29.8 mpg? That's it?

After months of reading PriusChat and getting as much info I could get, I finally decided on a Prius V with Advanced Technology... Picked it up last night, and today drove it to work for the first time and back...

Drove 27 miles to work, 27 miles home, and realized that all I could manage was 29.8 mpg...

Now, I know there was stop and go traffic, and it was hot here in LA, so I used the A/C, but 29.8?? I got rid of a truck that got not that much less MPG and spent $33,000 for 29.8? I must be doing something really wrong that I can't figure out... ughhh

OK, so when is there an L.A. Prius get-together so I can actually learn to drive this amazing car and get mileage that tops 30mpg?

You must have had some seriously long, long waiting times during traffic jams with the air totally cranked up or there is something wrong with the car. Possibly your parking brake was partially on or you have a habit of riding the brakes maybe?? There should no real tricks required to get around 50 mpg if your Prius is running right. Getting beyond 50 mpg requires some conscious driving skills. I would take it in to the dealer if doesn't do better than say 45 mpg after the first tank.

Define "not much less" and whether such a number is from actual calculations, trip computers or from EPA estimates. Make, model, year and engine would help.

http://www.detnews.com/article/2009... hybrid gains higher mileage better interior drove it like he stole it and worse and achieved 26.8 mpg. You can see the 26.8 and what everyone else got in the table at http://www.autoblog.com/2009/03/25/first-drive-2010-toyota-prius-puts-up-big-numbers/.

Even though this is for the 2nd gen, the PDF at http://priuschat.com/forums/knowled...ussion/37214-why-don-t-i-get-epa-mileage.html should help.

Not sure if you've had much experience driving hybrids and the Prius specifically. I use to drive more traditional cars and basically had to re-learn how to drive the Prius effectively. Stop and go traffic should be when the Prius is most efficient, so it would seem very odd that you are not breaking 40+MPG. You could do some searches on here for the Pulse and Glide technique that seems to be an effective means to driving more economically. I guess the easiest way to try to get more higher MPG figures is to try to keep the throttle responses in the ECO band and not run into the red PWR area (I'm referring to the HSI screen).
As for a LA get-together, I know there are a couple of groups on this site for LA area owners. I'm trying to recruit more members myself for the So Cal Prius Club group and eventually schedule some sort of meet up. I'll send you an invite to the group if you'll like to join.

Nope, never driven a hybrid or Prius before... I just did a search on Pulse and Glide, and went out and did a few miles trying to keep out of the red, and near the start of the ECO band, and at least went up to around 37mpg... It's a start!

The 27 miles in the morning actually was pretty steady - at 6:30 in the morning, even here in LA you can drive without hitting too much traffic sometimes. In the afternoon, the same trip that took me half an hour in the morning took me close to an hour and a quarter - stop and go - with A/C at about 70... oops... Time to learn to appreciate warmer temps...

And sure I'd love to join the SoCal group... Eventually, with enough meet ups, I might figure this thing out...

Say, I just got my Prius V with Adv Tech yesterday also, here in LA. When I left the lot the MPG average was about 13 and total odo miles was 5. When I drove home that average rose up to levels of 48 to 50+ MPG but it was 90 miles to home. At the end of today I have 300 miles on the car and I still have a half of tank of gas. The MPG average sits at 52.3. Drive some more this weekend that average should rise up. I wasn't doing anything special and I had the AC on also. I think you just have to balance out that low initial average that comes from the factory, port and dealer running the car for testing.

where in SoCal are you?

what roads are you driving to and from work?

and man, if you've been driving a truck, it's gonna take more than a day to nail down this Prius thing

I sort of wondered about that... While I was filling out final paperwork, the salesperson told me that he was going to add "$3.00 of gas to get it up to full" before I took it home... I didn't think anything of it, but tonight the tank was down almost a quarter, and I had to add about $12 in gas...

After I filled it tonight, I reset the odometer to at least only measure what I had driven... It had 35 miles on it when I got it, and now is up to 100... I never woulda guessed I'd become so concerned with numbers other than the original cost!

LOL... Driving the 101 and 134... and the truck was pretty small - a stickshift Ranger... but it still might be a bit different than a Prius...

gotcha, i switched from a '73 Suburban with a worked 454, and a '71 Bronco with a 302 HO

but i still think it's a big adjustment from your Ranger

i can avg. well over 50mpg on the 101 from downtown to Reseda if i'm coming back after 11pm and the freeway is clear

usually i take the canyon roads down to BH;
Reseda Blvd. > Ventura Blvd. > Hayvenhurst > Calvena > Benedict > Sunset > Hillcrest > Santa Monica Blvd. > Beverly Blvd.

that route as well as the reverse is a killer, has my mpg down to 43ish from low 50's on this tank

thankfully it's the weekend

oh, and i'm driving a 2008

it will take you some time but you'll get the hang of it

holler if you want to take that new car up on into the SM Mtns and git her up on 2 wheels :thumb:

I still have to adjust when I go between the Prius and my son's Pontiac G5, and moreso with our Pilot. You'll get used to it and bring the MPG up. My youngest son, just as a passenger, likes to make a game of helping me keep the bar in the right place. It's a whole new dimension of back seat driving.

It seems like you'd have to always be in the little red power range to get mileage that low.

I was getting really crappy gas mileage on my first tank until I realized it had averaged in all the "on" time during the first three miles from the PDI, etc. As soon as I reset the cumulative MPG, I ended up with 48.x MPG.

Above are some good ideas...also check the air in your tires (set below max on sidewall and as high as your seat can stand) and be sure while testing the mpg to use ECO mode. With a full tank and reset milage indicator perhaps upper 30s with a lot of AC on...sitting still for long periods with air on will certainly hurt mpg of a Prius as well as any car. Put some "normal" miles on this weekend and if you're still less than 35 ...go straight back to dealer Monday for help. My 09 had a tank of mid 30s on a hot summer day with heavy traffic and air on; driving a 2010 you should get or beat that number and find upper 40s to low 50s. Don't be discouraged you did make a wise decision. :welcome:

I don't agree with the statement, "There should no real tricks required to get around 50 mpg if your Prius is running right." I've seen a number of variations on this and it is quite discouraging for those who are not achieving this result.

My highest calculated tank after about 3500 miles has been 49.8. If I'm in a lot of stop-and-go traffic, on short trips, hills, etc. it can be hard to get over mid-40s. After a reset, the trip meter can go up and down between around 30mpg and 62mpg (not counting the inital few minutes where it can be well under 30). I am no newbie, and I work really hard to maximize my mileage but it isn't that easy to achieve 50 on a consistent basis -- it depends not only on individual driving style and technique, but length of trip, speed, hills, stops at lights/stop signs, weather, etc.

I wouldn't get too concerned until you have driven a few tankfuls / a few thousand miles. My worst tank of all time was the very first one (40.1mpg) and the mileage will improve as the car breaks in.

Compare Baseline to Known Reference

1. Find a circular route (aka., flat-land, freeway is ideal) at least 10 miles that you can drive on cruise control at a steady speed (55-65 mph).
2. Drive the route once on cruise control at a fixed speed to warm-up Prius. Adjust the cruise control to a speed that can be maintained safely. Turn off air conditioner and heater and make sure it is in "D".
3. Reset one of the trip meters approaching the exit at the beginning of second loop.
4. Try to drive the second loop on just cruise control.
5. Record trip meter at the end of second loop:
   • distance
   • MPG
   • average speed

Compare your mileage to the chart above.

Bob Wilson

Wow, there are so many good ideas you guys have suggested... At least driving won't be boring any more... I'll be watching and trying to figure things out constantly for the next while... I like the idea of figuring out a baseline... at least then I'll know what's my fault, and what's the car's fault (if ever!)

you just gotta stop pressign accelerator like if you were driving any other car, press it so that after you reached your desired speed, you stay on that speed with out slowing down. on my 2008 going 70 miles, i can get 65+ mpg if going stable on a leveled road. sometimes i even have to break to slow down cause im faster than the other cars, and getting high mpg.

in time you will learn how to feel youre driving efficiently and get more mpg and make sure youre not running it always on power mode. Also dont let the battery lvl be low like, using the AC while stuck in traffic, cause it will cost you mpg trying to recharge it back. (my 08 gets very very weak if battery goes low)

good luck!

49.1!!!

OK, so it didn't stay there for too long, but I managed to stay between 46 and 49.1 most of the time I was driving today... Turned the A/C up to 78, took it easy on the gas and tried to stay out of Power and in Eco whenever possible.

I might get the hang of it yet... My next goal is to hit 50 at least for a bit...

Oh, and went back to the dealership to get the back up beeps turned off, and while I was there, asked them to set my tires to 42/40 - which they did, and then the Sales Manager said, "Oh, it's another one of those PriusChat guys obviously... They know everything and are willing to try anything to improve their mileage"