I have a two month old Honda Odyssey with 2500 miles on it. So far I average 12-13 mpg suburban driving (average speed 25-40) , average trip is about 6 miles at a time. Honda dealership has checked my car and said it meets all Honda specifications. Is anyone else out there getting the same type of mileage? Honda told me I should try to drive longer routes to boost my fuel efficiency.
For those lengths of trips and driving conditions, the mileage you’re getting is exactly about what I’d expect. Honda’s idea of driving longer routes to get better mileage would I suppose technically work from a mathematical standpoint, but you’d be driving further and using more gas!
Also keep in mind that with these kind of driving conditions, you need to be on the most severe duty oil-change schedule prescribed by your owner’s manual.
There are a number of things which could be done; but, we don’t know if the dealer would be willing to do them:
- Attach an engine performance recorder to the vehicle to see how you actually drive.
- The amount of gasoline in the tank, and consumed, needs to be accurately measured, before and after the test period.
- Scan the engine computer to insure that it is going into CLOSED LOOP operation; That the coolant temperature is getting hot enough (+160F degrees); That short term and long term fuel trim are where they should be; That the oxygen sensors, and other sensors are where they should be, and when they should be.
The car maker, also, has a performance measuring procedure.
You are driving a car that is not likely to get great mileage and you are driving it under conditions that would likely reduce mileage as well. It may be normal.
Yea driving highway and longer trips would help, but I doubt if it is going to be practical and would use more fuel overall anyway. It is only rated for about 15 mpg city.
It is possible that as you put a few more miles on it the mileage may go up. It is also likely that changing your driving habits (take it easy, accelerate slower, anticipate stops and start slowing down early etc) will increase your mileage.
If you really wanted better mileage, you should have purchased something that would provide it. My car gets upper 40’s to low 50’s city driving, but it is a lot smaller than yours.
Don’t tell me, lemme guess…you’re using low-grade fuel from the Quickie Mart, amirite?
I switched to Premium for my double-ought Ody, and gas mileage improved somewhat. A trip from DC to Harrisburg, PA takes about four-tenths of a tank on Shell V-Power, and five-tenths on Turkey Hill regular.
I agree with most of what has been said. The Odyssey is a large vehicle that is rated by the EPA as achieving only 16 mpg in city driving. Given the “average trip of about 6 miles”, the mileage that the OP is reporting is probably about the best that can be expected.
The only way for the OP to boost the current gas mileage is to avoid drive-ups at banks, pharmacies and fast-food joints, to avoid warming up the engine for more than perhaps 30 seconds or so, to avoid jackrabbit starts, to take excess weight out of the cargo area, to keep the tires properly inflated, and to keep the vehicle well-maintained. However, when a vehicle of that size and weight is driven for only short trips, it will never be possible to achieve very good gas mileage.
The J35A4/6 V6 used in the Odyssey was designed for use with regular 87 octane fuel. There is no reason to use premium. Any fuel mileage increase is purely coincidental.
Wow, have times changes. I’ve been tracking the mileage on my 1998 Honda Odyssey (a minivan built on the Accord chasse), and over the past month I have gotten over 28 MPG for city/suburban driving. Amazing that manufacturers, and the people that purchase their vehicles, have been willing to compromise gas mileage to such a great degree for other features. This vehicle has never failed to meet any need I have for a minivan and drives like a dream. Too bad they don’t make minivans like this any longer.
Some of us like to have more than 150 HP under the hood.
Hi,
I was wondering if you managed to solve this low mileage issue? I am having the same problem with my 2003 Honda Odyssey, with 108,000 miles on it. Funny thing is that I used to get 21MPG, and within the past 3 months it has dropped down to 12MPG. Not sure what I can do. I have posted a question in this forums today with all the details of the things I have tried.
Thanks