I just found this site.

I have a 2006 Civic CVT. I have gotten about 43 mpg average over the first 2,000. I live in the mountains and drive aggressively. I am satisfied with my results compared to my old 2002 Honda CR-V and 2001 Forester.

But, when I see people posting results of 60+ mpg... come on...

 

That's the difference driving style and conditions can make in your mileage. Most of those people averaging 60+ mpg are very mpg-conscious drivers who live in year-round moderate climates. 43 mpg is surprisingly good for mountainous agressive driving during the break-in period. I know owners here in cold, flat Wisconsin who average anywhere from 30 mpg to 51 mpg in their HCH-2's.

 

Welcome, ADKREV.

I, too, have a 2006 HCH2. I am averaging about 48-49 (now that I don't have to use the AC). I averaged 45 or so in the summer. I drive about the speed limit (faster when in a hurry), and have become a much less aggressive driver. I think anyone with my long commute could average 45 or so MPG pretty easily. Getting to 60 MPG would be difficult for me, but there are a few that do it. And I believe them. Many take pretty extreme measures to get such great MPG, others (Kenny) just drive 53MPH and keep major distance between them and other cars on the road (so as to not lose ANY momentum).
These people are telling the truth (often backed up with pictures, even video occasionally).
If you haven't already, I'd read up (a lot) on this site. There's tons of useful info here on just how some folks get their high MPG. They are all perfectly willing to tell you how they do it. In fact, most already have. It's good reading, and makes you think. My MPG improved because of little things I now do and think about, learned here. Guarantee it can make you get better MPG, too!

Again, welcome to the Greenhybrid club.

 

Hi,

Welcome!

It helps to start with the statistical data for your model:

Honda Civic Hybrid II 2WD CVT 46.9 46.6 43.4–50.3 5.2 0.3 397
The average, 46.6 mpg, and standard deviation, 5.2 mpg, say that roughly 2/3d of all vehicles will fall within 41.4-51.8 mpg. Your 43 mpg is on the low side of average but well within the range most folks are getting. There are folks who get better and worse.

I'd like to encourage joining the mileage database. Recording the data often leads to insights that may lead to better performance.

Bob Wilson

 

I think it also depends a lot on the KIND of drive, the terrain, and the weather. Back when I was a district manager for a Cingular agent chain, I would get pretty darned good mileage when I would have to travel in Virginia. Why? They have a different formulation of gasoline than in Baltimore, the state is *flatter* in most areas, and there is very little traffic congestion once you get away from the Capitol Beltway. The car was also NEWER back then. So in this scenario, I often got 50-53 MPG.

Now, my drive involves a 4.1 mile commute that has 12 traffic lights. It is congested in Baltimore city all the time, and the traffic lights are usually out of sync (thus you see red-green-red-red, for example, when stopping at a traffic light in which you can see the next three intersections.) The quality of gasoline in Baltimore is abysmal (and expensive too!) My car also has over 100k miles. The result? My mileage is typically 40-42 MPG.

Same car, same driver, wildly different conditions.

 

I don't think you'll get high milage without some sacrifices in your driving style. It seems like most people who frequent this site are very milage conscious so the averages on a place like this are going to be quite a bit higher than for "average" hybrid drivers who drive a little more "normally."

How do you drive? You mentioned that you drive aggressively, but how often is your milage meter maxed at 100mpg with no charge light and no EV light? That is where your milage is going to be the best. To do this, get up a little faster than your crusing speed and then back off on the gas pedal. Once the fuel economy meter has maxed, slowly add on the gas pedal until you have erased all of the charge bars but not so much that you are drawing EV from the battery.

So far we've got around 800 miles on our 2006 HCH II of driving on the Colorado Front Range (lots of hills). Between my wife and I, our average is about 45 mpg so far, which is much better than we anticipated for a new car. We had an awesome 80 mile trip to Broomfield on turkey day though where I drafted off a semi and got 61.4mpg for that drive.

 

Hi ADKREV and welcome to Greenhybrid.

I drive a 2004 HCH CVT and average way above normal. The photo below in my signature is my best effort to date: 1,003 miles and averaged 74.9MPG on a single tank last summer. (The dash cut me short as it usually does above about 62MPG)

This is my conditions:

• Almost 100 miles a day: 47 miles to work
• Extremely hilly N. Ga foothills of the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains
• Off-hours commute
• Summer: highest around 100, lows 80's, Winter highs around 50, lows 30's (Sometimes teens)

Last summer averaged around 65-67MPG and hope to keep an average this winter of about 60.

I am not driving normally. I'd suspect you are driving much more "normally" than I am. While you likely just jump in your car and drive like everyone else with little thought of economy, I am consious of my fuel consumption every mile. I started training when I first got my car on Jan 18 2004 in an effort to save my family in fuel bills.
The attempt turned into a hobby, which has now transformed my entirely new view on driving.
My driving priorites are:

1. Safety
2. Courtesy
3. Efficiency
4. Time
5. Comfort

I've used almost all the tools available to me, some techniques include: Slower acceleration and cruising speed. If I'm on a vacant 55MPH rural highway I am perfectly happy going 40-50. I'm plodding along around the speed limit in the far right lane of the freeway. I shift to N or shut her down when possible and safe I keep momentum, time lights, take alternate routes, controlled warm-up and experiment in general. I don't draft trucks.

Yup I take my efforts quite seriously and get quite extreme. For example last summer except in rare occasions I didn't use any A/C. That's mid-high 90's with 70-100% humidity. A dabbing cloth in an ice bucket and the fact that AC was available made it OK.
If the family is along my efforts are much milder. Last summer the five of us took a weekend trip to Savannah (A few hundred miles away) and averaged around 54MPG. That's a speed limit trip with the AC manually worked under least load engine situations. I was happy with the 54 given five people and a trunk packed with weekend luggage/family articles.

This no doubt sounds like a terrible amount of fuss and it is. I equate it to a terrible time getting past the next boss in Xbox or PS. More of a game really.
Our new driving style naturally has transferred to our Grand Caravan and raised its MPG from around 16 to about 23-24 with only simple changes in driving.
I once hypermiled the GC over two tanks and averaged around 32MPG. (But that's my wife's primary vehcile)

You obviously enjoy your HCH- and since you're happy with your MPG results can't knock it. I also understand skeptics.
If you get interested in refining your driving style to save some $ we're all glad to help. Warning- it may be addictive.