No clue as to where Mazda feels they can state 18/25 for the RX-8. Legally, would not mess with it. My average MPG jumps all over the place from as low as 13 to as high as 19 MPG. But I have noticed that city driving (even a little of it) sucks the fuel out faster than I ever expected. The car does not like to sit at idle and it definitely does not like the repeated starts and shutdowns that come with city driving... I do find that the MPG goes up on the highway and my last tank was at 19 MPG. I have accepted the fact that 18/25 will never happen... I will take 13/19 and drive it like I want... But you have to admit... you look damn good driving down the road...

 

5/1/06 - Revi + Ram Air - 24,000 miles + installed new spark plugs with the Revi. – OEM tires, exhaust, 91 octane.

Mileage – 1st tank city, 21mpg + 1 over standard 18-20 – 2nd tank freeway cruise 23mpg + 2 over standard 20-22 - 3rd tank rush hour freeway and city, 21mpg. Overall, 1-2mpg better.

 

5mpg here

 

Update. I WAS getting 14mpg with what I would consider normal driving. So I started shifting at or just below 3000rpm, but still redlining it every so often when I want to have fun. My gas mileage has skyrocketed. Normally at 40 miles I'd already be down a 1/4 tank. Now I'm at 82miles on this tank and it just dropped below the 1/4 tank mark.

 

So not pounding the car to death, redlining at every opportunity, is "killing" it?

I've got one word, or two letters, for that:

BS

When driving around town, shifting at 3000rpm or so is not "grannying" it, it's just taking it easy. You don't need to drive like a testosterone-addled teen EVERYWHERE you go, you know. "Driving it like you stole it" all the time is a great way to increase the wear and tear on the vehicle and lead to a premature demise, no matter what brand or model of car it is. Pound the car when appropriate, but drive it like any other car the rest of the time and you will get okay (not "good") mileage and decrease your maintenance costs, as well.

 

imagine that

 

I know. It's somthin' else.

 

I hit 22 mpg on the drive to Rochester. Of course, thats basically sitting in sixth on cruise for an entire tank. I don't imagine ever really getting better.

 

I just sit in my RX-8 and have a buddy tow me around.

 

Today I had to fill my tank again. It's been 185 miles since filling last and had to put 14.2 gallons Mobil 93 Octane in it. 13 MPG. I have my dealership contacting the Mazda Technical support to look into possibilities, because they won't take a look at the cat without a code being set. Oh, and I don't beat my car, redlining all day everyday. When I said driving it like a granny, I was simply saying that I pretty much didn't take it over 4k for a whole tank, which only got me 20 extra miles. I drive it like a "granny" and a sports car and everywhere in between now. All of it equally divided between hwy and city driving. I will fill you all in on the conclusion if it ever happens, lol! I love this car though and so do the ladies, lol!

 

Lol! That's great!

 

I'm getting about 14 to 15mpg city driving. I get about 17mpg highway driving. I understand it's a sports car but good lord.

 

My driving is about 50/50 city/highway. I usually get about 240-250 per tank, and that is using about 13.5 gal., which comes out to about 18 mpg. I have gotten 300 on road trips. But 12 mpg is definitely really low.

 

They aren't going to do anything because they can't do anything about it. It is simply one of the inconsistencies between the different rotary motors. Some get good mileage while some get horrible. When I had my 04 RX8 I would bitch about he fact I barely got 14mpg. I then slapped a turbo on, and it made city mpg much much worse. (Not that I was expecting anything better) Its just that I wanted a car that could go as fast as it can use up gas. Well, that didn't work either. I got fed up with it. I sold it bought a Lexus IS 350. I'm pushing 277 rwhp and getting an average of about 25 miles per gallon. And that's ragging on it. So for all of you who say that "you should have thought about that before getting a Sports Car" Then your wrong.
The 2006 SRT10 Viper gives 12- 20 mpg,
2006 Corvette ZO6 16 mpg in city traffic and 26 mpg.

I say get a different sports car or get a different RX8.. Although this car looks bad *** and big time eye candy (especially from the girls) It just doesn't walk the talk.

 

I hear ya. Your driving habits really seem to have no effect on the outcome of the overall mpg. I can redline every time I drive and floor it at every light and get as good mileage as I would shifting at about 4-5k every time with one redline a day.

But yes, the ladies really do love this car. I was leaving a friends house and 2 chicks saw me drive off and later that night I got a phone call from my friends sister saying the girl she was with wanted my phone number.

 

I had an RX8 for a year back in 2004. I traded it for a 2005 G35 coupe which I recently dumped in favor of a VW Jetta 2.0T. Vee Dub Yalll. I get 25mpg in mixed city/fwy and 32+ on highway only. I made a 130 mile round trip to a golf course recently on 1/4 tank. I can hit 60 in under 7 seconds and have great driveability around town since the turbo spools so early. I get peak torque (207 lb ft) from 1900 to 4500 rpm! I miss my Rex at times but not at the pump. The Jetta might not have the sex appeal of the 8 but it is a damn solid car, performs well, doesn't cost as much to drive, maintain, insure, replace tires and came in way less than an 8 with GT package (I was out the door for $22,199). If mileage is such an issue, there are other vehicles out there. Don't get me wrong, I was a big fan of my 8 and defended it agressively against trolls on this site and other miscellaneous haters but damn, there are alternatives. Factory turbo cars are hard to beat.

P.S. I can get reflashed aftermarket for 30 more hp and 40 lbft on pump gas for $595.

 

Perhaps, but there goes the "doesn't cost much to maintain" part. If you think a 15% hp and torque bump won't cause any reliability problems... Well, good luck if you go through with it. VW is smart enough to figure out if you've done a reflash and will deny any warranty claims if they catch you.

Not 'haytin' on Veedubs, I had a Jetta for years and still love 'em... But perfect they ain't. Their reliability in any recent year you wish to name is near the bottom of the barrel and the new Jetta, sad to say, looks like a Toyota. I'd probably get another Mazda6S before I'd get a new Jetta. The only thing that the Jetta has over the now four year-old 6 design is a better-quality interior and better overall mileage. Can't wait for the new model next year, or more accurately, my gf can't wait for the new model next year, if it still offers the V6 with a stick.

 

Werd, it does look like a big corolla, a bit boring indeed. You're right about the 15% torque bump, it's not in my plans until the 5yr/60000 mile powertrain warranty is up. That new mazdaspeed6 is sharp, I'd drive one of those!

 

I did mean it when I wrote "sad to say". I like VW and wish they'd not mucked up the redesign...

 

but its a Jetta... Just out of curiousity, why did you trade the G. The only reason I can think is $$$$$, those things are expensive!

 

That's like my driving. I filled up yesterday and calculated out my mileage on my last tank and got 24.18. I was happy. I have broken the 24 mark twice now. Otherwise I average around low 23s. I have mixed driving. Downtown stopping every block. Crappy highway rush hour where you move at about 15 mph and then hit the brakes about every 20 feet or so. LOL It takes me an hour to get to work and at least half of it going 30 mph or less and/or stop and go because of bad traffic. I save about 15 minutes on the way home since traffic is pretty light and I don't have the rush hour stop and go. My last tank I was right about 90 when it dropped below the first 1/4 down mark. This tank I only have around 20 miles on it so it is still right up at the full line or just a tiny bit under.

I always put in Chevron Supreme which is, I beleive, 92 octane here. The two times I have used Shell V-power my mileage dropped into the low 21s and my car didn't seem to run as smoothly and seemed a little sluggish. I haven't tried any other brands. Bella just seems to love Chevron!

Edit: The two times I got low 21s also, coincidentally, happened to also be when my car was at the body shop getting the rock dent fixed on the hood and then when I brought it back in at a later time for my complimentary detailing. I told them to make sure not to shut the car off cold and taped a note to the steering wheel.

 

I've got a 2004 Jetta GLI (the limited edition with the body kit, BBS 18" wheels, polished stainless steel exhaust, Audi TT brakes, Recaro seats and 6 speed manual transmission) with 40k on it in two years of ownership. Zero defects. None. Nada. Zip. Zilch.

Also does 28 MPG at 75-80 MPH through the AZ and CA deserts...

The wife doesn't care for the new Jetta design though. Not aggressive enough!
Eric

 

Oh oh gotta toss in my two cents on this one.

lowest avg so far has been 10.5mpg but that was me doing a high spirited drive from Northern VT to the South Shore of MA.

So far for a 4 week period I'm avg 13.09mpg. Highest I've seen since owning is 13.61 and that was within my 4 week if you will test of mileage. All tanks fit in around 13.25 gallons or more give or take another .25.

I'm not bitching just had to toss my 2 cents in. Though I almost did flip out about the 10mpg tank till I realized the slip was from my Vt trip back. Thankfully gas is starting to go back down around my area so its a bit easier to swallow, just wish it was atleast 1.50 then I'd just shrug off this bad mileage all together.

 

3rd grade math is pretty hard.

That's why some people measure by the tankful.

 

why is it that gas mileage threads are always sooooooooooooo long?