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Classic Prius MPG vs '06 MPG

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Fuel Economy' started by MickeyM, Jan 25, 2006.

  1. MickeyM

    MickeyM New Member

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    Those of you who have owned both a classic Prius like an '03, and the current one like an '05 (or '06 with at least a few thousand miles on it), I'd like to know how your mileage compares. I know the EPA numbers are better for current model, but is that your actual experience?

    I'm about to trade in my '03 Prius with 60K miles for an '06, and frankly I'm a little worried by the number of postings of owners who are seriously disappointed in their mileage. My 5-tank average mpg in the winter here in Orlando is 50.5 mpg, and in the summer it's around 47 (with the A/C on). Trips on I-4 to Tampa (70mph) often get over 50 mpg, and on trips to Key West we consistently get 60+ on the 100 miles of US-1 between Key Largo and Key West (the speed limit on much of it is 45 mph). (That's FUN!)

    I do expect an initial drop until everything gets broken in - I experienced an improvement in the '03 during the first few thousand miles - but I'd really hate to have the long-term mileage end up worse than my '03.
     
  2. Frank Hudon

    Frank Hudon Senior Member

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    well I almost hate to wade in here, the wife has a 2k4 and I have a 2k3 and I can just get slightly better mileage with her's than mine. If your interested I can send you the spread sheets for both.
     
  3. MickeyM

    MickeyM New Member

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    if I read your signature correctly, the '04 is getting 6.02 L per 100 km? if I did the math right, that's just under 40 mpg over the life of the car

    please say I did something wrong, or you're towing a boat or something...
     
  4. benighted

    benighted New Member

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    6.02 liters/100 km = 39.0721899 miles/gallon(US)
    Probably just the driver, if he says he can get better gas mileage in the same car...
     
  5. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    yeah.. cause I live in the same city and my lifetime over 22,000kms is 5.07L/100km.

    If you're in Fl, I'd expect closer to 60mpg realistically. The only people on this board getting 60mpg in the summer are those from Tx and Fl.
     
  6. Jack 06

    Jack 06 New Member

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    I put 40K on an '01, 55K on an '02 and have 40K on my '04; 135K mi. in all.

    I didn't do spreadsheets, but my overall '04 MPG is about 2-3 higher than the Gen 1s. About 48 vs. 45. If I were in FL, I think the difference might be more like 4-5.

    The EPA gap for "city" driving is 52 vs. 60. They're both occasionally achievable, but basically BS. You're lucky if you average 40-45 in the city with either car. The EPA gap for highway is 45 vs. 51. Closer to reality, for me.

    Disclaimer: about half my city driving is in hilly SF. I'll lick anyone's feet who can average 50-60 there. :p If most FL cities are fairly flat and more suburban than urban in nature (e.g., farther between lights), I could see getting 45 with my '04.
     
  7. john1701a

    john1701a Prius Guru

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  8. 2Hybrids

    2Hybrids New Member

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    Without going into the mathematics and spreadsheets, I get about 4-5 mpg better in the '05 and the '02. Same driving conditions and techniques. Your long term will be better :)

    For fuel efficiency along, I'm thankful to live in Florida.
     
  9. Frank Hudon

    Frank Hudon Senior Member

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    See I said I hated to wade into this one. Yes under the same conditions I do get about 2 mpg better with her car. On long hiway trips they are so close as to be no different is what I've found. The reason for her lifetime to be lower than mine is her 3 mile commute to work verses my 14 mile commute. My use of a block heater does contribute to better cold weather milage so there are definatly some reasons for the difference. The first year and a quarter of her useage was with a HV ECU that as far as I'm concerend was defective and after it was replaced the per tank mileage has been better but I can still almost match it with my Classic. Also her 2k1 Prius didn't do as good as the 2k3 and I see that in John's data. Andrew Grant YC15 ( the famous Prius Taxi driver ) noted that the 2k3 got better mileage than his 2k1 Prius in the same operation enviroment. Mind you he only put 85,000Kms on it verses 342,000 on his 2k1, so the lifetime mileage will be squed. and as he's out of the business now I don't get to talk to him to see how the 2k4 is doing.
     
  10. Frank Hudon

    Frank Hudon Senior Member

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    oh and I forgot, remember the song "give me 40 acres and I'll turn this rig around" road test the 06 and see if you can live with the turning circle. It's almost 3 feet bigger than the Classic.
     
  11. MickeyM

    MickeyM New Member

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    that's a shame... I've loved the short turning radius of the '03
     
  12. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    yesyes Frank. lol. It's not like the new Prius is an SUV in terms of turning circles. It's average for a car of its length. Think of the Classic as having an exceptional turning radius.
     
  13. tochatihu

    tochatihu Senior Member

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    The GreenHybrid database gives the HSD a 3 mpg edge over the classic. The EPA combined rating says 7 mpg.
     
  14. hv74656

    hv74656 Member

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    I too have been wondering about the MPG differences with the classic and the HSD. I mostly ruled out getting a '03 because I thought that the non-electric A/C would kill the mileage in Florida. But after what I'm seeing here, it doesn't seem like the ICE driven A/C has much of a mileage impact even in the blazing Florida summers. I thought the A/C had more of an impact in the classic than it does in the HSD.
     
  15. Frank Hudon

    Frank Hudon Senior Member

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    if your on the hiway and anytime the ICE is running like during the warm up the A/C compressor runs as required, determined by the S/T valve. I've had the 2k4 run the ICE to charge the battery because the A/C had pulled the BSOC down to 2 pink bars. All depends on the drive that is being done. Some will never have the ICE come on to bring up the BSOC and others will. I still think that Honda got the A/C comprssor right it's a hybrid. ICE powered when it's running and electric when it's not running.
     
  16. MickeyM

    MickeyM New Member

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    I don't know about summer/winter differences in the HSD (yet), but just up the road from you in Orlando my '03 my tank averages are about 47 in the summer when the A/C is on all the time, vs 50 in the winter when it's usually off

    I'll let you know next summer how much difference there is in the HSD