2011 gas economy worst than old 2006 Prius

Certainly I could be wrong. And I've never owned a Gen 2 Prius. But I'm just pointing out this is not a "Newbie" Prius owner. I was assuming they would keep similar driving habits from Prius to Prius.

If they averaged 42-45 with their Gen 2, and now struggle to get over 35? I'm suspicious that the cause would be related to any difference between a Gen 2 and a Gen 3.

However, you are correct, if they were driving and trying to never let the HSI display go past the mid-point they were not driving the Prius in the most efficient manner. Would this result in a 6-10 mpg gallon loss? Well maybe. If they were driving it in the manner described, an adjustment would be called for....if that's all it is? Lucky for them.

 

probably went to vegas for the weekend.

 

Well this is what the salesman told me was the most efficient "operating" technique when I bought my Gen III. I tried hard not to laugh at him. Of course, operating and accelerating are two different things.

Too many people are told to drive to the "cartoon" on the display. Maybe this stuff helps sell the car, I don't know.

To me, even giving names like "pulse & glide" just makes people do stupid stuff because it sounds more technical than it really is. I tell people looking at a Prius (I'm not in sales) to accelerate like you normally do, then try to stay at a constant speed and anticipate your stops and let up a little sooner because that's the way the car likes to behave. This is a generally safe and efficient driving technique anyway for 99% of consumer cars. For example, if you are at a stop and you will be proceeding on a road listed at 35 mph limit, accelerate to 30 like anyone else does, then ease up on the acceleration until you reach your desired "cruise" speed - this is very efficient (maybe not the most efficient but very good) and will be fine for 80% of the other drivers in traffic (there will always be someone who wants to lead the parade only to idle at the next light - and there are others who simply refuse to drive at a constant rate of speed; there's nothing you can do about them). Use Power mode when you are trying to merge into high-speed traffic and click back to Eco when you get a safe chance and don't worry if you forget to. Check the instantaneous MPG gauge occasionally to see how you're doing - if you think you're trying to cruise but you are under 50 mpg you are either going up an incline (in which case you are fine) or you are actually accelerating when you think you are cruising.

Trying to hit the "prize" spot on the cartoon gauge - like using a sledgehammer to ring the bell at the "Test Your Strength" booth at a carnival is not how you drive in traffic safely, especially because you aren't looking at the road It's OK to do it on an open road to learn how the car behaves, but it isn't all that necessary to get super MPG.

 

Funny you should mention this. I took my Dakota out today for the first time in a bit and was amazed at how different I've already started to drive with the Prius after only 2 weeks, especially slowing down for traffic lights. When I first got the Prius, I watched the display, but I quickly found that to be too distracting, especially once I made the same 30-mile trip without watching and got "slightly" better mpg. I've always slowed for traffic lights, but I did notice I do it more now. I suppose some of the "experience" with the truck this morning was the size difference. I used to go from a van to the truck, now it's a Prius to the truck.