MX5 motorway MPG

[DanGPR]

Hi!

I currently drive a Clio 200 Cup, but due to short gearing and stiff suspension it's a bit of a nightmare for motorway journeys. My OH has recently moved 190 miles so after something more suitable for going to see her in, yet don't want something completely boring.

What kind of MPG would i be expecting on a long Mway cruise (70-80mph) and is an MX5 even suitable for this kind of journey? Would be looking at a Mk2 with a hardtop preferably. (1.8 6 speed most likely)

[lordlee]

I get 42mpg on a long motorway run out of our SVT 6 spd - that's at around 85 leptons. I'd advise upgrading the sounds as the car is a little noisier at motorway speeds.

[Darkslider]

When I picked up a 1999 Mk2 soft top for my mum I drove it from Bolton to North Wales, and other than getting used to the visibility being a bit lower than most cars and the firm ride it wasn't uncomfortable at that sort of distance.

[Rickyy]

I did South Wales to Lincoln and back in a day, in my Mk1 MX-5, with the roof down all the way. Was very comfortable and enjoyable. Didn't record the MPG though sorry.

[spoodler]

We recently did a 1000 mile trip round Yorkshire for a week in a standard five speed 1.6 Mk1. Overall we managed 32m.p.g. with me driving fairly gently most of the time but a lot of lower gear stuff climbing 1 in 4 hills on the moorland roads. The run home down the M1 at mostly legal speed averaged out at about 40ish.
Generally tho' accept that an MX5 will still have short gearing, little suspension travel and pretty appalling ride quality... a mate has a practically new Mk3 and the story is the same on that. I think he said that at motorway speeds the MX5 is pulling twice the r.p.m. of his company Passat which even loaded with passengers and with a boot full of kit still manages about 50% better fuel consumption... but then again, who wants a Volkswagen?

Edited by spoodler on Wednesday 30th October 10:01

[New POD]

I drove to Derby in the rain and dark very early one Monday morning a couple of weeks ago, a distance of 110 miles, mostly motorway and dual carriage way.

1997 Mk1 Mx5 Monza 1.6 90 bhp ---Very low geared, stainless noisy exhaust that was touching the body, and no stereo at all. Standard suspension and tyres.

I could hardly hear, or walk afterwards.

I came back with the top down wearing headphones with my phone playing random songs via the country A roads.

I could hardly hear or walk afterwards.

40 mpg there, 32 on the way back.

[buzzer]

we did 2500 mile around Europe this summer in a Mk1 1800... overall we did 38mpg.

of note, it did 36 with the top down, 39 with the top up.

[fatjon]

Weird, mine did 38 on a run down the M1 with the roof down and 32 on the way back with it up. Similar speeds and traffic conditions.

[FatFace]

fatjon said:

Weird, mine did 38 on a run down the M1 with the roof down and 32 on the way back with it up. Similar speeds and traffic conditions.

Was there a head wind on the way back?

[fatjon]

Hard to say with roof up but certainly not a gale force one if at all. I have noticed this anomaly a few times. Maybe I just drive differently with the lid down without realising I'm doing it.

[johnnyboy101]

MPG is pretty poor for what it is. My MK2.5 1.8 sport struggles to see past 33mpg even on a motorway run, not sure how some are getting 42mpg!

If you are looking for a car like the MX5 that is far better on fuel I would consider the MK3 MR2...

[anonymous-user]

I took mine from Stafford to Edinburgh and back in a weekend in my Mk1 1.8 and averaged 32mpg, doing about 80 leptons most of the way. Lifetime best from a tank is 35mpg, and that's in a good state with a new O2 sensor. I do a lot of motorway mileage in the car and it's stable, reasonably comfortable but it is very, very noisy and the engine is turning at quite a high speed at 80 so it's not a great car for the job to be honest. I find oil consumption is higher for motorway use too.

[buzzer]

dme123 said:

I took mine from Stafford to Edinburgh and back in a weekend in my Mk1 1.8 and averaged 32mpg, doing about 80 leptons most of the way. Lifetime best from a tank is 35mpg, and that's in a good state with a new O2 sensor. I do a lot of motorway mileage in the car and it's stable, reasonably comfortable but it is very, very noisy and the engine is turning at quite a high speed at 80 so it's not a great car for the job to be honest. I find oil consumption is higher for motorway use too.

I would agree with all of that. When we drive into Wales, I get around 32mpg, but when we do motorway I tend to keep the speed down, the result of which is the mpg is better, and it's quieter. We are rarely in a rush these days!

Above 85 MPH the MX5 is less economical than our SLK55 AMG!!!!!

[Lanxx]

I get 34MPG on a motorway/A road run, sitting at between 70-80 most of the time. 28MPG around town and some B roads.

That's a 1998 MK2 1.8 with a 5 speed 'box.

[Dazmondeo]

i drove from Bedford to Wales and toured around for a bit with no discomfort at all, cant say mpg wise, but i get about 280 miles to a tank (mixed driving) and about 250, rinsing it about. (someone on here might know what that equates to... - Mk1 1.8UK '95

My mondeo TDCI hasn't moved for the past 2 months i have owned this by the way (and that's a chipped 130bhp version) says it all..

[Planet Claire]

On my long motorway drives up north I average about 39mpg, with general driving at around 34mpg. [Mine is a '99 mk2 1.8iS, 6-speed]

[devnull]

On a steady run, I squeezed 307 miles out of a tank in one sitting from my '00 1.8 6spd, with a few more litres to go too. So around 40-42mpg.

[Poko]

2 years ago I convoyed down to Le Mans with a friend in his Triumph GT6, so I was limited to less than 60mph.. Which albeit slow, gifted me with 49mpg!

(Mk2 1.8 5-speed)

[Pints]

I used my mk3 1.8 to commute for quite a while. Daily round trip of 80 miles included 10 miles of back roads and traffic, with the balance being on the motorway and sensible speeds. I averaged around 38 mpg IIRC.

[vrsmxtb]

Mk1 1.8 was doing about 36-38mpg on a long run, but that was cruising with the lorries for chunks of it. More petrol for the fun roads...