Fair enough... though Im not convinced that lower RPM definitely means more economy... It has to be in the operating range where operating erfficiencies are maximized, per lowest power-specific fuel consumption, right (I'm asking, not saying)???
And with posts like just above which highlight 42 MPG average corolla results over 42k miles (which is inline with what my father averaged in his 91 manual trans DX, over 98k, BTW), Im not so sure that the "real" mileage forecasted is accurate... That said, the fit's mileage might not be accurate either and it may outperform, or do like C&D (which isnt necessarily indicative of how one would drive, and how much city/stop and go I could not say) and get less than EPA on what appeared to be a "road trip"...
I agree that I dont like how Honda gears their engines, but my issue is more the first/second gearing, comapred to what highway RPMs are... My MB diesel did 3100 RPM at 70 MPH, and still got 30 MPG with a VERY heavy car and the aerodynamics of a brick... but the firstr/second gear issues, especially in finding the right gear in varying speed slow traffic, and getting rolling launches right in same IS an issue. My saab is similar to the fiancee's integra, and I dont like that gear selection... Only BMW has gotten it right, with good snappy acceleration from slow roll or a stop, yet with a super usable second gear that wont lug bad with engagement at 3-4 MPH, yet usable through 50+ MPH... and thats with a 144 hp 1991 BMW with 104k miles on it... they just did it right (granted their highway cruising RPM is as high as any, including the integra)... but I guess thats why folks buy BMWs!
Anyway, I like and appreciate your calculation... that sort of stuff is great... I just like to correlate and tweak them!
JMH
