MPG difference between MT/AT, realistic?
 

I know that most cars that come in both AT/MT variants will have differing MPG ratings.

I remember my 08 Si got 21/29 for city/highway. The non-Si civics for the same year were marked at 25/36 and 26/34 for automatic and manual, respectively. I typically got 28-32 in my Si with mostly highway driving, and I usually had a good few moments of spirited driving.

So the FR-S is 22/30 in MT, and 25/34 in AT. I'm just curious how could the numbers be that different? I know that the transmissions for the manual vs auto are vastly different, and gearing is not as similar as other cars may be.

Any FR-S owners that have filled up and done the math yet of how they're faring on the MPG front? I'm set on getting the MT version this weekend, but I am curious about this aspect.

I'd believe them, just seeing the RPM differences at highway speeds MT vs AT.

I wonder why there is such a difference too because 86 w/ 17" rims in Japan is rated 12.4 km/L for both manual and automatic transmissions.

in the US Market the gear ratios for the FRS/BRZ are vastly different depending on which transmission you choose.

To summarize:
A/T has longer gears, 4th is 1:1 so 5/6 are both overdriven.
M/T has shorter gears, 5th is 1:1 so 6th is the only overdrive gear.

This will produce a varying difference in real world MPG between the 2 models, which will be more noticeable in highway cruising. In almost all situations the A/T FRS/BRZ will get better gas mileage.

My MT is averaging at 25 right now.

If you are considering this car and are worried about mpg then maybe this is not the car for you... (not addressed to OP)

It's perfectly normal for the new EPA scores, it used to favor MTs before they change it in 2008. The Japan cycle show the same numbers for the GT '86.' While UK numbers favor the AT. But none of the scores are really realistic anyway.

http://toyota.jp/86/001_p_001/spec/spec/index.html

http://www.toyota.co.uk/cgi-bin/toyo...2-GT86-landing

Real world depends on how you drive. My experience with it is that the new EPA scores for ATs are optimistic while MTs are pessimistic. But your mileage may vary.

My goal will be to avg under 20. :)

Actually, you have a point. This topic belongs in Tech not in General.:bonk:

Mods if you please!:)

I'm averaging 26.7 in the last combined mpg over 600 miles or so. (AT)

I'm averaging 26.2 in the last 300 which includes a lot of city and load varying highway driving in a MT BRZ-L.

The mileage will go up as you put more miles on the car. I was averaging 19mpg in my new S4 when I first picked it up in January. My overall average over 8500 miles has risen to 22mpg. The car is rated at 18/27 for the 6MT; I average 30.5mpg when I go 80-ish miles down to Cape Cod once a week. YMMV, but I think we can do better than what the EPA estimates.

Ditto, and I have beat on it pretty hard including 9 WOT dyno pulls and a ton of heavy throttle on the street.

I'm tickled pink.