Mazda 3 fuel economy wounds me

"Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo" (thetomselleck)
10/01/2015 at 22:11 • Filed to: car shopping

So I found a 2009 3 that I might want to look at. It has the 2.3L, which according to EPA estimates, gets 24 mpgs combined? Is this true? That’s kind of terrible. The Sable already gets 21... The goal was, among other things, to get a 4 banger for the sake of better fuel economy. Like, more than 3 mpgs. Fuelly seems to show roughly the same. And only 28 on the highway? Arg!

http://www.fuelly.com/car/mazda/3/20…

DISCUSSION (13)

mazda616 > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
10/01/2015 at 22:16

I have a 2.3 auto Mazda3. It’s not a fuel economy champion. Not terrible but not the best. My lifetime average is 25.4. I’ve seen as high as 35.4 and as low as 19.2 (during the dead of winter). Add me on Fuelly if you like. Username is “ZoomZoomFan.”

TheHondaBro > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
10/01/2015 at 22:20

Have you considered an old Camry wagon by any chance?

This one looks clean.

http://seattle.craigslist.org/skc/cto/521905…

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > mazda616
10/01/2015 at 22:24

Wow, 173 fill ups... you are dedicated.

Thanks for the reply. I want to keep an open man but jeez, that is not much better than my pickup.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > TheHondaBro
10/01/2015 at 22:28

Unfortunately, no, she wants something newer than her current vehicle (2001), and the Camry is not a contender.

RazoE > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
10/01/2015 at 22:38

My mazdaspeed3 gets 19mpg, 100% street driving. Can’t image an NA getting the same.

wafflesnfalafel > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
10/01/2015 at 23:43

I can confirm, the 3 with the old 2.3 MZR motor isn’t a mileage champion, (though responds well to conservative driving - short shift and keep it at 61 on the freeway.) The later models with the skyactive 2.0 are much better.

CCC (formerly CyclistCarCoexist) > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
10/01/2015 at 23:51

That's why don't get the XRS. Premium fuel and dismal fuel economies.

Jordaneer, The Mountaineer Man > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
10/01/2015 at 23:54

Buy a Tesla, or a hybrid, just not the speedbump-inspired current gen honda insight or prius.

A 918 gets 73 mpg. I suggest 1 of those.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > CCC (formerly CyclistCarCoexist)
10/02/2015 at 00:27

This is so disappointing... my old Civic was fun and got amazing fuel economy... what happened, car manufacturers? WHAAAAAT

mazda616 > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
10/02/2015 at 07:57

If you can get a manual, they are a lot better than the automatic. The lower numbers I saw were from either summertime hot days where I ran the A/C constantly or wintertime freezing mornings when I let the car warm up before leaving. It used to sit outside before we had a garage and it was a lot happier with me on those cold mornings if I let it warm up a few minutes first. Of course, that was at the expense of fuel economy.

mazda616 > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
10/02/2015 at 07:59

I think Mazda realized how much of a relative mileage dud the 2.3 was. That’s why their 2.0 and 2.5 SkyActiv units get such good mileage. We have a ‘13 Mazda CX-5 with the 2.0 SkyActiv and have seen 37 MPG on a highway trip. Its average is 26 and that’s all city driving. Each trip we take, we see over 30 MPG easily. The SkyActiv 3s (2012+) push 40 MPG on a regular basis as well.

nerd_racing > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
10/02/2015 at 08:22

28 highway is what I get in my 128i, much more fun of a car. average 24.3 combined and I am not nice to it.

TheJMan92 > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
10/02/2015 at 12:54

I regularly do 65 on my way to work which is highway about 50 miles. I’ve also got about 5 miles of back roads where “spirited” driving occurs, and about 8ish miles of city driving. I get 30-32mpg on every fill up in our 04 2.3 auto, but I also fill up with premium which may have some affect.
I do plan ahead for stops and don’t take off like a crazy person though.