Quote:
Originally Posted by alvaro84
What do you mean by sweet spot? Because the highest steady speed FE is almost always at the very bottom of the top gear. In case of my Yaris (which is a rather small car with a rather small engine and short gears, of course), it's like 30 mph, or even lower. You can't always go at 30, of course...
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What you said is true in principle. Except that on most cars with an automatic tranny it will be when the car goes into TC lockup mode, which can be as high as 45 MPH. Obviously on a manual it will be the lowest speed you can sustain while in the highest gear. And it won't be 30 - but it need not be 55, either. However, you can go somewhat faster without sacrificing FE to speed, which is why the 55-60 MPH suggested is a workable compromise.
But real life often requires practicality, as opposed to the extraordinary lengths some ecomodders will go to save fuel. What's more important? Saving time and getting to your destination somewhat faster and not annoying the drivers behind you? Or making high fuel economy an obsession?