The difference between "Good" and "Great"

Toyota seems to have mastered 'under promise, over deliver', which is the secret to success.

 

Based on the experience of others your display is probably ~6% optimistic, so you're close to 61.3 mpg for that trip.

 

I did a 104 mile round trip, moderate speed 25-60 mph. Me and my wife somewhat dry weather
and temps in the mid 50-s.

Calulated mpg was 61.89, MPG computer was 61.9. Same station different pump, same method used both
times, slow speed and first click remove nozzle.

My theory is in warmer weather fuel expands to compensate for difference in computer readout. In cold weather
perhaps the fuel contracts causing a higher error.

 

It's kinda crazy isn't it? I mean just when you think that the competition has finally caught up it turns out you almost have to hypermile to get their EPA estimates. You don't have to hypermile to get the EPA estimates In a Prius and if you do, your mpg numbers go through the roof.

 

When my 2010 Prius III MFD HSI Trip estimates 65 mpg it is normally about 3 to 4 mpg overly optimistic.

My Prius normally average between 60 to 65 mpg (computed at each fillup) in the Spring for my regular 16 mile one way commute with the Prius. In the summer and early spring I can average 70 mpg at times (both ways) but then the Prius fuel efficiency drops during the winter time to about 53 to 58 mpg ... when I take the Prius on an extended road trip (+500 miles in one day) on the superhighway( >60 mph) , the Prius' MPG drops depending on how fast I drive... 80 mph (=44 mpg)

 

And the best thing is that this number will improve as your hypermiling techniques improve/adjust for the car and as the car "breaks in" and the tires wear a bit.

Nicely done!

 

Not likely ... it is most likely to be fuel up error ... I had done now 100+ fuel ups and I can tell when something was wrong at the pump (happened maybe 3 times premature click off). The computer is over btw 5-6% every other time NEVER shows less than what calculated EVER so the positive bias is proven by hundreds of us who keeps record. ( I have kept record for the Gen II but that computer was pretty accurate without this positive bias )

 

Good post! I don't think it ever wears off. Even when I beat a record, I still have those times like last weekend where I don't get great gas mileage so I start the week trying to meet my record yet again...well, or at least become a member of the 600 club! I think the biggest accomplishment with the Prius is just changing perspectives about traffic. I used to drain me to the point when I would get home and couldn't talk for 30 minutes...it was just so stressful. Now, I seem to relax more and enjoy the opportunity to use the battery more and accomplish better gas mileage.

 

Good for you. Another interesting thing about the Prius you can have great MPG days and NOT so great MPG days. The not so great days will rarely, if ever, be below 45MPG. Pretty nice!

 

With winter out of the way I can "just drive it" and exceed the c's EPA city rating by 10-15 miles per gallon. This is a great little car.

 

Huh? What do you mean 'wear off?' <grins>

Actually what happens in my case, I pose a question to myself and look around for answers. Even if I find a credible answer, I then construct an experiment to test . . . and run the experiment. Since October 2005, I've been doing a lot of experimentation.

Now my experiments are not so frequent as much as I try to mentor those new to the NHW11 about what I've learned. It doesn't always work and sometimes . . . <sigh> . . . But we do have a great team of diagnosticians hanging in the NHW11 forum and we are often bouncing ideas off of each other. Best of all, we know each other and with respect will 'translate' into 'newbie' as needed. <grins>

You have a really excellent Prius and I would like to suggest:

• get the SAE papers - this will be engineers speaking about what they did to make that little puppy
• get the "New Car Features" - not quite as technical, these are available from the TIS (rent access) and are written more for the Toyota Service technicians . . . and we can usually understand them too!
• consider getting Diagnostics and Maintenance Manuals (shop manuals) - expensive, these are your 'road map' around the car and what is 'under the panel.'

You've got a great little ride and your cheeks are going to hurt from the smiling. Try not to giggle in public . . . unless your co-workers already know you're 'a bit off.' <wink>

Enjoy!

Bob Wilson

 

My first extended drive in a brand new Prius 3: 60 miles at 49.9 MPG. The drive home: 53.7 MPG. And I'm a rank newbie. So far about 300 miles on half a tank. This car is phenomenal.

 

I love my Prius, it is a well engineered machine, and constantly surpasses my expectations, 2 years of ownership and I still learn something new every time I drive it

 

slap energy savers a/s and then take a picture of your reaction!

 

I agree with what you said about having a different perspective about traffic. I used to be constantly pushing to find openings or the fastest lane so I could negotiate traffic as quick as possible. Now I'm willing to blend with traffic and if an opportunity to glide comes up without affecting traffic I will see how far I can go.
I did at one time have a 1975 3/4 ton pickup with a 350CID and a granny 4 speed. That pickup had a vacuum gauge with 3 ranges, green, yellow & red. Its surprising how that instantaneous feedback will change a person's habits. I would often lift my foot when I would see the vacuum gauge get into the red zone. The sad part is.... I was happy back then when I could get 14 MPG with that truck.
Today I needed to haul some stuff with my 1996 Suburban. I was so surprised how old habits of pushing down the pedal without thinking about the effects came back. I have a Scan Gauge II that I use with my Suburban, mostly when towing our camper. It always frustrates me when coasting down hills or towards a stop sign at highway speeds and the instantaneous MPG only goes up to maybe 40 and quickly starts dropping.... Its so disappointing to think how much fuel it is still using with my foot of the gas.

 

I'm a former Fit owner as well, first gen sport trim with manual transmission. Drove that car till 200,000km and averaged 32mpg 20% city driving.
43,000km later the HSD newness hasn't worn off for me yet.
Still look forward to driving my v every day. 80% of my driving is city now, lots of hills, not many level sections but still average 42mpg, only a couple of times when it was really cold when i lived in Edmonton i got as low as 37mpg, but for the most part its 42mpg or better these days.
I am envious of the liftback mpg, but then again my v doubles as a "work van" so I can live with its "not so great" mpg.

 

I've observed the same thing in crowds, in my case commuters coming off a train, headed for escalators. Most are willing to move with the tide, take it easy; but there's always a few obsessed with shouldering ahead, almost tripping people in their compulsion to get to the head of the line.