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Toyota Prius MPG-Real World Numbers

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  • south4south4 Member Posts: 32
    Your experience is the opposite of mine. I have a 2007 Prius and the nav system has been totally unreliable. I live in a different state- I'm glad to know it works in some places. I'll try it when I drive to Virginia next spring.

    If anyone else has a 2007 system, I'd love to hear how yours works and what region you use it in. Thanks!
  • kdhspyderkdhspyder Member Posts: 7,160
    An interesting situation. There was a revision to the map edition I believe in 2005, the new Avalon for example had it. There were whole sections of the Outer Banks that were blank on that edition whereas the prior mapping editions such as on your '04 Prius showed these areas pretty well I believe.

    It's weird that the newer versions would be less accurate and detailed. New vendor possibly?
  • pathstar1pathstar1 Member Posts: 1,015
    I hear via the forums that the 2008 edition has lost the "I agree" screen! So, presumably, a $250 "update" DVD should get rid of that, anyway.

    I have a 2007 with everything BUT nav. But I have a very nice nav system, the Garmin Nuvi 650. No complaints with it.

    There were some discussions of similar problems earlier this year by other owners, and as I recall, the solution was to select the correct region or something in the nav screens.

    Sorry I can't be of more help.
  • PF_FlyerPF_Flyer Member Posts: 9,372
    A Forbes.com article on the least efficient hybrids (certainly not the Prius ;) ) and the dreaded "hybrid premium" are the subject of today's Alternate Route entry, Boon or Bane?
  • 02priusdallas02priusdallas Member Posts: 2
    I just bought a 2002 Prius. I am really happy with it, but would like to add my 2 cents on the mpg calculation issue. The first period was the first tankful, 410 miles, 10.6 gallons to fill the tank. 410/10.6 = 38.67924528. The Prius calculator indicated 41.5 mpg. Reset the calculator and odometer after the fill-up, before even starting the engine. Second period, 474 miles, 11.4 gallons to fill the tank. 474/11.4 = 41.57894737. The Prius calculator said 44.5.

    So, not that this is "bad" mileage, but it did take the bloom off the rose a little bit.
  • larsblarsb Member Posts: 8,204
    Manual calculation is the best way. The car's computer is not "lying" to you; it's just doing the best it can do.

    No cars (not only hybrids) with trip computers are 100% accurate in regard to the mileage they "think" the car gets.
  • bob104bob104 Member Posts: 94
    While mpg is a big part of the picture it isn't all of the picture. If you go to http://www.ilea.org/lcas/macleanlave1998.html you will find a lifecycle assessment for a car getting 22 mpg.

    Of the 1.2 mJ,(an energy term, such as kWh, for example) needed over the lifetime of the car, .174 MJ is required for manufacture, service, etc. About .983 MJ is required for the fuel and fuel acquisition.

    What that means is that if you double the efficiency, that is, go from a 22mpg Taurus to a 44 mpg Prius, you may halve the fuel use but you don't impact the other energy items. In fact, the Prius may require somewhat more energy in this process.

    So here are some mpg figures adjusted to a life cycle assessment:

    22mpg=18.7mpg Taurus
    44mpg=32.6mpg Prius
    88mpg=60.6mpg concept car, as in Popular Mechanics
    176mpg=85.7mpg ??

    When you add in the energy costs related to building highways, law enforcement, etc. etc. you'd find even less actual improvement as you improve mpg.

    There's a strong principle of diminishing returns working against high mpg as the sole means of reducing environmental impacts.

    I know I'm getting far afoot here, so I'll wrap it up by saying that carpooling with one person in a Taurus is considerably better than trading your Taurus for a Prius. And substituting an electric bike for Prius miles reduces your impact from say 600 watthour-equivalent/mile to about 10 watthour/mile.

    Thanks for reading this far.
  • widriverwidriver Member Posts: 1
    I sold my 2006 Rav4 this summer for an 07 Prius to help the environment. I feel very good for the average 49 mpg I am getting. Not all is bliss however: I miss the storage space, and my 6' son doesn't fit in the passenger side very well but the hardest sacrifice was giving up the all-wheel drive (I live in Wisconsin). I've reviewed some of Prius winter driving posts but don't see a lot on experiences. I'd like to hear what people say about their experiences in snow, and specifically if anyone has tried snow tires and seen any difference in performance.
  • jimwwhitejimwwhite Member Posts: 16
    I'm about to replace my 1994 Volvo 850 with 390K miles on it. I'm seriously considering the Prius. Can someone tell me or give me some reliable advice on MPG? I drive about 120 miles roundtrip to/from work each day mostly on the flat interstate. About 95% of the mileage is at 65 MPH with very little slow down or braking. The other 5% is backroads and city streets with very little stop and go. I drive very conservatively, usually at or under the speed limit.

    With these parameters, can I realistically expect to get 50 MPG on a Prius? I mean will I get 50 MPG or close to it?

    Thanks!
    Jim
  • pathstar1pathstar1 Member Posts: 1,015
    You should expect 48 MPG in the summer, and probably 43 or so in the dead of winter if you're not in the far south. You can do better, once you learn how to drive the car for better mileage. The new EPA ratings are actually quite close. For better mileage you'll want to inflate the tires up a bit (I use 40PSI front, 38 rear). There are lots of other tricks to improving mileage as well. Mostly you just drive as though you have an egg under your foot. ;) Not slow, just easy. The car will change the way you drive, for the better. It calmed me down a lot. I came from an SUV.

    Owners are reporting 50 min. in the south and 40 min in the north in winter. In summer you can get as high as 60, especially in the north (less A/C effecting the mileage).
  • stevedebistevedebi Member Posts: 4,098
    " I drive about 120 miles roundtrip to/from work each day mostly on the flat interstate. About 95% of the mileage is at 65 MPH with very little slow down or braking. The other 5% is backroads and city streets with very little stop and go. I drive very conservatively, usually at or under the speed limit. "

    You might consider a Honda Fit Sport as well. Around 40 MPG (real world) at those speeds, and several thousand cheaper than a Prius. It really depends upon which one appeals to you and is comfortable for you. But at those mileage accumulations you will run run your hybrid warranty out in 5 years (30K per year). Honda vehicles are known for lasting many years.

    But again, it is really which one fits your budget, needs, desires, and feels more comfortable. Be sure and test drive at highway speeds!
  • bob104bob104 Member Posts: 94
    Here are the mpg figures for the most fuel efficient cars. I'm sure they are quite accurate. Given your particular driving I would be tempted to get one of the Yaris or Fit models, not a Prius, unless you really want one and have the extra $5,000 or more that they cost. Note that while manual transmissions should get better hwy mpg, sometimes they may not. It depends on the gearing.

    Still, given your mileage, a Prius might be worth it. At 15%-20% better mpg than Fit or Yaris that's about 100 gallons a year difference given your extreme mileage. Right now it isn't economically justified, but soon it may be.

    http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/cars/buyingleasing/most-fuelefficient-cars-20- 6/index.htm?resultPageIndex=1&resultIndex=1&searchTerm=most%20fuel%20efficient%2- 0cars
  • jimwwhitejimwwhite Member Posts: 16
    Well, I've got a couple of months before I can make the move. I hope to do something before 12/31. Right now I'm leaning towards the Prius or the Corolla. I like the idea of the Prius but you're right that the extra $5-6K would be hard to make up unless the price of gas does go up to $4/gal. I drive very conservatively and I keep my Volvo in top running order. I also keep 40 psi in the tires which does seem to help mileage. I also drive with my cruise control set to 65 mph on the interstate even though it's a 70mph zone. I live in central North Carolina which will make a difference I think, especially in the winter.

    Thanks for all the input!

    Jim
    Statesville, NC
  • jim191jim191 Member Posts: 3
    Jim, recently purchased the Base Model in Houston, under $23,000.

    1st. tank - 60/40 City/Hwy - 52.5 mpg.

    2nd. tank - 50/50 City/Hwy (I am calling Hwy. freeways and toll roads) 54 mpg.

    3rd. tank - 100% Hwy. (took a trip 310 miles) 48 mpg. at limit plus 3-5 mph.

    There are several things you will click too real quick - wind (velocity & direction), tire pressure, road surface, drafting, and how to work your foot pressure. When on a freeway, if you can get into the middle lane with cars in front, behind and on both sides and be in the 55-60mph. range - 75 mpg. plus.

    The Prius really makes driving fun!
  • bob104bob104 Member Posts: 94
    Got about 1200 miles on my 08 Touring now. I've kept track of each individual tank but I'm not sure about how I've filled them so I left out the details, but my overall mileage is:

    23.13 gallons, 1045 miles=45.2 mpg (I didn't include the first tank as dealers usually underfill them).

    I carefully checked on a 500 mile highway trip and the mileage was 45.4 going and 45.1 returning. Both legs included some stop and go (LA, of course). I mostly went 70 mph over rolling terrain, with two big grades that climbed over 1000 feet vertical, each leg. Tire pressure was the recommended 35f/33r. Wind mostly wasn't a factor. BTW, going 70 mph in the diamond lane in LA virtually makes you subject to road rage! Temp was 60-90 degrees.

    Slowing to 65mph gave me a good 5 mpg better according to the readout, about 50 mpg. I've got an 8 mile stretch that I commonly drive at a very steady 55 mph and the readout shows about 55-57mpg. (Bring back the 55 mph speed limit!)

    The new EPA figures are pretty much dead on. I do suspect that the Touring, with its larger tires, gets a couple of mpg lower than the Base. Costs maybe 15 gallons over 15,000 miles? The ride is firmer. Hit some gusty winds and the car held the road nicely. Corners pretty well, but it's no Civic. I would have preferred the Base, but who's complaining?

    The seats are OK for me. I love how much quieter the Prius is than my 02Civic. One can converse and get excellent listening to the superb sound system. The NAV gives some goofy routing.

    BTW, the manual does not recommend driving at a steady speed until about 600 miles.
  • goucher3goucher3 Member Posts: 9
    i think u shoul get a disel if u drive a lot of highway driving. it will be much more efficient than a hybrid. hybrid is really intended for city driving like in tokyo or seoul.
  • carbotcarbot Member Posts: 14
    I can't believe that in the 11th year of hybrids on the road in daily use by all sorts of people, in many countries, misinformation still abounds. They are CARS, not toys, or specialized transportation, good only under certain conditions. I have logged over 209,000 miles between my '03 and my '04. I don't think twice about taking off on a 2000 mile trip in my Prius. It is as fit as any car I've ever owned under any driving condition you are likely to encounter, short of going off road. BTW, I don't see any appreciable change in mileage in the city or on the road. Certainly no more than with any "standard" car I've owned.
  • pathstar1pathstar1 Member Posts: 1,015
    Further to carbot, there is no diesel offered that is as fuel efficient on the highway as the Prius. Look at the EPA list. Please, look at the darned list, -before- you post such things!

    The Prius is designed to be very efficient when -driven-. Whether city or highway. It just happens to be even better in the city, due to shutting down the engine at stops and some recovery of kinetic energy by regeneration.

    But if you prefer diesels, by all means go ahead and buy one.
  • michaelcozensmichaelcozens Member Posts: 23
    Our 2007 Touring was getting 38-40 mpg and we thought that was ok as we did not "work" at getting the mileage up. I checked the TP and it was 28! Upped to 35 per MFG specs and MPG went up about 10%. I was suprised at the big + in MPG and see that the TP is critical for good MPG!
  • cheryl06priuscheryl06prius Member Posts: 50
    my stats for November 2007 are 2508 miles and 46 gallons of gas used for 54.5MPG. This is in Western New York and should reflect the winter blend of gasoline, driving split nearly 50-50 between city/highway.

    I consider this great mileage. How do I do it?

    1) being basically a conservative driver by trying to anticipate red lights in advance and coasting as much as possible. Any time you don't have to accelerate from a full stop, it saves gas and over a period of time you'll see improved FE.

    2)varying my interstate speeds-mostly during the hours of darkness I often drive at 60mph. I know this is controversial, but as long as you stay in the right lane it shouldn't be a problem. This is largely rural interstate driving, I realize that in urban areas with greater traffic volume it may not be prudent.

    3)keep the tires inflated above factory recommendations, 44/42 in my case. It is a stiffer ride, but i'm not convinced it is unsafe or results in premature tire wear. I am convinced it will improve your FE by 2-3mpg.

    If you are a typical "go with the flow" driver, that is one who never drives below 70mph and drive 80mph or greater to pass other vehicles, I doubt if you'll ever crack 50mpg, winter or summer.

    Some drivers are addicted to the psychological gratification of speed, passing the vehicle ahead at all costs, cutting abruptly from lane to lane, and other such actions. You'll never be satisfied with a Prius.

    One caveat: don't base your trip mpg on two or three fill ups, and take care to fill the tank to the same exact level each time. Don't rely on the mpg gauge. My trip mpg gauge is 3mpg lower than what I measure by hand, 90% of the time.
    That is if the gauge shows 53mpg it will be 50mpg.
  • bob104bob104 Member Posts: 94
    Good advice and I think you're right about the trip gauge.

    Top efficiency for cars varies from car model to car model. Some hit their maximum efficiency at 35mph, others at 55mph. A general rule of thumb is a 15% loss in efficiency for each 10mph over 55mph. Consumer Reports rates the Prius (presumably Base) at 50mpg on the hwy, 65mph. By going 5mph slower you get nearly10% better mpg, 54.5mpg. By going 75mph you would probably get 15% less mpg, or about 42.5mpg, (50-7.5).

    In fact, that has been roughly my experience, getting 42.0 mpg going 72mph in my 08Touring, 500pound load, some longish grades, wind not a factor.

    I don't feel I'm rationalizing when I say that it is harrowing to drive 60mph in Southern California. So much better to go the practical minimum, 72mph, in the diamond, or HOV, lane and to pay the price in mpg. I'd sure like to see the speed limit return to 55mph, with people getting ticketed at 65mph or above.
  • kdhspyderkdhspyder Member Posts: 7,160
    This is only partially accurate but don't let facts get in the way of a good misperception.

    Yes the hybrids are much much much better than any diesel available here for local and city driving. But local driving in the 'burbs here in NA is where most of us drive anyway.

    The Prius and HCH are every bit as good as the one diesel available here ( well it's not yet available ) at this time - the Jetta. All three should allow you to get 45-50 mpg on the highway.

    So on balance the hybrids will outperform the diesels in fuel economy over the course of a lifetime.
  • pulgopulgo Member Posts: 400
    Only time will tell who wins in longevity. I am betting that after factoring in a battery pack and other hybrid related costs the diesel will still be waaaaaay ahead.
  • kdhspyderkdhspyder Member Posts: 7,160
    I think you've missed about 2 yrs of discussions on these boards and other places. You do realize that there is no additional maintenance to be done on a hybrid as compared to a traditional vehicle, right? You also do realize that the battery packs will essentially last the effective life of the vehicles; i.e. 10-15 yrs, without replacement. Right?

    So what additional costs might there be with a hybrid that a non-hybrid doesn't have?

    They've been out 10+ yrs now and there are no data even suggesting what you fear, in fact the opposite is true. They cost less to own and operate than a traditional vehicle. There is no way that the diesels will cost waaaaaaaay less over time....especially if it's a VW diesel. A Honda diesel might be a different story, those might cost the same as a hybrid.
  • cheryl06priuscheryl06prius Member Posts: 50
    Two other FE factors I didn't mention are: 1)use the E-ZPass wherever its available-if you idle for five or ten minutes at a toll booth you'll deplete the hybrid system sooner and 2)i've noticed in cold weather while idling at traffic lights, if you run the heater or defroster, that it may cause the engine to revert to the gas mode. So I turn the accessories off while idling.

    No HOV lanes in the Buffalo area. All the urban interstates are 55MPH and this is widely disregarded. I try to stay at 60MPH in the center lane in this enviroment.

    I'm not for lowering the 65MPH(in NY)speed limit, but I think many drivers would do well to voluntarily drive at 60MPH on rural interstates at nighttime. I'm in my 50s and realize that my vision and reflexes have dimished over the years, so you can justify the lower speed both on safety and FE grounds
  • carbotcarbot Member Posts: 14
    I agree 100% with kdhspyder. My '04 Prius will turn over 175,000 miles next week and I have found that the costs for this vehicle have been waaaaaay less than any other vehicle I have ever owned. Oil changes at 5000 miles, one 12 volt battery, one serpentine belt that was not broken, just frayed, one water pump replaced when the belt was replaced because it was "weeping". Still on original brakes, but I may replace them at 175,000 just on general principal. This car owes me nothing. I drive it every day all day and it performs as well as any other car, and better than most. I am just waiting for a "plug-in" Prius. I will be first in line at the dealership.
  • jim191jim191 Member Posts: 3
    I have 1500 miles on an '08 Prius and so far, avg. 52 city and 48 mpg. hwy., driving limit plus 5 mph. Yes, it will change the way you drive - the computer screen keeps you aware. Wind, and direction, tire psi., drafting, road surface, etc. all make a difference. I usually didn't care in the past, but I do now.

    On a recent trip, was caught behind an 18 wheeler who was going approx. 72 mph. I happened to look at the mpg. and I was getting 75 mpg. and was approx. 60' behind him so it was not dangerous. So, I just set in thinking this was great - it went on for about 50 miles.

    Congress in a dither over 35 mpg. standards for 2020 - the insanity continue.
  • jimwwhitejimwwhite Member Posts: 16
    :) I'm impressed. I started this thread a few weeks ago and as you can see there has been a lot of response to my question. Many thanks to all. I'm just hoping and praying that my Helga ('94 Volvo 850) with 391,000 miles on her to date will hold up for another year or until the plug-in Prius comes out. Based on what I'm seeing here I think 50 mpg would be a goal that would be easily achieved. I hope so because this will probably be the last new vehicle I ever buy. I take good car of my cars and I've always gotten extreme mileage out of them. I think I'll be able to do the same with a Prius when I get one.

    Many thanks to all who have posted here. Keep it up because this is good info for everyone to see.

    Jim
    Statesville, NC
  • bob104bob104 Member Posts: 94
    From what I have read the lithium battery technology that would make a plug-in feasible just ain't ready in terms of cost nor reliability. The regular Prius works well and lasts long because the battey is kept in a state of 70-90% charge. On a plug-in the batteries get highly discharged and so last much shorter. 40 milesworth of lithium battery capacity costs about $15,000-20,000. Might only last two years, maybe four-five years. But even if it lasted 10 years that would still be a very high cost. Information is very sketchy but this is what I have gleaned from my correspondence with electric bike engineers.
  • cheryl06priuscheryl06prius Member Posts: 50
    Your experience following the 18 wheeler for 50 miles at about 60' brings up an interesting point. I won't do it myself because I feel it is too dangerous, but more and more drivers are doing it.

    For the sake of argument, does anyone have any reliable figures as to what effect on FE this type of driving, or "drafting" as I dub it, has?
  • tiff_ctiff_c Member Posts: 531
    Your experience following the 18 wheeler for 50 miles at about 60' brings up an interesting point. I won't do it myself because I feel it is too dangerous, but more and more drivers are doing it.
    For the sake of argument, does anyone have any reliable figures as to what effect on FE this type of driving, or "drafting" as I dub it, has?

    Well first off drafting is ok as long as you are not too close to the vehicle in front. Drafting is used in motorsports to aid in passing other cars so it does make a difference. Their was a test done a few years back where Car & Driver drafted an SUV that one of their guys was driving and got 100mpg!
    So yes it does increase economy but how much will vary.
    BTW drafting is the correct term
  • jr140jr140 Member Posts: 1
    Our 2007 Prius has12k miles . Has been averaging 49-50 mpg consistently. We live in the NC mountains. Loaned it to our 21 son last week(flatland) . His average when he brought it back after a few hundred miles was 42!. Just assumed he was a leadfoot but now we are only averaging 42 on the first 70 miles on this tank . What gives?
  • kdhspyderkdhspyder Member Posts: 7,160
    Very likely it's the change in weather. I live on the other side of the state, OBX. If the cold weather suddenly came like it did last week then you'll find that your fuel economy will suffer by about 10-15% all winter.

    There are numerous posts on a lot of different sites about this phenomenon, which btw affects every vehicle.

    Here is one I posted last year:
    kdhspyder, "Toyota Camry Hybrid MPG-Real World Numbers" #314, 16 Dec 2006 3:20 pm
  • sr1945sr1945 Member Posts: 38
    Your son probably broke it ;)
  • curtlercurtler Member Posts: 3
    I noticed that my new Prius has much lower mpg in the single-digit Minnesota winter. Is this to be expected, even with the electric motor??
  • pathstar1pathstar1 Member Posts: 1,015
    Absolutely! If you had a "Scangauge II" (OBDII reader that displays up to four parameters) you would see the coolant normally runs at 50-70C instead of 80-90C. Thermostat opens at 80C.
    So the engine will not shut off until the coolant exceeds 60C. This drops your mileage.
    The oil (crankcase and HSD) is much thicker in the cold which increases frictional loss. This drops your mileage.
    The tires are stiffer so absorb more energy when rolling. This drops your mileage.
    Winter fuel may contain less energy. This drops your mileage.

    All this being said, the Prius still beats all other cars hands down. I'm at 6 l/100 km. Last winter in similar temps to what we're at now, I had a Suzuki rental for six weeks. It got 12 l/100 km!
  • stevegoldstevegold Member Posts: 185
    I find that my Prius mpg is also much lower in the winter here in the Colorado mountains. I didn't know why but it is. The good news is that the coolant thermos
    provides cabin heat much more quickly than in my wife's Highlander Hybrid which does not have the thermos. I always thought that it was an expensive feature that would not add to mpg but it sure adds to comfort on cold mornings.
  • kdhspyderkdhspyder Member Posts: 7,160
    Yes as pathstar1 noted there are several reasons mechanically for the lower mileage. But externally there are also several reasons. Wind is a huge mileage detractor for all vehicles on the road ( think of riding a bike against the wind ) as is inclement weather and poor road surfaces. Typically winter is when all of these combine for poor diving conditions.

    A 10-15% reduction from you best normal driving numbers is what you should expect. BTW as pathstar1 also noted it's the same for all vehicles, it's just more noticable for the hybrids since we all focus on it and we have the means within the vehicle to actually measure what the increases and decreases are.
  • gardener3gardener3 Member Posts: 4
    I notice that my MPG reading of average is about 2MPG lower than manual calculation by keeping records of all gas purchases and milage. My 2007 Prius is Touring model with 16" tyres versus Standard Model with 15" (or maybe 14"?). If computer software for both models is the same it would explain the miscalculation.

    Does anybody know more about this problem? :)
  • pathstar1pathstar1 Member Posts: 1,015
    You've made an erroneous assumption, common but still wrong. The two wheel/tire combinations Prius comes with are the same overall diameter. Note that your 16" tire is a lower profile than the 15" combination to compensate for the difference in wheel diameter, making the overall wheel diameter the same. This was done to ensure no errors in mileage or speed readout occurred, even if the owner swapped the 15" "standard" wheels for the 16" "touring" wheels.

    The "average" number you refer to is the number on the MFD I presume? If so, it is calculated by the car's computer based on injector open times vs distance traveled. All Prius are out a bit on this reading. My car was low the last fill up, and has usually been low over the last six months (but not always!), both winter and summer. Based on my experience with other "driving computers", 2 MPG is pretty close, better than 5% "engineering accuracy". Fuel expansion/contraction isn't compensated for (temp compensation) and that alone can account for that amount of error.

    The -only- way to get accurate fuel economy numbers in the Prius with the fuel tank bladder is to average the fuel you put in the tank over the distance traveled for at least 5 tankfuls. Even then you are not likely to get better than 5% accuracy, because of the unaccounted for variables.
  • tmelodytmelody Member Posts: 1
    live in idaho, average temp is 35 degrees. have not been able to acheive anything over 37 mpg since first 180 miles. whats up? dealer says there is a break in period, is this true is so how long? at this point ready to give it back if this doesn't change for the better.
  • rpaleyrpaley Member Posts: 8
    Hi, I have a 2004 and I noticed the same thing: mpg drops to low 40's in the fall, and goes back up in the spring. I contacted EPA regarding their requirements for a "winter/summer" change in gasoline formulation. However, my change did not quite happen at the same time (e.g., buying 10 gals after the change-over date). I have also read, that mpg is also affected measurably by things such as temperature, changes in tire pressure and tire rolling resistance. So, if the change is not caused by the gasolene reformulation (which I still think causes at least some of the change), then surely it is measurably affected by the change in temperature, which affects the resistance to movement by all moving parts, tires, etc.
  • rpaleyrpaley Member Posts: 8
  • carbotcarbot Member Posts: 14
    I too have an '04. It now has 177,000 miles on it. I live in southwestern VA, and drive every day on all kinds of roads and in all seasons, although everything is flat as a board. I have seen very minimal difference in my mileage (gage around 50 mpg, actual around 48 mpg) from season to season. The biggest mileage changing variables that I have seen in both my '03 and my '04, is tire pressure, tire type, and tire condition. I don't need a lecture on safety, but when I drive my tires into the ground with very little tread left, I get 53 to 54 mpg. As soon as I get new tires, it drops 4 or 5 mpg. I always pump my tires to max pressure. If I don't, besides relatively lousy (for a hybrid) gas mileage, the tires wear excessively on the outsides. Still the best car I've ever owned. I am a pretty young 63 years old and have had a lot of cars.
  • megwmegw Member Posts: 2
    I am looking to buy a hybrid and am looking at the Toyota Prius. I notice they rate the mileage for the 2007 at 51 & 60, but the mileage for the 2008 is rated at 45 & 48. Why would this be?
  • carz89carz89 Member Posts: 16
    You are looking at the "non-hybrid" version of the Prius, with just a standard engine and no hybrid synergy drive. That's why the mileage rating is lower.

    Just kidding! ;)

    Actually, the US Government revised the EPA fuel standards, beginning with all 2008 models, to more accurately reflect actual driving conditions. There have been numerous complaints over the overinflated EPA values for a long time for just about every car out there, but a crescendo of complaints occurred with the introduction of hybrids, where the difference between reality and the EPA numbers were magnified (although the actual percentage difference was about the same). The average Prius owner has experienced between 45 and 48 mpg, which is now reflected in the official EPA numbers.

    Don't worry, nothing changed with the Prius drivetrain or fuel economy. All makes and models of cars actually witnessed lower official EPA numbers.

    www.epa.gov/fueleconomy
  • megwmegw Member Posts: 2
    you had me going there for a second.
    OK thanks, I had wondered if that was the issue because I had heard the governemnet was going to step in and make some changes to the quoted mpg. well, i think the prius it is then.
  • carbotcarbot Member Posts: 14
    OOPS !!, I meant to say I live in SOUTHEASTERN VA. Not quite flat in southwestern VA.
  • rockpsl76rockpsl76 Member Posts: 6
    I just filled up my new Prius for the first time. My fuel gauge only showed one bar I filled it up and it only took 8.5 gallons... There are only ten bars on that gauge, but I was under the impression the Prius had a 11.9 gallon tank? Is my fuel gauge just messed up? Because based on this, I'm assuming I'm still going to have 2.5 gallons of gas in my tank when my gauge shows empty... Which means I'll be tempted to drive on empty all the time, kind of removing the usefulness of the fuel gauge :(
  • pathstar1pathstar1 Member Posts: 1,015
    That's pretty normal. Don't tempt running out of gas. It's a little hard on the traction battery. Probably won't hurt it, but be safe and keep fuel in the tank. The car can't use the last 1-1.5 gallon as it's held in a well to cool the fuel pump and create a settlement "pond". I fill up at 1/2 tank most of the time. If you do run out of gas, many owners report they have to put in 2-3 gallons before the engine will catch.
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