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*

 

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*

Consumer Reports & Consumer Guide both got 39 mpg in their tests. EPA has definitely underrated the mpg of this car. The Yaris is the only other high mileage car that did better in the tests by those 2 magazines than with EPA. And Yaris was only 1 mpg better while smart was 3 mpg better. :smartje.rd.zw: :smartje.bl.zw: :smartje.grs.zw:

 

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

 

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)

 

I thought that you could only put premium (93) in it?

 

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

 

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!

 

Great Metro



I hear ya. Once owned a Metro & had great MPG Then I had a bad crash and, well, thats was the end to that. I feel a lot safer in our Smarts. :smartlogo:

 

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.

 

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.

care to guess again???? getting closer to the "$6.00/gal" before too long. sorry to 'hi-jack the thread'.

back on topic, i believe that driving technique will dictate your MPG's even more so in a Smart due to the 5sp Manual/Automatic trans. the smoother you become, the better the MPG's.

but the key to better MPG's in ANY vehicle is driving with moderation.


P.S. you might also list, besides your MPG's and such, HOW you shift. do you use the paddles, shifter or leave it in "D"?

 

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.

 

not really worried about crashing. Metros can be found for under a grand easily and get better mpg than any car out there. They actually get better mpg than a prius. Only car that gets better is an insight. I bought my metro four years ago and have put 60k miles on it. I pound the crap out of it and never get less than 40 mpg. I leave the escalade in the garage til the weekends. Its one of the best investments I have ever made. Its really sad that they could make a non hybrid car back in the early nineties that got close to 50 mpg and today they can't make a non hybrid that comes close! The smart is decent but I was really hoping for better mpg numbers. The European smarts can get close to 60 mpg. Mitsubishi could have done a better job designing the smart motor
they should be able to get better than 40 mpg highway out of such a small vehicle.

 

"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

 

Why are you a club member when you attack the car in which the club is meant for?

 

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

 

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

Hi, John,

I had a Colt. Loved it. The tranny had this lever - "Power," or "Economy." In the mountains, I used the 'Power' alot - 'powered down' in all gears, even reverse. Like a granny gear. It wasn't very comfortable, but you could stuff it full. It had the best transmission! Safe? Who knows. But, it did get pretty good mpgs, if I recall.

 

Gosh Fred, no sense of humor? A little uptight buddy? Ohhh....... never mind. I didn't realize; a Texan. Mystery solved.

 

I have a Mazda 3 hatchback 5 speed 2004. I drive 24 miles each way over a hill. As said before, I used to race and I must admit, I still have that lead foot.

I get 27-30 around town. Last time we drove to Vegas (almost 5 hrs of some ups and downs) I got about 34....

I put gas in the car today......$3.31 for regular. Welcome to L.A.

Beth

 

marcrhodes... sorry...sounds harsh without the grins and smiles.... not sure why they did not stick..

As you can see from my pedigree on the left...I drive a 7800 Pound behemoth Geo Metro eater...(grin)

My attitude is more power to em...

Every day I look out for and prevent squashing Bikes, and dinky cars... and to tell the truth most of the folks driving the miniature machines around here are generally safe, and attentive drivers...

I remember well many years back when Arab Oil Embargo doubled cost of gas, rationing, and lines around the block... micro cars with good MPG hit the shores and Millions of Americans had same attitude as yours above...

"MY Gawd! I would never drive them death traps!"....

I won't argue against the fact that they are less safe then the 4000lb Lead Sled of the era...but like a motor cycle sharing the same roads...the more fuel efficient cars can be, and are, driven safely in that environment...

Choices usually come with compromises and responsibility

Nothing I am saying means that the Smart car is not significantly safer the a Geo Metro... what I am addressing was your general over reacting and basic fear expressed above...I failed at doing it in an humorous way... but I still think you demonstrated a common Irrational fear...by common I mean you are not alone in your assumption....

I think there would be exponentially more cars in the Geo Metro class if we did not over emphasize the safety perspective... I did not look it up but I suspect Big car, truck, SUV death rates are slightly higher compared to Yugo, Metro class rates

Fact is all motor vehicle have risks... none are totally safe, most can be driven safely in spite of zero / few death and injury preventing features

Did I mention that I teach the Motorcycle Safety foundation new rider course as well as the advanced course?

 

Safety is for the most part in the control of the driver. Sure there are times when you not see something coming but a good defensive drive will keep you on the road for a long time. I drove a mini bike (4 inch rims, handle bars less than 20 inches off the ground) to work for a summer through local neighborhoods. Graduated to a Honda Shadow. in 1976 I drove a Honda Civic and a 4 wheel drive 1 ton Chevy van. I drove both of the same, very defensively and continue to drive whatever it is the same way.

Today it is a Mitsubishi Montero, a Mini Cooper, and soon to be Smart. My driving isn't revolved around cell phone use or changing songs on the radio or ipod. My focus is on the road ahead and what I can see in my mirrors and side windows. I make it a practice to know what is around me at all times and try to anticipate what other drivers are going to do.

The destination will always be there. It is important to you arrive, in one piece.

Enjoy the ride.

Mike

 

My Neon gets 30/40+. I just want to hear what the new owners get in the next week or so.

 

I ride a motorcycle as well. I believe the habits you get riding one transfer to the car you drive as well. Defensive drivers and attentive ones usually do not have accidents. Being aware of your surroundings is essential in driving. I believe a large car makes people less aware because they feel safer. A dangerous attitude. Plus the cell phone, donut, CD change, kids yelling and coffee in the lap stuff. Anyway I believe the SMART is a very safe car and it will be the alturnative when the motocycle is not safe to drive because of weather or my sixth sense for the day. My big dually diesel truck is gonna get a big rest when the Smart arrives.

 

I was not the culprit in de-railing the thread but I helped lot... sorry

back to general MPG issues and thoughts while we wait new owners to get through the first tank full

John

You are asking questions you really don't want the answers to...

Well yes you do -----but we know we an not going to like the truth

Some years back consumer freindly news reporters used to do research about gas station repair rip off scams...

I seem to rememeber one in Florida where a disgruntled former employee (gas monkey) dimed out his former employer for all sorts of scams...

You know....squirting oil on shocks to sell a new (used) set to old unknowing folks...and a lot of similar scams...

Any way, this owner actually came to work early in the AM and was filmed putting 5 -10 minutes worth of water hose time into each "in ground" fuel tank.......hummmmm

If or if not they are willing to fill 87 in the 93 tank is questionable... my understanding is the big tanker usually has all the same grade and additives are added to the different grades... be interesting to know the facts...I am sure I don't know the reality but real curious

 

what grade fuel choice do you have ? Over here in the Uk we run from 95ron-99ron . We notice better MPG and performance in our smarts with 98+
The higher premium is worth the better MPG ,even if it does cost £1.10 per uk gallon .Equiv £1.32 for your larger measure .

 

Our grade number are different here (RON+NON)/2 or AKI. We generally have 87-89 regular, 89-91 mid and 93+ premium. Difference in price is about twenty cents US more for the premium over regular, or less than $2.00 per tankful.

For a good discussion of regular vs. premium recommendations see http://www.edmunds.com/advice/fueleconomy/articles/106293/article.html.

Lisa at the smart house advised regular will run just fine, but performance will suffer because the smart computer will retard the spark (anti-knock sensor) and the MPG will decline.

 

I always get 40 mpg with my vw passat diesel..2004 but looking forward to adding my smart...wife has 2006 diesel new beetle...

 

Posted on another thread but makes sense here:

Driving my Silver with Black Tridion Passion
Took delivery from Loeber Smart Center yesterday, and have racked up 200 miles already. Yes I did get a little sleep. Getting 35mpg in mixed driving.

All systems A-OK. Everyone says it's cute. You forget it's size as you drive. Plenty of pickup to run with the herd. Handles great.

Oh, and my wife digs it.

I expected to be dissapointed, but this car does not do that, at least for me.
I was hoping it would be this good!

Bravo SMART and thanks to Penske for getting this car to the USA.
It seems like a game changer.

Jay Cohen
Itasca, IL

 

I fail to see any "attack", just his own opinion. I don't see anything wrong with that. This is, of course, my own opinion.

 

Real worls. Stop and go mostly, couple of highway runs. 100 miles so far, two blips down on the gas gauge.

 

Jediknight36

Please read for comprehension

I acknowledged in post 14 that my initial sling at brother marcrhodes was too harsh and my grins and smilies did not stick

But I do not apologise for the general thought...

To not buy a high MPG car because of an irrational fear is poor economic sense... at least for a singe commuter adult...IMO...someone who frequently must transport a child or spouse may have a different threashold for family safety... and I would respect that concern relating to some older vehicles...

But to simply see the Smart car as some bullet proof super safe conveyance and poo poo a Geo Metor as some rolling carnage machine is not real rational assesment of the merits of either car... human behavior can significantly offset the lack of side air bags in the Geo Metro...else both vehicles are not too different in a side impact with an 7800 pound truck at 45mph.... IMO

 

I read your apology later after I posted. But I think you are right. If Geo had this technology then, maybe they would not have folded. There are only 2 reasons I don't hunt for a Geo in my area. 1) I am a student who also works full time who has a wife who works full time and as broke as we are, cant afford to have the car broken down with out a loner. Our new matrix came from a dealer that will loan us a car. No questions asked, no extra expense. Its under warranty so no fee for issues. When it looses its warranty, we trade up. 2) is simply the style. actually, I can see the metro 'evolving' into the SMART but I had no idea they had that good mileage. The geo my old GF had got ok mileage and hers was a '94 and it was in 2002 when we dated. I see your point. Sorry for the post.

 

no sweat...I skim read some times and miss things too ...we all do it and just like you, I sometimes spout out without all the ducks lined up...

no real biggie

 

Hey folks ... first half-tank gone and here's what I got:
175 miles and the gauge read half-full (or half empty if you view the world that way ...)
4.6 gallons of 91 to way-top off ... probably only 4.3 to fill it ... $15
That is soooooo much better than the truck! (yay)
and for the magic number ...
38.7 combined and not with a light foot at all.
I'm off to Newport Beach from SD this morning on the full tank so I can get a good idea of nearly highway only when I get back.
Have a great day all!
Oh ... and as a minor tip. If you want a center arm-rest and you're alone .... put the passenger seat flat-forward. Makes a nice armrest!