Are car magazine editors idiots?

[turbonick]

I just bought a Prius Saturday. I can't believe how much fun it is to drive! Anyway, every article I've read in the magazines or on the net have talked about not coming close to the MPG that's advertised. I kept reading about editors not being able to get more than 40 MPG and how disappointed they were. I've driven the car for 300 miles now and have averaged 53.8 MPG. I don't know how to pulse burn or anything like that. I just drive normally, and lawfully. What's their problem? Seems like anyone can get 50 MPG. Is there some conspiracy or something?

[Godiva]

Most have never driven the car before and have limited time in it. My guess is they get to drive it for short trips or only for an hour or two. I think one driver had it for longer and got better, closer to 45 mpg. But if you live in a hilly area or it's winter, that's going to be your average. So the majority just don't drive the car long enough to get teh average of what an owner would get.

[sguilliot]

I averaged 43.9 my first 4 days, but recent trips around town has dropped it to 39.4. It seems that small differences in terrain, gas formulation, driving style, and temperature have a great affect on MPG.

Am I correct in assuming that most/all of your 300 miles are highway? If I drove 300 miles straight on the freeway, I'm pretty sure I could get around 50mpg.

[dmckinstry]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(turbonick @ Apr 4 2007, 05:26 PM) [snapback]417892[/snapback]</div>

I just bought a Prius Saturday. I can't believe how much fun it is to drive! Anyway, every article I've read in the magazines or on the net have talked about not coming close to the MPG that's advertised. I kept reading about editors not being able to get more than 40 MPG and how disappointed they were. I've driven the car for 300 miles now and have averaged 53.8 MPG. I don't know how to pulse burn or anything like that. I just drive normally, and lawfully. What's their problem? Seems like anyone can get 50 MPG. Is there some conspiracy or something?
[/b]

I suspect it's mostly where you live that gives you good mileage. Las Vegas isn't that cold, even in the winter. Second, I suspect you hardly ever drive less than 10 miles at a time, and third, although you have hills, they're usually fairly gradual.

I hardly ever get over 50 mpg in the winter, and then only if I'm doing enough distance driving.
If I commute to work, I've got an elevation change of about 100 ft in a distance of less than half a mile. Even though the battery recovers some of that, it can't recover all of it. Short trips don't permit sufficient warm up to get good mileage.

There's a lot of reasons someone can get poor mileage, other than lousy driving habits. In the winter, around town (trips less than 2 miles at a time), I can get as low as 35 mpg. Usually it's not that bad, since I mix in some trips of 15 or more miles at a time.

On my last trip of any distance (on the way home from California), I got 52.2 mpg for the first 405 miles, 55.9 for the next 464 miles, and 53.0 for the last 120 miles. This is according to the MFD, and actual mileage is about 1.5 mpg less (according to calculations over a large number of fill ups). The variations were due primarily to changes in elevation, since I tried to keep my speed fairly consistent during the trip.

Dave M.

[malorn]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(turbonick @ Apr 4 2007, 07:26 PM) [snapback]417892[/snapback]</div>

I just bought a Prius Saturday. I can't believe how much fun it is to drive! Anyway, every article I've read in the magazines or on the net have talked about not coming close to the MPG that's advertised. I kept reading about editors not being able to get more than 40 MPG and how disappointed they were. I've driven the car for 300 miles now and have averaged 53.8 MPG. I don't know how to pulse burn or anything like that. I just drive normally, and lawfully. What's their problem? Seems like anyone can get 50 MPG. Is there some conspiracy or something?
[/b]

The difference is probably more in expectations and how you are driving your Prius. If you drive it like most people drive you will get no where near 50mpg. If you are very conscious about how much fuel you are using it makes a huge difference. I have three Priuses in my extended family(in-laws) and one claims about 40 one claims over 50 and one has trouble getting 30 consistently. Two 05's and an '06.

[Godiva]

They've also probably got their tires at the recommended pressure. Most of us that want good mileage increase the pressure a bit.

What Prius drivers do to increase mileage is what any driver could do. Ease to stops, gently accelerate, drive the speed limit or less (55-65 freeway) and keep tire pressure at optimum. (Maintain clean filters, etc. too)

I think the one thing most drivers neglect is the tire pressure. I did until I got a Prius. The MFD lets me know when I've been negligent and need to check it.

Any driver of any car can beat the "new EPA" if they just did those few things.

[ewhanley]

[quote=malorn @ Apr 4 2007, 06:42 PM) [snapback]417932[/snapback]</div>

...... and one has trouble getting 30 consistently.
[/b]

Alright, I'll buy the 40 and 50, but if they have trouble getting 30, that car is in need of repair. Seriously, when driving in snow and ridiculously cold weather (-40 F), I could at least get 37 mpg. I drive my car normally. I don't smoke the tires at every light. I accelerate modestly and anticipate stops. I have not drastically changed driving style and, in good weather, I can routinely get at least 54. I don't think this is uncommon. The best tank that I have had to date was 63, and that was achieved in heavy traffic, which I did not in any way hinder. I went with the flow of traffic.

Again. Malorn, what do you want from us? GM doesn't make anything even remotely comparable to the prius. Every time I fill up (about once a month) I am glad that I decided to get rid of my suburban (fill up every other week ~$115]$2.60/gal). I'm still not sure why you even hang around here.

[JimN]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ewhanley @ Apr 4 2007, 09:09 PM) [snapback]417947[/snapback]</div>

I drive my car normally. I don't smoke the tires at every light. I accelerate modestly and anticipate stops. I have not drastically changed driving style and, in good weather, I can routinely get at least 54. I don't think this is uncommon. The best tank that I have had to date was 63, and that was achieved in heavy traffic, which I did not in any way hinder. I went with the flow of traffic.

[/b]

Around here your driving style is not normal. (Normal being defined as what is done by the majority.) Braking from cruising speed to stop at the light is normal. In either car I'll be passed at least a half dozen times at every red light. Their reward is to wait longer at the light a pick up (maybe) a car length or two on me.

Test drives for reviews are probably short trips. Maybe the car is warmed up toward the end of the day. It certainly isn't early in the day. The audience of the writer is probably more interested in performance, handling, and comfort. I don't read the magazines. Do they report the fuel economy of every car they drive and complain if a Mustang or Corvette doesn't get the EPA number?

[donee]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(2bits @ Apr 4 2007, 10:19 PM) [snapback]417917[/snapback]</div>

I averaged 43.9 my first 4 days, but recent trips around town has dropped it to 39.4. It seems that small differences in terrain, gas formulation, driving style, and temperature have a great affect on MPG.

Am I correct in assuming that most/all of your 300 miles are highway? If I drove 300 miles straight on the freeway, I'm pretty sure I could get around 50mpg.
[/b]

Hi 2bits,

I get my best driving in suburban secondary road driving. Its typical to put 2 or 3 bars at 75 then 100 mpg on the car in this driving. But, this is after thoroughly warming up the car during 15 or 20 miles of highway driving. As this is the final portion of my drive, I can push the electric, and end up with the battery at 4 or 5 bars when I stop. If I was to continue further, more engine would be used to charge up the battery and an average around the original EPA 60 mpg would happen (have done this).

The EPA "City" driving is similar to what I am calling suburban secondary road driving. There are well spaced stop lights and stop signs, and many oportunities to time the lights, and brake for a long distance as one can see 40 or 50 cars stopped at a light up to 1/2 a mile out. Speeds can reach 50 mph, but average about 30 mph. Chicagoland City driving is a completely different regime - a stop every 1/4 mile, lots of pausing at these stops, and the traffic precludes timing the lights. Sitelines are poor, and this precludes much planned accell/decell. I can see why the EPA did this though. Most small metropolitan areas (Dayton, Indy, Cincy, some parts of Detroit, Minneapolis, etc) are very similar to the Chicago suburbs.

[Bill Merchant]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(turbonick @ Apr 4 2007, 05:26 PM) [snapback]417892[/snapback]</div>

Is there some conspiracy or something?[/b]

From another thread, most car magazine editors are enveloped in a cloud of bozone from the tailpipes of GMDCF. A few are just a plain ignoranus.