Honda RidgeLine

[jebruntlett]

I purchased the ScanGuageII in an attempt to improve my skill in improving the MPG of my 2007 RidgeLine. In over a year of keeping records and careful driving my average is just over 19 mpg. Anyone else have any experience with the RidgeLine?

[PaleMelanesian]

Hi and welcome to CleanMPG!

No, but I have experience in the Odyssey. It's the same drivetrain except you sometimes have AWD and you have gears that run the rpm higher.

- Get it up to speed (45) so it locks into top gear. Then keep it there! Approach hills with a running start so you don't have to downshift on the way up.
- Keep it rolling. Gears 1-3 are horribly inefficient so stay above them in 4 and 5 as much as possible. (5 especially!)
- To keep it rolling, look far ahead and anticipate traffic and lights. Brake early if needed so you can get to a green light instead of red. Even 5 mph is better than a full stop.
- Turn it off when you're not rolling. Every traffic light you sit at costs you 3-4 cents of gas (honda v6 and $3.5 gas). Add that up over a trip and see the potential savings.
- Keep your cruising speed down. As I mentioned above, yours runs higher rpm on the highway than mine, so the extra speed costs you double in mpg due to rpm and air drag.

[chilimac02]

I would also do the longest trip first, so that the engine is warm for the shorter trips when doing errands. Warm engine = more efficient. PaleMelanesian's advice is good!!