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New Prius Owner Struggling with MPGs

Discussion in 'Prius c Fuel Economy' started by zakmandoo, Feb 25, 2014.

  1. zakmandoo

    zakmandoo New Member

    Joined:
    Feb 25, 2014
    3
    0
    0
    Location:
    Alexandria, Virginia
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius c
    Model:
    Four
    Hi Everyone,

    First time Prius owner here, as of three days ago! I bought a certified pre-owned, 2012 red Prius c - four and couldn't be happier! I'm still trying to get used to driving so that my MPG's are maximized, but I have a couple questions about fuel economy:

    1. My trip to campus is about 20 miles, averaging about 50/60 mph. I'm driving mostly on the highway, so there are a few very gradual hills and the drive takes about 27 -30 minutes. I've noticed that my MPG's are usually in the mid to high 30's for the first 15-20 minutes or so of driving, and for the last portion of my drive, it's really hard to get anything above 42 mpg's. Is this normal? I'm driving in eco-mode constantly, I drive behind bigger cars in order to decrease wind resistance and I avoid revving up into the power bar as much as possible. It just seems to take a while for the car to reach "acceptable" mpgs....and even then...it's less than the average 46 Highway.

    2. At the end of my commute, the trip summary usually displays a much higher average MPG than I was actually traveling. For instance, today I surprised to see 48 MPGs, especially because the max MPGs I reach while actually in motion was around 42. Does this number include the times when the car is going all electric at stoplights? Could that be what is making this number seem higher?

    Anyway...I know there is a learning curve. And the fact that it's cold outside (35-40F) probably doesn't help either...but any tips for squeezing some extra MPG's out of the car would be great!
     
  2. vskid3

    vskid3 Active Member

    Joined:
    Jun 23, 2013
    773
    228
    0
    Location:
    Texas
    Vehicle:
    2005 Prius
    The cold is not helping you. Your mileage is low for the first bit because the engine is warming up. If you turn down/off the heater, it'll warm up a little faster. Once its warmed up, feel free to use the heater, especially on the highway. 48MPG isn't bad, but you'll probably be able to do better when you learn how to drive the car better and the temperature goes up.

    Yes, the MPG is the total miles, whether the ICE (gas engine) is on or not, divided by the gallons used.
    How much are you using electric? It should generally only be used at low speeds, like a parking lot. Use the ICE to accelerate on the street, only use electric when coasting to extend the coast or in stop and go. You'll figure out what works best for you and your driving the more you drive it.
     
  3. zakmandoo

    zakmandoo New Member

    Joined:
    Feb 25, 2014
    3
    0
    0
    Location:
    Alexandria, Virginia
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius c
    Model:
    Four
    Thanks for the reply! That video was super helpful...can't wait to drive home to test some of this stuff out!