How's the car at 70-80mph?

Potential Buyer · 02-22-2005, 12:46 AM

Hi guys, I just registered here. My current car is a VW Jetta, and at 115 HP, it's comparable to the Prius' 110 HP. But I've heard the Prius is not so great for highway driving... I drive 70-80mph on the highway and am wondering how the Prius handles that. Can it even go that fast? And, without A/C on, what's the fuel economy at those speeds?

V8Cobrakid · 02-22-2005, 12:56 AM

the prius goes 108. you can get up to 90 pretty easy at 100 you get 25mpg still. around 70-80, you would get over 30 but below 50. i can cruise at 70 and average just under 50. well.. that's about 70 to 74mpg. so you should average in the 40s for mpg.

without a/c.. doesn't change anything much. not unless it's blasting. i live in the S.F. bay area of california, so i never really use the air.

**Tideland Prius** · 02-22-2005, 01:04 AM

Assuming you don't live on a hilly area or where the hwy is straight up the road's actually going up, you can get pretty good mileage. At 60ish, the instant fuel economy gauge is showing around 4-5 L/100km.. that's abt 47-58mpg. On the whole average, expect about 50. I've only taken it on the highway twice though and that's only to the nearby town. I've yet to take it on a long trip.

Kyle Pehrson · 02-22-2005, 01:07 AM

At 70 I will get 53, At 75 I get 48-50, After that I don't want to know what the gas mileage is just want to know where the cops hiding. ha ha At 80 it drops off to 43-45.
What is the fastest any one whats to admit to going in their Prius?

Robert Taylor · 02-22-2005, 01:15 AM

47/46 Miles to the Gallon at interstate speeds of 70 to 75.

The MPG's at 55 are vastly better, about 11 to 12 percent more overall, say 52, 53 MPG.

So, its a tradeoff, and if you travel interstate, you pretty much need to keep up with traffic. Not doing so is not that healthy.

Potential Buyer · 02-22-2005, 01:15 AM

Thanks for the quick replies, guys. It's good to hear the Prius is not limited to city driving, even for getting good mileage.

V8CobraKid: I've read elsewhere that with A/C on, one routinely gets 28mpg flat when doing highway driving. Is this really not true?

Kyle: V8CobraKid probably takes that award, since he said he's driven it at 100mph.

LeVautRien · 02-22-2005, 01:26 AM

I would have to totally disagree with the statement that the Prius isn't good for highway driving. Driving along the LA freeway system, I probably average 75-80 regularly. The mileage isn't stellar, but I've recently been getting almost 45 mpg. As far as getting to 75-80 goes, it's totally effort-free. I've gone as high as 94 myself, though only for a short while, and again, almost effort-free.

Some do complain about the handling at those speeds, though, since the Prius is a little more twitchy at freeway speeds than most cars, but that issue seems to be tire-related moreso than the Prius itself. I simply got used to it within a few weeks and I'm sure to give anyone who drives it a heads up on the fact that they're a little more apt to drift if they get too careless.

**Tideland Prius** · 02-22-2005, 01:35 AM

A/C and 28mpg? I doubt it unless it's either searing hot outside or frigid cold.

Potential Buyer · 02-22-2005, 01:49 AM

OK, good. All these posts are very reassuring.

**Tideland Prius** · 02-22-2005, 01:54 AM

There's a very good chance you won't be disappointed. Continue to browse this forum and PriusOnline for information and answers and feel free to ask anything you want. There are quite a large number of knowledgeable people willing to share their knowledge with you =)

02-22-2005, 12:46 AM	#1
Potential Buyer Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 290 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	How's the car at 70-80mph? Hi guys, I just registered here. My current car is a VW Jetta, and at 115 HP, it's comparable to the Prius' 110 HP. But I've heard the Prius is not so great for highway driving... I drive 70-80mph on the highway and am wondering how the Prius handles that. Can it even go that fast? And, without A/C on, what's the fuel economy at those speeds?

02-22-2005, 01:26 AM	#7
LeVautRien Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Claremont, California Posts: 367 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Re: How's the car at 70-80mph? I would have to totally disagree with the statement that the Prius isn't good for highway driving. Driving along the LA freeway system, I probably average 75-80 regularly. The mileage isn't stellar, but I've recently been getting almost 45 mpg. As far as getting to 75-80 goes, it's totally effort-free. I've gone as high as 94 myself, though only for a short while, and again, almost effort-free. Some do complain about the handling at those speeds, though, since the Prius is a little more twitchy at freeway speeds than most cars, but that issue seems to be tire-related moreso than the Prius itself. I simply got used to it within a few weeks and I'm sure to give anyone who drives it a heads up on the fact that they're a little more apt to drift if they get too careless. __________________ The Batmobile -- 60,000 miles

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02-22-2005, 12:56 AM	#2
V8Cobrakid some guy... Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 2,562 My Car: 2004 Prius Package: #9 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 5	the prius goes 108. you can get up to 90 pretty easy at 100 you get 25mpg still. around 70-80, you would get over 30 but below 50. i can cruise at 70 and average just under 50. well.. that's about 70 to 74mpg. so you should average in the 40s for mpg. without a/c.. doesn't change anything much. not unless it's blasting. i live in the S.F. bay area of california, so i never really use the air.

02-22-2005, 01:04 AM	#3
Tideland Prius Super Moderator Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Canada Posts: 13,909 My Car: 2005 Prius Package: B Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 11	Assuming you don't live on a hilly area or where the hwy is straight up the road's actually going up, you can get pretty good mileage. At 60ish, the instant fuel economy gauge is showing around 4-5 L/100km.. that's abt 47-58mpg. On the whole average, expect about 50. I've only taken it on the highway twice though and that's only to the nearby town. I've yet to take it on a long trip.

02-22-2005, 01:07 AM	#4
Kyle Pehrson Prius Master Tech Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: S.L.C. Utah Posts: 122 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	At 70 I will get 53, At 75 I get 48-50, After that I don't want to know what the gas mileage is just want to know where the cops hiding. ha ha At 80 it drops off to 43-45. What is the fastest any one whats to admit to going in their Prius?

02-22-2005, 01:15 AM	#5
Robert Taylor Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Rocket City Posts: 451 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	47/46 Miles to the Gallon at interstate speeds of 70 to 75. The MPG's at 55 are vastly better, about 11 to 12 percent more overall, say 52, 53 MPG. So, its a tradeoff, and if you travel interstate, you pretty much need to keep up with traffic. Not doing so is not that healthy.

02-22-2005, 01:35 AM	#8
Tideland Prius Super Moderator Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Canada Posts: 13,909 My Car: 2005 Prius Package: B Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 11	A/C and 28mpg? I doubt it unless it's either searing hot outside or frigid cold.

02-22-2005, 01:49 AM	#9
Potential Buyer Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 290 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	OK, good. All these posts are very reassuring.

02-22-2005, 01:54 AM	#10
Tideland Prius Super Moderator Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Canada Posts: 13,909 My Car: 2005 Prius Package: B Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 11	There's a very good chance you won't be disappointed. Continue to browse this forum and PriusOnline for information and answers and feel free to ask anything you want. There are quite a large number of knowledgeable people willing to share their knowledge with you =)