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Old 10-03-2021, 05:49 PM   #144 (permalink)
Ecky
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Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: New Zealand
Posts: 5,096

ND Miata - '15 Mazda MX-5 Special Package
90 day: 39.72 mpg (US)

Oxygen Blue - '00 Honda Insight
90 day: 58.53 mpg (US)
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I realize people have asked what it's like to drive, and I don't think I gave a satisfactory answer to that. Here's a short video that might help:




There's a fair bit of road noise that comes in through the boat tail, but virtually no wind noise. The car has basically no sound damping and the panels act a little bit like a drum over rough pavement. The handling is superb, and with the new suspension it's as precise and sharp as anything I've ever driven. It practically dives into corners, and is very sure-footed. There is, however, more chassis flex than in the Insight or Fit, but not as much as in my old Del Sol. Stuff rattles over bumps. I believe there's a small exhaust leak and the car generally smells vaguely like fumes (a lot less when you're moving). The D15 engine is surprisingly torquey, even with the tall gearing. It doesn't feel down on power at all despite being geared similarly to the Insight, and power feels very linear both throughout the pedal travel and across the entire rev range. Right now, missing the underbody panels and a few other aero elements, I'd say it doesn't coast quiet as well as the Insight does, but it isn't far off. Press the pedal to the floor in 5th and the car feels like it wants to accelerate faster, the faster it goes.

I've noticed the lean burn engine in this car idles insanely low and frugally. I suspect the MPGuino is reading pessimistically, but I'm seeing idle fuel consumption somewhere around 0.11 gallons per hour. Idle speed is ~500rpm.
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