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Let's forget this whole forum.
Instead how about a new fourm called "Prius MPG Real World Numbers Compared to Ruking's Golf TDI unbeatable MPG numbers and Always Unbeatable Numbers?
How's that for a new Forum Title?
OK maybe not?
40.2 MPG - 16 Jetta TDI owners, manual (2009 data)
40.3 MPG - 24 Jetta TDI owners, automatic (2009 data)
51.6 MPG - 46 Prius 2010 owners, automatic (2010 data)
Statistically, we have enough user reports to have confidence in the reported values.
Bob Wilson
But not evident enough to indicate that if I drove a VW TDI my figures would be significantly lower due to me driving mainly in stop and go city traffic.
While my Prius gets great mileage whether I drive in stop and go traffic or the highway. In otherwords with my Prius great mileage is not as dependent on what routes I travel on as with a VW TDI.
TDI 35 MPG
Prius 51 MPG
Is there any trick to maximizing the MPG? I get my worst MPG with all the stop and starting locally, but the sticker says I should be getting my best.
any help would be greatly appreciated!
thanks in advance
Do one loop on cruise control to make sure the traffic supports that speed and which lanes to be in during the test. Then reset a trip meter, note the outside temperature, and see if you get any of these MPGs:
60 mph -> 60 MPG
65 mph -> 55 MPG
70 mph -> 53 MPG
75 mph -> 50 MPG
This lets us determine if there is a problem with the vehicle and track improvements.
Bob Wilson
In addition to Bob Wilson's very thorough suggestions you should also try to avoid all stop and go situations if possible!!
For all petro-powered vehicle on the roads today stopping and starting is probably the worst situation to be in for fuel economy. 'City' driving will maximize your results as long as you don't have to come to a dead stop then have to overcome the intertia of being at rest. Keep rolling as much as possible.
The second worst situation for fuel economy is short trips. Trips of less then 10 min are absolutely death on fuel economy. Again this is true for all ICE-powered vehicles, hybrids are primarily ICE-powered vehicles with an electro-mechanical assist.
The third really really bad situation, again for all ICE-powered vehicles, is cold weather. Why? The ICE has to work overtime to warm up the fluids, the catalytic converter and YOU in the cabin. When the ICE has to work overtime it burns more fuel. Unfortunately there is no solution for this during the winter months if you live in a cold climate. Your fuel economy will fall into the mid-40's on a normal basis. Luckily there's spring, summer and fall where you should be well above 50 mpg.
Try Bob's data-gathering tests and see what you find. Try to make sure that you're on the road for at least 15-30 min though. Longer is even better.
Are you driving the same routes as before; did you have any service done on the vehicle?
Gabe
New tires recently? ( -10% )
I don't look at any fuel values for anything less than 5000 mile increments. The reason is that tank-to-tank measurements can have a lot of variation in them. Small variations in a small tank can be a large percentage.
If you don't already keep a written record of your fuel usage I'd begin now for the next 5000 miles or so, just a suggestion.
Check your tire pressure. Cold causes PSI to drop. Air naturally leaks out over time & miles.
Don't forget that winter-formula fuel and the drier air will reduce efficiency no matter what you do.
Block your grilles. For the Iconic model (04-09), seal the entire upper and half of the lower. For the 2010, seal the entire lower. Foam pipe insulation works great and is cheap & easy. Just squeeze a piece between each slot.
Here's my real-world averages with the 2010 (so far, 12,905 miles)...
55.0 = Jun
52.8 = Jul
53.1 = Aug
53.6 = Sep
48.0 = Oct
51.0 = Nov
44.6 = Dec
Here's my real-world averages with the Iconic (118,185 miles)...
43.2 = Jan
43.6 = Feb
45.9 = Mar
47.0 = Apr
50.7 = May
52.2 = Jun
51.6 = Jul
51.2 = Aug
50.7 = Sep
48.2 = Oct
47.1 = Nov
44.4 = Dec
Here's my real-world averages with the Classic (59,827 miles)...
40.9 = Jan
41.0 = Feb
43.2 = Mar
46.1 = Apr
47.1 = May
47.5 = Jun
47.8 = Jul
48.2 = Aug
48.6 = Sep
45.8 = Oct
44.6 = Nov
41.5 = Dec
.
Are you saying block the grille for the winter weather or for all your driving?
.
In other words, nothing is wrong... beyond the usual wrong oil, overfilled oil, and soft tires. You already caught the oil type problem, thicker will impair efficiency. Too much oil is a problem too, over the full mark will impair efficiency. Soft tires are always a problem for *all* vehicles, since air naturally leaks out over time and cold causes PSI to drop... both of which impair efficiency.
Longer trips and warmer temperatures will contribute to much higher MPG.
Switching back to summer-formula gas obviously will too.
.
In the northeast they use winter fuel which has less energy in it so to go the same distance you need more fuel. In addtion air is denser in cold weather so the vehicle has to work harder to plow it's way through. In addition roads are normally in worse condition in winter, slicker, so you often lose traction in tiny increments. In addition the ICE in all cars have to work overtime to keep you warm in winter whereas they don't have to work so much overtime in the other 3 seasons.
All of these are additive also. You can't get away from it because it's simply physics. It applies to all vehicles. The difference is that in less efficient cars a 20% decline from 20 mpg is only 16 mph ( some may not even notice this 'tiny' difference ), whereas a 20% decline from 50 mpg is 40 mpg. THAT's noticable.
There's a bright side to this tho.
That's a new one. Are the greenwashers getting desperate?
I've driven over 192,000 miles with Prius over the past 9.5 years using nothing but E10 the entire time. Never a ever hint of anything "not good" from that 10% ethanol blend.
.
Only other complaint I have about it is it is too low to ground! I become an automatic snow plow if snow is more than 12 inches deep! Sure would like to put some BIG TIRES on this puppy! Wouldn't help the gas mileage either would it?
If you really want to be so green, drive a diesel.
Keep the posts like this coming.. perhaps someone will listen.. but not me.
Scott
(Oh, I do admit that the US manufacturers / designers of new autos are getting much better.. and that's good for all of us)
I also evaluated the Highlander hybrid and found it just as unsatisfactory as the Prius and far more expensive than my Jeep.
As for reliability, my cousin had to replace the transmission twice on his 2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee now at 130K miles. Chrysler makes more problematic vehicles than most other manufacturers.
I also own a KIA Optima, which is more comfortable,but nobody buys a Prius for it's comfort.It's for economy.
I'd buy another Prius in a second!
Scott
If you think feel the Prius is so wonderful look at these sites:
http://www.mycarstats.com/reports/Toyota/Prius/recalls.aspx
http://www.autorecalls.us/aut-02/recalls/toyota/prius/index.html
http://www.automotive.com/used-cars/recalls/11/toyota/prius/index.html
http://www.ohiolemonlaw.com/safety-recall-16.shtml
http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/2010-02-08-toyota08_ST_N.htm
http://usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/cars-trucks/daily-news/100208-Questions-abo- ut-Toyota-s-Response-to-Complaints-Continue/
You are right, I do not own one and I would not own one.
If I am a troll then at least I am not a blind troll.
I think this test shows it's very possible to get mid-50s mpg in a 2010 Prius in tough real-world conditions, such as those experienced by most drivers everyday. Not just easy cruising on a rural highway or freeway, or not just stop-and-go urban driving that favors the Prius' electric mode, but a realistic mix of driving situations.
P.S. The Prius was compared directly to two other cars in this test: a 2011 Fiesta stick, and a 2010 Golf TDI stick. The Fiesta averaged 40.3 mpg (range 32.2 to 46.8), and the TDI averaged 42.7 mpg (range 30.9 to 53.5).
http://www.roadandtrack.com/special_feature/hybrid-reality
I like my KIA much better. :sick:
P.S.We just bought it last month,so it is cold.Maybe the mileage in town will improve in the spring.