (some late model Accord V6's will advance the timing for higher octane fuel), I'll need to reseach this.