I wouldn't get a Skyactiv-X car for the first two model years. Let somebody else work out the teething issues that will surely emerge with the new technology.

 

Well, mine is over 2 years old and so far it's running perfectly with no faults whatsoever and returning over 60mpg (UK) on a run and around 48mpg overall.

 

an engine has to break in before you will have any reliable and predictable MPG's, and then your MPG's will vary widely based upon how you drive the car (aggressive or not, short trips or longer trips, average speed, etc).

btw you probably realize that fuel economy drops dramatically with higher speeds, so if you want to exceed the EPA Highly mpg figure (AWD sedan=33mpg) that was tested at an average speed of 48.4 mph (top speed on one test is 60mph, though they also do a brief high speed test that I think is factored in), and you will probably have a hard time achieving that or better mpg's at ~75mph.

Detailed Test Information

EPA tests vehicles by running them through a series of driving routines, or schedules, that specify vehicle speed for each point in time during the laboratory tests.

www.fueleconomy.gov

though if you were shooting for hypermiling you should have bought a FWD, the AWD will cost you more in gas.

Will a turbo give you better mpg's? sometimes, so will a CVT transmission, sometimes. For comparison I just barely touch the EPA numbers for my Subaru Legacy and usually on the highway I keep it at 74mph max (less than 10mph over the speed limit). AWD isn't known for great mpg's.

 

Yes I understand the AWD and break-in arguments. I’m simply stating that this engine choice from Mazda may not have been the best for MPGs.

 

If you are after MPG you should have bought a Toyota Prius or Corolla Hybrid with a CVT or even better an EV.
Good grief third world problems.

 

Might also just be your style of driving. Don’t drive with a lead foot and try to stay around 2k rpm when you’re cruising.

I took a road trip in my FWD and got 38 mpg which is above the EPA rating and I had CC set at 75. Of course there’s a lot of factors to get this. Biggest one was probably there was ZERO traffic and lots of flat roads.

On my work drives I routinely get 30-32 Mpg per trip even when occasionally driving like a maniac.

 

I have to wonder if a 2.0 Turbo would return better fuel economy than the 2.5 L with Cylinder Deactivation.

I am getting the same fuel consumption in my '19 Mazda 3 2.5l AWD hatch compared with my '17 VW GTI DSG Performance Pack that had the 2l turbo without cylinder deactivation.

EPA has the same numbers for them as well https://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/Find.do?action=sbs&id=41083&id=41368&id=41085

From my point of view, yes a GTI with 220HP/258ft-lb has pretty much the same fuel consumption with 2.5l with cylinder deactivation with less HP and torque when you drive them the same.
Even the Golf R with ~280HP and AWD is close to the Mazda3 AWD.

 

I've been pleasantly surprised with my fuel economy. My last two tanks have been 6.3l/100km (37.3) and 6.5l/100km (36.2). I've been able to average drives to my parents or work at 5.4 l/100km (43.6).

I have a 2.5l sedan with auto.

 

This is the problem with the SA engine. If you do a lot of steady state light load highway driving you can get 40 mpg. Speed doesn't seem a factor as much as some say though. I've gotten 38+ at 75-80 mph.....
However, city driving requires the engine to operate at a higher load percentage, a lower compression ratio and different throttle settings so you are lucky if you get 25 or 26 mpg.

 

Our FWD sedan is getting about 31 mpg combined and 38 on the highway. I'm happy with those numbers.

 

This car definitely has worse MPG than my 16...I don’t really feel like the extra HP is worth it. HOWEVER, in the right circumstances you can get great MPGs. I did a 2 hour trip at 67-70mpg and hit 46MPG. So this car CAN get good MPGs its just super varied depending on what conditions it’s being driven. I’ve found for LA traffic its terrible and could have helped to have the i-stop system.

Best advice is to learn how to get to the “sweet spot” of the car (using the “active mpg” and CD graphic) and then you can instinctively get it perform better and easily activate CD.

 

This car definitely has worse MPG than my 16...I don’t really feel like the extra HP is worth it. HOWEVER, in the right circumstances you can get great MPGs. I did a 2 hour trip at 67-70mpg and hit 46MPG. So this car CAN get good MPGs its just super varied depending on what conditions it’s being driven. I’ve found for LA traffic its terrible and could have helped to have the i-stop system.

Best advice is to learn how to get to the “sweet spot” of the car (using the “active mpg” and CD graphic) and then you can instinctively get it perform better and easily activate CD.

46 MPG. Hmmm, I wonder why Mazda is not advertising this.

 

I'm averaging 34.59 mpg US over the first 10,000 miles in my fwd. I chose this model over awd wanting better fuel economy. I do mostly highway driving, and exceed the speed limit by 20 to 25%, but I accelerate gently and try to time traffic lights etc to get economy this good. I use the Fuelio app to calculate fuel economy. The Mazda computer is far from accurate when calculating fuel economy. Sometimes it's close, sometimes it's way off.

 

I get around 6.3L/100km (For the behind the times americans 37.3356 US MPG) with my 2.5 AWD hatch on the highway after break in!! very impressed... It gets better gas mileage then my 2015 2.5 GT on the Highway but worst in the City then my 2015! But all and all with the amount of hwy Driving I do I get better Gas milage on my AWD 2019 2.5 Hatch then I did in my 2015 2.5 FWD.

 

It took a long time till I was seeing an average of over 30mpg consistently. Finally at 200k I'm getting around 34mpg. But I typically do my commute 73mph one way that's slightly up hill and 75mph the other way slightly downhill. I also have to drive like a granny all the time, I'm normally in the busier freeways doing 65-70. A 2.0l turbo isn't going to do better driving around everywhere with your foot in it. That's just the nature of the beast. If you get used to driving without the rpms exceeding 2500rpms you'll do better.

 

It took you until 200,000 miles to achieve 34 MPG? FWIW, I’ve had a Jetta 2.0T and a Honda Civic 1.5T. They both got better MPG in the city. My driving style is not aggressive at all. At least with the turbo engines I had way more torque off the line and didn’t have to floor it to get moving.

 

The 2018 2.5 HB doesn't get any better. City 22, Hwy 30, Avg 26. One thing I did notice is the AC really sucks up the power AND mileage, about 3 mpg less with the AC on. Worse is the AC sucks the gas even when cold and only needed to dehumidify. They really should use electric scroll compressors for the AC like the Prius. No loss of mileage or power, better cooling, true variable cooling (not this bad cycle of too cold-too hot), and they last longer and simpler mechanics. Not sure why they still even use a compressor design a century old. Oh yea, it's cheaper. Another gripe is the lack of IR blocking glass, even as a replacement it is not available. That would keep the cabin temp much cooler. I had an old 2006 a while back, and just don't see any big advancements. In other countries, at least they offer a hybrid. The car does handle well and fun to drive though.

 

As they say, mileage will vary, but........
I have a 2016 Mazda 6 2.5L with 50K miles. Specs say 38 HWY. On a recent trip I got 36 MPG with the cruise control set at 80MPH. Big contributor was that this was with Arizona gas. I have never gotten above 32 MPG using California gas, even driving slower on the highway.

Boy I am sure glad I am paying that extra dollar a gallon to get 15% lower mileage because of the special boutique gas the big California refineries and ex-Governor Grey Davis came up with.

Idiot.

If you are in California, you should factor in at least a few miles per gallon into your disappointment due to the gas.

 

As they say, mileage will vary, but........
I have a 2016 Mazda 6 2.5L with 50K miles. Specs say 38 HWY. On a recent trip I got 36 MPG with the cruise control set at 80MPH. Big contributor was that this was with Arizona gas. I have never gotten above 32 MPG using California gas, even driving slower on the highway.

Boy I am sure glad I am paying that extra dollar a gallon to get 15% lower mileage because of the special boutique gas the big California refineries and ex-Governor Grey Davis came up with.

Idiot.

If you are in California, you should factor in at least a few miles per gallon into your disappointment due to the gas.

Airizona is typically higher altitude where the air is a little thinner. Anywhere you get higher altitude you will get better mileage. It's been my experience across the states.

 

I don't have the specific numbers but in my '19 Mazda 3 Sedan Premium i drove 170 miles (freeway) and only used a quarter tank of gas. I was going an avg of 75 mph. This car definitely got better fuel economy as it got broken in.

 

I get 32-35 mpg on average with my 15 hatch, probably 60/40 highway/city. Makes me wonder how some of you are driving your cars.

 

The more time you spend on the highway the higher your average will be. Driving around town kills that average pretty quick.
My average is 26 - 27, not a lot of highway driving, but then there is this -

 

Finally hit 26 MPG city. I still think there is room for improvement but I’m happy now. That’s in the same range as what I was getting with my Honda Civic turbo

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I'm getting 26.5mpg city. The more you can cruise, the better mpg you'll get. It's the stop and go that really kill the gas mileage.

 

24mpg is what they claim to get so you're doing good. I have an awd also and I've driven over 2000 miles on it and my average is pret



I believe 24mpg is what they claim for the car in the city. So, you're doing good in that terms. That's better than what I've been averaging and I've had over 2000 miles on my car now. I have an awd also and I've been averaging 20mpg. I'm pretty disappointed too, I dont drive aggressive or anything. The best I've got was 27mpg but that was only on highway driving. So idk, it's been kinda frustrating

 

In bumper-to-bumper stop and go traffic I’m averaging around 20 miles per gallon now. When I have stretches of road ahead of me where I can cruise at about 45 mph I noticed that I’m getting around 25 miles per gallon now. I also noticed that on those same stretches if I give it moderate throttle to get up to speed sooner instead of using a very light throttle then I’m also getting better fuel economy and I presume it’s because the cylinder deactivation system is kicking in sooner

On my route to and from work in the morning‘s I’ve been able to reach as much is 27 miles per gallon. Traffic is usually fairly heavy but it moves right along and it’s also dark so I don’t think the air-conditioning is having to work as hard. In the afternoon on the same route I’m lucky if I get 20 to 22 miles per gallon on the way home. It’s just odd.

The Honda Civic turbo that I traded in for this car was getting me on average 28 miles per gallon and it didn’t matter whether it was morning noon or night and the traffic never seem to affect it. But it also used premium unleaded fuel which cost quite a bit more to fill the tank so I think it’s a wash. I still prefer driving this Mazda over the Honda. It’s just much more comfortable.


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So far I have gotten better than expected mileage out of my 2019 3 FWD. I do mostly highway miles and have hit 41.5 on drives to work including hitting traffic. Use the cruise control and drive about 5 over the posted limit so at the top speed I am doing 80 mph but also 65 mph during the construction zone I have to run. But the car has been getting around 36.5 to 37.5 most of the time, which is better then I thought it would get.

 

I've only had my car a week (FWD Auto Hatch) and it is indicating ~29 mpg in mixed driving, AC in constant use.

One thing I have noticed (compared to my prior car, AWD Legacy) is that my car coasts extraordinarily well while in gear, so hyper-miling is a possibility with the FWD version, anyway, but to do that you would need to avoid ACC use, since that system isn't nearly as predictive as a human for when coasting is an option, though is does accelerate like a grandma if you don't mind letting it do that for you.

That said, I am happy to drive the piss out of it and get 29mpg's rather than try to win some imaginary mpg contest.

 

A trip from Orlando FL to Winston Salem NC running at a steady 75 MPH with a trunk full of luggage and 1 passenger yielded 36 MPG in my AWD 3. I’m pleased


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FWD/Auto premium hatch:

I have only had a couple of fill ups, now about 800 miles on the odometer, some in town, some highway 55-70mph (with some rapid acceleration and some coasting, liberal use of ACC) and my overall average while the car is breaking in 33mpg!

I don't drive around in sport mode because I really don't think it is needed, the car is peppy enough, I really only use sport mode to launch the car from a stop occasionally to beat other traffic for a merge.

In other words, if you want good mpg's without trying too hard, go FWD. If you want AWD, don't fret the lower mpg's.

By comparison, same driving conditions my 2017 Legacy 2.5 averaged just under 27mpg's after it was broken in.

 

Went to Seattle the other day with my AWD sedan. Did not pay attention while heading to Seattle, but on my way back decided to monitor the consumption and reseted everything : 6.0 l/ 100 km (39.20 mpg) from Seattle to Vancouver. Granted, the highway wasn't too crowded, mostly drove at 65 - 75 mph with cruise control on and air conditioning on & off. Got almost 3000 km on it so far, all good. In the city the fuel consumption goes way up, but i care about highway driving more, so works just fine for me.

 

I have the AWD GT Sport (Hatchback) model. Almost 8,000 KM (5,000 miles) on it, just about 6 months old. I've recorded all of my fuel ups.

So far:

AVG MPG: 30.2 MPG.
LAST MPG: 26.1 MPG.
BEST MPG: 43.0 MPG.

We do 90% city driving which results in about 25-28 MPG on average. The best 43 MPG I've seen was a long road trip with cruise set to ~65 mph.

 

Thanks for the info. good reference point.
By-and-large, I just drive the car and fuel-up as required. It is what it is, not much I can do about it.
The research on purchase was done prior to commitment. Once bought, I am just satisfied with driving sensibly, and hope for the best, knowing that with time, the car get broken-in, it will only get better.
Fuel receipt etc. are kept for tax purpose only.