I get 15-16 MPG on winding, hilly rural roads with a fair amount of idling.

I guess that's a bit below average. I cry a salty tear.

Happy New Year!

 

Personal best....

32 MPG ...oh that is with my commuter 1990 Accord with 280K miles

With the 8
~21 MPG with a balanced mix of city and highway

Happy New Year

 

Has anyone ever tried a performance chip upgrade or anything of that nature. A lot of the time they promise not only a boost in horse power but mpg also.

 

Seems to me this is one variable that can skew mpg results. Ask three people what "filling it up" means and you'll get three answers. If you follow the owner's manual, "filling it up" means you're done the first time it clicks. (Obviously there's still lots of room in the tank if you stop there.) At the other extreme, you can keep adding fuel until it finally overflows. Me? I usually stop after the third click. (I don't fill it to "overflow" because supposedly that can harm the emissions controls, if that's true.)

So what's everyone doing, exactly?

 

I stop fueling at the first click. When I first got my 8 I did try shoving in a little more fuel after the first click, but it didn't seem like I got much in; it kept clicking off almost immediately.

1.3L

 

my best is a little over 27mpg

 

I am only on my 3rd tank, and I have been experimenting.

1st tank was filled at the dealership so I am not sure of the grade.
I got 21mpg as I had 240 or so miles and filled it with 12.4

2nd tank was premium, at 150 (half tank) I topped it off with 87 octane.

I have driven various, somewhat agressive, shifting upwards of 5K at times, which is dangerous before breakin, but it was that or eat a bumper.

Before I took it back to Mazda for a Zebart treatment, I had about 150 miles on half a tank again...

In the mornings I usually warm it up till the temp starts to register on the gauge, then I keep it under 3K until it is fully warm. I have not really had enough fuel data to weigh in yet, but it feels like she has drank these last two fillups down pretty quick.

Just a question, does everyone shift around 3K or 5K? It seems the rotary is far more effecient at 5K.

Also, I have tried to go 1-2-3-6 to save gas as any normal car it would work, the RX-8 seems to detest low RPMs so I have stopped short-shifting to see if that helps.

 

My avg. is 13-17 in town (occasionally heavy pedal and lots of stop lights) best I've ever had was 23.1mpg at speeds over 65mph mostly, I was so happy.

 

Over the past month, I've averaged nearly 22 on the highway and about 19 for city driving. Then again, I bought my 8 knowing that it would not perform like a diesel or hybrid. I love every mile!!!!

Too bad Mazda doesn't offer the 5,000 gas card on the RX-8s! LOL! Mazda6 Owners are lucky with the prices today.

 

With this car there is suprisingly little space left in the tank after it clicks off at the majority of the stations. Usually after the first click, I might be able to get another 1/4 of a gallon at most into the tank.