40 mpg???

[Cinderalie]

I have an '03 Pilot that gets 23mpg hwy. I think that's great! My sister just purchased an '03 and is only getting around 20mpg hwy.

A friend of hers told her that the '07 models have something built in that when you are cruising on the hwy, it goes to 3 cylinders and they get 40mpg!!!

Is this true?

I've never heard of such a thing, but think it's a great idea...

I'd love to hear what you know about this.

[N_Jay]

Originally posted by Cinderalie
I have an '03 Pilot that gets 23mpg hwy. I think that's great! My sister just purchased an '03 and is only getting around 20mpg hwy.

A friend of hers told her that the '07 models have something built in that when you are cruising on the hwy, it goes to 3 cylinders and they get 40mpg!!!

Is this true?

I've never heard of such a thing, but think it's a great idea...

I'd love to hear what you know about this.

40 MPG is bull, 3 cyl operation is not.

[ecsw]

Originally posted by Cinderalie
I have an '03 Pilot that gets 23mpg hwy. I think that's great! My sister just purchased an '03 and is only getting around 20mpg hwy.

A friend of hers told her that the '07 models have something built in that when you are cruising on the hwy, it goes to 3 cylinders and they get 40mpg!!!

Is this true?

I've never heard of such a thing, but think it's a great idea...

I'd love to hear what you know about this.

that's 2wd. cylinders activation is not on 4wd version.
40mpg? I doubt it.

[sjlee]

I agree... 40 MPG is unrealistic. I'm going to have to pull an "N_Jay" and ask how they are calculating their MPG, because it is doubtful it is correct.

The Variable Cylinder Management (VCM) system is only available on 2WD Pilots and will shut off three cylinders while cruising (since it doesn't need the full power of the engine).

The result is about a 2 MPG increase over the AWD Pilot (which is rated to get 17/22 MPG).

[rrando]

I have an 03 EX AWD. For the first few tanks I got 17-18 mpg or so. Then for the next 5000 miles or
so it ratcheted up. For the next 50,000 miles I consistently got 20 mpg or a bit more. On one long trip I got 26 mpg. Now I just switched to Michelins and I get 21 plus. If I drove more sedately, instead of hitting 85 mph, I think I could squeeze maybe 28-30 mpg on a long trip. There is no reason a hypermiler could not get 40 mpg or more from a Pilot. (These are people who take corners at 50 mph, draft 6 inches behind big rigs with the engine off, coast as much as possible, never run their AC and leave all the windows closed when its 100 degrees, pump their tires to 40 psi, remove ALL excess weight (no spare, etc) and get 59 mpg in an Accord and more than 100 mpg in a PRIUS, Insight, etc). BTW I don't use the brakes much, as is evidenced by the fact that after 56000 miles I still have 95% of the pad left (last time they measured).

So, what's the highest actual mileage that people get (consistently, not just one tank)? I'm going to
guess its about 30 mpg.... anyone?

[mmmmark]

Originally posted by rrando
I have an 03 EX AWD. For the first few tanks I got 17-18 mpg or so. Then for the next 5000 miles or
so it ratcheted up. For the next 50,000 miles I consistently got 20 mpg or a bit more. On one long trip I got 26 mpg. Now I just switched to Michelins and I get 21 plus. If I drove more sedately, instead of hitting 85 mph, I think I could squeeze maybe 28-30 mpg on a long trip. There is no reason a hypermiler could not get 40 mpg or more from a Pilot. (These are people who take corners at 50 mph, draft 6 inches behind big rigs with the engine off, coast as much as possible, never run their AC and leave all the windows closed when its 100 degrees, pump their tires to 40 psi, remove ALL excess weight (no spare, etc) and get 59 mpg in an Accord and more than 100 mpg in a PRIUS, Insight, etc). BTW I don't use the brakes much, as is evidenced by the fact that after 56000 miles I still have 95% of the pad left (last time they measured).

So, what's the highest actual mileage that people get (consistently, not just one tank)? I'm going to
guess its about 30 mpg.... anyone?

40 is nuts and 30 is still a little optimistic.

I have a 2wd '06 and agree that the VCM seems to help mileage vs. the 4wd. I've approached the 27 mpg line with an average speed of around 65 (not using cruise and easing up hills to keep the ECO light on). In other words, babying it big time. This was over 3 tanks, so better than a one-tank trial. A/C was running as well.

Keeping rpms lower (and averaging maybe 60 mph, you might break 28, but I agree that it would require a bunch of the extreme measures you describe.

[tgrimes]

No way possible to get 40 MPG. We've got an '06 Odyssey that has that feature. I forget what it is called, but a light goes on when you are cruising on a flat surface to indicate the engine is firing on three cylinders. The bottom line is about four MPG better then the Pilot. No way anyone is getting 40 MPG with it.

[sjlee]

Originally posted by rrando
I have an 03 EX AWD. For the first few tanks I got 17-18 mpg or so. Then for the next 5000 miles or
so it ratcheted up. For the next 50,000 miles I consistently got 20 mpg or a bit more. On one long trip I got 26 mpg. Now I just switched to Michelins and I get 21 plus. If I drove more sedately, instead of hitting 85 mph, I think I could squeeze maybe 28-30 mpg on a long trip. There is no reason a hypermiler could not get 40 mpg or more from a Pilot. (These are people who take corners at 50 mph, draft 6 inches behind big rigs with the engine off, coast as much as possible, never run their AC and leave all the windows closed when its 100 degrees, pump their tires to 40 psi, remove ALL excess weight (no spare, etc) and get 59 mpg in an Accord and more than 100 mpg in a PRIUS, Insight, etc). BTW I don't use the brakes much, as is evidenced by the fact that after 56000 miles I still have 95% of the pad left (last time they measured).

So, what's the highest actual mileage that people get (consistently, not just one tank)? I'm going to
guess its about 30 mpg.... anyone?

That question is kind of contradictory... you ask what the highest actual mileage that people get, but then say not just one tank. How many tanks would it take to qualify for your definition as "consistently"? Two... three? Not many people do all highway driving for multiple tanks on one trip.

What about mixed driving (which is what most people drive)?

Low 20s sounds right for all highway driving, but I'm skeptical that you could get even close to 30 MPG no matter how you drove. Your 26 MPG reading... I would consider an exception, since it was only one tank.

Who in their right mind would drive six inches behind a semi with the engine off? With the engine off, you won't have any power steering or power brakes... plus it would have to be downhill.

[Cinderalie]

[ There is no reason a hypermiler could not get 40 mpg or more from a Pilot. (These are people who take corners at 50 mph, draft 6 inches behind big rigs with the engine off, coast as much as possible, never run their AC and leave all the windows closed when its 100 degrees, pump their tires to 40 psi, remove ALL excess weight (no spare, etc) and get 59 mpg in an Accord and more than 100 mpg in a PRIUS, Insight, etc). BTW I don't use the brakes much, as is evidenced by the fact that after 56000 miles I still have 95% of the pad left (last time they measured).

So, what's the highest actual mileage that people get (consistently, not just one tank)? I'm going to
guess its about 30 mpg.... anyone? [/B]

I LOVE THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!

Talk about hilarious. Perhaps that's what these folks do. I do live in NASCAR country, so anything is possible

After speaking with my poor, vulnerable sister, I found out that the person that gave her the info about getting 40mpg was pulling her leg. She'll believe anything!

I still think it's a great feature and shoot, 26mpg sounds pretty good if you ask me!

[hiramhonda]

My wife and I just returned from a three week trip in our '03 LX AWD....it turned over 100,000 miles roughly half way into the trip. We drove from the Atlanta area out through S Dakota to the usual spots...Rushmore, Yellowstone (over Beartooth), Tetons, up to Glacier and back through N Dakota, Minn, Wis and back down home.....total trip was 6526 miles. We filled up before the start and as soon as we got back home and logged every fillup in detail, etc. I was driving as normal..some of the trip was in high altitude, some flat, etc. I drove generally around the speed limit when on the Interstate (although I'm always getting told I'm driving too fast), but rarely over 75 mph. We used the low octane gas....85 - 87 and a few places had Ethanol in it, but not too many. We averaged 22.22 mpg....taking the total miles driven divided by the total gallons bought. Just as a test, I also averaged the mpg I had calculated for each fillup and it came out at 22.27...so it verified the other calculation.

We had just installed new Michelin Cross Terrain SUV tires right before we left. There were just the two of us, but we don't pack lightly....plus camera gear for both of us and two tripods, etc. I ran the AC most of the time, did not baby the car at all.

Last year we did a 5400 mile trip in the SW and while I didn't keep as many details of the mileage, I did keep the total miles and total dollars spent. Last year the cost of fuel per mile was $.143 and this year it was $.144. Gas was a probably a little higher this year, so my mileage last year may have been a little less.

This Pilot has always gotten good mileage, but seems to have just gotten a little better as it has more miles. It's time very soon for it's 105k checkup...new plugs, timing belt, etc...hope they don't screw it up!!

Just thought my experience might be interesting to those of you interested in gas mileage.

[rrando]

Originally posted by sjlee

..... Your 26 MPG reading... I would consider an exception, since it was only one tank.

Who in their right mind would drive six inches behind a semi with the engine off? With the engine off, you won't have any power steering or power brakes... plus it would have to be downhill.

here are the details on my long trip:

My 26.2 mpg was on a trip from LA to Santa Cruz and back, thats 3 tanks, not just one. On the trip, I also did some in-town driving around Santa Barbara and Santa Cruz and took the coast highway (hilly winding roads and lots of braking) on the way back. Doing a steady 60-65 and not braking for hours at a time I would think that I probably got closer to 28-30 mpg. I was not even trying to get good mileage. That's why I think someone on this forum might get that kind of mileage routinely. If not, then I might have to slow down from 80-85 and give it a try, myself.

Hypermilers on the other hand do not drive safely, and as you say may not be in their right mind. but you are right, I think that even they do not turn the engine off when they are drafting, but mostly when trying to coast to a stop.

[sjlee]

Originally posted by rrando


here are the details on my long trip:

My 26.2 mpg was on a trip from LA to Santa Cruz and back, thats 3 tanks, not just one. On the trip, I also did some in-town driving around Santa Barbara and Santa Cruz and took the coast highway (hilly winding roads and lots of braking) on the way back. Doing a steady 60-65 and not braking for hours at a time I would think that I probably got closer to 28-30 mpg. I was not even trying to get good mileage. That's why I think someone on this forum might get that kind of mileage routinely. If not, then I might have to slow down from 80-85 and give it a try, myself.

Do you have the stats from that trip? Miles between each fill-up? Gallons filled up at each stop?

Also, what year/model Pilot do you have?

26 MPG seems extraordinary on that trip.

[5Gs]

Originally posted by sjlee


Do you have the stats from that trip? Miles between each fill-up? Gallons filled up at each stop?

Also, what year/model Pilot do you have?

26 MPG seems extraordinary on that trip.

he mentioned that he has a '03 pilot.

I've driven down to l.a. a few times in my 06 4wd and have averaged about 23 mpg, with a low of 21 and a high of 24.5. I go about the speed of traffic (which is quite a bit faster than the posted limit of 70mph ) and have the ac going (temps are usually 90+, and not unusual to be 100+ during the summer). 26mpg seems doable if I were driving slower.

[dragoncoach]

Originally posted by 5Gs


he mentioned that he has a '03 pilot.

I've driven down to l.a. a few times in my 06 4wd and have averaged about 23 mpg, with a low of 21 and a high of 24.5. I go about the speed of traffic (which is quite a bit faster than the posted limit of 70mph ) and have the ac going (temps are usually 90+, and not unusual to be 100+ during the summer). 26mpg seems doable if I were driving slower.

I get about the same on a trip to LA/San Diego. I did get high 30's ONE time on a trip back from Tahoe. Remember....ALL downhill and I filled up in Auburn. Not realistic though. Low to mid 20's is about it usually.

[krygny]

Hey, if I could run on just one cylinder, I could get >100 mpg.

The only problem is the car still weighs 4400 lb, it's still shaped the same and it takes a certain amount of energy to maintain it at highway speed.