Even with 6k+ miles, I had not gone on any long trips at all with my car since getting it last July - until now. Mileage has typically ranged from 15-19+. And I certainly don't drive with mileage in mind. This car is my toy, plain and simple, for rides of 10-60 miles typical distance.

But just got back from a 3 day trip from NH to Montreal and back through the hills and mountains of NH and Vermont, so this is not flatlander territory. With fillups at start, mid, and top-off at end within 5 miles of home base, total miles was 632.5, gallons was 28.42, giving a overall 22.26 mpg. Not too shabby! And now I have confirmation of the fact that the RX-8 is an economical car if need be!

Perhaps 100 miles of that was city/off interstate highway driving, the rest was 70-80 mph cruising. I did try to be consistent, with no lead-footing driving, but fun nevertheless. Also very comfortable, quiet, and relaxing to drive, except when the road got really rough in places, then the firm suspension really made its presence... ahem... felt.

ps. And I saw one tit (I think) RX-8 in oldtown Montreal friday night maybe like 8pm. My wife saw you as you went by. Anyone here there at that time?

 

I just got back from my first long distance trip myself. During the trip, I got 23 mpg. This was mostly I-20 and I-95 traffic running at around 75 - 80 mph. I usually set the cruise at 78 so the interstate driving was pretty consistent.

I didn't start tracking mpg until 2200 miles, and I have ~7200 on the odo now. My ongoing average has been 19.659 with a min of 17.399 which was during an autocross weekend, and max of 23.712 which was during this last trip. Most of my driving has been relatively spirited city driving (except when the wife is in the car). All of my fillups have been with regular unleaded gas.

Overall, I'm pretty satisfied with the gas milage... It is a sports car afterall. I didn't buy it for the economy.

My wife slept part of the way. She commented that the ride wasn't as nice as the Camry, (it couldn't be) but that it was pretty good. I told her that I didn't buy the passenger slumber package. It's much better than her Saturn for the passenger anyway.

It's smooth enough that when she sleeps, I can follow the occational speeder up to 100 - 110 for a while without waking her.

 

I drove to south dakota a few weekends ago.. and let me tell you.. Gas MPG with cruize set at 98 mph SUCKS. 15.6 mpg on that (those) tanks. Also, moderate rain REALLY eats into the mileagle.. it seems more so than some other cars I have had.

Good thing is, I got 24 mpg again, back across wisconsin at 74 mph cruize....

 

Thanks lafrad- I was thinking I would need to keep it to 71 or so to get decent mileage on my trip this summer - you just got me to Washington Island a little faster- 74 it will be

 

To be fair, how many cars can comfortably cruise at 98mph and how many of those would have better gas mileage.

 

I wouldn't really consider 22.26 miles to the gallon on the highway economical, for an RX-8 it is but compaired to anything else it's still not much better than a SUV, worse in some cases.

 

Have not owned a bunch of SUV's, however of the (3), the Tahoe got the best @ 17 mpg, the Cherokee @ 15 mpg, and the K5 Blazer @ 13 mpg highway.

My RX-8 averages 21.6 mpg on the 'L' reflash.

 

I do mostly hwy driving and 3 times have got 27.5mpg with cruz set at 65mph and the air on...I'm happy! Its improved 3mpg since it was new, I have 10k miles now...

 

That's what I said..... for an RX-8, 22.26 is economical on the highway.

'anything else' being ... what?..... Civic? TT? Mustang? 350? Ferrari? obvoiusly 'anything else' too! - that last bit is just non-sensical. If you're trying to say that an RX-8 could get similar mileage to 'some SUV'... I'm sure it could, maybe... but so what is your point?

 

perhaps this is due to DSC?