Residing in downtown Chicago and rarely having a need to travel outside the city. Most of the miles on my MINI (Audrey) are obviously from city driving. I am lucky to get 18 miles per gallon. For those living in a Major Urban City (Chicago, New York, Boston, Atlanta), not in a suburb, is your MPG any better? Or is this typical by-product of city driving?

Remember this is 100% city driving (no highways). Please no responses from people living in the suburbs or doing a mix of highway and city driving. I do believe that you guys get good mileage. Thanks.

BTW I have a 2003 MINI MC CVT. Using Amoco 93 octane fuels, and non-aggresive driving. Low RPMS.

 

I don't qualify for your cut (I have an MCS and do mostly suburban and highway driving), but you should check this link for info on standard Cooper gas mileage.

Bottom line is that 18 is a bit low, but not out of the question depending on your driving style. The EPA estimates for MINIs (all models) are highly optimistic.

Oh, you ARE using 91 octane or better, right? Using "regular" gas causes lower mileage....

 

I do about 90% pure city driving, also have a 2003 CVT, and am sad to report only a tad better gas mileage (around 19 these days). I'm getting the Helix exhaust, their wires, and some sort of intake. I'm hoping the MPGs will improve a little with these mods.

 

i drive downtown everyday, i get about 20-23mpg!
what's up chicago!!!

 

I might not qualify. But I've been getting about 21-22 mpg driving from home to work in Boston in my MCS. About 30% of my drive is on highway, but it is often stop-n-go or slow traffic. When I did a 900 mile road trip, I was getting low 30s for mileage.

The interesting bit is that the car reliably claims 27.0 mpg. It sometimes claims as low as 26.7.

 

jsun - I use 93 octane and low RPMS (2 to 4).

harmini - i feel your pain with low MPG. Let us know how your upgrades work out.

 

Yup, same fuel (93), same RPM range (2000-4000) and similar driving style (as if it is my style to have to drive 3-15 MPH during most of my 2 mile commute!). BTW, I have to put in a plug for the smoothness that my MINI has while at these low speeds since I got the 32.1 (i think that's the #) upgrade. If any of you CVT owners have not done this yet, I highly recommend it.

 

I live in Boston, and I'm getting about 22mpg in the City, 30MPG overall. Most of my miles have been from ski trips.... my MC has about 1600 miles on it now (I'm just racking up the miles!)

 

Agree with harmini, software upgrade 32.1 is what CVT owners need. However, going in reverse a bit lathargic in the mornings (cold engine). I have to be extra careful in the mornings going in reverse, trying not to hit the parked car behind me. I have to nudge the gas just slightly. Are you having this problem as well harmini?

 

yup, it feels just like every manual I've ever driven in reverse. To get out of a tight-fit while parallel parked, I put it in reverse, then use a quick pulse on the accelerator, switching quickly to the brake. But once this CVT warms up and gets going in reverse, it's quite a hoot.....very precise . I think I could learn to do a slalom run backwards with this car.

 

in seattle city driving we get about 19 mpg -- which is lower than i would have thought. good to know we are not alone.

we also have a cooper with CVT and the latest software upgrade.

curt

 

I agree. I get 31 out of town in my S but if I am not crusing at 40 for more than 30 seconds and stopping at lights constantly I get 22. Try shifting out of first more quickly and holding at 6th any time you don't need to accelerate. Also stay away from Ethanol in the fuel. I know the midwest has lots of it and it will ruin your mileage!!

 

I drive 2 miles to work-hardly ever get on the freeway-in St. Louis. I'm getting 28mpg-Louie is a manual/MC. Using premium/no ethanol!
Lois

 

Zappa - good point regarding the ethanol. It does seem like that all the pumps I've gone to, BP 93 (using amoco fuels) still contain 10% ethanol. From reading the boards, it appeared that Amoco fuels were considered the best. Which brand do you recommend or is it dependent on the gas station per se?

 

I use Chevron Premium 92 octane. I live in Olympia,WA and have not done to much highway driving but I am averaging 27 mpg. It is mostly around town driving, stop and go......quick runs to the store, etc.......

I switched to Chevron a few years back and my gas mileage improved on all my cars.

 

Yo YO YO! Bridgeport in the HIZZZ ous!

um, I get about 8-9 MPG, um wait, no, thats my jeep. I don't know what the cooper will get. It's still just a gleam in some brit machinists eye.