Average MPG

That actually says 33mpg in the last 8 miles, which isn't great but 8 miles isn't much to go by

 

There's either something wrong or the driver has a lead foot

My mom's car is locally driven and never goes on the highway, lots of short stops. She gets about 39mpg

 

if you didn't drive the car the 140 miles, you have no idea. reset the odo and drive as far as the owner will let you, under varied conditions.

 

If you drove it 140 miles in a single trip in good weather, then yes, I'd be worried. But if that is the combined result of a dozen or so short test drives from different drivers, then I would not be concerned. Short trips from cold starts produce poor mpg in any ICE-powered vehicle, Prius included.

If you want to know what mpg that particular car can actually get, drive it several miles to warm up the engine, then reset the trip meter, then drive some more. Do a route with no net elevation change (or a round trip, which automatically ends at the same elevation as the start). This will produce a more meaningful gauge of what the car can do for longer trips.

 

Yes, that is exactly what that means.

However, it does not mean that that particular car will only return 32 MPG, only that it got 32 MPG over that particular 140 mi driven. You don't know the circumstances or the terrain etc that was driven.

 

It is also possible that the ICE did some idling during that 140 mile segment. You just never know. I would be very worried if thoes 140 miles are from normal city highway mix. The worst I ever got with my prius was 42.5 and that was a mix of extreme cold, idling for like 30 mins to melt off over an inch of solid ice built up on the entire car, also some snowy city driving

 

I wouldn't judge by what I found on the display.
You never know what happened for that period.

Sure it would make me feel better if I discovered it and it said 50 miles per gallon over the last 140 miles but I'd just ignore it.

The only way you can know how it's doing, or how it would do for you, would be to reset it.

Since you're the potential buyer, I'd ask to reset it, and then go on a long test drive. If a big portion of it is warmed up on the freeway, you should get decent MPG numbers almost immediately. Warmed up and on the freeway (sans traffic jam) my Prius will almost immediately start turning in 50+ mpg.

If you reset it, drive frugally and it still is showing less than 35 mpg?
It still could be nothing....but since purchase is optional I might just pass.

 

Its a stinky MPG - but it takes ~10-mins to warm up car so if the person just doing short trips then that explains it. Otherwise there are some things to address such as tires, brakes (they can grab ), 12v batt etc. This car if orig bought in MA should have 10-yr 150k mile CARB warranty so if battery you may be OK for a little while.