Good fuel economy and performance on a Honda are mostly about throttle
control.  You don't want to "lug" the engine.  The classic way to do
this is to push hard on the throttle from a low rpm.  The car shudders
as it picks up speed.  You want the engine to gain RPM quickly and
smoothly.  If not, you probably need to downshift.  Practise revving
out the engine with the least amount of throttle.  Honda's are built to
rev.  You don't need to be this extreme is daily driving, but you'll
get the idea.  Lighter throttle = good gas mileage = happy engine.

Hmm.  The trouble is that your own vehicle is unique in many respects.  What
you're wanting is a way to drive the car, but surely, part of the appeal of
a relatively new car to you is that economy discovery.  It's possible to get
pretty close to the best you'll return in a short space of time.

[snip]

You'll find generic consumption pointers on my website, but I can't be so
specific - even if I owned that particular car.

What I have found is short-shifting helps.  My UK specification machine has
a very different engine to yours so my experience will be academic and maybe
interesting, if not entirely accurate or relevant.

But in general terms, I follow the fifty / fifty technique.  Up to fifty
percent throttle and up to fifty percent maximum permitted engine speed.
That makes for a maximum engine speed of 3,150 rpm for my own Accord.

This Accord uses a SOHC VTEC 1.85 litre donk with Honda's two stage VTEC
system.  Maximum power is 134 bhp at 6,000 rpm.  Peak torque is quoted as
129 foot pounds at 4,800 rpm, but as with all VTEC systems, the figures only
tell you half of the story.  The donk has two separate power bands.  One
from 2,500 rpm to 4,500 rpm, on the ordinary camshaft profile.  The other,
4,500 rpm to the limiter, 6,700 rpm.  It's hard to tell when it shifts
camshaft, it's lovely and smooth, so essentially it feels up and at it from
2,500 rpm...

Using the above that gives me from 2,500 rpm to 3,150 rpm for hill climbing,
but she's perfectly happy from 2,000 rpm on the flat.  Unhappy under this in
fourth and fifth.

Consumption figures have varied from a 32 to a 38 miles per (UK) gallon,
equivalent to around 25 to 30 in US terms.  Not wonderful by any stretch,
this is mostly highway driving (my commute to and from work is 30 miles, 3
in cities, 27 on motorways).

throttled engines perform best at wide open throttle. So, for best
economy you accelerate hard and shift early in each gear. Stick to the
speed limit or close to it and always use cruise control.

How about this, use of a vacuum gauge-

http://www.heraldargus.com/archives/ha/view_features.cgi?prcss=display&id=282242

The vacuum gauge was featured on a recent MotorWeek TV show (PBS and
Speed Channel).

How are those Pirelli tires working out?