Toyota really nailed it with the Prius

In the US we measure mileage instead of consumption (how far will it take me, instead of how much do I consume to go a certain distance).
This makes it difficult to compare consumption rates. In SI units (metric) the typical measuremts are in liters/100 km (which is consumption).

When you babied your BMW you changed your consumption from 16.00 l/100 km to 15.28 l/100 km, saving 0.72.

If you were normally getting 50 mpg in your Prius (4.71 l/100km) that same savings would have upped the mileage to 59 mpg.
So while it didn't look like much in terms of mileage, by babying your BMW you saved as much as the difference between 50 and 59 mpg.

 

So put a set of Ecopias on the X5M and maybe your mileage will rocket up to 15.7 mpg!

 

Actually, the most interesting thing about this thread is that you have a Beemer and a Ferrari and you are gushing about a plebeian Prius. That astounds me as passengers in my Prius have noted quite a bit of disgust at the value I got versus their superior SUV or V6 sedan. They are shocked by the amount of compromises I have made in the name of the almighty fuel economy. You sir, are a delight to read about.

 

Conventional wisdom in the other forums is that the Prius is for people who hate cars.
Obviously some of us disagree.

 

My only complaint about my new Prius is I wish it had just a bit more pep sometimes and that it didn't feel like a porker sometimes in the handling department. The porker factor will be somewhat alleviated with the chassis reinforcement parts plus the lowering springs.

 

This measure, HP/liter, must not be confused as a measure of fuel efficiency. It is a measure of engine compactness, an unrelated metric.

Go over to CleanMPG.com and read the sticky thread about 'Beating the EPA'. It has plenty of hints and tools, more than you may want or dare to apply, but you should find plenty of ideas to boost your non-hybrid MPG more than that.

I did that for a year in my '97 Subaru (still in the household) before acquiring a Prius, and it made a world of difference. A car that originally achieved 22-25 mpg in winter, 25-27 in summer, now gets 27-30 in winter, 30-33 in summer.

And more at high elevation, where the thinner air produces significantly less air drag. A couple weeks ago it achieved 34 mpg across Wyoming, then 33.5 mpg from Winter Park to Gunnison CO while crossing four mountain passes.

I believe you misread the OP. He is expressing U.S. MPG, not foreign SI consumption. The liters in his figures refer to engine displacement, not fuel consumed.

 

Not at all. He sounded disappointed at the mileage improvement he got with the X5M. My point was that he actually reduced his *consumption* by a good amount (even if it doesn't impress when expressed as mpg).

 

Most of the folks that I've had in my Prius remark about how smooth it is, and how it is a lot larger inside than one would expect. And strangely, with the number of cars that I've owned over the years, this is the only one that my family members have insisted that I let them know if I plan on selling it so they get first crack at it.

 

I know exactly what you mean. My previous cars include an Integra GSR and WRX. My friends drove a Mustang, Prelude, Miata, and a Celica. When I got a Civic with an automatic, it was like I dropped out of the gang or something. One friend went so far as to say, "No, you're not driving. I am. I can't stand your following distance and letting all those cars get in front of you." I just got the Prius and so far? Coworker's comments have not been flattering except from fellow Prius owners. My friends haven't stopped laughing since the Civic.

I'm like you, I appreciate efficiency. I got one friend to upgrade from a Prelude to an Insight and one coworker from a Tundra to a Prius. Slow and steady...

 

There is an answer today for more power and more fun to drive car : 2012 and later Camry Hybrid. Not the 2011, the '12 and later.

new Camry hybrid has 200 total system horsepower and is quicker 0 to 60 (under 8 seconds) than the regular non-hybrid Camry, not far behind the V6 either.

Camry hybrid is also more fun to drive - sure feels like it has a lower center of gravity, and has 'dual-link' independent rear suspension, keeping all four incontact with the ground around turns.

Best part? Fuel gage was still pegged on 43.x MPG average ( I rented LE, not XLE which is 3 mpg less in city) after 180 miles, and a the pump it came out to 46 MPG average. I was exactly pussyfooting it either. Choice is - pump in 8 gal (Prius) or 10 gallons after 400 miles?

Camry hybrid is a very good car. I'm tall with long legs and driver's seat a bit short bottomed for me, other than that, I like it.

 

Got back from PA, Had all the power I need for passing and hill climbing up them thar moutains.

DBCassidy

 

Yep.

A bunch of people here have pointed out exactly what Car and Driver: Mileage? No, it's Your Gallonage that Really Counts | PriusChat has pointed out.

To go from 14.7 to 15.4 mpg over 100 miles results in a savings of 0.31 gallons. That's similar to going from 44 to 50 mpg, in terms of gallonage (0.27 gallon delta).

 

"So in the interest of science, I drove my daily driver a 2012 X5M the Prius way this whole week. And to my surprise I only managed to get 15.4 MPG combined city/highway, compared to my normal driving method of 14.7 MPG. So all the agony of getting tailgated, high beam flashed, and building up leg muscles to control myself not to floor the gas pedal only resulted me with a 0.7 MPG improvement."

That's a 5% increase gained without additional expense. How much more did you want? Increasing your tp should give another bump.