What Is Your WORST Prius Fuel Economy?

jyl · 08-31-2009, 04:33 PM

Here's ours.

For daily city driving - have seen as low as appx 32 MPG in winter. Temps around freezing, short trips with cold starts, climbing a big hill most days. Wife cranks heat to max and is a total leadfoot (P&G for her is Procter & Gamble). 10% ethanol gasoline, and snow tires (Blizzaks inflated to 40 PSI) on steel wheels. Carrying 2-3 kids. In those conditions, I got 35-36 MPG so the leadfoot better half is not entirely to blame.

For highway driving - Averaged 30 MPG over a 650 mile roadtrip with four occupants, stuffed full of luggage, Yakima rack with 12 cu ft cargo pod on one side of the bars, also stuffed full, two 17-foot sea kayaks on the other side of the bars, straps and cords all over. I estimate about 270 lbs on the roof and a huge amount of aero drag. Rear wheels were squeezed up in the wheelwells. Almost new Nokian WRG2s inflated to 42 PSI. Oil slightly overfilled (1/2" on the stick). AC cranked. 10% ethanol gasoline for 1/2 the trip. Averaged about 70 MPG - no eco-driving, not with the trip already going to take 11+ hours.

Not negative about it - I think its funny actually. Any other car in similar conditions would have been much worse.

Betelgeuse · 08-31-2009, 04:47 PM

We had a tank around 28 MPG once. Daytime highs around 20 Fahrenheit, almost exclusively short trips (<3 miles), plus a good amount of time idling in the driveway trying to get the ice on the windshield to melt.

It's amazing what you have to do to push this car below 30 MPG.

**efusco** · 08-31-2009, 04:51 PM

I had a 37mpg tank once in the early dark days of ownership. Frigid temps, loaded car, 75mph with terrible quartering headwinds on a long freeway drive.

hm800x · 08-31-2009, 05:13 PM

I remember a camping trip with our tent trailer weighting around 1700 lbs with luggage and use of the Prius as generator because of no electricity on camping site. Got as low as 26 mpg but mainly because of using it as generator for about 10 hours.

qbee42 · 08-31-2009, 05:15 PM

For a whole tank, probably somewhere in the high thirties during the cold and snow of winter.

Tom

kinghuang · 08-31-2009, 05:25 PM

I've had 7.6L/100km in –30°C weather. That's about 31 mpg.

brick · 08-31-2009, 07:33 PM

44mpg (actual...MFD said about 46). Daytime highs were around 20F with mornings in the single digits, and I drove through one major snow storm. At the time I lived in an apartment so the only way to get the windshield clear enough to see was to warm up and defrost before driving off. Needless to say that was before I moved to SC!

richardp · 09-08-2009, 11:28 AM

18 mpg......just bought the '07 and discovered that the parking brake was on. Take the brake OFF, and it gets much better mileage. who knew?

richardp · 09-08-2009, 11:29 AM

BTW- I'm a newbie here. Where do I go for economic driving tips? After I take the brake off that is.

**TonyPSchaefer** · 09-08-2009, 02:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by richardp

BTW- I'm a newbie here. Where do I go for economic driving tips? After I take the brake off that is.

Hi Richard and welcome.

Since you list your car as a GenII I've pointed you to the GenII Fuel Economy forum: Gen II Prius Fuel Economy - PriusChat Forums

My worst tank to date is 40.3 logged between 11/30/05 and 12/14/05.

08-31-2009, 04:33 PM	#1
jyl Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Portland Posts: 78 My Car: 2007 Prius Model: Package: #5 Thanks: 0 Thanked 3 Times in 1 Post Friends: 0	What Is Your WORST Prius Fuel Economy? Here's ours. For daily city driving - have seen as low as appx 32 MPG in winter. Temps around freezing, short trips with cold starts, climbing a big hill most days. Wife cranks heat to max and is a total leadfoot (P&G for her is Procter & Gamble). 10% ethanol gasoline, and snow tires (Blizzaks inflated to 40 PSI) on steel wheels. Carrying 2-3 kids. In those conditions, I got 35-36 MPG so the leadfoot better half is not entirely to blame. For highway driving - Averaged 30 MPG over a 650 mile roadtrip with four occupants, stuffed full of luggage, Yakima rack with 12 cu ft cargo pod on one side of the bars, also stuffed full, two 17-foot sea kayaks on the other side of the bars, straps and cords all over. I estimate about 270 lbs on the roof and a huge amount of aero drag. Rear wheels were squeezed up in the wheelwells. Almost new Nokian WRG2s inflated to 42 PSI. Oil slightly overfilled (1/2" on the stick). AC cranked. 10% ethanol gasoline for 1/2 the trip. Averaged about 70 MPG - no eco-driving, not with the trip already going to take 11+ hours. Not negative about it - I think its funny actually. Any other car in similar conditions would have been much worse. Last edited by jyl; 08-31-2009 at 04:39 PM.

08-31-2009, 04:47 PM	#2
Betelgeuse Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Northampton, MA, USA Posts: 1,457 My Car: 2005 Prius Model: Package: #3 Thanks: 2 Thanked 16 Times in 9 Posts Friends: 1	Re: What Is Your WORST Prius Fuel Economy? We had a tank around 28 MPG once. Daytime highs around 20 Fahrenheit, almost exclusively short trips (<3 miles), plus a good amount of time idling in the driveway trying to get the ice on the windshield to melt. It's amazing what you have to do to push this car below 30 MPG.

08-31-2009, 04:51 PM	#3
efusco Troll Slayer Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Nixa, MO Posts: 17,229 My Car: 2004 Prius Model: Package: #9 Thanks: 49 Thanked 249 Times in 148 Posts Friends: 37	Re: What Is Your WORST Prius Fuel Economy? I had a 37mpg tank once in the early dark days of ownership. Frigid temps, loaded car, 75mph with terrible quartering headwinds on a long freeway drive.

08-31-2009, 05:13 PM	#4
hm800x Junior Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Quebec Canada Posts: 4 My Car: 2004 Prius Model: Package: B Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post Friends: 0	Re: What Is Your WORST Prius Fuel Economy? I remember a camping trip with our tent trailer weighting around 1700 lbs with luggage and use of the Prius as generator because of no electricity on camping site. Got as low as 26 mpg but mainly because of using it as generator for about 10 hours.

08-31-2009, 05:15 PM	#5
qbee42 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Northern Michigan Posts: 10,472 My Car: 2006 Prius Model: Package: #7 Thanks: 94 Thanked 387 Times in 289 Posts Friends: 10	Re: What Is Your WORST Prius Fuel Economy? For a whole tank, probably somewhere in the high thirties during the cold and snow of winter. Tom

08-31-2009, 05:25 PM	#6
kinghuang Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Calgary, AB, Canada Posts: 109 My Car: 2004 Prius Model: Package: B Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 0	Re: What Is Your WORST Prius Fuel Economy? I've had 7.6L/100km in –30°C weather. That's about 31 mpg.

08-31-2009, 07:33 PM	#7
brick Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Columbia, SC Posts: 895 My Car: 2007 Prius Model: Package: #2 Thanks: 10 Thanked 21 Times in 15 Posts Friends: 0	Re: What Is Your WORST Prius Fuel Economy? 44mpg (actual...MFD said about 46). Daytime highs were around 20F with mornings in the single digits, and I drove through one major snow storm. At the time I lived in an apartment so the only way to get the windshield clear enough to see was to warm up and defrost before driving off. Needless to say that was before I moved to SC!

09-08-2009, 11:28 AM	#8
richardp Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: New Port Richey, Florida Posts: 9 My Car: 2007 Prius Model: N/A Package: Navigation Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 0	Re: What Is Your WORST Prius Fuel Economy? 18 mpg......just bought the '07 and discovered that the parking brake was on. Take the brake OFF, and it gets much better mileage. who knew?

09-08-2009, 11:29 AM	#9
richardp Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: New Port Richey, Florida Posts: 9 My Car: 2007 Prius Model: N/A Package: Navigation Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Friends: 0	Re: What Is Your WORST Prius Fuel Economy? BTW- I'm a newbie here. Where do I go for economic driving tips? After I take the brake off that is.

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