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Old 11-01-2012, 05:40 PM   #32 (permalink)
MetroMPG
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Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: 1000 Islands, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 22,515

Blackfly - '98 Geo Metro
Team Metro
Last 3: 70.09 mpg (US)

MPGiata - '90 Mazda Miata
90 day: 52.71 mpg (US)

Even Fancier Metro - '14 Mitsubishi Mirage top spec
90 day: 70.75 mpg (US)

Appliance car - '14 Mitsubishi Mirage ES (base)
90 day: 52.48 mpg (US)
Thanks: 4,062
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(I wondered if anyone would notice that...)

They did in Canada.

For a few years we had a federal "feebate" incentive program that penalized/rewarded low/high MPG vehicles. The 5-speed Fit's fuel economy fell just outside of the "rebate" reward threshold (theoretically affecting sales), so Honda Canada modded the car to get it into the program: they added LRR tires, the lighter, more aerodynamic hybrid wheels, and changed the alternator control logic. That improved fuel economy enough to get it into the program.

Same with the base Civic 5-speed - it also came with the hybrid LRR tires/wheels & hybrid deck lid spoiler (maybe underbody panels?). So all our base Civics looked just like the hybrid model for a few years, until the program expired.
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Project MPGiata! Mods for getting 50+ MPG from a 1990 Miata
Honda mods: Ecomodding my $800 Honda Fit 5-speed beater
Mitsu mods: 70 MPG in my ecomodded, dirt cheap, 3-cylinder Mirage.
Ecodriving test: Manual vs. automatic transmission MPG showdown



EcoModder
has launched a forum for the efficient new Mitsubishi Mirage
www.MetroMPG.com - fuel efficiency info for Geo Metro owners
www.ForkenSwift.com - electric car conversion on a beer budget
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