Sara,
Don't be intimidated by inconsistent MPG opinions.
Your new Ody will provide you with mileage that is directly linked to the way you drive and maintain your vehicle.
That said, think "gradual" in accelaration and slowing down.
Also, keep your tires slightly above (2-3 lbs) the recommended air pressure.

You won't find a safer more reliable van as safety equipment is standard equipment on all Hondas.

Have fun with your new Ody!

 

I can't remember if the EPA's recalibrated their ratings yet. Early 3rd gen models tended to be chronically below their EPA ratings (most of us I think get around 18-20 in mixed driving?) but a LOT of vehicles were getting under-mpg, including other minivans.

I'd imagine you'd probably get around the same (18-20ish). If you do more longer driving, you'll probably get low-mid 20's with the AC running.

Hope that helps!

--> Andy

 

Right now I am driving a Dodge Ram quad cab. I am wondering if I will see a difference or not.

--Sara

 

What are the chances that my odyssey will have the "low" mpg?

--Sara

If by "low" you mean lower than what the window sticker says, then I'd say your chances are quite good.

 

People who know and have had Hondas seem to have better luck achieving stated mileage. The thing is huge and weights over two tons. Getting 20 MPG or over is quite an achievement. Doing nothing but around town cold start errands will not get good mileage in a big van. In any case, as stated above, pump up the tires. (cold in the morning at home with your own compressor and a good gauge) Moderate acceleration. By that I mean look at the tach and shoot for shifts in the range you learned when driving a stick. Not to slow, not too fast. Get it into fifth gear and then lug. (like you were taught not to do)

Break in the engine properly. Don't change the initial oil fill early. The wear the early oil changers are trying to avoid is desirable in a Honda. A Honda engine may not achieve it's potential mileage until it has over 10k on it.

 

My '06 Touring gets around 18-20 mpg around town - usually around 15-20 miles each time it is started. Just finished a 2000 mile trip and averaged almost 23 loaded down with stuff, children and driving around 80 mph.

22,000 miles in about 15 months.

Very happy with the van so far. Great for cruising to the beach - even if it is 850 miles away.

 

I found one thing interesting is that if you look on fueleconomy.gov's real MPG data (from users), for many years of the Ody there are usually a few people getting in the low-mid teens. That's very discouraging as it seems to me this would be a manufacturing or design flaw. My uncle drives his 05 EX-L almost 100% city and can get 17-18...

 

Odds a much better than winning in Vegas

 

What are the chances that my odyssey will have the "low" mpg?

6.2

 

I found one thing interesting is that if you look on fueleconomy.gov's real MPG data (from users), for many years of the Ody there are usually a few people getting in the low-mid teens. That's very discouraging as it seems to me this would be a manufacturing or design flaw. My uncle drives his 05 EX-L almost 100% city and can get 17-18...

I personally think those are bogus numbers posted there by some one who owns a Sienna or a Sedona. Heck, anyone can post what they want there. It's real difficult to know if the numbers are true. Judging from my experience with the Ody, and granted I do drive and EX-L with VCM, those low numbers are way off and DON'T represent reality. I have been consistently seeing 20-22 mpg mixed and 26-27 highway. I should go post there at the website.

 

I think it gets lousy mileage, but it shouldn't be surprising given it's weight.

I think if you're an around-town kind of person, you'll get 16-18 MPG. If you drive on the highway, you'll get 20-23 mpg.

Needless to say, my wife is using our Civic almost exclusively these days because of it's 30 MPG around town.

 

fueleconomy.gov's disclaimer:

"DISCLAIMER: The user estimates shown above are based on data from Your MPG users rather than official sources. Since the source data cannot be verified, neither DOE nor EPA guarantees the accuracy of these estimates. "

In otherwords, it's totaly useless data. It's unverified. Polarbear has the best advice here.

 

Man compared to my truck and my wife's last car, anywhere near 20 MPG is way better than anything we are used to.

 

Hi everyone. I am about to purchase a red '07 Odyssey EX. I have seen many customer reviews and messages on boards about the varying results of the odyssey's mpg. Do I have anything to worry about? What are the chances that my odyssey will have the "low" mpg?

If your old cars get "low MPG", chances your new ones will also. Do your old cars get better or worse than the EPA estimates? A new van might do like your older cars.

EPA estimates 18-25 for the 2007 Odyssey EX. Average user MPG for models with VCM which should get better mileage than EX was 14.9 but only 6 vehicles were reported. Local racing club owned these?
http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/findacar.htm

EPA estimates were 19-25 for my 2005 EX, above 2007 number. My 2005 EX gets 15-17 mostly city. Some hills. All my cars get below the EPA mileage. Odyssey more than others.

Have many hills or much stop and go driving? Your mileage would be below EPA estimates even if the van was working right.

Would check outside of a website for Honda fans for info about mileage. On a site like this for a Honda, writers might write what makes Honda look good and try to talk down and flame anything that looks bad for Honda, even if it is true. That is just how some Honda fans are. It's the internet after all. Here is another site about Odyssey gas mileage. It's the internet, could be credible, or not.
http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/direct/view/.ef7f87c

 

Its been said that the EPA estimates that are used on new car stickers are determined by outdated methods (the vehicles are generally run at speeds lower than 20 mph, no air conditioning being used, etc.) Hence the 07/08 cars are coming out with updated, albeit lower, mpg estimates. Cars are being tested at higher speeds, with a/c being used, etc.

A good rule of thumb that I have found to work, is to look at the estimates for the city & highway on the sticker price, and subtract 2 mpg from each one.

 

The sticker on my Ody said 19 city and 26 highway. Low and behold that's what I've been getting. Perhaps the 07s have the newer mileages posted? Granted, my terrian is pretty flat, but some of the driving on trips has been through some hilly area(small mountains) with good results.

 

The sticker on my Ody said 19 city and 26 highway. Low and behold that's what I've been getting. Perhaps the 07s have the newer mileages posted? Granted, my terrian is pretty flat, but some of the driving on trips has been through some hilly area(small mountains) with good results.

You got the new ratings. Our 06 EX-L w/VCM was rated 20/28.

 

The 07 Odysseys have a lower rating due to a new transmission. The 08's are likely to have an even lower rating after they are adjusted for the new EPA test cycle.

The current "new estimates" (not based on tests specific to the Ody but predicted results) are 16/23 and 17/24 (no VCM, VCM)

 

The 07 Odysseys have a lower rating due to a new transmission. The 08's are likely to have an even lower rating after they are adjusted for the new EPA test cycle.

The current "new estimates" (not based on tests specific to the Ody but predicted results) are 16/23 and 17/24 (no VCM, VCM)

The 08's will have higher ratings if Honda plays with the engine displacement..........and A-vtec

 

The 08's will have higher ratings if Honda plays with the engine displacement..........and A-vtec

I don't think they're going to use an MMC to introduce A-VTEC (even the new MDX/RL/TL-S don't have it)...and I don't know how they're going to make enough changes to make ratings go UP. Up a little sure, on the old scale...but you're looking at HUGE drop from the new tests and that's going to be hard to make up for.

 

I had some concern about gas mileage after reading some of the posts about low mpg here and elsewhere. I just bought a used 04 EXL, today I filled the tank and got 20.5 mpg. I was relieved and happy with that since it was mostly mixed driving, a/c on most of the time and I was towing my boat (1300 lbs) for about 70 miles. Based on this I would expect interstate driving mpg to be quite good, maybe mid 20's or so. I'll post that result once we take a trip.

 

Mileage will vary

The Ody's mileage will vary greatly depending on how many cold-starts you make.
If you do a lot of cold starts and drive 2 to 3 miles and shut it off, you could get around 13 MPG.
In mixed driving with some highway and some city, I get 21 MPG.
If I'm on a trip, and drive 700 miles in a day, I'll get 26.5 MPG.
And that is with 4 people + luggage at 70MPH and A/C on.
For a vehicle of this size and weight, that is very good.

 

Re: Mileage will vary

The Ody's mileage will vary greatly depending on how many cold-starts you make.
If you do a lot of cold starts and drive 2 to 3 miles and shut it off, you could get around 13 MPG.
In mixed driving with some highway and some city, I get 21 MPG.
If I'm on a trip, and drive 700 miles in a day, I'll get 26.5 MPG.
And that is with 4 people + luggage at 70MPH and A/C on.
For a vehicle of this size and weight, that is very good.

Glad to know I'm not the only one seeing that kind of mileage.
:nice:

 

I did a test on mine. I filled it up at the gas station that is 10 miles away from home. I drove it home and left it outside idling until the low fuel light came on (yes ... it took a while).

Drove back to the same gas station, same pump and filled it up again. That was a 20 mile round trip and took me 20 gallons to fill it up.

Suffice it to say, I was disgusted with the mileage, it only got 1 mile per gallon.

I'd say the reason was because I changed the initial oil too soon and because Honda's quality is not what it used to be. Or, it could be a design or manufacturing problem.

Benji is our resident expert on everything ... should I take it back to the dealer and declare it to be a lemon?

- JyRO

 

2005 EX, drove to Badlands of SD from the StL area last summer for a 10 day vacation. Averaged 26 mpg, driving 65-85 mph, flatlands & interstates of MO, KS, & SD plus the hill & mountain roads of SD, with A/C on majority of trip, two people and fair amount of gear.

Back home, normal driving around the NE Indiana area, slight hills plus straight stretches over highways and some city driving, get ~25 mpg too.

Tires filled up, oil changed every ~4.5k miles, and monitor the ECO light, make very few cold starts - trying to combine as many trips into one main loop as possible.