Wow, is this thread back from the dead...

I've stopped updating my spreadsheet, but the results were perfectly consistent: 24 mpg is possible if driving on the highway, but the car runs regularly for me between 17-19 mpg. When highway driving on long trips, I expect 21 or 22. I don't notice any difference using or not using the air, but the winter wheels take off about 1 mpg.

The mpg is the greatest disappointment for me with this car -- I'm afraid it's going to kill the rotary-power car forever.

 

HAHA, I hate readying all this MPG post and see you all very high...

I'm never higher than 18mpg...thats if I am on the highway for 300 miles.

Just filled up on a 13.6 mpg tank.

/shrug when i had my old car, i would only put $10-$20 in at a time, now I just fill it up every time, and it seems like I'm spending LESS on gas

 

The RX-8 is all over the map. I am amazed that some people can get 24+. Then you see the poor drivers getting less than 20MPG on the highway.

I used get 23MPG on the highway but it seems to have dropped to 21MPG with the recall flash.

 

17 city
23 highway
10 track

 

holy freakin crap

 

Usually 11.7 - 12.1 MPG. The commute to work is 11 miles, 9 of which are on the freeway at 65 MPH. If I include a short 3-5 mile side-trip for groceries, looking at the gauge needle I'm loosing 1/4 tank a day. So by the 3rd day, I see the needle at the 1/4 tank mark, so I head to the gas station.

If I take everything out of the trunk I can get 12.7 MPG, which was my highest recorded MPG.

It does not seem to matter whether I'm using 2/3rd gear only on the freeway, or if I'm trying to use 4th/5th gear as much as possible. The car wants to eat 1/4 tank a day.

It also does not make a whole lot of difference whether I'm flooring the pedal to accelerate, or using gradual acceleration akin to what an automatic Toyota Camry driver would accomplish.

The beast likes to eat gas, and I like to feed the animal.

You have to understand that there are two different rx8 build types, male and female. You can check the build # and dates to find out. The female rx8 tends to exhibit better gas mileage in comparison and is referred to as "her" and "she" by its owner. It has a carb-counting ECU program. The steering is light, and it handles very much like a ballerina.

The male rx8 is readily apparent by how it drives and handles behind the wheel, and by its thirstier appetite. It eats up pavement, gas, and everything in its path, including low-flying birds and other vermin, and has a tendency to push SUV out of its way.

Some prefer to drive the femme rx8, such as the driver in the Tokyo Drift movie. And others do not.

 

awsome write up User24, lol. Guess my 8 is a girl o_O

 

I get (usually) 12 - 17 mpg. But I don't do a lot of highway. Before FI, it was more around 14-17.

 

Get something else. Your in the wrong market if your asking about mpg.

 

Just filled up my 06 AT for the first time....got about 17.5 mpg with mostly city driving.

 

My last two tanks went 232 and 230 miles respectively on 11.94 and 11.97 gallons of gas. That equates to 19.5 to 19.25 mpg. Freeway driving, 82 mph, with blasts to 125 during the 2nd tank, after the recall reflash! Midrange power on my 4k mile 2006 MT is way up, certainly more than I expected. I imagine that when I reach LA this weekend and cruise around in the horrible traffic there, my mpg will take a slight jump upward again (doing 55-70 in 5th and 6th gear certainly helps).

 

Got 22.3 mpg, I am impressed!

 

No, it is a valid point of comparison. You need to consider this when buying a car because even though the car may be cheaper to purchase (which is likely the reason to buy carA over carB), you need to consider many other factors to determine the true cost to own, mpg included.

I wish people would stop saying that mpg means nothing when shopping for a sports car. Even though its not high up on the priority list, like it or not, its a factor.

 

My girl wont run on reg-87 any more, pings to easily, but stil gets 20-22 mpg.

 

Also when you look at comparable sports cars like the 350Z 19/25, RSX-S 23/31, Corvette 18/28, porsche boxster 20/29, VW GTI 23/32, you see better highway mpg. The Mazda should get what it advertises and be able to compete with the others cars under consideration by perspective buyers

 

i usually get 18-19MPG mix driving. Not bad or good. but its acceptable for the uniqueness of the rotary engine. People should remember the RX_8 doesn't sip gas like a civic, it gulps it....it is a sporty car after all......

 

^ and who says that sports cars cant be fuel efficient either?

 

Chicago near suburban city driving, usually during rush hour. A lot of stop lights but stretches where the car gets above 45. (Not bumper to bumper).

City Summer 12.5mpg
City Winter 11.5mpg

Highway: 18 to 23mpg depending how I drive.

A well respected member of this board proclaimed that he could get 18mpg city in any rotary by only revving the engine to 3K...........he was WRONG!

City driving revving no high then 3K 13.5mpg.

The dealer still says this is normal for the RX-8, I'm about to ask him to put this in writing. It will be interesting to see if he will.

Overall a very good car but this mpg thing just eats at me, if I was doing just 15mpg this would have met my expectations and I'd be happy as a clam. As it stands this real put a damper on the car.

 

I think this is definitely not the car to own for inner-city stop-and-go traffic. Besides, that would drive me crazy clutching that much. I wonder if the AT's get any better mileage under those conditions?