sammy5001

IS 250 RWD Automatic: 21/29
IS 250 RWD Manual: 18/26

That's like 11-16% better. By driving the RWD Manual with mileage in mind, can the manual get better mileage than the automatic?

Sgt_K

I have a 2007 manual and i have gotten a consistent 29mpg on the highway, its all in how you drive and how much crap you carry in the car. The worst i have seen is 22 in the city when my wife was driving it, she has a lead foot. I also check my mileage with a calculator ever once and a while at gas ups, and the cars onboard system is only about a tenth of a mile off from the calculator.

When i am coming up on a stop light or stop sign i just take it out of gear and let the car coast until i have to stop. This helps out a lot in the city for mileage. Their have been times when i have coasted about a quarter of a mile down the road to a stop sign. Think about it, your going 35 mph and you drop it out of gear, the RPMs drop to idle but your not really loosing that much speed, and your going to stop anyway so what’s the point in getting their fast anyway.

On the highway i am a cruse control freak, i get up to 65-70 and let it sit. I really try not to get in to big of a hurry and start passing cars because when i down shift into third to pass someone it kills the mileage. The car would probably get around 35mpg if the gear ratios in the transmission where a little more spread out, its very closely geared, and also if Lexus would have put in a different gear ratio in the rear end other than the 3.73 the mileage would go up on the interstate. I had a Z28 Camaro before this car and it came from the factory with 2.73s in the rear with a four speed auto, i drove it cross country, from Florida to California, a few years ago and it got an average of 28mpg, and that’s with a 5.7lt V8.

With the Lexus at 70mph, the RPMs are sitting around 3000, but with my Camaro with a 2.73 gear ratio in the differential it was around 2200 RPMs at 80mph! Its amazing how a different gearing system can make a difference. Honestly, if I could get my hands on a set of 3.23 or 3.42 gears that would fit in this car I would probably get them, granted my 0-60 time would not be all that good, but who cares it’s a sports sedan, not a sports car.

josephdoc

I am not surprised.
A lot of car manufacturers now makes better MPG and faster speed in A/T than M/T. Computer/ECU in 2is is very smart. A lot of our members found out it would cost more fuel if driving with paddle shift.

Paddle shift does take away from the true driving experience ... not important with your topic.

My opinion only,
Joseph

meefer

iTrader: (8)

<----- automatic

kickin8

iTrader: (1)

6MT. To me, FUN FACTOR is WELL WORTH the 11%....

Big Andy

The automatic gets consistently better mileage than the manual. It also emits less CO2 - important for me in the UK as it then falls into a lower tax band than the manual.

rdgdawg

So true.....I can tell ya, I do not miss the stick, I had it in my last 6 cars.... paddles work for me when I want to "play"

Koz

With the auto you're chugging along in 5th gear at 20 something mph in a heartbeat.

Koz