2023 Prius on a LONG highway trip during break in period

Manual says no hard acceleration, excessive speeds, or constant speeds for long periods for the first 600 miles, and no hard braking for 200 miles. I've heard excessive speed defined as 65 and up. My advice if you want the best for your car? Take your time and use two-lane highways as opposed to interstate. Deliberately choose a route home with a 55-60mph speed limit that goes through lots of little towns where you have to slow down. And if the traffic is light, vary your speed from 50-55-60 from time to time. Once you've hit around 600 miles, go ahead a switch to the fastest route home. But it's your car and your choice.

 

Are you picking up the car in Vancouver, returning to Edmonton? If so, then the route back on 1 and 5 and through Jasper ought to be reasonable, with much more variety and slower sections than any U.S. Interstate route. Even the Trans-Canada Highway to Calgary ought to be reasonable.

For even more speed and condition variety, go through Whistler instead, up highway 99. Though if that provides some very steep mountain climbing earlier than you like, maybe #1 through Cache Creek would be better. Though I've never been through the Cache Creek segment, having always taken the quicker Coquihalla route through Merritt which does involve some steeper climb segments. Maybe some of your countrymen can weigh in better.

All that said, a Prius or any Toyota HSD vehicle will not be staying anywhere near constant engine speed even if the ground speed is constant. With an eCVT, the continually changing terrain in this region will cause far more swing in engine RPM than in any traditional transmission. This alone will provide a lot of the speed 'variety' that is desirable during engine break-in.

 

HSD will never hold on rpm/speed regardless of the driving conditions. IOW, you're fine. Enjoy the drive, your new car, and safe travels.

 

It had nothing to do with engine break-in, but a few years ago we took a road trip vacation through New England and set the GPS to avoid any divided highways and it took a while to get places, though not as much as you might think, but it was one of the most incredible drives we've ever had. It was actually fun to do the travelling, not just an endless strip of medians. Lunch at hot dog stands in little towns rather than rest are McDeath. Little roads along the shores of lakes. Beautiful downtowns in tiny places that had been left behind by progress.

 

I flew to GA from WI in April 2023 - picked up a new LTD and drove it back the way I would drive any car, it didn't skip a beat - was a great drive through the smoky mountains and it re-routed me past traffic jams/accidents - got through Atlanta in less than 45 minutes at rush hour, very thankful for the services that came with the car. The self driving gave my hands and arms just enough of a break from fatigue as well. Love the 2023 LTD! still learning about the features.

 

Removed - hate that we can't delete!

 

I think it’s left over advice from days of three speed non overdrive transmissions and 4:1 rear axles. 65 cruising or more isn’t racing the engine in modern times. Vary the load without maximum load on the engine then back off to let the cylinder walls take a break, then load again. In a few miles it’s all done in my amateur opinion, like 100.