Honda Insight vs. Mazda RX-8 MPG

Chart is based on 262 fuel economy reports for the Honda Insight and 202 fuel economy reports for the Mazda RX-8.

Honda Insight MPG

Year	Body/Powertrain	flat, hilly, or mountainousLand	driving style: very light to "lead foot"Foot	A/C use: none to heavyA/C	constant stop and goTraf %	many stops per mileCity %	stop every mile or twoSub %	fairly steady speedHwy %	Hwy Spd	MPG
2011	4dr Hatch 98-horsepower 1.3L I4 Hybrid CVT FWD	flat	med	light	12	31	26	32	79	44.7
2011	4dr Hatch 98-horsepower 1.3L I4 Hybrid 7-speed shiftable CVT FWD	mtns	light	none	1	10	23	66	58	52.9
2010	4dr Hatch 98-horsepower 1.3L I4 Hybrid CVT FWD	flat	light	none	3	10	16	71	66	47.0
2010	4dr Hatch 98-horsepower 1.3L I4 Hybrid 7-speed shiftable CVT FWD	flat	light	light	7	27	24	42	66	45.9
2009.5	4dr Hatch 98-horsepower 1.3L I4 Hybrid CVT FWD	flat	light	light	20	30	30	20	65	45.8
2006	2dr Hatch 73-horsepower 1.0L I3 Hybrid CVT FWD	flat	v.lt	hvy	1	1	1	97	60	59.9
2005	2dr Hatch 73-horsepower 1.0L I3 Hybrid 5-speed manual FWD	flat	med	none	0	0	40	60	60	50.0
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2001	2dr Hatch 73-horsepower 1.0L I3 Hybrid 5-speed manual FWD	hills	light	light	0	20	25	55	63	59.1
2000	2dr Hatch 73-horsepower 1.0L I3 Hybrid 5-speed manual FWD	flat	light	light	13	15	30	43	80	61.4

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Mazda RX-8 MPG

Year	Body/Powertrain	flat, hilly, or mountainousLand	driving style: very light to "lead foot"Foot	A/C use: none to heavyA/C	constant stop and goTraf %	many stops per mileCity %	stop every mile or twoSub %	fairly steady speedHwy %	Hwy Spd	MPG
2010	4dr Coupe 232-horsepower 1.3L R2 6-speed manual RWD	flat	med	light	1	22	22	55	74	17.1
2009	4dr Coupe 232-horsepower 1.3L R2 6-speed manual RWD	flat	med	none	2	16	29	53	68	17.5
2008	4dr Coupe 232-horsepower 1.3L R2 6-speed manual RWD	flat	med	light	3	16	15	67	72	20.9
2007	4dr Coupe 232-horsepower 1.3L R2 6-speed manual RWD	flat	med	none	5	14	48	33	79	18.4
2007	4dr Coupe 212-horsepower 1.3L R2 6-speed shiftable automatic RWD	flat	med	light	15	24	10	51	78	22.5
2006	4dr Coupe 238-horsepower 1.3L R2 6-speed manual RWD	flat	med	none	9	10	13	67	66	19.1
2006	4dr Coupe 212-horsepower 1.3L R2 6-speed shiftable automatic RWD	flat	med	light	5	28	65	3	60	17.3
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2005	4dr Coupe 238-horsepower 1.3L R2 6-speed manual RWD	flat	med	light	6	16	18	60	77	18.6
2004	4dr Coupe 238-horsepower 1.3L R2 6-speed manual RWD	flat	med	light	7	25	24	44	77	17.5
2004	4dr Coupe 197-horsepower 1.3L R2 4-speed shiftable automatic RWD	flat	lead	light	42	12	23	23	70	17.3

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This page shows only averages. See all the Mazda RX-8 fuel economy data.

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TrueDelta Reviews the Real Gas Mileage of the Honda Insight

Honda Insight Real Gas Mileage: Pros
Year	Comment
2020	Honda's initial approach to hybrid powertrain technology wasn't a winner. A weak electric motor (13 horsepower in the case of the 2010 Insight) sandwiched between a gas engine and a CVT wasn't able to deliver nearly as much of a performance or fuel economy bump as the much stronger electric motors in Toyota's radically different hybrid system. Starting with the 2014 Accord Hybrid, Honda tried a new approach. The new system relied entirely on a much more powerful (166 horsepower) electric motor to drive the wheels up to 43 mph, and only then directly engaged the gas engine via a single-speed transmission. This was the sort of elegant "we keep it simple" solution Honda used to be known for, and it worked far better. EPA ratings of 50 mpg city and 45 mpg highway were best-in-class, topping the Toyota Camry Hybrid. This system received further tweaks when the Accord was redesigned for 2018, with mixed results for mpg (now 48/47). The Toyota Camry, also redesigned for 2018, now scores 51/53 or 44/47 depending on trim level. When I learned that a new Honda Insight would utilize a similar hybrid system with a 1.5-liter engine instead of the Accord's 2.0-liter in a smaller, lighter car, I had high hopes. Could a 60-mpg rating happen? Well, it didn't. The Honda Insight LX and EX score 55 mpg city and 49 mpg highway in the EPA's testing. The tested Touring trim, with larger tires and a higher curb weight, scores a little lower, 51/45. Pretty good. But a Toyota Prius (58/53 or 54/50, depending on the variant), a Toyota Corolla Hybrid (53/52), or a Hyundai Ioniq (57/59 or 55/54) scores better. In my testing, the trip computer reported averages ranging from 45 mpg to 75 mpg in suburban driving. (Whether the system opts to charge or draw energy from the battery pack has a big effect on the reported average during short drives.) In one 20-mile drive around hilly Ann Arbor the trip computer reported an impressive 64 mpg--and 93.6 mpg during the initial three miles. But in a Toyota Prius I averaged 65 mpg over the entire week despite some colder weather--it struggled to top 60 when the air temperature fell to 40--and observed trip averages over 90 a couple of times. Air temperatures were usually in the 60s during the week I had the Insight, optimal for fuel economy. The Honda Insight disappointed in highway driving. When cruising near 80 mph, a speed at which it can't take much advantage of its hybrid configuration, the Insight averaged 40 mpg. Good, but little better than a non-hybrid Civic. I observed a bit over 60 mpg on the highway in the Prius. Given these results, I struggled with listing fuel economy among the reasons to buy the new Insight. On the one hand, all of its direct competitors have higher EPA ratings. On the other, the Insight's mpg compares very well to non-hybrids, and fuel economy will be a primary reason people buy one. see full Honda Insight review

What Our Members Are Saying about the Real Gas Mileage of the Honda Insight

Honda Insight Real Gas Mileage: Pros
Year	Body/Powertrain	Comment
2010	4dr Hatch 98-horsepower 1.3L I4 Hybrid 7-speed shiftable CVT FWD	Averaging 45mpg see full Honda Insight review
2010	4dr Hatch 98-horsepower 1.3L I4 Hybrid 7-speed shiftable CVT FWD	40-45mpg. Slower you drive, better the milage see full Honda Insight review
2010	4dr Hatch 98-horsepower 1.3L I4 Hybrid 7-speed shiftable CVT FWD	It gets better than advertised. 44 in town, 44 highway see full Honda Insight review
2010	4dr Hatch 98-horsepower 1.3L I4 Hybrid 7-speed shiftable CVT FWD	Just about the same as the Prius. Look at Fuelly.com and see for yourself. see full Honda Insight review
2010	4dr Hatch 98-horsepower 1.3L I4 Hybrid 7-speed shiftable CVT FWD	Fantastic! Driven frugally, I am getting 46mpg at 60/40 hwy/city driving. see full Honda Insight review
2010	4dr Hatch 98-horsepower 1.3L I4 Hybrid 7-speed shiftable CVT FWD	getting 52mpg highway and about 46 city, maybe someone at toyota paid off the epa to rate this car low, because i have NEVER gotten under 45 mpg on the highway. see full Honda Insight review
2010	4dr Hatch 98-horsepower 1.3L I4 Hybrid 7-speed shiftable CVT FWD	Econ Mode for just a three mile drive and got 53 mpg though traffic was very light. Afterwards during normal traffic driving, not using the Econ Mode, plus a very short drive 1/2 mile up and 1/2 mile back I got 36 mph engin cold. see full Honda Insight review
2010	4dr Hatch 98-horsepower 1.3L I4 Hybrid 7-speed shiftable CVT FWD	Great gas mileage. see full Honda Insight review
2010	4dr Hatch 98-horsepower 1.3L I4 Hybrid 7-speed shiftable CVT FWD	The highest available at time of purchase. see full Honda Insight review
2010	4dr Hatch 98-horsepower 1.3L I4 Hybrid 7-speed shiftable CVT FWD	Getting near 50 MPG is fantastic after owning several cars that barely got 20 MPG. see full Honda Insight review

What Our Members Are Saying about the Real Gas Mileage of the Mazda RX-8

Mazda RX-8 Real Gas Mileage: Cons
Year	Body/Powertrain	Comment
2009	4dr Coupe 232-horsepower 1.3L R2 6-speed manual RWD	One of the big downsides of the rotary is truly horrendous fuel economy. When the RX-8 first came out in the early 2000s, its mileage ratings of 16/22 city/highway mpg (stick shift) were just barely acceptable, but there days, with many crossovers hitting more than 30 mpg on the highway, those figures are truly atrocious, especially given respectable but certainly not neck-snapping power. Futhermore, it takes premium. If you're using the RX-8 as it commuter, fuel costs will add up quickly. In my predominantly around-town driving, I typically average between 16-17 mpg. My highest recorded average was 20 mpg on a highway trip at speeds around 75 mph. see full Mazda RX-8 review
2007	4dr Coupe 212-horsepower 1.3L R2 6-speed shiftable automatic RWD	The EPA numbers are way low compared with my real-world experience. The window sticker showed 18/25 and I have never seen less than 23 with my 40/60 city/highway commute. I think Mazda should develop a lean-burn economy cruise mode for this car. see full Mazda RX-8 review
2006	4dr Coupe 238-horsepower 1.3L R2 6-speed manual RWD	Lite bit to high consumption when I drive it in normal speed. On full woot its ok. see full Mazda RX-8 review
2005	4dr Coupe 238-horsepower 1.3L R2 6-speed manual RWD	Worst fuel economy in its class. see full Mazda RX-8 review
2004	4dr Coupe 238-horsepower 1.3L R2 6-speed manual RWD	Not that bad for what it is, but it seems to me that Mazda's Sky Active technology could help the city mileage. It just needs more R&D. see full Mazda RX-8 review
2004	4dr Coupe 238-horsepower 1.3L R2 6-speed manual RWD	At 16 m.p.g. on premium grade these days it could be cheaper to take a taxi. see full Mazda RX-8 review
2004	4dr Coupe 238-horsepower 1.3L R2 6-speed manual RWD	For a small engine displacement and a relatively light vehicle weight, the gas mileage is weak. I usualy get around 19mpg, and that does not realy matter if I am doing all city or all highway driving. I think the real problem is in the sixth gear it isnt much different than fifth gear so it does not provide good fuel economy. see full Mazda RX-8 review
2004	4dr Coupe 238-horsepower 1.3L R2 6-speed manual RWD	For a car with a 1.9 liter engine I would have expected better than 16-19 MPG. Get your foot into it and the numbers fall drastically. Otherwise I loved that car. It just got too small with a newborn and a big dog. see full Mazda RX-8 review
2004	4dr Coupe 238-horsepower 1.3L R2 6-speed manual RWD	I gets 20MPG no matter what I do. Running around 20. 1/2 highway 20. All the highway all day 25-26. I think that it could do better. see full Mazda RX-8 review
2004	4dr Coupe 238-horsepower 1.3L R2 6-speed manual RWD	16-18MPG city, 24MPG highway see full Mazda RX-8 review