Ford Fiesta

[Daox]

Very nice! What driving techniques do you use, and what kind of driving was that?

[FXSTi]

Daox,

I know you were asking one of the other Fiesta owners, but I just filled today. I use P&G extensively with eoc. I had a record distance tank today @ 600.6 miles, but not a record for FE ended @ 54.055.

[user removed]

Most of my techniques are very subtle. I generally drive the speed limits or slightly under if I can do so without interfering with the flow of traffic. Route selection is a critical component, with the older state and US routes providing a very relaxing drive on a practically deserted road instead of the Interstate at 70 PSL with most people at 75.

The older US routes have PSLs of 60 in the less populated areas.

Coasting and traffic light anticipation are my best weapons with the 6 speed dual clutch transmission.

My average speed for the last tank is 44 MPH right now, but that will drop in the next 150+ miles.

regards
Mech

[user removed]

Well it's been about 1500 plus miles now and I am averaging 46 MPG. Drove 300 miles at Interstate speeds (65-70 MPH) with two of my 3 brothers. Total payload was probably close to 700 pounds, still showed 47 MPG using my techniques. Hills allowed some DFCO in 6th gear and some neutral coasting. The transmission reengages very nicely from speeds even as high as 65 MPH. The transition is just as smooth as a manual. I was surprised at the mileage with that payload and average speed, which was 55 MPH due to local driving at the end the first leg and beginning of the second. Over 300 miles and it was still showing over half a tank on the gauge and the distance to empty was always just over 600 miles when combined with the miles already travelled (if that makes any sense).
Considering the weight, AT, and engine size, I am very impressed with this Fiesta. Ride quality is superb and I drove it for 5 hours at freeway speeds with no problems. We just had to move the passengers seat up some to give my youngest brother a little leg room.
Considering the average MPG is just over 46 right now versus the Maxima at 28-29 I am rethinking the bikes. I might just sell the Kawasaki (sold CBR and Maxima for $6600), if I can get $2200 for the Kawasaki then I will just be $1100 short of an even trade for the two bikes and the Maxima for the Fiesta.
I'll keep my two antique bikes since they can be insured for $90 per year and the tags are permanent, with no property taxes or other costs. The lower registration fees and insurance costs of 1 vehicle compared to 3 offset most of the fuel savings and maintenance costs.
I also got an original 1971 Virgina motorcycle plate for the 1971 CB350, and tagged it as an antique. Rode it 16 miles in the last two days.

regards
Mech

[capnbass91]

I've put almost 900 miles on my fiesta and it is an awesome car! But my average speed is around 22-24mph because I do over 90% city driving, so my mpg is about 33 and that includes some hypermilling techiques like turning the engine off at long red lights and accelerating slowly and anticipating when a light will turn red.

About the DFCO on this car, does it automatically do it? My old one didn't have it, so I'm new to it. I don't have to do anything do I? It automatically shuts off the injectors?
Btw I have a 2012 with the automatic Powershift tranny.

My old car was a convertible so the wind noise at freeway speeds was almost deafening. The Fiesta is such a change! I can do 80mph and it's nearly silent!!!
I'm about 6'1" 220 and I have plenty of head room, awesome car

[user removed]

1/2 inch shorter and 10 pounds lighter here capnbass91. My routes are almost ideal for higher mileage. I have noticed that I can actually get my mileage to begin to recover from a cold start in my neighborhood where it is .3 mile to the main highway which is 45 MPH rising to 55 MPH headed east. I use neutral coasting after a 30 MPH pulse in the first .2 mile the coast for the last .1 mile. I have seen that coast showing a mileage increase above 45 MPG even though the engine should still be cold since it has been running less than 1 minute.

I have no instrumentation to show engine temp or to confirm DFCO but the mileage reading seems to confirm the car shifting down as you slow down and it seems like it does this to maintain DFCO on deceleration (in gear) based on the mileage readings which are higher for that short time versus neutral coasting under the same circumstances. I am still perfecting the deceleration technique and in heavy traffic on the Interstate coasting in neutral helps maintain mileage when the traffic is moving slowly.

7300 miles now so I have about 2500 on the Fiesta since I got it. Probably well broken in by now. I tried 0 ethanol gas for the first 2000 miles. The difference in mileage is maybe 2-3 MPG compared to 87 octane E10 regular cheap gas. Going to take a 96 mile ride this morning on a 55 MPG back road. I'll reset the MPG reading to see what she will do at a steady 55 with no appreciable stops.

regards
Mech

regards
mech

[niky]

Hey guys, I'm piloting an eco-fun-run this weekend, and we're going to be using Fiesta 1.6 PS's...

Just trying to get a consensus... the route is mostly highway, but it's hilly. What cruise speed should I be aiming for? I know one group locally that did the usual 50 mph set speed but ended up at just 44 mpg. I want to at least show the boys 50 mpg on the highway.

Need a few pointers on what P&G acceleration rate I should be aiming for, and what peak speed and base speed. I don't know if it's the same there, but using in-gear coasting, the Fiesta seems to drag down in top gear at over 60 mph.

[euromodder]

Originally Posted by niky

What cruise speed should I be aiming for?

It's not the eco-boost 1.6L that you have, is it ?

On a turbodiesel or ecoboost, I'd advice to use the rpm where the torque curve bends and starts to flatten (or just ever so slightly over it, say 30-50 rpm) so it doesn't fall down the torque curve on an incline.



But on the old 1.6 engine, torque is a lot lower.
Have you tried 1500-1600 rpm ?
How fast does that make the car ?

using in-gear coasting, the Fiesta seems to drag down in top gear at over 60 mph.

If you stay in gear, you're not coasting but (engine) braking.
Of course it'll drag

In an ecorun, staying in gear is only OK
- if you have to brake (but you should avoid having to brake this way, try gliding in neutral);
- to control speed when you're going downhill, that's where it'll really help (no fuel consumption + safety through braking, but if you can do so safely, pick up speed downhill to get you started on the next uphill section.

[niky]

It's the 1.6 gasoline engine with the DCT. No neutral coasting or engine-off coasting. The run is being sponsored by Shell, so no funny business. Coasting down off-throttle, the DCT seems to "drag" down to 60 mph, then starts coasting down more normally. I don't know if this is due to the tranny or the traction control. If we can stop this by killing TC, that will help.

I haven't driven the Fiesta for a few months. I'm only getting the car tomorrow, and I won't have a ScanGauge to use... editor ruled it out as too OC for a simple run. I'm going to be teaching basic fuel economy techniques. (again, no funny business like engine off coasting or "creative" drafting... and I have to stick to the highway limits (40-60 mph).

I've already practiced the downhill acceleration on the run we're taking. I picked a route that goes along my regular highway... and I know the Fiesta is good for around 45 mpg... I've hit that before... just wondering if there's some way to make that more.

If we were using the Mazda2 1.3 (we get both the 1.3 and 1.5 liter variants...), I could probably hit close to 60... but they don't have enough media units for that...

[euromodder]

Originally Posted by niky

It's the 1.6 gasoline engine with the DCT. No neutral coasting or engine-off coasting.

It's not yours , is it ?
Slip it out of Drive into Neutral, then back into drive at low speed, and see what happens
You don't have to teach it

If it's anything like VWs DSG, start your engine braking early.
I was surprised how little it slowed down, and needed to adjust as it didn't seem to like manual downshifts.

The run is being sponsored by Shell, so no funny business. Coasting down off-throttle, the DCT seems to "drag" down to 60 mph, then starts coasting down more normally.

Engine braking gets reduced as you slow down ?
It could be they build in a freewheeling condition so it coasts below 60 ?

BMW's 8speed ZF box has it - at least in their ActiveHybrid 7 series.
Hypermiling is going mainstream.
Well, sort of

I don't know if this is due to the tranny or the traction control.

I don't see how TC would have an effect on that, really.