Quote:
Originally Posted by skyl4rk
Take a manual Fit for a test ride, run it in top gear at about 1800 rpm. How fast does it go? Are you willing to drive it at that speed quite a bit?
Also, get on the highway, how many rpm does it run at 70mph, 60 mph, 50 mph, 40 mph?
Now compare to the automatic version.
Generally lower rpm at speed is going to be better for hypermiling.
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I'm a huge fan of manual transmissions because they're (usually) more efficient, easier to fix, and cheaper to replace.
Even so, the EPA highway rating for the automatic Fit is 35 MPG, while the manual is 33. The manual must be geared very low, and the Fit might be one of the few cars that is _more_ efficient with the automatic.
I know it's hypermiling is often easier and more effective with a manual, but if you do sustained highway speeds, the automatic might deserve a look too.