Mirage economy run Thailand: 31.9 km/L (3.1L/100km, 75 mpg US) 5-spd

[MetroMPG]

Last September, Mitsubishi Thailand sponsored an economy run using multiple teams of media reps (writers/reviewers) driving a pair of Mirages round-trip from Bangkok to Chiang Rai and back again.

Original article (deciphered using Google Translate):
http://www.9carthai.com/mirage-%E0%B...8%A2%E2%80%9D/

See also: Mirage 1.2 economy run contest: Bali, Indonesia (video)

The cars:

• Mirage 1.2 GLS with the automatic CVT
• Mirage 1.2 GLX 5-speed manual

Setup:

• tire pressure set to 45 PSI (owing to poor road conditions, if I got the translation right). 35 PSI is normal spec.
• 91 octane fuel used, car rocked 4-5 side to side to get a complete fill each time
• no other modifications
• hoods & fuel filler doors taped shut by marshalls

Driving style/notes:

• air conditioning used
• driving with an average speed of 80-90 km per hour (~49-56 mph)
• CVT notes: around 1,750-1,900 rpm between 82-90 km/h (50-56 mph) along the route. While the transmission is in gear at around 1,500-2,000 rpm at a steady speed
• 5-spd notes: at around 82 km/h (51 mph) around 2,500 rpm

Results:

Car	Media Teams	Route	Distance	Fuel Used	Fuel-Economy	Note
GLS 1.2 CVT	"Sri Ong heavily" & "Gangster car magazine"	Bangkok - Chiang Rai	770.7 km (478 mi)	27.793L (7.3 US gal)	27.730 km/L 3.6 L/100 km 65.2 mpg (US) 78.3 mpg (Imp)	Head Office of Mitsubishi Motors Thailand
GLS 1.2 CVT	"As increasingly liberal" & "Magazine Grand Prix France"	Chiang Rai - Bangkok	819.8 km (509 mi)	28.753L (7.6 US gal)	28.512 km/L 3.5 L/100 km 67.1 mpg (US) 80.5 mpg (Imp)
GLX 1.2 5-spd	"Apichatpong Bangkok Po Si" & "Automobile Magazine"	Bangkok - Chiang Rai	770.5 km (478 mi)	23.478L (6.2 US gal)	32.818 km/L 3.1 L/100 km 77.2 mpg (US) 92.7 mpg (Imp)	Head Office of Mitsubishi Motors Thailand
GLX 1.2 5-spd	"First Saowanit ml water" & "Formula One magazine"	Chiang Rai - Bangkok	819.8 km (509 mi)	26.320L (7 US gal)	31.147 km/L 3.2 L/100 km 73.3 mpg (US) 88.0 mpg (Imp)

Round trip results:

Car	Route	Distance	Fuel Used	Fuel-Economy
GLS 1.2 CVT	Bangkok - Chiang Rai - Bangkok	1590.5 km (988.3 mi)	56.546 L (14.94 US gal)	28.13 km/L 3.5 L/100 km 66.2 mpg (US) 79.5 mpg (Imp)
GLX 1.2 5-spd	Bangkok - Chiang Rai - Bangkok	1590.3 km (988.2 mi)	49.798 L (13.16 US gal)	31.94 km/L 3.1 L/100 km 75.1 mpg (US) 90.2 mpg (Imp)

---------------

Other Mirage economy runs:

• Mirage 1.2 economy run contest: Bali, Indonesia (video)
• New Zealand Mirage economy run: 3.3L/100 km (30.3 km/L, 71.3 mpg US) CVT

[Matt]

Nice. And as I suspected, the manual is a little better on an economy run.

[Daox]

Very impressive numbers.

[MetroMPG]

It definitely is eye-popping.

I summed the distances and fuel used for both legs to calculate round trip figures, and added this to post #1:

Round trip results:

Car	Route	Distance	Fuel Used	Fuel-Economy
GLS 1.2 CVT	Bangkok - Chiang Rai - Bangkok	1590.5 km (988.3 mi)	56.546 L (14.94 US gal)	28.13 km/L 3.5 L/100 km 66.2 mpg (US) 79.5 mpg (Imp)
GLX 1.2 5-spd	Bangkok - Chiang Rai - Bangkok	1590.3 km (988.2 mi)	49.798 L (13.16 US gal)	31.94 km/L 3.1 L/100 km 75.1 mpg (US) 90.2 mpg (Imp)

[jamiec]

Great to see peaple getting great economy figures with aircon on and only the tyre air pressure increased There looks to some good ability to get some great economy figures from these cars. Some more tinkering with them etc should see evan better figures

[MetroMPG]

I just noticed something else that may have played a factor in these startlingly good results:

The elevation change on the route took them from sea level at the start, to ~2k ft / 610 m elevation in the north, and then back to sea level. That would have had the engines running closer to peak efficiency on the way up, and they possibly had lots of opportunities to coast on the way home.

[jamiec]

Good point there Metro.

[Don]

I wonder about the taping of the hood, why not do something under the hood with some sort of insulating rubber like used around widows and doors in a home to stop air leaks. I would think that would come close to doing the same thing and you wouldnt have to remove it like you do tape. Plus looking at the car it would still look like it was factory. Has anyone tried that? i am hoping to get my Mirage this week, a base 2015 DE with the 5 speed.

[MetroMPG]

Welcome to the forum Don.

Some cars (Mercedes comes to mind, but others are doing it now) make a lot of effort sealing the hood gaps with gasket material, as well as the gaps around the headlights, grille and bumper.

It's only going to make a tiny difference to overall efficiency, but the idea is every little bit helps.

[Don]

Thanks Metro,

I will be getting my Mirage this week and wanted to ask if you thought with the 5 speed it would be better to just go first to third and then to fifth to get better MPGs. i think i read where you had mentioned trying to be in 5th by around 30 mph. I am in east texas so it is mostly country blacktop roads that i am on. and when i am on the hwy i usualy just do about 55 mpg. I like high tank averages LOL when i get the car i will try to get a picture to post. . thanks