31.12 MPG
I tried my hand at these various techniques for my last tank of gas. The EPA rates the Element SC 2WD manual transmission as 18MPG city and 23MPG highway with a combined usage of 20MPG. Over the last part of this week, I’ve driven a lot of highway, a lot of stop and go, and plenty of city road driving. And that was my result. This is what I did:
- staying under 60mph on the highways
- trying to fix my throttle position when cruising (and let the speed go where it may — 45up hills, 65 down hills)
- staying around 40mph tops on city roads
- upshifting very early — i’m in 5th by 30mph
- turning the engine off when i anticipate a >10sec idle time/stop lights etc
- no a/c
- not fussing about parking, just parking as soon as i get to my destination
Usually my mileage turns out to be a little under 20MPG, but this time it improved by over 50%. Some other things to consider regarding maintenance:
- tire pressure, make sure they’re at least at what’s recommended on your door jamb
- air filter — check it every year. a clogged one can quickly drop your fuel economy
- excess mass in the car — clean out your car. extra weight means lower gas mileage
There are some interesting hybrid hypermileage techniques out there. Kinda makes me want to get a hybrid…but I just love manuals…