lsulaker

I have been manually keeping track of the MPG in my Sport Hybrid, and finally hit a PR. My goal has always been over 30 MPG and I finally hit 30.29! Here are the numbers:

Miles driven on tank: 543 miles
Remaining Range per car: 25
Gallons used 17.924
MPG per car computer: 32.2
Real world calculated MPG: 30.29

I put gas at the same time of day, at the same gas station and on the same pump which just happened to be exactly 3 weeks apart. I will give some of my tips as to how I achieved this MPG:

I leave it in Sport mode because I love the handling. I quickly found within 1000 miles of having the car that driving the car in Sport mode didn’t use more gas unless you accelerated hard (then the transmission wants to hold lower gears for longer) but made handling and steering feel much better. I leave the computer in the Power Distribution Mode a) because it looks awesome b) because I want to monitor exactly where power is coming from at all times. In the dash, I leave it on the first option where I can see my overall Trip MPG and the bar graph for my instant MPG.

Interstate driving tips: Interstate is tough because no matter what, you can get better MPG around town using battery only. The key is to get to 7th gear and stay at the slowest speed in 7th gear, which for me is the low 60s. Thankfully, the speed limit in my city on the interstate is 60 so it worked out pretty well. Never use cruise control, especially adaptive cruise control. ACC accelerates and brakes way too hard and even normal cruise control accelerates and brakes too hard on hills/ overpasses… For those, you want to use the normal hypermiling technique of losing a little speed while going up the hill and gaining speed back as you go back down the hill.

City driving tips: You want to use the battery as much as possible. On this tank, I never revved over 3000 RPM but tried my best to keep it at 2000. Once I hit my target speed, which is usually between 35-45, I slightly lift off the gas and coast/ maintain speed on battery only. Of course, you want to use the normal hypermiling techniques here too such as getting off the gas as soon as you see an upcoming light is yellow or red. This helps recharge the battery and obviously not use gas. My goal is to have over 4 miles on battery only on my 8 mile trip to work after dropping off my kids. In subdivisions, when the speed limit is often 25 mph and full of stop signs, I just accelerate gingerly and try to use battery as much as possible.

The MDX is just too big and the 3.0L motor too inefficient to get great MPG without maximizing battery usage. You really want to stay off the interstate as much as possible and never go over 65 to achieve 30+ real world MPG. I originally bought the sport plus for the Sport: NSX DNA, dual clutch transmission (which I still completely love), sport plus mode, lower center of gravity, and more horsepower and torque. Now that I have it, I have more fun maximizing MPG. It has become a game to me and is far more relaxing to drive this way. In my old TSX, I weaved in and out of traffic and had lots of fun, but it wasn’t relaxing at all. Now I just coast along with some relaxing tunes in my dark windowed black Sport Hybrid and enjoy it just as much. I went from being cursed at for going in and out of traffic to cursed at for driving too slowly, but Ive timed the lights so well on the way to work that we all end up at the same light anyway. Some people just wait at the light for 30 seconds when I am just getting to it and that’s fine with me.

VMDX

This here just gave me a headache, lol. I can only imagine how much cursing you're getting by relaxing in your MDX when everyone else is trying not to be late to work. You must have nerves of steel, lol. Great MPG though!

getakey

I just got back from wine country (Sonoma and Napa Valleys)
This morning we started in Healdsburg (Alexander Valley) and traveled over to Silverado Trail (Napa Valley). For those of you that are familiar with the area, we went north out of Healdsburg to Alexander Valley road East. Then caught Hwy 128 down to Calistoga and then went thru town to Silverado Trail south. The roads were mostly curves, but nothing hair pin. Speeds mostly 30 to 50, with occasional 60 on Silverado trail down to Napa. In that ~60 mile stretch, I averaged 31 mpg by car computer. Would have like to go faster on the curves, but had some cars ahead of me most of the time. Had it in dynamic sport mode for stiffer steering feel.

RLX-Sport Hybrid

I echo this report. I regularly get 29.5 to as much as 32+ mpg when I drive it and my wife gets about 3 mpg less. I have convinced two others to get a MDX Sport Hybrid and they are absolutely loving it. They thank me for the recommendtion every time I speak to them. Life goes by quick so slow down and enjoy the views.

getakey

not trying to hijack the thread, but blackbird needs to see this
https://www.yahoo.com/news/mach-6-sr...150000336.html

RLX-Sport Hybrid

I saw that article over the weekend. I am such a fan of that plane. I have seen it in person and not at a museum and it is just spectacular. Just to touch the skin of it is amazing. Seeing the seams of the titanium is fascinating. Amazing how it was designed to expand once it gets up to temperature. Engineering is ahead of its time.

bmoua15

My 18 Sport has seen 30mpg once but thats with a mix of 60% Freeway and 40% street. Went easy on throttle and left it on sport mode. 30mpg is doable but I have a feet so I usually average 20-22mpg haha