5 ms·

The point of my comment is that I'm driving a sports car yet have to accelerate pretty aggressively to keep up with the automatic drivers. I have a Mazdaspeed6

by kirse 18y ago

The point of my comment is that I'm driving a sports car yet have to accelerate pretty aggressively to keep up with the automatic drivers. I have a Mazdaspeed6 with K&N intake and turboback exhaust (~300hp and 250 to the wheels). The few mods aside, Mazda's 2.3L I4-DISI engine is highly efficient and there's a reason it has been on Wards 10-Best Engines for the past 3 years. I get 22-24mpg around town and 26-29 highway depending on how aggressively I drive. I've gotten it as low as 17 when I initially owned the car and was racing everywhere, but that's the absolute worst I've seen. My best efficiency run on a drive from TX->PA saw ~455 miles before I had to fill up again. Here's some more information for you on why my 300hp "monster" gets equivalent gas mileage to your Saturn: http://wardsautoworld.com/ar/auto_story_behind_wards_2/ http://wardsautoworld.com/ar/auto_story_behind_wards_2/

Retric 18y ago
I have an 205hp Acura TSX (07) and I have gotten anywhere between 32 - 36 highway on a tank of gas which is almost 25% better than your Mazda and IMO the TSX has great highway acceleration even if it's a little slow from a dead start. Granted it takes an extra second on the 0-60 vs. Mazdaspeed6 but you don't accelerate that hard anyway so what's the point. I like power but there is a direct relationship between HP and efficiency but going over ~200 in a car seems to be a waste IMO.
- kirse 18y ago
  That's the tradeoff. I smoke you through the turns, and you get better gas mileage. I don't drive hard on commutes, but I don't work on the weekends =) Also, the MS6 is a mid-size sedan, the TSX is a compact entry-level sedan that weighs ~400 lbs less. The Acura TL vs. MS6 would be a better comparison. Finally, gas mileage is much more related to the weight of the car mated to the engine, rather than the horsepower output of the engine itself. A simple example -- when people drop in an LS1 engine (when tuned it's upwards of 400hp+) to a Mazda RX-7 body - which weighs about 2400lbs - they get around 25-30mpg.
  - Andys 18y ago
    I think you're on the right track here when you mention vehicle weight. Some kind of feedback for drivers on the ridiculously weights new cars are carrying these days would be more useful than gas pedal feedback.

by kirse 18y ago

Retric 18y ago

I have an 205hp Acura TSX (07) and I have gotten anywhere between 32 - 36 highway on a tank of gas which is almost 25% better than your Mazda and IMO the TSX has great highway acceleration even if it's a little slow from a dead start. Granted it takes an extra second on the 0-60 vs. Mazdaspeed6 but you don't accelerate that hard anyway so what's the point. I like power but there is a direct relationship between HP and efficiency but going over ~200 in a car seems to be a waste IMO.

kirse 18y ago
That's the tradeoff. I smoke you through the turns, and you get better gas mileage. I don't drive hard on commutes, but I don't work on the weekends =) Also, the MS6 is a mid-size sedan, the TSX is a compact entry-level sedan that weighs ~400 lbs less. The Acura TL vs. MS6 would be a better comparison. Finally, gas mileage is much more related to the weight of the car mated to the engine, rather than the horsepower output of the engine itself. A simple example -- when people drop in an LS1 engine (when tuned it's upwards of 400hp+) to a Mazda RX-7 body - which weighs about 2400lbs - they get around 25-30mpg.
- Andys 18y ago
  I think you're on the right track here when you mention vehicle weight. Some kind of feedback for drivers on the ridiculously weights new cars are carrying these days would be more useful than gas pedal feedback.