Are some non-hybrid cars easier to "hypermile" than others?
 

If I apply the same set of hypermiling techniques to several manual-transmission, non-hybrid cars of different makes with the same EPA mileage, will I be able to achieve about the same improved mileage in each car when I drive it with hypermiling techniques, or are there certain brands that can be HMed more effectively than others? My guess is the latter; if so, which cars are best?

Top of my head, Geo Metros, Civics, CRXs, Saturns, Rangers to name a few

Results will vary. You want to start with a good higher mileage car and go from there rather than start with a gas hog.

Your suspicion is right: some cars are much easier to hypermile "out of the box" than other cars. I'm only talking about relative improvements compared to the EPA estimates.

A simple example is straight highway cruising. Drive over about 100 km/h (60 mph) in a 3 cylinder Metro 5-speed in warm weather, and you won't be able to achieve its (old) EPA highway rating.

My mom's Camry, however could be driven up to 112 km/h before the mileage dropped below its EPA highway estimate.

So it's not a level playing field.

according to rh77 reviews. The new Malibu and Toyota Corolla are easy to beat the epa. I would check out www.fueleconomy.gov and look at the user submitted mpg. The drivers submitting information on that site are generally normal, non-hypermilling, drivers.

Corolla's been real easy for me, and its an auto! (ps: last week was a record tank for me @ 39.45 mpg vs EPA 29 combined...)

The Wife's Hyundai Accent is getting great results but I find my Aveo is not as good. But it's also brand new and hasn't passed break in yet, which is suppose to make a slight difference "they say".

igo -

I would make the distinction that any new car is probably going to be easier to beat in terms of the new EPA figures. The new EPA figures are more realistic, but they "lower the bar" relative to the old EPA figures.

But as others have said, drivetrains are different. You have to get to know each one to see how it behaves. From my POV, you need to be a member of at least two forums to get good MPG. You should be a member of ecomodder.com and a forum strictly devoted to your car, like saturnfans.com .

CarloSW2

I object to that! I have yet to find a civic forum that isn't full of 16y/o make-believe street racers!

While most online forums for cars are oriented around performance there usually is still good info there. Common problems and such info are abundant on those forums and can be quite useful.

I will admit though, my threads on performance get MUCH more attention than my threads on mileage.

There are other factors that will make the cars vary greatly even if they have the same EPA fuel rating.

Weight and drag coeff. are the two big ones.

Blue07CivicEX -

You take the good with the bad. On www.saturnfans.com there are certified Saturn technicians who are *vast* sources of knowledge. Without their help, I would be forced to buy a new car.

CarloSW2

Daox -

I don't try to push MPG on those forums. I ask about how to keep my car healthy. But when someone does ask about MPG, I tell them what I am doing.

CarloSW2

Blue07CivicEx: "I have yet to find a Civic forum that isn't full of 16 year old make believe street racers!"

Yup. I think the best I've found is:

http://www.honda-tech.com/zeroforum/79

And lots of silly teen boy racers there. I don't post much. :(

Title of recent thread:

"Help, my rear deck rattles when speakers at full volume!!" :rolleyes:

Jace, a good reply to that thread. "Don't worry about it, the rattle will go away in a couple months, because you'll be DEAF you dumbass".

the epa website shows the new numbers for older cars. you can see the old numbers if you want, but by default the new numbers are displayed (i wonder how the figured out the new numbers on old cars)

I think a much more useful fuel economy metric for comparing cars would be a simple "speed vs. mpg" graph in top gear in consistent atmospheric conditions (ie. on a lab dyno) with aero losses calculated and factored in.

It would reveal much more "pure" data than the existing simulations of city vs. highway driving.

I'd LOVE to see those graphs for each car!

When I was shopping for a car to replace my Focus, I looked at everything from base mpg and power to cubic footage of storage space, curb weight, tank size, and turning radius.

In addition to having good mileage, manual transmissions give you more options in lugging along in low gears. Cars that allow you to take over shift points are probably almost as good. Basic automatics assume average driving, and will only shift for average mileage: avoid them.

If you want to go more extreme, there are other things to look for. Power steering and brakes become nonexistant during EOC: avoid them if you want to use EOC. Boattails/Kammbacks become easier (possible) in hatchbacks that only need the hatch extended, not the whole car past the roof redone.

There are a few transmissions out there that can be changed. There is a saturn thread on this board on how to change 5th gear. Some of the toyota (and scion) 5 speed sticks can take an extra gear by just adding it and a few extra parts. This is and old trick: if you buy an old car with 4 speeds, find out if a junkyard might contain the parts for a 5th.

Finally the most important part of the car is the driver. Drivers can often be improved by reading this board, and a scangauge (or better yet: MPGuino).