DRiving in the Mountains

maine12 · 05-15-2007, 07:21 PM

I am looking to visit my son in Colorado and I am wondering how the
Prius handles in the mountains.

tnthub · 05-15-2007, 07:44 PM

About the only thing i can think of is to make sure your air filter is really clean as there is simply less air in higher altitudes. Some people have found that using one grade higher octane gasoline reduces the chance of detonation in internal combustion engines as the 02 sensors somes "lean out" too much in high altitude scenarios.

I have no direct knowledge of how this would impact the drivability of the prius but I do seem to remember some vehicles models in the past that have specific tuning parameters for Colorado which basically compensate for less air...

Wouldn't worry about it too much. just use common sense and maybe keep an extra blanket, flashlight, and some snacks/water in the car if you do have an issue and get stuck waiting for help to arrive.

nwprius · 05-15-2007, 08:04 PM

My wife and I drove from Nanaimo, BC to Erie, Colorado to visit our Granddaughter last fall. Never has a car handled better than the Prius. Mountains offer no obstacle at all. Many cars with much larger engines than ours were passed on the steep climbs. Most of the time in cruise control. With the ECVT transmission there is no shifting, thus it is smooth traveling with a very large smile on our faces.
We have also traveled to North Carolina from here with the same smooth, quiet results. Our mileage always averaged over the 50 plus mark even when calculated.
Enjoy and let us know your feelings about your trip.
Bob

priusFTW · 05-15-2007, 09:51 PM

I live in the mountains and am currently getting on avg 57 to 64 mpg. I am very pleased. Plus my Prius has alot of power to get up steep climbs too.

tripp · 05-15-2007, 09:59 PM

The car will do fine in the Rockies. I've taken mine up into the mountains many times and haven't had any issues. Round trip I've ranged between 47 to 50 mpg on these trips.

yyyiiikes · 05-15-2007, 10:49 PM

I don't have a Prius... but today, me and my SUV were passed on a very long steep climb by a Prius with four adult occupants.

I was left behind wondering why am I driving a heavy guzzling beast. So, I would assume you would be just fine.

ozyran · 05-15-2007, 11:05 PM

Something else to keep in mind is if you don't use the cruise control, make sure you start giving the car a little more gas at the beginning of the grade you're driving up, and keep the engine's RPM up as you climb the grade. The car will do fine holding speed, but she don't like to accelerate up a grade, especially a steep one.

Maintaining speed is the key.

dfredric · 05-16-2007, 01:47 AM

My experience with the Prius is that its great in the mountains in terms of handling so long as you dont have to deal with snow - which shouldnt be a problem this time of year. The only thing to watch is the battery charge level when you are climbing for an extended period of time (Related to the point made earlier about Prius not liking to accelerate up hill). My experience is that when the charge gets down to low levels (i.e., red bars) that performance is less impressive. The only time this happens is extended climb. Truthfully, not much you can do about that other than try and conserve battery on downhills.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(maine12 @ May 15 2007, 03:21 PM) [snapback]442822[/snapback]</div>

Quote:

I am looking to visit my son in Colorado and I am wondering how the
Prius handles in the mountains.
[/b]

tochatihu · 05-16-2007, 09:15 AM

In some high elevation areas, 85 octane is sold as 'regular' instead of 87. I have used this in 2001 Prius and the car seemed to drive normally.

Its highest climb (I think) was to 10000 feet, Bristlecone pine forest, CA. Other Prius have been over 14000 feet on Mt Evans,CO.

richard schumacher · 05-16-2007, 10:39 AM

Remember to shift into "B" on long downgrades that would otherwise require you to ride the brakes. And then remember to shift back to "D" when you leave the mountains ("B" will reduce fuel economy in normal driving).

Don't be afraid to floor the gas pedal as needed. The engine will roar, but that is completely normal when high power is required. The computers will not allow the engine to redline.

05-15-2007, 07:44 PM	#2
tnthub Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 463 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	About the only thing i can think of is to make sure your air filter is really clean as there is simply less air in higher altitudes. Some people have found that using one grade higher octane gasoline reduces the chance of detonation in internal combustion engines as the 02 sensors somes "lean out" too much in high altitude scenarios. I have no direct knowledge of how this would impact the drivability of the prius but I do seem to remember some vehicles models in the past that have specific tuning parameters for Colorado which basically compensate for less air... Wouldn't worry about it too much. just use common sense and maybe keep an extra blanket, flashlight, and some snacks/water in the car if you do have an issue and get stuck waiting for help to arrive. __________________ 2002 Champion New England Dragway 2001 GM High Tech Shootout Winner 1999 Champion Oxford Dragway http://www.tntdragracing.com

05-15-2007, 08:04 PM	#3
nwprius Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Roy, Washington and Nanaimo, Canada Posts: 131 My Car: 2006 Prius Package: #4 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	My wife and I drove from Nanaimo, BC to Erie, Colorado to visit our Granddaughter last fall. Never has a car handled better than the Prius. Mountains offer no obstacle at all. Many cars with much larger engines than ours were passed on the steep climbs. Most of the time in cruise control. With the ECVT transmission there is no shifting, thus it is smooth traveling with a very large smile on our faces. We have also traveled to North Carolina from here with the same smooth, quiet results. Our mileage always averaged over the 50 plus mark even when calculated. Enjoy and let us know your feelings about your trip. Bob __________________ Bob 2004 superwhite AM#7+Homelink+BAK-TALK+clear bra, traded for 2006 superwhite HG#4+Homelink

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05-15-2007, 07:21 PM	#1
maine12 Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 1 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	I am looking to visit my son in Colorado and I am wondering how the Prius handles in the mountains.

05-15-2007, 09:51 PM	#4
priusFTW Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 332 My Car: 2007 Prius Package: #2 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	I live in the mountains and am currently getting on avg 57 to 64 mpg. I am very pleased. Plus my Prius has alot of power to get up steep climbs too.

05-15-2007, 09:59 PM	#5
tripp Which it's a 'ybrid, ain't it? Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Denver, CO Posts: 3,773 My Car: 2005 Prius Package: #3 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 4	The car will do fine in the Rockies. I've taken mine up into the mountains many times and haven't had any issues. Round trip I've ranged between 47 to 50 mpg on these trips.

05-15-2007, 10:49 PM	#6
yyyiiikes Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 5 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	I don't have a Prius... but today, me and my SUV were passed on a very long steep climb by a Prius with four adult occupants. I was left behind wondering why am I driving a heavy guzzling beast. So, I would assume you would be just fine.

05-15-2007, 11:05 PM	#7
ozyran Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 695 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Something else to keep in mind is if you don't use the cruise control, make sure you start giving the car a little more gas at the beginning of the grade you're driving up, and keep the engine's RPM up as you climb the grade. The car will do fine holding speed, but she don't like to accelerate up a grade, especially a steep one. Maintaining speed is the key.

05-16-2007, 09:15 AM	#9
tochatihu Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Kunming Yunnan China Posts: 1,829 My Car: 2001 Prius Package: Pioneer #1 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 7	In some high elevation areas, 85 octane is sold as 'regular' instead of 87. I have used this in 2001 Prius and the car seemed to drive normally. Its highest climb (I think) was to 10000 feet, Bristlecone pine forest, CA. Other Prius have been over 14000 feet on Mt Evans,CO.

05-16-2007, 10:39 AM	#10
richard schumacher nacreous lacquer Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: United States Posts: 4,131 My Car: 2004 Prius Package: #6 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Remember to shift into "B" on long downgrades that would otherwise require you to ride the brakes. And then remember to shift back to "D" when you leave the mountains ("B" will reduce fuel economy in normal driving). Don't be afraid to floor the gas pedal as needed. The engine will roar, but that is completely normal when high power is required. The computers will not allow the engine to redline.