PRIUS GAS MILEAGE SUCKS

[JackDodge]

It's funny to see these posts from people who don't get very good mileage no matter what they drive buying a Prius and expecting magic. If you can't get at least fifty mpg with a Prius then it's your driving that is the problem, no matter how old you are.

[boulder_bum]

I get lower to mid 50 MPG, and my wife probably gets mid to high 40 MPG.

38 is about as low as I've ever heard of a Prius getting, but you're still seeing a 230% increase in your mileage over a 16 MPG pickup, and rest assured, you're driving the most fuel efficient production car in America.

That said, no car gets its current stated EPA rating, and the (more realistic) new EPA ratings say that you can expect 42-45 MPG in a Prius.

If you're only getting 38 MPG, there are probably a couple of reasons:

1. You're car is new and it gets a little more efficient after the break-in period.
2. You may be taking short (~10 minute) trips which is a big mileage killer.
3. You're just learning the best way to drive the Prius. The car's fuel efficiency dispaly should help you learn the most efficient way to drive, and you can check out "hyper-miling" if you want to get the REALLY good MPG numbers.

Realistically, you should be able to hit the lower 40 MPG mark pretty easily, but you may never see 60 MPG because the old EPA testing doesn't reflect modern driving habits.

[Stev0]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Boulder Bum @ Aug 19 2007, 08:00 PM) [snapback]498884[/snapback]</div>

I get lower to mid 50 MPG, and my wife probably gets mid to high 40 MPG.

38 is about as low as I've ever heard of a Prius getting, but you're still seeing a 230% increase in your mileage over a 16 MPG pickup, and rest assured, you're driving the most fuel efficient production car in America.

[/b]

Move to a place that is hilly and has cold winters (and by cold, I'm talking below freezing) and you'll be glad to get 38 MPG in the winter.

Of course, 95% of my trips are 10 minutes or less, so I'm happy with the 45 MPG I'm getting now (and the only reason I'm getting that high is the other 5% of my trips are nice long highway trips).

[PriusOwner004]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(likesmpg @ Aug 19 2007, 06:45 PM) [snapback]498860[/snapback]</div>

I mostly use the car to get to work; 30 miles round-trip, no AC, tires 42/40, generally flat ground, about 25% of the distance on the freeway going ~60mph. I get about 55-60mpg highway and 70-80mpg city for tank averages in the 60-65mpg. The Prius gas mileage is excellent.
[/b]

How can you get 70-80 city, man? Seriously... I don't doubt it, I've heard of such miracle drivers, but I try, I try real hard and the best I can do P&G-ing all the time is 58 tops. Enlighten us!

[hoop]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(JimboK @ Aug 19 2007, 07:37 PM) [snapback]498879[/snapback]</div>

I get between 65 and 85 MPG in the city.
[/b]

I'm not gonna give up my A/C to gain a couple miles per gallon. Its hot and humid as hell here in south Texas in the summer time. I expect my MPG to go up in the fall and winter when it gets cool enough to open the windows a bit. I only have about 800 miles on my new Prius and get between 41 and 46 MPG on the MFD. My tire pressures were low, around 38 psi until today when I brought them up to 42/40. I havn't had a chance to see what difference that made yet. I'm still learning to drive it and its still gettin broke in.

[micksimon]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(westex39 @ Aug 19 2007, 06:39 PM) [snapback]498829[/snapback]</div>

Just filled up today. Gas mileage was 38.7 mpg. No where near the 60 mpg Toyota said I was suppose to get. I live in West Texas where it is flat. I drive like you would expect a 68 year old would drive. I don't poke around and I keep up with traffic. If I had known that the gas mileage was going to be this bad I would have kept my pick up.
My Prius has 1716 miles on it. Does anybody think the mileage will get any better with time and mileage?
I notice the new gas mileage figures for 2008 are 48 city and 45 highway. This is still more than I'm getting.
If I had it to do over I wouldn't buy a Prius.
What are some of the forum members getting for city gas mileage?
[/b]

Your profile shows that you joined PC in May '07 and only have 1716 miles on the car. That leads me to believe you probably take short trips, which kill your mileage, as others have stated.

I got my Prius in April and just rolled past 12,000 miles this weekend. Lifetime average is 50.8, but this last tank I decided to give what's referred to here as Pulse and Glide a try. I have 240 miles on this tank and I'm at 56.2 - roughly a 10% increase and I'm still learning it. The nice thing about the Prius is that it practically begs you to see what kind of mileage you can get. My driving habits have definitely changed for the better.

I grew up in Midland. Are you anywhere close to there?

[PriusOwner004]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(hoop @ Aug 19 2007, 08:10 PM) [snapback]498891[/snapback]</div>

I'm not gonna give up my A/C to gain a couple miles per gallon. Its hot and humid as hell here in south Texas in the summer time. I expect my MPG to go up in the fall and winter when it gets cool enough to open the windows a bit. I only have about 800 miles on my new Prius and get between 41 and 46 MPG on the MFD. My tire pressures were low, around 38 psi until today when I brought them up to 42/40. I havn't had a chance to see what difference that made yet. I'm still learning to drive it and its still gettin broke in.
[/b]

Not necessarily. Opening the windows creates drag, so that works against you. If it's cool enough, you should just open your vents and let the fan get cool air from the outside without opening the windows.
Like I said my wife gets in the low 40s, but she never bothers to look at the screen and drives it like a regular car and usually goes on short trips. You don't have to go crazy with the P&G to get mileage in the 50s. Just need to learn a couple of tricks and you can easily get 50s with your A/C on.

Everyone should be able to get low 50s without much effort. Keep an eye on the screen and the car will teach you.

[donee]

Hi Westex,

I think the biggest difference between driving a Prius and previous cars is that the accellerator pedal is not attached to a throttle linkage, but a computer. So, one does not need to hold the pedal at some level to keep the trottle butterfly valve partially open during cruising.

In the Prius if you do this, it tells the computer "I need a quick throttle response to high power, please do not operate at max economy" . To tell the car you want economy, once you get to speed, lift all the way off the pedal, and slowly repress til the car maintains speed.

Cruise control works well for good economy during cruising on flat terrain. Check it out in the manual.

Check your rear brake temperature after a half an hour of driving. They should be cool to the touch, unless you had to do allot of hard braking. Be careful doing this. If the brake(s) is(are) mis-adjusted they will be more than boiling hot! I also read that people who have forgotten to release the parking brake and pushed the accelerator pedal hard in reverse, have sometimes caused the automatic brake adjuster mechanism to adjust the rear brakes too tight.

[postal1]

[font=Century Gothic]<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(likesmpg @ Aug 19 2007, 06:45 PM) [snapback]498860[/snapback]</div>

I mostly use the car to get to work; 30 miles round-trip, no AC, tires 42/40, generally flat ground, about 25% of the distance on the freeway going ~60mph. I get about 55-60mpg highway and 70-80mpg city for tank averages in the 60-65mpg. The Prius gas mileage is excellent.
[/b]

I too wondered about the mileage, till I realized I had it stuck in second gear.

Gottca!

I average 40 to 45 during my running around, I have got a lead foot however. No fixing that, because it is a blast to leave the morons at the light when that electric blows them away. I did take a trip to Iowa, in one stretch of 234 miles at 70 miles an hour I got a solid 50 mpg. That knocked my socks off.

Now the sad story, in April I got to warning of low tire, took it to the dealer in Elgin Illinois. A couple of weeks later, same thing, back to the dealer. Dang it, darned if I didn't get a fourth warning of low pressure. Got out the old electric air pump for the BOOT, I like that word, and checked the tires.

ALL THE TIRES WERE TEN POUNDS LOW! This in spite of having the oil changed four times, having the tires rotated two times, having three tires fixed at the same stupid Dealership. The Fourth tire I took off and fixed myself, I have had no problems since then. I am never going to the dealer again! I have a mechanic in the town were I worked, I am retired, I wil be using him from now on.

Yes, I e-mailed the dealership, no response!

Also had a friend take his pickup in for service to the same place. They wanted to replay the belt, the one they replaced four thousand miles before. Trust no one!

[danatt]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(westex39 @ Aug 19 2007, 06:39 PM) [snapback]498829[/snapback]</div>

Just filled up today. Gas mileage was 38.7 mpg. No where near the 60 mpg Toyota said I was suppose to get. [/b]

Wow! 38.7 mpg. Sorry, but... gotta call a spade a spade... you're right... that sucks!

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(westex39 @ Aug 19 2007, 06:39 PM) [snapback]498829[/snapback]</div>

I live in West Texas where it is flat. [/b]

First question: Paved roads?

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(westex39 @ Aug 19 2007, 06:39 PM) [snapback]498829[/snapback]</div>

I drive like you would expect a 68 year old would drive. I don't poke around and I keep up with traffic. [/b]

Speed is not a bad thing. Remember, kinetic energy = 1/2*mass* velocity^2, and kinetic energy is your friend. Get your speed up there. But when you do, keep it. Preserve velocity! The key is to GET THE GLIDE. Feather the gas pedal. The brakes are the enemy.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(westex39 @ Aug 19 2007, 06:39 PM) [snapback]498829[/snapback]</div>

If I had known that the gas mileage was going to be this bad I would have kept my pick up. [/b]

If you transferred gun racks, munitions, and amo from your pick-up, or any other heavy equipment jetison them now. Excess weight will reduce gas mileage.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(westex39 @ Aug 19 2007, 06:39 PM) [snapback]498829[/snapback]</div>

I notice the new gas mileage figures for 2008 are 48 city and 45 highway. What are some of the forum members getting for city gas mileage?[/b]

48/45... that's LAME! In these summer months we should be getting > 50 mpg highway (@ 65-70 mph), and > 55 mpg city.

Good Luck!