C'mon guys and gals, we're all dying to hear some real world MPG's!!!!

[marcrhodes]

Let's start hearing some real world MPG's! One review I read said they couldn't get it to get better than 35.5 MPG!! Please tell us this isn't so! I can't justify confirming my order (1256) if the fortwo can't average over 40. We should keep this seperate posting just for MPG averages.

[SmartBob]

The Motorweek review said 34. Yes I'm disappointed and hoping for better. I drive 17 miles to work. Half of that is freeway so I hope I can do better. *Bob crosses fingers*

[jwight]

Bob, I couldn't tell if they had a US spec car as the actual tester. Anyway, I'd hoped the smart would do better in town also; that's where the hybrids shine, but as others have said you have to save a lot of gas to pay off the higher hybrid price. So I think it's a wash - smart is cheaper, gets lower mpg, but it's more fun to own than a Prius (I hope.)

John

[Fredvon4]

Don't look for any MPG figures in the next 60 days to have much meaning.... It takes a while for folks to find the best brand of fuel and multiple fill up averages for the MPGs to get stable...

When you start posting MPGs on these things please add:

Location
Typical terrain (hilly, steep mountain, sea level, altitude etc..)
Driving style (hyper-miller, lead foot, sporty, conservative etc..)
Load (single drive mostly, driver and passenger mostly etc..)
Fuel brand and octane ( Shell, Chevron, 89, 91, 93)
Clean air blend if any (10%, 15% ethanol or MTBE)
Total tank fulls in the average
Tire pressure (please check this cold as it makes a significant difference in performance and seriously effects MPGs)

[gotwavs]

Also cars don't get their best MPG until the car is broken in a while.

[mnext02]

yeah lets see those numbers. I bet you can't beat the 46 MPG that I get in my $500 1993 Geo Metro with 120k miles on it!

[StevenM1TX]

Originally Posted by marcrhodes

Let's start hearing some real world MPG's! One review I read said they couldn't get it to get better than 35.5 MPG!! Please tell us this isn't so! I can't justify confirming my order (1256) if the fortwo can't average over 40. We should keep this seperate posting just for MPG averages.

You might want to put the math to that. Assuming 15,000 miles a year and $3.00 a gallon gas, the difference per year between 35.5 MPG and 40 MPG is $141. Even if gas was $6 a gallon you are looking at a savings of only $282 per year. Not a lot of difference in money when talking about a $15,000+ car.

[marcrhodes]

Mnext02- I too was impressed by the Metro fuel economy and considered getting a decent used one. However, I'm not sure I want to be permanently disfigured when a shopping cart rolls into me at the grocery store. The Metro is so cheaply built, I'd feel safer driving a motorcycle.

[Fredvon4]

"However, I'm not sure I want to be permanently disfigured when a shopping cart rolls into me at the grocery store"

wanna come back down to earth marcrhodes?

not buying a 46~50mpg car for $2~~3k because you are askairt of a shopping cart is a tad extreeme...

Thousands of civics, metros, festivas, diesel rabbits, yugos and several others navigated American highways and cities with out leaving death and carnage every where... defensive, attentive driving is the key


BUT yes.... the Smart car is technically safer then a Geo Metro--- if you are the typical brain dead idiot sitting in a car doing every thing on earth BUT paying attention and driving.... well... I don't suppose I do not need to say much about those Darwin award, gene pool strengthening candidates...IYKWIM

[jwight]

Slightly off topic, but driving over to Columbus this afternoon we were passed (he had to be doing 80) by an old Dodge Colt, which I believe was some sort of Mitsubishi rebadged by Chrysler. This thing looked about the size of a Mini and the tires were as skinny as quarters. Good gas mileage, probably. Safe on the highway; based on the odds, probably. The only problem with the odds is when they are against you. I'll settle for lower mpg and multiple safety features in the smart. Just my .02.

John