how's your MPG compared to others with the same car?

[MetroMPG]

<img src="http://www.fueleconomy.gov/mpg/www_fueleconomy_gov_ltblue_bgrd.gif" align="right">

so, i did a little digging at fueleconomy.gov.

if you didn't know about this yet, you can also post your mileage there, and have it counted among other cars just like your own. or just research, if you like. up to you.

i went because i'm looking for evidence to figure out why it's harder for me to beat the EPA rating with the firefly. is it me, the car, or the rating?

some numbers from the Your MPG/Shared MPG Estimates section shed some light...

- there are 7 other drivers who posted results from their 1996-2000 1.0L 5-speed Metros, and the group average is 42.6 (which falls short of the car's combined EPA rating of 46). i'm currently exceeding the group's average by 11%.

compare this to...

- 5 other drivers posted mileage from their 88/89 accord 2.0L 5-speeds, with a group average of 30.2 (collectively beating the car's combined EPA rating of 27). i beat this group by 18.5%.

while i realize i'm looking at unscientific samples, i'll go out on a limb and say this seems to support my suspicion that the metro's rating is overly optimistic - relative to the accord anyway - based on the 2 groups' ability to beat the EPA or not.

but the mystery isn't completely solved. the difference in my performance against the 2 groups isn't equal, so questions remain...

it would be interesting to see what others find out.