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

[fpage77]

Originally Posted by jefferios

On a lighter note, what is your average MPG fpage?

Mines currently at 40.4 after 16 months.

I'm just sick of people coming on to bash the car. Gee I hate the car so I'll register a account on a smart car fan site and call it junk.
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[1959_Imperial]

I have had my smart for about a year and a half. I drive 110 miles a day and have 45,000 miles on my car. Most of the driving is on the freeway so I try to keep the car at about 3,000rpm (65 mph). Doing that I can get about 45.5 miles per gallon. I use Royal Purple oil and just put on a K & N air filter and got 50.8841 miles per on my first tank after installing the K & N filter. I am thinking about getting the custom exhaust which is suppose to add 6 horsepower (almost 10%) so that should help with the gas mileage as long as you don't "get into" the gas pedal. The last thing I want to do is to go from the 55 series "low rider" stock tires to a larger 70 series tire on the back (if they will fit). That should lower the rpm on the freeway to some thing below the crazy 3,000 or 3,500 rpm (and THAT is using up the gas). I wish smart would have put a standard 6 speed (with a clutch to push in) on the car or overdrive which would drop the rpms down to some place between 2,000 and 2,500 on the highway (do you hear us smart?). You have to shift out of 1st gear in about one car length so why such a low rear gear ratio? Like we are going to be towing with the car? Come on now!

[Old smart]

Originally Posted by 1959_Imperial

... K & N air filter ... custom exhaust ... 70 series tire on the back ...

One should be pretty satisfied with the mileage you are getting; one shouldn't get carried away into the unknown.

Often times (most times), aftermarket breathing/exhaust systems are intended for something other than MPGs (e.g. "looks 'n louds," and maybe a mere pinch of HP up in a seldom used RPM range). You can bet that M-B/smart and Mitsu have expended a lot of expert engineering in designing an optimum intake and exhaust system. Breathless Performance proved some time back that the factory intake was as good as it gets (save for a better filter) in his early attempts at an aftermarket version. The same goes with "wheeling-up." M-B had to go to extreme effort to optimize the tire and suspension setup for safety and handling for fear of having the whole smart project cancelled if they couldn't (the aftermath of the M-B "A" Class "Elk Test" and 450 follow-on). They were surely under the gun again with the 451.

[1959_Imperial]

Don't bother buying a smart. I have 45,000 miles on my 2008 (San Diego,CA) and it's been nothing but problems. Trans locked up, engine light keeps coming on, seat belt stuck in open position, fan switch sticks in the open position, CAR WILL NOT GO INTO REVERSE AND HAS DONE IT ALMOST EVERY DAY SINCE NEW, wind noise, louder engine noise from new, back tailgate latch broke (I have MAYBE opened the tailgate 30 times) and the key which has the alarm keeps popping open. The uses premium gas at 25 cents a gallon more than a Toyota so JUST BUY A TOYOTA. Plus it has no spare tire. There is nothing "smart" about it !!!!

[prm1177]

Current stats: at 20 months old with 31,000 miles, my last fill-up gave me a figure of 48.2 mpg at 40% city and 60% highway. Commute is 76 miles round trip. I've been tracking my economy at Fuel Economy since I bought the car in January 2008, and the long term average is 46.6 mpg.

Very satisfied. Compared to my old car at 19 mpg, that's a $2270 and 1681.6 gallon savings over 20 months calculated at current SF gas prices.

[jediknight36]

Originally Posted by 1959_Imperial

Don't bother buying a smart. I have 45,000 miles on my 2008 (San Diego,CA) and it's been nothing but problems. Trans locked up, engine light keeps coming on, seat belt stuck in open position, fan switch sticks in the open position, CAR WILL NOT GO INTO REVERSE AND HAS DONE IT ALMOST EVERY DAY SINCE NEW, wind noise, louder engine noise from new, back tailgate latch broke (I have MAYBE opened the tailgate 30 times) and the key which has the alarm keeps popping open. The uses premium gas at 25 cents a gallon more than a Toyota so JUST BUY A TOYOTA. Plus it has no spare tire. There is nothing "smart" about it !!!!

If you are really having these problems, it is a rare event inded. Other companies have mass recalls on their products (Toyota Matrix 09 brakes FAIL) and you don't hear people getting rid of them. SmartUSA has had a HANDFULL of issues anywhere near this. If 3 cars out of 30000 have issues, we shouldn't buy it? Either get your car fixed or get off the forums. Don't scare people into doing something based off faulty logic, if any.

[LASmartie]

I've averaged 28mpg so far, with 6 fuel-ups and over 1200 miles. City driving in LA, lots of stop-and-go. Little to no highway driving.

A little disappointed, but hoping it will either get better or I'll stop paying attention to my fuel economy :P

[forestacademy]

Originally Posted by LASmartie

I've averaged 28mpg so far, with 6 fuel-ups and over 1200 miles. City driving in LA, lots of stop-and-go. Little to no highway driving.

A little disappointed, but hoping it will either get better or I'll stop paying attention to my fuel economy :P

Thats the Kind of driving a Hybrid is made for.
And we also hear from other LA drivers who spend all their time doing 85 on the freeways.

[jknackert]

After reading all the posts with high MPG in the 40's and 50's, I was a little disappointed. I've had LITL GUY for 13 months, 5808 miles, 95.32% CITY and I've averaged 31.62 MPG.
I had heard about the 10% ethanol effect on power and mileage that all us Floridians are forced to live with; but until our trip to OutSMART the Dragon in Robbinsville, NC, I didn't realize what a difference ethanol can make!
Left Longwood FL and drove Interstate all the way to Macon GA.. Got 37.39 MPG. Filled up with GOOD gas and drove Interstate and curvy, hilly backroads to Robbinsville and got 43.17 MPG!!!
The entire trip to Robbinsville and back was 1453 miles, including the Dragon and the Cherohala Skyway (both in the rain). and used 35.05 gal. of GOOD gas. That's 41.46 MPG!!!!!
I'll never be dissapointed again, except with our crappy, Florida ethanol gas!!!!!!

[forestacademy]

Originally Posted by jknackert

After reading all the posts with high MPG in the 40's and 50's, I was a little disappointed. I've had LITL GUY for 13 months, 5808 miles, 95.32% CITY and I've averaged 31.62 MPG.
I had heard about the 10% ethanol effect on power and mileage that all us Floridians are forced to live with; but until our trip to OutSMART the Dragon in Robbinsville, NC, I didn't realize what a difference ethanol can make!
Left Longwood FL and drove Interstate all the way to Macon GA.. Got 37.39 MPG. Filled up with GOOD gas and drove Interstate and curvy, hilly backroads to Robbinsville and got 43.17 MPG!!!
The entire trip to Robbinsville and back was 1453 miles, including the Dragon and the Cherohala Skyway (both in the rain). and used 35.05 gal. of GOOD gas. That's 41.46 MPG!!!!!
I'll never be dissapointed again, except with our crappy, Florida ethanol gas!!!!!!

Sounds like you need to make more road trips to improve your MPG's