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Insight gets better MPG than Prius???

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Fuel Economy' started by bighouse, Nov 14, 2009.

  1. ALS

    ALS Active Member

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    Well on Friday and today I averaged over 60 mpg in my 2010.

    Friday I made a trip to run an errand for work on normal suburban roads with traffic, lights and stop signs for the first half. The second half was rural back roads. This was mostly 25-35 mph with about 6 miles total at 55 mph. 16.3 miles each way with a round trip average at 64.5 mpg. I got 70 point something out bound and ended up with 64.5 mpg when I got back to work.

    Today I ran from Pittsburgh to Washington Pa. on I-79 and back at 55 mph on cruise control and averaged just under 64 mpg.

    I think it really depends on the route and conditions where these cars get their best mileage. I've have heard more than once the Prius sweet spot is between 30-45 mph.

    If I drove that 33 mile route I took on Friday everyday for work I would be averaging over 60 mpg with every tank of gas.

    The mpg numbers are from my calibrated Scan gauge
     
  2. F8L

    F8L Protecting Habitat & AG Lands

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    The numbers are closer for Cailfornia and U.S. Northeast cars (Prius and HCH) I assume since they are both SULEV II?
     
  3. bwilson4web

    bwilson4web BMW i3 and Model 3

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    That is her life but what counts is what you get because that is what you pay for. That stranger, that woman and mother is living her life and getting value for what she wants. You have a life, enjoy it and focus on what you can do.

    If you want to do a vehicle study, there are multiple sources:

    These are collections of reports or well crafted, head-to-head comparisons. These give a clue to what these vehicles do 'in real life.'

    So enjoy what you have and realize that the real 'bad wolf' is the Second Law of Thermodynamics. Do what you can to stave it off but life death and taxes, entropy always increases.

    Bob Wilson
     
  4. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    No idea. They're both AT-PZEV which is SULEV with zero evaporative emissions.

    And i'm finding it hard to find that site which gives the vehicle and its emission rating. All I can find is the stupid "green rating" and the number of barrels or whatever other counter is used now.
     
  5. F8L

    F8L Protecting Habitat & AG Lands

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    Sorry, was comparing the Gen II Prius and HCH-II
     
  6. G3priusV

    G3priusV Member

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    I was able to get around average 85mpg one day from a 15 mile trip that mostly had 30-40mph. And next day I got about average 65mpg from a 30 mile freeway and highway trip with about 50-70mph! Of course it was achieved during perfect fall days that no A/C or heat had to be used. But now since it's gotten so cold, I can barely make 55mpg city and highway combined and I drive on Power mode most of the time! :)
     
  7. cwerdna

    cwerdna Senior Member

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    I usually use Fuel Economy and to a lesser degree Green Vehicle Guide | US EPA.
     
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  8. cwerdna

    cwerdna Senior Member

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  9. cantgoback

    cantgoback Junior Member

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    I tried both of these sites and compared the 2010 Prius, HCH, Insight and the Prius came up with slightly better emissions than the other two, but they were all pretty close.

    Also the info from the other thread I referenced can be found here:
    2010 Prius
    Civic Hybrid
    2010 Insight
    Not certain how to interpret these documents, but comparing some of the numbers shows the 2010 Prius to be cleaner in most categories over the other two. However....

    It took a while, but finally found it for the 2010 Prius:
    Toyota Press Release on Prius Product Info

    Tideland -- you were right -- Prius is T2B3. As for the HCH, I didn't look for official documents, but did come across several websites stating that it's T2B2 (that's good enough for me). And I think one website said the Insight is actually T2B3.

    Based on the above conflicting finds, now I'm confused which car has the lower emissions...
     
  10. Indyking

    Indyking Happy Hyundai owner...

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    GREAT!!! It depends on her driving habits, climate, etc... but I think it's possible. Look at the Prius owners here in this forum reporting their MPGs... it can vary anything from 30's to 60's.

    It's good to know that the Insight can get that high MPG... so after I'm done with my rattle machine, I can come back to quality cars and low maintenance costs... I miss my Honda CR-V...
     
  11. SageBrush

    SageBrush Senior Member

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    The final tier/bin designation is based on the highest (worse) sub-category.

    If car (A) was t2b3 in all tests, while car (C) was t2b2 in all tests, it would be easy to say that car (C) was cleaner. In the case of Honda vs Prius this is not the case, so you get to put in your two cents which sub-tests are more important, or to add all the pollutants up for comparison, or compare percentage differences between the two cars in each sub-test ...

    Personally, I just say both cars have excellent pollution profiles compared to the average car on the road.
     
  12. F8L

    F8L Protecting Habitat & AG Lands

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    I agree with my friend Sagebrush. :)
     
  13. a64pilot

    a64pilot Active Member

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    I too wanted a Honda. I wanted the Honda to be the "better" car. Have you driven an Insight II? Unfortunately, it just didn't stack up nearly to the Prius, not yet anyway. I hope that in the near future, Honda beats the pants off of Toyota. Why? Because if that's the case then these cars will get better and better, and the consumer (me) wins. Cmon Honda :cheer2:
     
  14. Indyking

    Indyking Happy Hyundai owner...

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    I agree 100% with you that the Insight is no match for the new Prius, but they are cars from different classes, which reflect their different prices too. I'm a Honda guy, have always been and, based on my experience with this only Toyota I have owned so far, I'm coming back to be a Honda-only owner after done with my Prius. Yes, I had issues with wind/road noise with my past CR-V and Civics (chronic problem with Hondas but not so much with the Odyssey), but cheap interior feeling was never an issue with any of my Hondas. Also, I just love paying 20 bucks for OCI, tire rotation, etc in my Honda Odyssey and I wish my Prius was not almost 5 times higher… I also love the costumer service in the Honda dealers in my area... I do think that the Insight will get better and they may change it to be more competitive with the Prius. If that becomes a Honda goal, I have no doubts they can soon stay ahead in the game just like they have done with the Odyssey, Fit, and CR-V beating the Sienna, Yaris, and RAV-4 respectively. Camry is one that is still ahead of Accord, which I really find unbelievable because the Accord is a much better car in my opinion, but sales data is showing that the gap between the 2 keeps narrowing...
     
  15. royrose

    royrose Senior Member

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    To me the question is whether Honda will improve the drive system of their hybrids. I think their mild hybrid design is already out of date and becoming more so. If they do improve it, I would also consider a Honda.
     
  16. chefroy

    chefroy New Member

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    Arent we just splitting hairs here with the mpg? I mean to get 60 plus you really have to try at it or drive a constant downhill slope! I love my 2010 prius but I am more than happy with the 50 mpg I am getting without feeling like I'm driving Miss Daisy.
     
  17. finman

    finman Senior Member

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    I get this ALL the time with hybrid and non-hybrid drivers...I have found that just smiling and a "congrats, that's great MPG!" is a great way to reply. I mean, c-mon, if my display once said 60 MPG, I'd crow about it to. No need to get into a pissing contest, really. EVERYONE should be concerned/delighted with their MPG. AND...almost everyone can justify their low-MPG...something like.."yeah, it's a truck but I have gotten as high as 20 MPG". Super. Great. move on. I know what I'm getting, too. Usually the absolute best MPG people get is what they tell you. NOT, what the short, winter trips to the grocery store get them. It's all the point of reference. After 80,000 miles I still LOVE my runaway, unsafe, too-small, too slow Prius that ONLY achieves a 47 MPG average.
     
  18. cpatch

    cpatch New Member

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    Based on the data at fuelly.com, the older Insights average around 60 mpg while the 2010's, interestingly enough, only average around 45 mpg. (The 2010 Prius averages around 48/49 mpg.)
     
  19. a64pilot

    a64pilot Active Member

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    That's it in a nut shell. Honda has gone the lighter, smaller car with a smaller engine route for fuel efficiency, while Toyota has in my opinion gone just the opposite. That is I think a lot of the greater efficiency of the Gen III Prius is used to push a bigger, heavier car around.
    Combine a more efficient Hybrid system with a smaller lighter car, and I think North of 75 MPG is possible. By smaller I'm thinking along the lines of the original Insight.
     
  20. jdcollins5

    jdcollins5 Senior Member

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    I agree totally with you on this. I am a big Honda fan and looked at the Insight due to my past Honda experiences. I was disappointed that Honda had chosen to stay with IMA mild hybrid and not followed Toyota on the full hybrid approach.

    I think Toyota needs Honda to do well so they have someone to push them a little harder. Competition only helps you get better and only then will the consumer be back in the driver's seat !