Epa estimates are dropping for 2008 on all vehicles?

[poodlemaster]

I filled up for the third time last night since i purchased my new prius 3 weeks ago. I drove 57 miles to a restaurant and of course 57 miles home for a total of 114 miles. The temp was 32 Farenheit and the first 57 miles i drove on the highway with nothing but huge hills the whole way. On the way back i took a slighly slower route about 45 mph avg with still many hills and averaged 59.9 mpg. From what i read on this website, the mpg increases significantly with warmer temps and after a breaking period, so i'm anticipating even better mileage by summer. I must say that i am surprised to be getting this kind of mileage, especially in the winter, when most people say that the epa estimates are a joke, and i hear for 2008 models (all model vehicles) there will be a reduction in mpg estimates. I'm just so happy!

[Tideland Prius]

dang!

Oh well, it's just like the SAE and new engine output measures.

A lower EPA number isn't gonna change your true mpg number. Just like a lower hp rating on the car doesn't mean the car suddenly "lost" x hp.

[JimN]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(poodlemaster @ Jan 28 2007, 04:17 PM) [snapback]382022[/snapback]</div>

I filled up for the third time last night since i purchased my new prius 3 weeks ago. I drove 57 miles to a restaurant and of course 57 miles home for a total of 114 miles. The temp was 32 Farenheit and the first 57 miles i drove on the highway with nothing but huge hills the whole way. On the way back i took a slighly slower route about 45 mph avg with still many hills and averaged 59.9 mpg. From what i read on this website, the mpg increases significantly with warmer temps and after a breaking period, so i'm anticipating even better mileage by summer. I must say that i am surprised to be getting this kind of mileage, especially in the winter, when most people say that the epa estimates are a joke, and i hear for 2008 models (all model vehicles) there will be a reduction in mpg estimates. I'm just so happy!
[/b]

If you block your grill and increase your tire pressure to 42/40 you should do even better. MPG is as much a function of where you drive as how you drive. Congratulations.

[N3FOL]

I'm a Newbie in the Prius world, but I've learned how to maximize fuel economy. My commute to work has a fair amount of moderate hills and downhills...so I try not too push the car too much uphill and then coast to a good speed going down hill (just like a glider).. The '08 is rated 48 in the highway and 45 'city'. From my last fill, I calculated 48.1 mpg in winter driving. I'm happy and it works...

Note: My tire pressure is 40 in front and 38 on the rear.

[bredekamp]

EEEpa! EEEpa! (Grandpa Simpson)

[Tideland Prius]

Originally Posted by bredekamp

EEEpa! EEEpa! (Grandpa Simpson)

hahahaha



"Dropping" yes but nothing has changed, other than we'll have more people posting in the "I Beat The EPA" thread

[cnschult]

hybrids are gonna take the biggest hit from the new epa #'s this year.

they're gonna knock of 20% off hybrid city estimates (60 to 48 for a prius), and 10% off hybrid highway estimates (51 to 46 for the prius)

but the epa is only gonna knock off 5 to 10% for trucks and SUV's,
this will hurt hybrid sales a lot more than truck & SUV sales.

anybody else suspect the epa is trying to help U.S. automakers sell more trucks instead of protecting the environment?

wait a sec, isn't protecting and environment 2 of the 3 letters of EPA?

[ceric]

The new EPA numbers are closer to the mean values of mpg consumers have been getting. In the past, EPA numbers almost like upper bounds. I, for one, have been getting 45mpg mixed city/highway before using wider tires. My Toyota service manager also told me that most of his Prius customers are getting high 40s. That means new EPA numbers for Prius are pretty accurate as mean values.

[alanh]

GreenHybrid.com's measured average for the Prius is 47.6mpg.