Gas mileage - 451 smart fortwo

I think it is not unusual at…

2008-11-20T13:01:18.404Z

I think it is not unusual at all to discover that ethonol-gas mixtures do provide a lower mpg average that gas alone, but I can't honestly recall the precise measured differences from those actual studies that have done comparisons across the same engines and routes. Perhaps someone can find such studies and provide the forum with comparisons. My faulty memory says 10% ethonol matches a 10% reduction in mileage, but is does so with a warning sign that says I have probably stored that figure wrong. However, 10% is not far off the example provided by Jack.

Be sure to understand what th…

2008-11-20T12:50:17.584Z

Be sure to understand what the volume units are when comparing mpg figures. UK and Canadian mileage figures tend to be expressed in Imperial Gallons, although when I post items on this forum I convert my Liters per 100 Kilometer figures into U.S. gallons, thus my 52mpg runs are mp US gallon. Our Canadian Government rating for the smart is 48mpg city/59mpg highway, but that is being expressed in Imperial gallons. There are easy to use conversion calculators on the web if you need to do conversions for comparison, such as
http://www.teaching-english-in-japan.net/conversion/liters_per_100k or
http://www.tdiclub.com/misc/conversions.html

Just remember that mileage statements usually come as either Liters per 100 Kilometers, or as Miles per Gallon, but that it is critical to know what the gallon actually is given US gallons are smaller than Imperial gallons. My Canadian smart runs very close to the book values, but the city 48 mpg book value, which is basically 5.9 Liters/100 Kilometers, becomes about 39.86 mp US gallon. On the highway the Canadian smart also does basically the book value of 4.8 Liters /100 Kilometers, which is the same as 58.85 mp Imperial gallon or only 49 mp US gallon. If you wish to feel really bad, express the 49 mpg and 59 mpg figures as Kilometers per Liter, where 20.83 Kilometers per Liter equals basically 49 mp US gallon and 16.9 Kilometers per Liter equals the city figure of 39.86 mp US gallon.

I hope this helps, and does not add to the confusion, but watch for dealers who switch to Imperial ratings even on US cars.

drafting helps a bit, make su…

2008-10-06T23:13:01.694Z

drafting helps a bit, make sure you're behind an empty trailer, me and my dad were making a powerball run and had the windows open, when you get real close, the wind noise goes away and you let up a little on the gas.

Last week I overfilled my tan…

2008-10-06T23:03:39.140Z

Last week I overfilled my tank accidentally. It didn't shut off, so it was really full. Right after that I made a 67 mile run, no AC, at 65+mph behind an 18 wheeler. I stopped to fill up and the pump stopped at .9 gallons! I was able to squeeze another couple of 10ths in, but even factoring the previous overflow, as best as I could guess I got well over 50mpg, and maybe as much as near 60. Best ever. :-) With such a small tank, a couple of 10ths one way or another makes a significant difference. The best is to figure over several tank fulls probably. My worst around town, AC going, very short trips, is about 33 or 34. Great little car.

i think your foot is a little…

2008-10-06T22:01:13.774Z

i think your foot is a little heavier, my smart kicks into 5th at 34-35mph on level ground, i got 44mpg on my last tank of stop and go on 87 octane. you're still breaking it in. after about 1500 miles, i took mine out on a 95% hiway trip at 55-60mph and logged 53mpg, it was about 48F, so windows were closed, no AC running.

I only have 600+ miles on my…

2008-09-20T21:09:08.732Z

I only have 600+ miles on my smartie. First two tanks were horrible gas mileage, but I'm not sure of how they were filled, i.e. to the top or only partially. This last full tank I netted 34.8mpg and that is 90% town driving (35 - 45mph) in Auto mode. Previously I'd been using the paddle shifters as I thought it was lugging - it goes into 5th around 38mph in Auto. Mileage seems better in Auto, however. And it seems to be adapting to the way I drive - or I'm adapting to the way it shifts. Take your pick. I seldom make longer highway trips so I may never get into the 40's. But 34.8 mpg is nearly twice what get on my other vehicle.

My average has been 42.3 mpg.…

2008-09-20T12:31:15.518Z

My average has been 42.3 mpg. I drive both city and highway. I do not paddle shift but let the car shift itself. I am using high test gas. My highest mileage has been 46 mpg and the lowest was 38 mpg.

Manual dose do better millage.

2008-09-13T04:18:23.194Z

Manual dose do better millage.

Hi Dorenda I have 3200 miles…

2008-09-13T01:43:54.339Z

Hi Dorenda
I have 3200 miles on my smart cabriolet, I monitor the gas on every fill up. So far, I have averaged 38 around town, and 58 on the highway. I have the tectronic shifter, for best highway I keep it in Automatic.
David

28 is low. I would check the…

2008-09-13T00:20:58.211Z

28 is low. I would check the tires to see if they are inflated properly. I was seeing low readings and the tires were running low.