1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

Average 60-65 mpg in summer? What do you get in winter?

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Fuel Economy' started by markabele, Dec 21, 2015.

  1. tv4fish

    tv4fish Member

    Joined:
    Oct 21, 2011
    202
    46
    0
    Location:
    Minnesota
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    II
    We live in north central Minnesota - temps can get in the 80-90's (F) in the Summer. We will average 55-60 mpg then.
    In the Winter, it can fall to 0 to -30 pretty easily (varies considerably depending on the year). We will average 45-50 then.
    You can believe THAT or not - macht nichts to me. Those numbers are from 2 different models - a 2005 and a 2010 over the last 5 years.
     
  2. frodoz737

    frodoz737 Top Wrench

    Joined:
    Aug 26, 2010
    4,297
    2,347
    33
    Location:
    Texas
    Vehicle:
    2015 Prius
    Model:
    Four
    Believe I was on the side of friendly to you here. Good thing I could care less about your inference. :ROFLMAO:
     
    #22 frodoz737, Dec 22, 2015
    Last edited: Dec 22, 2015
  3. fjpod

    fjpod Member

    Joined:
    Jul 29, 2009
    419
    72
    0
    Location:
    New York
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    II
    We've been having a lot of mild weather here in NYC, but in the summer, using only a little AC, and keeping my speeds under 55mph, I can get 60-65 mpg on a regular basis. In the dead of winter, with some heat use, I would usually have to struggle to get 53.
     
  4. markabele

    markabele owner of PiP, then Leaf, then Model 3

    Joined:
    Mar 27, 2012
    5,084
    1,782
    1
    Location:
    Nebraska
    Vehicle:
    2018 Tesla Model 3
    Model:
    N/A
    You were the one inferring people lie on here. Not me.
     
  5. frodoz737

    frodoz737 Top Wrench

    Joined:
    Aug 26, 2010
    4,297
    2,347
    33
    Location:
    Texas
    Vehicle:
    2015 Prius
    Model:
    Four
    What?...People never lie on car forums. :rolleyes:
     
  6. tpenny67

    tpenny67 Active Member

    Joined:
    Jun 14, 2014
    464
    402
    0
    Location:
    Massachusetts, USA
    Vehicle:
    2014 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    If we're supposed to be making up stuff, then I get 5,000 miles out of each gallon of unicorn tears :p
     
  7. frodoz737

    frodoz737 Top Wrench

    Joined:
    Aug 26, 2010
    4,297
    2,347
    33
    Location:
    Texas
    Vehicle:
    2015 Prius
    Model:
    Four
    See what you get for driving extremely stupid. You can easily get 6,000 miles per tank if you bump your tires up to 90 psi and fill up with E15 Unicorn tears. :ROFLMAO:

    Anyways...these cars are hard to beat...whether you embellish, drive to slow, go with the flow or late for work. ;)
     
  8. Devilsbard

    Devilsbard New Member

    Joined:
    Dec 22, 2015
    4
    4
    0
    Location:
    San Diego, CA
    Vehicle:
    2015 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Could the better MPGs in summer be caused, at least in part, by the engine not needing to "warm up" as long as it does in the winter, which is just wasted gas. Well...not wasted but not fully utilized.
     
  9. sillylilwabbit

    sillylilwabbit Active Member

    Joined:
    Jul 16, 2015
    405
    118
    0
    Location:
    Los Angeles
    Vehicle:
    2014 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    ... And summer formula fuel, less wind/rain/snow resistance, etc.


    iPhone ?
     
  10. markabele

    markabele owner of PiP, then Leaf, then Model 3

    Joined:
    Mar 27, 2012
    5,084
    1,782
    1
    Location:
    Nebraska
    Vehicle:
    2018 Tesla Model 3
    Model:
    N/A
    Definitely. It's one of the factors. Grill blocking can help a little bit with this.
     
    utterances likes this.
  11. kenichols29

    kenichols29 Active Member

    Joined:
    Jul 16, 2014
    250
    109
    0
    Location:
    Mckinney, Texas
    Vehicle:
    2014 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    I drive mostly on tollways doing 70 to 75 mph and I get 50 to 52 mpg average in summer and 45 to 47 mpg in the winter. So I roughly get 5 mpg better in the summer than the winter.
     
  12. TCW1184

    TCW1184 Junior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 10, 2013
    54
    18
    0
    Vehicle:
    2013 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    We haven't got winter yet in the southeast. Been freakin 80s. Still getting 58.


    iPad ?
     
  13. utterances

    utterances New Member

    Joined:
    Dec 31, 2015
    2
    0
    0
    Location:
    Toronto, Ontario
    Vehicle:
    2014 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    I just got my 2014 Two (toyota certified) with about 39k on the odometer. Right now here in Michigan is close to 32deg but no snow or rain on the road. I just drove the last two days and getting 51mpg on local (sounds ok to me), but only 39 - 43 mpg on highway, is that normal? This is all on ECO mode and I've been gentle with the gas pedal too... The heat is on fairly low too.

    From other people's posts (very helpful!) it looks like i should be expecting a dip with colder temperature, but 39 sounds kinda low if it's rated at 48? Hopefully this is not something I need to worry about?

    Other than that, I'm really enjoying the car so far!
     
  14. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    54,473
    38,105
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    ECO doesn't really do anything. How fast are you going on the highway? That's the big factor: as speed increases mpg drops, in a very linear, inexorable fashion. If you find routes around 50 mph or lower, it'll shine.
     
  15. utterances

    utterances New Member

    Joined:
    Dec 31, 2015
    2
    0
    0
    Location:
    Toronto, Ontario
    Vehicle:
    2014 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Ahh that might be why then, I'm mostly hitting at least 75mph, is there some chart/graph that relates these two variables? I'm pretty sure I can't drive 50mph on these roads without being hated by everyone else haha.
     
  16. bwilson4web

    bwilson4web BMW i3 and Model 3

    Joined:
    Nov 25, 2005
    27,067
    15,372
    0
    Location:
    Huntsville AL
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Plus
    Air density is the winter driving challenge. A good bumper inlet block will also reduce drag and help.

    Bob Wilson
     
  17. Pijoto

    Pijoto Active Member

    Joined:
    Nov 11, 2015
    199
    151
    0
    Location:
    Dallas, TX
    Vehicle:
    2013 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    If you're worried about slowing down traffic too much, find a slower moving Semi-Truck to follow behind, no one will bother you. If there's light traffic, I try to keep my speed within 5mph of the speed limit, which is mostly 70mph on the highway, and I find mid 60s is a happy medium between gas efficiency and tolerable moving speed, both for myself and everyone around me.
     
    Mendel Leisk likes this.
  18. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    54,473
    38,105
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    Or use a secondary, lower speed limit highway, if possible.
     
    Pijoto likes this.
  19. sdtundra

    sdtundra Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 11, 2008
    1,314
    193
    0
    Location:
    Sacramento, CA
    Vehicle:
    2011 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    This was last week. I think something is up with my car, thinking 12v will test tomorrow, but my commute is 10 miles each way and it's been cold lately. Tank before was at 46mpg. Summertime was around 59-62 on same drive.

    Second picture was this morning at 9am, it's currently 37 at 8:45 and 29 is tonight's low

    [​IMG][​IMG]

    Fone ?
     
  20. creationsh

    creationsh Junior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 9, 2015
    7
    1
    0
    Location:
    Bay area, CA
    Vehicle:
    2015 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Dash says 42mpg. But getting 39mpg at every fill-up in the bay area since october.