FWIW, http://blogs.edmunds.com/roadtests/2...rong-imho.html disagrees w/CR. However, a few days later, a different editor posted http://blogs.edmunds.com/roadtests/2...pressions.html.

 

To add some more Insight data points, see http://blogs.edmunds.com/roadtests/2...july-2009.html. I'd imagine that much of the Edmunds staff doesn't hypermile and probably doesn't have much incentive to drive very efficiently either. I'd also imagine that a fair bit of time is spent being stuck in horrendous LA area traffic.

http://www.edmunds.com/advice/fuelec...mktid=cj260233 - They specifically DID NOT hypermile in this comparison.

 

Holy Cow Batman we have a live one in here!

Cohen, you need to stop man! Now I am going to tell you my story about "bogus" numbers. I remember it like it was yesterday (que the flashback music).....

I just purchased a 2007 Honda Civic Hybrid and I was all so excited for I was going to embark on a gas saving journey. Well much to my surprise and several fill ups later.. I wasn't getting any where near the projected miles per gallons that was listed on the sticker. I thought, maybe there is something wrong, I mean I wasn't even close to the 50MPG that was listed on the sticker. I was getting 35's... everyone on this board was like, dude you on too heavy on the gas man! And I was like, no I am not man!

The point is that I would as a consumer be MORE impress by getting better than listed gas mileage than what I was getting from my HCH.

And honestly most people would think the same way, otherwise you get a lot of pissed off people like me that would have drove that car right through the dealership if I kept it one more day!

So while you sit there on ponder what to write next, how about we drop the whole CR is a crappy mag bit and just move on?

Believe me the Insight is not a pot of gold, its more like an over prices Yaris...
and if I am not mistaken, the Yaris comes with floor mats standard!

 

Back when you got your 07 HCH, the EPA method hadn't undergone the MY 2008+ downward revision, so yep, it was rated 49/51, 50 combined. After the adjustment, it becamse 40/45, 42 combined per http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/sbs.htm.

Going back to CR, http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/c...ient-cars-206/ pegged the HCH with 37 mpg overall, not that far off from your 35.

Too bad the article I cited at https://www.greenhybrid.com/discuss/...timates-22383/ didn't exist long ago. That along w/the 2 links in my post ought to be mandatory reading for any car buyer.

In 2001, when I bought my 02 Maxima, I had no idea what went into EPA tests. I could tell you from hand calculations that I was getting crap mileage from my former 02 Maxima and my 350Z in the city w/lots of idling (well below (old) EPA method city numbers). I exceeded EPA highway numbers on a long drive in my Max.

 

I constantly get better than the EPA listing in my Insight. I guess it depends how you drive. I use the information on the dash board as a learning opportunity. The info gives me instantaneous feedback on my driving.
I like the hatchback and fold down seats. I use the vehicle for work and hobbies and find that I can cary a lot of equipment. Cornering is super responsive. I really like the voice activated bluetooth and nav features as well as the I-pod integration.
6.000 miles and zero defects.

 

So summer finally hit here in the great northeast and yesterday was the first day I really had to run my AC pretty much all day. I logged about 150 miles yesterday and when I started out the avg mileage (trip A) showeing on the MID was 55.5MPG. At the end of the day the MID was at 55.3MPG.

Now using my calculator I get a difference of 0.2MPG. But then I whipped out my superduperdoubleplusgood Consumer Reports calculator and input 55.5 - 0.2 and I'll be darned if I didn't come up with 38MPG.

I definitely gotta get me a new calculator.

But seriously guys, I understand "your mileage may vary" and "use for purposes of comparison only".

But I'm getting 55MPG with this car without even trying very hard. I simply will not allow CR's bs numbers to be put out there with no push back.

Hence the name "Consumer Reports" in the diary title.

I still think CR is full of crap. I still wouldn't pay a penny for their useless rag. Hell I wouldn't even use their rag to wipe my butt, especially the electronic version. Ouch!

But I've made my point. The rest is just me having a few chuckles. To tell you the truth I'm surprised this thing is still making it to the front page.

Now let me see if I can talk the cable company into letting me use this special Consumer Reports calculator to tally up my bill.

Cheers.....

 

http://www.consumersunion.org/Oct_CR_Fuel_Economy.pdf has more details on their tests. If you care, here's Bob Wilson's take on the limited extra info we have on CR's tests: http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-iii-...tml#post940096.

One can monitor one's engine coolant temp via something like ScanGauge. One of the included gauges is FWT or CWT (Fahrenheit or Celsius water temperature).

mrkcohen: You won't be singing the same tune about your mileage once it starts snowing in your area. All cars are affected pretty badly by cold weather + winter formulation gas.

(As a side note: I can't speak to the Insight, but the 2nd gen Prius and NAH will keep the ICE running to provide cabin heat w/a cold engine, further hurting mileage. A cool test is to turn off the HVAC system and watch the ICE shutdown, then right as you turn it back on, the ICE comes on.)