Just got my '06 Civic hybrid, and have run it up, down and around the mountain for 200 miles now. I drive about 85 percent highway 15 percent in-town (can't call it city). The elevation change on my commute is 1500 feet, and to the grocery store is about 4000 feet. The average mpg over the first 200 miles is 52. That makes me a happy camper.

 

Welcome to GH,
Enjoy the great mileage! It's good to hear you are doing well right off the showroom floor, especially with the elevation.

 

Thanks for the welcome. I think the main reason for the close-to-EPA mileage right off the bat is because I can't drive too fast on these mountain highways. Most of my commute has a posted speed limit of 35 mi/hr.

 

Hey, great mpg-enjoy the car.
We drive through NM on the way to Flagstaff,AZ a couple of times a year-New Orleans-Flagstaff(1500 miles). I've noticed that once we get well above sea level( 2000 ft) our mpg improves-less drag. The Amarillo-Flag. leg(I-40) gives maybe 5% better mpg.Of course the wind blows like hell sometimes in your state.Stopped for gas in Gallup in Sept 2005-the wind was a good 40 mpg!!You can get spectacular mpg if it is blowing the right way.
We will probably be doing that trip 5 days from now.
Luck,Charlie

 

Yeah. springtime in New Mexico = wind and dust. In fact, the locals call the dust "enchantment", as in "Land of Enchantment".

Sounds like you will be passing through NM north of my stomping grounds, but if you do go through Cloudcroft, send me a message so I can buy y'all a cup of coffee.

Hope you get tailwinds both ways.

 

Highz-yes, the wind blows like heck for no apparent reason-no rain-just wind!!
We usually go thru in June or so, but last time was Sept,and the wind was still blowing!Heck, it seems to blow from Wichita Falls all the way thru NM. It doesn't blow as hard in Az for some reason-never figured out why TX and NM (OK also)have such nasty winds!Thanks,Charlie

 

Welcome.