Almost 6000 miles.
OBC: 46.3 mph avg / 41.7 mpg avg
Hand-kept records (don't cover full mileage) indicate 39.6 mpg avg
Mostly open road conservative driving - but having fun.

 

I would also agree that doing 80MPH will keep the MPG's low..... on my most recent trip I averaged 70-73 MPH and got 35MPG overall.
The other thing that I started doing when in the city is to accelarete quickly from stop to cruise speed and then leveling off the gas pedal.

I saw a significant improvement when I hit 2000 miles...not with over 3000 miles the car feels so much better...

 

2,300 miles and getting 34.6 mpg. 40% small town driving and 60% high speed (80 mph) interstate. Very pleased

 

QUOTED: I'm really disappointed in my gas mileage so far. I feel like they lied to me...then I read this thread and see my mileage is an outlier. Obviously, I'll get less than an MC, but many here have an MCS and have listed very respectable numbers. My last tank was 50% highway and I still only barely managed to break 30mpg. This is doing my own calculation, not using the computer. I average 80mph when doing freeway driving. Is this the problem?



You rev high in gears and go fast, you rev consistently higher than someone cruising at say 55mph (cruise limit but nobody does it).. you burn more gas.

I drive no faster than 63 mph (got a speeder two years ago doing 92
I shift at 3k each gear and 80% highway 20% City driving and I am getting over 36 mpg. I know I know what fun it that. I can only say more fun than 6 points on my license. Even my Valentine One radar did not see it coming.
By the way I have under 1000 miles on my Cooper S.
Get the 6 speed if you can.
Good luck and motor on

 

There is a big difference with the MCS when you go just a little bit over 75 mph. When you go from cruising at 65 mph up to 75 the mpg drops from 37mpg to 35mpg but if you go up to cruise at 80mph the mpg drops all the way down to 29 mpg. I think it has to do with the engine revs and the turbo starting to spool up at that point.

 

MCS 6-speed with 914 miles on it so far...

First tank 442 miles/13 gal = 34 MPG
Second tank 445 miles/12 gal = 37.1 MPG

I'm now on my third tank

 

07 MCS (in pepper white, the best color for high mileage ) SIX SPEED BOX, LSD, sport suspension, 16" wheels, not much else...see gallery.
I just checked my mileage manually again. 271 miles of driving, none of it freeway...town and two lane backroads only...used 8.26 US gallons, which means 32.8 mpg. A fair amount of these miles were done using the car for G force testing on highway one. The GREEN LIGHT button was only used minimally, but I don't think that counts for much of a change either way.
I assure you that when I drive the freeway at 70 mph or so, keeping up with traffic, the mileage jumps right up to over 36.
I'm totally happy with this car. It's pretty much a "do anything" car by my tastes...drive it cross country, drive it on the track, commute in it, haul groceries, haul around the backroads GRINNING madly. Nothing but MINI LOVE here...
Edit: odometer around 3600 miles now.

Edit: Any car will drop in mpg when you start driving faster on the freeway. I am stating the obvious when I mention WIND RESISTANCE...what it takes to PUSH the car at higher speeds due to RESISTANCE. If you want max mpg's try to hold the car to 65. Or better yet, try 55. Good luck with that...I can't do it!

 

I have been getting 32mpg consistently with a mix of highway and city driving. If I actually drive sane on the freeway, it usually gets 36mpg.

1375 miles, MCS 6-speed.

 

hmm... guess mines not so good 100% city is bout 25mpg. that only has a lil bit of letting it go to 4k besides that its pretty smooth and just normal. ive got 1500 miles ;D

 

MCS manual, im right about 33 pg for about a 50/50 mix on the commute sometimes better if I try to drive on efficient, and usually averages about 30 mpg with an autocross on the tank .

 

our R56S auto has been getting a fairly consistant 34 mpg mixed city /country.
I'm really amazed compared with the average 23-24 i get with the 02 mcs i drive. my wife does have a light peddle foot so that helps, but it dos'nt seem to change much when I take it on a run.

 

MCS stick I'm getting 33mpg mostly city. I'm at 715 miles, and just learning to drive a stick so I'm happy

 

2004 S, city driving, never gotten better than 22.5 mpg (calculated).

 

[quote=SuperMINIs;1773928
I drive no faster than 63 mph (got a speeder two years ago doing 92
I shift at 3k each gear and 80% highway 20% City driving and I am getting over 36 mpg. I know I know what fun it that. I can only say more fun than 6 points on my license. Even my Valentine One radar did not see it coming.
[/quote]

Ugh. I feel like I've been driving conservatively and my mileage still bites. I guess 80 on the freeway is fast, but it seems to be average in the left lane in CA. When not on the freeway, I'm not terribly fast or aggressive. I'd hate to think I have to drive like a grandma (no offense) to get the advertised gas mileage.

In my last car (granted, no turbo, smaller engine), I drove in the same style I drive now, and I made the estimated mpg without ever thinking about it...the price I pay for driving a Mini...so far it's worth it .

 

MCS, 3500 miles, averaging 35+ mpg. That's a combination of city and highway. Much better than I had expected!

 

By cracky you young whipper snapper

Granny

 

checkercoop - if I were buying today I'd go with a MCS hands down. The difference is pretty small compared to the Gen1 MINIs. I have a '06 MC and 31.5 city actual. I couldn't consciously buy a R53 MCS at close to 10 MPG less city but the '07 MCS is amazingly efficient as shown. Just avoid 17" rims and switch to non run flats ASAP.
It seems your dilemma is not to burn gas frivoloursly instead of actually saving money. If saving money it the main issue the ~$2500 price difference + difference in insurance + the gas savings makes the MC a much better choice.

 

I agree....
Go with the MCS.
More fun...that's what it is about, though I drive like a grandma

I have Gen 1 MCSc and I get overall 36 mpg, so city only would probably be more like 28 mpg. Then again I have conservative fun. I am concerned about getting good gas mileage but the fun factor must be there too otherwise I would have bought a Prius. Go for the Mini Cooper S, with a 6 spd if you can.
Want more fun? Do the Cabrio shuffle. It's my first convertible and loving it.
Either way good luck and Motor On.

 

I just completed 827 miles of Interstate driving with my MCS 6spd, all on cruise control, with about half the miles at set at 75 MPH and half at 70 MPH. The actual calculated fuel economy was 38.2 mpg (the OBC was a little more optomistic @~39). I think it's awesome that this automobile can deliver such great performance with the hammer down hard, yet can be quite miserly if driven with a gentle touch on the go-pedal... My guess is that the best fuel economy would be found by cruising around 65 MPH.

I should also comment that I found the MINI to be quite comfortable doing the long haul, and that after 12 hours behind the wheel, I was still ready to do more. It is a car that demands your attention at all times (which is a good thing) in that minor inputs from the driver result in immediate vehicle response. It is NOT a car that lulls the driver into a state of stupor! Two thumbs up!!

 

Here's something I've been doing. One of the "views" on the trip computer allows you to see you MPG as you drive, live. When I accelerate is shows I'm getting something like 10.8mpg, when I'm cruising on the freeway it shows me that I am getting anywhere from 30 to 99.9. Using this I have been able adjust my driving to get the best MPG. This "view" is the one immediatley after the MPG display.

 

I've owned both a manual and auto 2007 MCS.

I owned the Manual for 3000 miles; it returned and honest 45mpg on one tankful when I was at higher-than-normal altitude and paying strict attention to behavior. Commuting to work would give me about 32mpg.

I've had the auto for over 8000 miles now and just returned from a 5500 mile trip out west. The highest mpg I got was 39.22 (by the odometer) and the lowest so far has been 25.5 while commuting and misbehaving.

Note: gps shows that the odometer under-reports mileage by close to 1%, so mph is actually marginally higher...

the R56 is a remarkable performer both in terms of go-fast and go-efficient.

 

I have an 2007 MCS and twice for warranty work I have been given a MC to drive, found little difference in MPG. But I like the throttle when I drive and found I needed almost full throttle in the MC to get the same acceleration I got out of my MCS with less than half throttle. If you are light on the throttle and enjoy it the MC maybe for you. But if not I would go with the MCS

 

I'm 70% around town - average 30-50 on country roads. Approx 80-85 on hwy. Overall avg is 29-31 MPG . It's Atlanta driving... you either do it or get run over by dump trucks

 

I consistently get right at 33.5 calculated in my MCS/stick, always with sport button on, and, um, "spirited" driving.

 

I have 2400 miles on the odometer so far and am averaging a calculated 29 mpg from about 70% town / 30% highway driving between 4500 - 8000 ft above sea level (Northern New Mexico). My on board computer consistently shows about 2 mpg better than what I calculate... I would definitely describe my driving style as spirited.