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Don't ask me how but she did. And she was going as fast as the traffic, too.
Wow!!!!
On the way to vegas, crossing Hoover dam traffic came to a stop and we inched a foot at a time for 35 minites...took that long to cover 1 mile...all on EV!!! No reduction in mpg!!! SWEET.
The driving range is incredible! I ALMOST wish it was a smaller tank so I can get the full tank average sooner. I know, I am twisted!
I now have 4900 miles on the odo, and getting the maintenance required soon message. Will schedule an oil change next week at the dealer.
Gotta love this car!
I guess I'm curious if others really see a significant decrease in mpg from using their AC.
My next experiment will be when it does drop to the 30's as it has also been suggested that I should expect a 10 to 15% drop this winter (another 3 to 5 mpg?).
g
If there is that much of an impact to them I would conclude it's because they run on mild battery boost more often and thus the ICE has to run to keep the battery charged for the AC.
In the case of my hilly drives (and I still get 39.63 mpg overall)perhaps because my ICE is constantly on and off for up and down hills it keeps the battery charged incidentally with no incremental impact to overall FE? I say this because a lot of times while monitoring the NAV Energy screens I see the ICE charging the battery while there is excess hp being generated. I may be in a mode somewhere between FE of 40 to 60 but my battery is being charged while the ICE is still propelling the TCH.
I will be curious to see how steady 30 degree temps affect the TCH milage from someone that gets good FE (like you). Keep me updated please. The same folks have suggested that all cars see a drop of 10 to 15% in the winter. On previous cars at 16 mpg I probably didn't notice it. However at 39+ I will notice a 10% drop easily. I'm still wondering though since a lot of my high FE is due to the battery will we see as much of a drop as a ICE only vehicle. The next few months will tell the story.
I too await the answer from someone more knowledgable.
They were concerned that the FE calculated manually is as much as 2mpg different from the computer reading.
I've had the same experience. If you don't fill up to the exact same spot in the tank (really hard to ensure) you may be off from tank to tank by several tenths of a gallon. Also if you are filling a "short" tank, that is maybe only after 300 miles rather than 600 miles the error will be even further exagerated. Example: with 300 miles the difference in 36 mpg and 38 mpg is 0.4gallons. Typically you won't be off that much but the error from the last fill up can exagerate the current tank as well.
My manual averages vary from 2 to 3 mpg low to 1 mpg high as compared to the computer. However, over time and 14,500 miles I have found that the computer is within 1 mpg of my manual calculation.
Now here's the rub. I expect my manual calculation to be accurate. However several GPS owners and my self (bought a new GPS) have verified that the odometer reads 1.5% low. When I "correct" the manual calculations over the life of my TCH I have made up over half of the discripancy.
For me, my lifetime averages are:
38.6 manual calculation
39.6 computer reading
39.2 "corrected" for odometer error
There is still a difference, but I have found that the computer reading is closer than the manual. Bummer for a die-hard number freak like myself.
I have not heard a good explaination about the rest of the error, but I know that in the natural gas business it's difficult to get an accurate measurement on a meter for low flows and high flows from the same meter. It's possible that the measurement of fuel usage (number of squirts from the FI nozzel)in the TCH has error in it and possibly in low fuel usage situation (pulse and glide) the computer may give inaccurate readings.
Anyway, for what's it's worth, that's my 2cents on computer vrs manual calculations.
By the Way, the speedometer also has about a 3mph error at 70mph. It does not effect anything but the speed reading as the odometer error appears to be tied to the computer. Also, the error in the speedo is in the opposite direction of the odometer error. Any correction in speedo (taller tires) makes the odometer error even further off.
ditto
I read this on another post about wanting to have the ability to control manually when the battery would kick on for special circumstances.
Those of you with the NAV system probably already know this, I'm not sure the dash display adequately shows this mode though for non-NAV systems. Typically when I am going up hill, reguardless of the grade, I am able to maintain a speed that not only gets me up the hill adequately quick, but recharges the battery at the same time.
If I give it too much gas to speed up the battery goes to boost assist. I can let off a little and allow the ICE to generate excess hp with in turn allows the battery to charge while going uphill.
Granted you may not go as fast as you want but it's possible to charge the battery in an uphill drive. Thus if you know there is a long strech of flat coming up and you want maximum battery charge available you can still achieve it.
I live on a steep grade that typically costs me 0.1 mpg every time I drive home. Some times I make it up going down, but typically not as my ICE is running to warm up the car. However what usually hapens is that by the time I get up the hill, then next time I leave, I have a full green charge when I'm ready to pull out on the highway. This allows me to quickly speed up to the limit and back off and I am able to maintain between 40 to 50 mpg average FE all the way into town (4 miles) and at that point I can drive around town in E mode. It's not untypical for me to average 45 mpg on this regular frequent trip.
I have found that I can pull away from a stop sign in E mode when the battery is full at a reasonably quick acceleration. (It is a small town though_people may be more patient_1 mile will take you around it_twice)
I figured when I purchased the car that the window sticker of 38-41 MPG was very optimistic, and figured it was inflated by as much as 20%.
In all the vehicles we have or currently own (Navigator, 4Runner, Caravan, Cougar, Impala) the vehicle calculated MPG are very, very, optimistic. I am curious as to how they are configured, if it is based off the fuel injector it would have to take in pulse duration, e.g. longer injector opening when the vehicle is cold and shorter duration when warm. I would think that some sort of flow meter for the fuel would be the most precise, going off injector pulse would only provide the open and close duration, and not the actual fuel volume that has passed through the injector.
The way I am calculating my MPG is by filling up the tank and dividing my miles driven since last fillup by the gallons just put in.
Overall, the 33 MPG are still pretty good for this size of vehicle. Co-workers are getting in the upper twenties on the highway in thier 4 cylinder Honda Accords, and my son is averaging around 20-22 MPG in his V6 Impala.
If I had to do it all over again I would purchase the Camry again, the reason being the $2600.00 tax credit, low emissions, vehicle equipment/style, and the Toyota reputation for reliability.
I purchased a GPS unit and will have to see how far off my speedometer is.
37 MPG.
It all depends on the type of commute you have, the air in your tires, and your driving style.
Only getting 33 or 34 means there is some combination of those issues that is driving your MPG lower.
The TCH is actually the best job Toyota (or anyone) has done so far in making a hybrid vehicle which is VERY VERY close in real-world averages to the EPA estimated mileage. With the combined EPA at 39 and the real-world average at 37, the TCH is only about 5% lower than EPA.
My 4Runner is also off on the odometer but I have not verified by GPS just how much. I need to take it on a long trip (100+ miles) to feel comfortable stating any correction.
Also jsaladin, note that the speedometer as well as the odometer is off and correcting one error only magnifies the other as they diverge. The speedo reads high and the odometer reads low.
Only getting 33 or 34 means there is some combination of those issues that is driving your MPG lower.
I truly believe I could get 35+ in any driving condition. But to do that I might have to tick off some other drivers. No one should make you speed, tail gate, move over or any take any other action as long as you're not a nusance or breaking the law. However many folks can't take the heat of having some blue hair flip them off. Actually, I now drive the speed limit and I try to not "block" traffic and stay considerate.
Given all that I am currently averaging 39.22mpg over 15,000 miles. HOWEVER I don't use my vehicle for commuting and I don't live in a heavily congested area. But I have been in Columbus, Ohio / Charleston, WV / Nags Head and cities in between and have been able to get 39+.
Experiment with your 4Runner if you want to see how driving habits affect FE. I was averaging 16.2mpg with a 2006 V8. Lately, by accelerating lightly, keeping the RPM's below 1500 where possible and just driving the limit I am able to see 19 to 22 mpg on local trips. However on the Interstate at 70 mph it drops into the mid 17's. Still I can easily see a 10 to 20% increase in FE easily by altering my driving style.
Same for the TCH except in its case 10% increase is 3.5 mpg
If I drive like most people seem to, quickly racing ahead to see who'll be first to the next stoplight, my mileage suffers. But if I accelerate smoothly and moderately and anticipate traffic stops and slowdowns ahead, taking my foot off the accelerator early, my mileage meets the EPA rating. I suspect, though, that kind of driving might be a problem in some go-go cities.
My dash mileage readouts have been very close to my calculations (1 mpg or less), within the margin I expect from so few fill-ups.
So far, I'm quite pleased with the car. Other than the added initial price and possibly some added maintenance, the car performs just like any other. It's a small price, imo, to (ever so slightly) reduce consumption and our dependence on foreign sources for oil.
WillyBill
2007 TCH Mag Grey, Nav, Leather
i drove very carefully, trying to use the elec engine as much as possible. Outside Temp was around 45F, AC-OFF and the NAV was always on.
btw, do you guys hear some noticeable noise when slowing down to like 5mph?? like a sound of an airplane except much quieter. i found it annoying.
i just started doubting if my TCH is a defect.
i live in washington state and i konw there's a 'lemon law' protecting consumers from buying defected cars. i'm wondering if i can return the car because i've only had it for 4 days now.
35MPG,,,is it normal? (i drove really carefully)
The low-level "airplane" whine you hear is probably the continuously variable transmission, and normal when coming to a stop. All cars and transmissions make some noise. Some of the hybrid's are just a little different. You'll soon accept them as normal, I hope.
My wife was first troubled by the Smart Key system. It was too easy leave it on. But now she loves its convenience and loves the car.
And your gas mileage will vary. While 35 mpg is at the lower end of what some people experience, it's not out of the normal range for some driving conditions. And 4 days and 150 miles is too short a test to draw conclusions about what you'll get over a reasonable period of time. Good luck.
This comment was made on the "other" forum but I cannot respond there so here it is. Interesting observation and it's the first time I've seen this point brought up concerning the effect of over and under inflation of the tires. The odometer is recording the number of revolutions and reguardless if a tire is flat or pumped tight it does have effectively the same circumference, thus the same distance is traveled as the tire makes one rotation reguardless of the pressure in the tire.
The only way to really impact the odometer then is to change the circumference which indeed can be done with a fifferent size/profile tire. However as some has stated tread wear will still have a minimal impact. A tire that starts out life with 11/32 tread and wears to 3/32 will have some impact as it wears as the circumference will change.
Wow, I think you're going to have to give it more time than that. If you have a NAV car did you reset the trip computer or is your 35 the average on the tank. Nobody yet it seems has had their first tank be their best. There is just too many variables affecting that first tank effeciency (tank fill, miles when you took delivery, but especially your learning curve which is probably the most significant issue) Practice will probably improve your average 2 to 3 mpg easily.
Regarding the "annoying" sounds. Did you test drive the car before buying it? Its normal for the car to whine a little as you decelerate. The car also makes all kinds of noises after you've turned it off, that's normal as well. Its also normal for you to experience a slight shudder upon accelerating. And the brakes are a little "high" because they help regenerate the battery - normal.
You might want to give your self some more time to learn how to operate your TCH and to appreciate the special qualities of this car. Otherwise you are going to be mighty unhappy and I don't see how you can make a "lemon law" case based on behavior that is perfectly normal in this car.
This is your first hybrid car, correct?
My first hybrid was a 2004 Honda Civic Hybrid. My first tank was 37 MPG. My lifetime average in that car ended up just over 48 MPG for 28,000 miles of driving it over two years.
The first tank, even the first few tanks, are always low in your first hybrid, as you learn how to make use of the technology to maximize your MPG.
Other factors are the length of your trips, the air in your tires, and as others have said, you most important factor is your driving style.
If you are like most people, you rush around when driving, wanting to spend as little time as possible on the road. This bad habit will lead to lower than expected MPG in ANY car.
And you cannot "lemon law" a car because of low mileage. If there is something wrong with the car which is CAUSING the low mileage, then Toyota has chances to fix it first.
MY guess is that there is not a thing wrong with your car.
I know how to drive a hybrid and my TCH lifetime MPG is about 36.8 MPG after about nine tanks.
I'm sure you'll get better at driving it. Theres a whole thread on driving strategies which might help you.
I for one, am happy to be getting 35mpg in a car this large. My wife get's about 12mpg in her SUV.
tom
Woth the wait and worth the price for this outstanding car.
What I seem to notice is that pressing the "eco" button will sometimes cause the ICE to switch off. I'm not using the air conditioning, but I'm wondering if the heat setting without eco keeps the engine on more.
Does anyone know (beyond what's in the manual) what the effect of the eco button really is?
I understood from other postings that the ECO setting when using the heat limits the amount of heat pulled away from the ICE for heating the interior, thus keeping the ICE "warmer". As long as you don't get cold leave it on ECO.
Perhaps someone more knowledgable can shed some details. I didn't find my car getting hot with the ECO A/C setting this summer so I'm expecting the car to stay warm with the ECO Heat setting.
My biggest complaint is when I kick on the defroster, the ECO goes off and then I have to kick it back on when I switch the mode back to the floor or dash.
Tank mpg's may tell you what's happening with the weather, but to really test the car out to see if something's wrong, I'd reset the trip FE on an area where I know what I should be able to do and drive it with a warm engine. If you're still in the 39+ range then there is probably nothing wrong with the car.
1. Are your trips relatively short?
2. What are your outside temps?
3. Have you checked your tire pressure lately?
Short trips kill FE because the HSD system does not fully activate until the engine temps are at a certain level. Colder temps makes that time longer. Colder temps also lower your tire pressure, so check your tires.
Good luck. My last tank was 36.48, and my average since purchasing my TCH on 6-2-2006 is 36.86 MPG.
I think these cars are programmed conservatively. I'm sure if the assist was more active the mileage would improve- but maybe it would shorten battery life?
I'm sure once Hybrids start having lithium cells things will improve a bit. We as "early adopters" (although I'm not sure how "early" we really are) are paying to pave the way to a brighter future.
tom
It estimates an average 34 mpg for the Camry Hybrid.
I just traded my Prius for a Camry Hyrbid. If I get around 34 for a full size sedan that'll be fine . Consumer Reports gave an average 44mpg for the Prius. Thats about what I averaged. Also, colder weather does decrease MPG. The winter fuel mix in the Midwest is adjusted to burn differently in cold weather. We use a lot of 10% ethanol in the Midwest which is great for saving oil but decreases mpg, too.
On the way home we reversed this trip and returned to 100 feet above sea level, attaining about 38 mpg (under similar driving conditions). I guess I can attribute this 15% improvement in fuel economy to the downhill run on the long ride home! Has anyone had similar experiences?
I live in Oregon. Lots of hills. My first few trips uphill caused me to grimace at the poor mileage and wonder about this miracle of hybrid power. And then I drove back home.
We traveled from Sacramento CA area to Tehachapi CA, a 350 mile trip one way. Eighty percent of the trip was pretty flat interstate travel with traffic moving at 80-85 mph. The last 50 miles was climbing to 4000 feet from a couple of hundred feet (and then down hill on the return trip).
We averaged 37 mpg on both the going and returning leg of trip (pleasantly pleased). ECO on of course. I drove the entire trip and did not make much effort to use TCH driving methods (some but not a lot). Temperature was in the 60's.
Normal around town mpg is usually 32-34 mpg depending on stop and go. I did average a sustained 50 mpg on the freeway for a six mile trip with a very slight down incline one time. Sustained mpg on the freeway at the 70-75 mph range is usually 39-40 mpg. :shades:
I am planning to purchase TCH soon and needing your advise on price I should pay for this vehicle. I would like to add leather seats as only option. Please assist.
g
Demand may not slacken until April when the tax credit is reduced again. Of course, it may not slacken at all if gas prices head higher.
I might have bought that earlier before I bought the car. NOT.
After 16,500 miles I have not seen my tank expand. I'm really hoping it's not that flexible. The last poster mentioned that you will have about 3 gallons left after the light comes on. Believe it. There are threads to document this and several people have went well past the light (I've gone 60 miles past the light myself).
It's true that the cruising range indication may increase as you gain better averages but that's just an indication of estimated range based on the "E" mark. If you're averaging say 40 mpg and started with a full tank you have well over 100 miles to you're actually empty.
Look back at the other thread topics and "catch up" on past comments, it's well worth your time to read these. Fortunately Edmunds has a topic thread unlike the "other" forum where topics are not indexed and seem to shift all over the place in any given thread.
These are more educational. Give them a look.
Called my dealership. It's called a or the 'reserve'. And why is that? It seems that with hybrids or HSD or whatever, if you ever completely run out of gas, there's no way you can restart your car for yourself (no filling a jerry can and then pouring its contents into your tank).
Your TCH can only be restarted after it's been towed to a delearship.
And why is this? They wouldn't say. It's obviously not something they advertise.
Toyota really doesn't want you to run fully out of gas.