Realistic 40 mpg?

[dart1.4t]

just reset my fuel economy meter on the dart and got 40mpg on my commute. i have been geting 32 average, 33-35 on the commute and 29-31 locally depending on the people in front of me but i decided to try driving a little faster. the torque peak is 2550 rpm which indicates a peak in efficiency that puts me at about 75 in 6th gear. set the cruise for 75 on my 40mile trip with numerous hills and was amazed at the improvement. now i just need to get the state to change the speed limit so i can save more money. seems the more i look at that damn instant mileage the more my average drops because it is so influenced be decell it encourages me to slow down which isn't the answer unless i drop my speed all the way down to about 45 or 50 where i pick up some due to less drag.

i don't know if this would help other people but the higher speed helps with the hills because i can stay at peak torque without down shifting. with the right roads and some understanding of physics 40mpg is definitely realistic...

[Evelyn Salt]

I'm at the other end of the scale. I drive my abarth in sport mode 100% of the time and if the pavement is dry, ESC fully off. I average about 24 mpg. Which doesn't sound too great. However, it's much better than the Chrysler 300c 5.7 Hemi, which is the car I traded in on the Abarth. I only run premium fuel 92 octane or 93 if I can find it. My wife's 500c with automatic trans. averages about 35 mpg.

I've had mine for two years and have never gotten over 30 mpg.
I don't believe any one gets 40 or anything close.
2012 Rosso Sport .

[MrFiat]

I've had mine for two years and have never gotten over 30 mpg.
I don't believe any one gets 40 or anything close.
2012 Rosso Sport .

Around town, yes. I agree. However highway mileage is a different story altogether. Just returned from a trip from Syracuse NY to Wilmington Delaware and back (out one day, back the next). Cruise on 70 as much as possible, air on. I-476 Pa. turnpike ext, busy with construction so stop and go at times. Roughly 700+ miles round trip plus some city driving in Wilmington. Using 93 premium the engine computer says the 2012 sport (manual) got 43.5 mpg for the trip. (11,200 odo)

[Felnus]

I'm averaging 37 to 38 mpg over 25,000 miles. Heck, during the recent Fiat on the Dragon meet, I averaged 38.3 mpg over 800 miles of driving as hard as I've ever driven the 500 trying to keep up with Abarths. On flat ground, 40 mpg+ would be easy for me.

[500ways]

My average with 24,000 miles and change on the clock is 38 to 39 mpg. On flat roads, I am achieving 41 to 42 mpg and could easily squeak out more.

As the engine ages, it runs and sounds better and the mpg's continue to climb. The use of ecoDrive has helped tame my driving to achieve these results.

[Tweak]

I'm averaging 37 to 38 mpg over 25,000 miles. Heck, during the recent Fiat on the Dragon meet, I averaged 38.3 mpg over 800 miles of driving as hard as I've ever driven the 500 trying to keep up with Abarths. On flat ground, 40 mpg+ would be easy for me.

I'm one of those Abarths and I managed 30.3MPG from the time we left the gas station till I parked back at the hotel, also driving it harder than I had ever done so in the past.

[dart1.4t]

gotta remember the car is only rated 40ish mpg for highway driving. that's long distances so the engine warmup period doesn't have a big effect and minimal starts and stops. but i find the 24 mpg numbers surprising. unless you sit idleing a lot like in a high traffic area and/or go to excessive speeds over short distances. if you drive the car from a full tank to empty on one trip on higheways it would be surprising not to see in excess of 40.

[panther76]

last several tanks at 44+ mpgs with even less effort since the summer gas is in use now.

https://www.fuelly.com/driver/panther76/500-1?fu=4197333

date mi gal. mpg $$ city%
4/20/13 411.0 9.29 44.2 3.890 15%
3/27/13 408.0 9.14 44.6 3.990 10%
3/15/13 407.0 8.79 46.3 3.990 5%
2/25/13 406.0 8.94 45.4 4.090 10%
2/10/13 403.0 8.91 45.2 4.010 10%
2/4/13 402.0 9.62 41.8 3.790 20%
1/6/13 379.0 9.20 41.2 3.790 15%

[MrFiat]

Another thing to remember is that some folks with manual transmissions tend to stay in a lower gear around town. Often it's unavoidable. None the less, putting a lot of miles on in third or fourth gear will drop the mpg numbers significantly. So your mileage has a lot to do with where you drive as well as how you drive.

[ciddyguy]

Another thing to remember is that some folks with manual transmissions tend to stay in a lower gear around town. Often it's unavoidable. None the less, putting a lot of miles on in third or fourth gear will drop the mpg numbers significantly. So your mileage has a lot to do with where you drive as well as how you drive.

Bingo, that's me, in a 2003 Mazda Protege5, and I also did it with my rather piggy '92 Ford Ranger truck with the 4.0L V6, and 5Spd manual. The Mazda has the 2.0L4, with the 4Spd sport stick automatic (I know, it's not quite the same as a true manual, but close enough).

I almost never drove in anything over 3rd gear in either vehicle in town, nor either of my older Hondas (83 Civic, 88 Accord, both with 5spd manuals), and sometimes in the Mazda, I'd not get over 2nd gear before the next light in a short block as I let the motor rev to around 4Krpm before slowing down to the next light. It all depends on my mood, and how frisky I decide to drive it that day.

BTW, the Mazda has a 2.0L 4 with 130HP in N/A form too, hauling around a 2716# vehicle, and with 87 Octane, E10 gas, I don't think I get over 24mpg, combined.

[Venom51]

Well, I just hit 5000 miles and my average is at 40.2.

[nomad13]

Atlanta to Columbia, SC. tail end of break in, 39 mpg 68 mph. Columbia to Atlanta 43 mpg at 65 mph. Atlanta to Meridian, Ms 41 mpg at 65 mph but with a lot of accelerations and deaccelerations. Meridian to Atlanta 42.1 at 68 mph.
Distances were 240 and 300 miles respectively.

[RedAbarth]

Here we go.

Between my home in West Seattle to a dental implant specialist in Tacoma (Fircrest) WA, my 2013 Abarth got 39.8 MPG. On Interstate 5, between Seattle and Tacoma, the MPG hit 42, at a constant 63 miles per hour on the freeway...

That, my Fiat friends, is spectacular. I have had my Abarth since February 28th, 2013. It is just over two months old. A hair less than 1000 miles.

I have had absolutely no issues with this car, so far. No rattles, no check engine light, clock is accurate. Nothing.

I am thinking of packing dry ice into the turbo intercoolers. Your thoughts???? ROFL.

[jcunny33]

Since there aren't so many 500T's in the forum yet, I'll give an update on mine. I believe all these posts about MPG way over the EPA. Driving for aggressively for fun is one thing, but when you want to get the MPG the 500's are wonderful.

I averaged 37 MPG combined in my 500 Sport over the whole 43,500 miles using 87 octane sport button on all the time. calculation/manually.

I had hoped that I could pull an average of 33-34 mpg in the 500T. So far for the first 5,000 miles I'm at 34.4 combined. I admit most of my driving is very conservative especially in town. I would guess my driving is close to 70/30 hwy/city. The last 7 tanks have returned an average of 36 with several miles on back country roads. On the Tail of the Dragon/Devil's Triangle all out runs I still got 33.

I did an experiment the other day on interstate for 25 miles each direction. Here are the results:

Cruise at 63 returned 45.5 MPG.
Cruise at 70 returned 40.5 MPG.
Cruise at 75 returns 37-38 MPG.

So, for those worrying about trading from Sport (31/40) to Turbo (28/34) don't give it another thought.

[erland]

I saw 40mpg in a base rental car, then bought the Abarth and can't keep my foot out of it. Still...averaging over 32 in combined city/hwy.