gen 3 gas mileage

[BuckeyeOne]

Originally Posted by joeeye

Hey, this will be my first post. I have a gen 3 and was wondering about the mileage others get in theirs. The best I can do is around 45.4 mpg. No racing (if you could do that), almost always in the "green" and still no better mileage. I do live in a hot area and the air is always on. Anyone have similar results, or should I check with the dealer??

So far I've got 62+ mpg with my Prius 2010. Two times I drove locally to work and one got 75 mpg and another got 74 mpg. Road to work is slightly down slope since a river runs the same direction. The back home drive renders less mpg. (all above are computer calculated)

My experience is you have to drive Prius way to get good mpg. Prius is very sensitive to road condtion and driving habit.

[Dan.]

Originally Posted by BuckeyeOne

My experience is you have to drive a Prius way certain to get good mpg. Prius is very sensitive to road condition and driving habit.

I'd say all you have to do is own a Prius to get good mpg. In the US, anything over 30 mpg is good by comparison.

To get great MPG, you have to drive with MPG on the brain.

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[BuckeyeOne]

Originally Posted by Dan.

I'd say all you have to do is own a Prius to get good mpg. In the US, anything over 30 mpg is good by comparison.

To get great MPG, you have to drive with MPG on the brain.

11011011

Agree.

Ok, we're talking in Prius world. I'd think 60+ mpg is good and 70+ is great mpg (50+mpg is fair), at least during August in Columbus, OH. What I mean is to have fun driving Prius and you'll get amazing mpg.

[Dan.]

Originally Posted by BuckeyeOne

Ok, we're talking in Prius world. I'd think 60+ mpg is good and 70+ is great mpg (50+mpg is fair), at least during August in Columbus, OH. What I mean is to have fun driving Prius and you'll get amazing mpg.

Lots of things effect MPG, many that few people think of. It's possible that the engine never shuts off. If you start your prius cold, then you could get stuck in S3. You may burn twice as much gas as if you triggered S4. I'll never forgive Toyota for requiring the S4 trigger in the 2010 as well. It's not necessary.

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[BuckeyeOne]

Originally Posted by Dan.

Lots of things effect MPG, many that few people think of. It's possible that the engine never shuts off. If you start your prius cold, then you could get stuck in S3. You may burn twice as much gas as if you triggered S4. I'll never forgive Toyota for requiring the S4 trigger in the 2010 as well. It's not necessary.

11011011

Dan.,
I just noticed your amazing achivement in Prius mpg. I need to follow what you do. BTW, what are S3 and S4? (you can tell I'm new to Prius)

[Dan.]

Originally Posted by BuckeyeOne

Dan.,
I just noticed your amazing achivement in Prius mpg. I need to follow what you do. BTW, what are S3 and S4? (you can tell I'm new to Prius)

Here's Bill's Writeup on the Stages. What you really need to get good at (if you don't have gauges) is listening (or feeling) for when the engine is on. Beyond that, I tell people to try to force S4 as often as possible until they are sure they are in it. There are a few ways to force S4, but none of them are convenient, so you might not choose to go through the trouble:

1. When you know you are gonna have to stop, shift in to B while your speed is faster than 20 mph. Once you come to a stop, shift back to D and wait 10 seconds for the engine to cut out. If your engine was warm, you will now be in S4.
2. Or... When you come to a complete stop, turn the car off for 3 seconds, then back on. If your engine is warm you will skip the stages and start directly into S4.
3. Or... When you come to a complete stop press the brake as hard as you can, then tap the gas to force the gas to force the engine on. Wait 10 seconds for the engine to cut out. If the engine was warm, your in S4. Best to practice this in an empty parking light so you don't rear end the guy in front of you.

To TEST to see if your engine was warm (ie to test for S4), do any of the above steps again and time how long it takes the engine to cut out. Once your in S4 the engine will cut out within 1-2 seconds. If your not in S4 it will take 5-10 seconds.

Don't get discouraged. You certainly don't have to do this stuff to enjoy your Prius. I only provide the information because I was asked directly.

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[JRitt]

I was concerned that I just could not drive to get good mileage out of the Prius (I've been getting 46.5mpg average over its 2400mi life). I thought my drive was more of a contributing factor than my driving because of short up and down hills with traffic lights at the bottom and speed limits of 60mph causing me to acc. in the full red zone just to get up the hill and the naturally the light at the bottom would be red so I am imeadiatly off the gas an just braking enough to max regen but I still need friction brakes. This weekend I went fishing and traveling on normal back roads @45-50mph my mileage jumped to 62mpg for the 230 miles. Wow what a difference good roads make. Now I want to move

[anne1965]

Originally Posted by BuckeyeOne

My experience is you have to drive Prius way to get good mpg. Prius is very sensitive to road condtion and driving habit.

According to the data I have been keeping since 1998, all cars are more or less equally sensitive. In the Prius however you are confronted immediately with bad habits and adverse conditions.

[FreakinToddles]

Biggest thing I see is that if I am not actively TRYING to get high MPGs, I get about 46. If I try, i get about 56. Trying = using my brain = hurts... so I tend to focus more on my radio and enjoying myself while I drive instead

[anne1965]

Originally Posted by Dan.

Here's Bill's Writeup on the Stages. What you really need to get good at (if you don't have gauges) is listening (or feeling) for when the engine is on. Beyond that, I tell people to try to force S4 as often as possible until they are sure they are in it. There are a few ways to force S4, but none of them are convenient, so you might not choose to go through the trouble:

1. When you know you are gonna have to stop, shift in to B while your speed is faster than 20 mph. Once you come to a stop, shift back to D and wait 10 seconds for the engine to cut out. If your engine was warm, you will now be in S4.
2. Or... When you come to a complete stop, turn the car off for 3 seconds, then back on. If your engine is warm you will skip the stages and start directly into S4.
3. Or... When you come to a complete stop press the brake as hard as you can, then tap the gas to force the gas to force the engine on. Wait 10 seconds for the engine to cut out. If the engine was warm, your in S4. Best to practice this in an empty parking light so you don't rear end the guy in front of you.

To TEST to see if your engine was warm (ie to test for S4), do any of the above steps again and time how long it takes the engine to cut out. Once your in S4 the engine will cut out within 1-2 seconds. If your not in S4 it will take 5-10 seconds.

Don't get discouraged. You certainly don't have to do this stuff to enjoy your Prius. I only provide the information because I was asked directly.

11011011

Dan, BuckeyeOne has a 2010 Prius, there is no need for all these instructions. The Gen III will go into S4 very easily.