Honda MID vs Scanguage vs other - Fuel Economy, Hypermiling, EcoModding News and Forum

eh.ohKate · 03-02-2013, 05:58 PM

So I've been reading a lot of conflicting information about the accuracy of factory installed fuel economy measurement devices. One study indicated inaccuracies as high as 19%(!) optimistic in some models. The study mentioned the 2010 Insight, which would be the one I want information on as the system is the same as in my CR-Z but it didn't mention data collected for that model (my hope is that means it was good and thus didn't fit the article.) On some forums I've read about the Honda computers actually being conservative in situations where they are off, which I take no issue with it's like setting the clock five minutes fast so you get to work on time.

That brings me to my question, do you guys have any information on this subject, are they all within the same ballpark of accuracy or are any of them definitively better?

Cobb · 03-02-2013, 08:16 PM

The newer Insight reads 2mpg higher than actual. The instant read out with the bar graph is off once it passes 75mpg too. An SG2 will show you the real mpg assuming you see yours in that area frequently.

eh.ohKate · 03-02-2013, 08:36 PM

Thanks! Exactly what I was looking for, you rock

Cobb · 03-02-2013, 09:10 PM

I have the newer insight that shares a lot with the fit and Ive gotten up to 103 mpg and low as 36. Ive even placed in a few car shows.

Does your crz have the turbo button? What voltage does one of the stickers say on the drivers side when you open it? 100?

Thx.

eh.ohKate · 03-02-2013, 11:13 PM

No I have the 2012, so I have sport, normal, and eco but no S+ button, that was a new addition for the '13's. And yep 100 volts on the door sticker.

And also, if you're in an advicey mood, the auto idle stop, I've heard people say it kicks in at 19 mph on mine, or 22-23 on your Insight, but my owners manual says it kicks in at 6, and has a crazy list of things I have to do to even make it work, so if you have any insight (pun semi-intended) on how to make that actually happen I would very much appreciate it!

Also dang! Nice mileage and good work on the car shows

sorry for the delays I had to watch my Hockey.

RedDevil · 03-03-2013, 05:11 AM

My Insight is about 6% optimystic on FE compared to PumpGauge.
To get auto-stop I need to run it in eco-mode, leave AC off and the temp/vents low, get the engine and probably the planet heated up properly. The more of these the longer the auto-stop will last, but never beyond 30 seconds so far.
I only got mine last October, so expecting longer AS this summer.

Cobb · 03-03-2013, 10:24 AM

Dont feel bad, I didnt know if it was the 12 or 13 that had the lifepo4 battery.

Do you have a cvt or stick? The engine does the fuel cut thing all the time you are not pressing the throttle, but auto stop is bit of a mystery. It depends on a few factors. To ensure it will not engage you can use the defroster setting on the HVAC, sport mode or if its a stick shift keep the car in gear vs shifting to nutral. I have a feeling you got a stick shift model and you go backwards throug the gears like i do and keep it in first at lights.

The Insight, at least the first batch does auto stop at 7mph. You can see the rpm drop to zero and the auto stop light start blinking while you coast to a stop. The cvt crz I test drove spun the engine with the IMA system udner 12 mph. It had a different feel to it.

I test drove both and didnt feel either was much of a sport. I managed almsot 40 mpg on the stick on my test drive and 18 mpg on the cvt.

eh.ohKate · 03-03-2013, 01:01 PM

RedDevil:
Thanks for the info! I'll have to do some manual measurements (I have a fuel tracking app on my tablet which I keep in the car) and see how it measures up to reality. And ya it seems pretty much like a mystery sometimes, if I do the exact same thing at two separate stops on the same flat road one will auto stop the other won't. Shrugs, its pretty odd, but I'll try to pay more attention as I have the car more than a week and a half :P

Cobb:
I wanted to get the stick! But with some of the details in my life I was honestly surprised I was approved for the car, and all they had was the cvt. I got it used with 2700 miles on it for a good bit under as there is a small dent at the hinge on the passenger door, which I fully plan to get fixed up in the spring. Yeah it's not meant to be a sports car hahaha just a sporty hybrid car, and imo most of the sporty is the look of it :P though that isn't to say sport mode doesn't make it far more powerful and responsive. In sport mode it really is a totally different car (they did the 0-60 time in eco mode, not sport).

What I have found with the whole auto idle stop, at about 19 if I'm coasting and tap the brake it goes into a heavy regenerative coasting mode, where the RPM's drop a lot, but not to totally zero and the car decelerates pretty quick, then at 6MPH, if I make sure I tap the brake from 7 to 6 and have climate controls and wipers off it will drop into auto idle. Sometimes it will do it if I don't use the brake and if I am using both climate controls and wipers. If I'm using neither of those it will stay auto-stopped until I move my foot off the brake, or tap the gas. If I'm using both it is pretty much when the auto temperature setting kicks in, but not always. It seems like there must be some actual algorithm somewhere I could find to maximize the benefit from it haha.

Also yeesh thats a crazy difference, I'm averaging about 43.4 right now on the cvt hahaha did you put it into sport mode and floor it?

sheepdog 44 · 03-03-2013, 07:54 PM

The CVT gets better mpg than the manual which is a surprise. +4 city, +3 highway. This says they either improved the CVT which normally takes a 5-8% efficiency loss off the top vs a manual. Or the manual CRZ has short gears as a sacrifice to fuel efficiency.

Fuel Economy of 2012 Honda CR-Z

Cobb · 03-03-2013, 08:46 PM

You had to get approval for the cvt model?!?!?!?! I had a honda dealer tell me I couldnt drive a cvt.

I actually had the ac quit on a 95 degree day I test drove it.

In that case unless you drive in sport mode its likely use of the hvac that us causing the auto stop issues. It senses the humidity in the air and if its above a certain amount it wont auto stop. Likewise if its in the defroster mode. Try turning it off and see if its auto stop.

Other such conditions are the state of charge of the starter battery, the state of the ima battery, engine coolant temperature, any DTCs, pressing of the gas petal while holding the brakes or shifting the cvt while stopped.

I always floor my car. I tend to pulse and glide as I drive.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DsNyalGCX10