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The Pittsburgh Penalty?

Discussion in 'Gen 4 Prius Fuel Economy' started by DWW, Dec 10, 2016.

  1. DWW

    DWW Junior Member

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    Hi everyone,

    Just joined -- first post after reading many of your great insights while considering buying my first Prius.

    We bought the Prius 4 on 10/31, and are approaching 1,000 miles. The computer says the lifetime MPG is just under 50 -- which as far as I can tell is more like 47 in real life.

    I'm in Pittsburgh, where the terrain is hilly, and our house happens to be at the top of a steep street. The weather has been chilly since Halloween and over the last week or so fell into the 20's. A few 3-4 mile trips today (from cold starts), and I could barely crack 32 MPG! I am trying hard to start slowly, anticipate/coast to red lights, drive conservatively, etc.

    I realize summer may be different, but I'd hate to think that no matter what I do, I won't ever able to get the 52 combined (55 on the computer) on a regular basis.

    Any thoughts from others in Pittsburgh or other hilly areas?

    Thanks!

    Dan
     
    #1 DWW, Dec 10, 2016
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  2. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    welcome! oh, i thought this was about the steelers or penguins.:oops: but seriously, if you want a good feel for your cars mpg's, reset a trip meter and go for a good long drive under varied conditions. 3-4 mile trips were made for prime.
    all the best!(y)
     
    #2 bisco, Dec 10, 2016
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  3. DWW

    DWW Junior Member

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    Thanks. Yep...I do know not to judge by the short trips. But even those had been around 40-41 and I didn't expect a 10 MPG drop with the true winter temps.

    A couple of weeks ago I made a run to the airport, 60 miles roundtrip, and got 61.5 on the computer. And we have an upcoming 300 mile (very flat) trip which will give me an indication of how it does long distance in the cold.
     
    #3 DWW, Dec 10, 2016
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  4. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    that sounds about right. you can expect a 20% improvement in the spring.
     
    #4 bisco, Dec 10, 2016
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  5. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

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    #5 fuzzy1, Dec 10, 2016
  6. DWW

    DWW Junior Member

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    Interesting. Would still love to hear from any other Pittsburgh Gen4 owners if they eventually see this thread! My next door neighbor has a Gen3, but describes herself as having a lead foot, so between that and the older model, I'm not sure the numbers comparison would be apples-to-apples.
     
    #6 DWW, Dec 12, 2016
  7. first_superior_prius

    first_superior_prius Member

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    It's not the hills, it's the cold weather and short trips.

    You will see a large improvement once temps warm back up in April/May. You've already noticed that when you take a longer trip, you get much better mileage.

    No car is going to do well on short trips on a gas engine, and the Prius is no exception
     
    #7 first_superior_prius, Dec 12, 2016
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  8. bbald123

    bbald123 Thermodynamics Law Enforcement

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    Hills definitely impact MPG but not as much as cold and winter gas.
     
    #8 bbald123, Dec 12, 2016
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  9. DonDNH

    DonDNH Senior Member

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    Check the pressure in your tires. If you haven't set it since you bought the car, chances are they are below optimal pressure.
     
    #9 DonDNH, Dec 12, 2016
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  10. skayaks

    skayaks Active Member

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    Welcome to PriusChat!
    At just 1000 miles on your new car you are still breaking in.
    By spring you will have a lot of factors working for you to dramatically improve MPG.
    And (after break in) next winter MPG will be better than this winter.
     
    #10 skayaks, Dec 13, 2016
  11. RCO

    RCO Senior Member

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    Prius 4 shouldn't need breaking in!
     
    #11 RCO, Dec 13, 2016
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  12. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    but you'll still have the pittsburgh penalty.
     
    #12 bisco, Dec 13, 2016
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  13. Breadman03

    Breadman03 Junior Member

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    NEPA here. The cold and short trips dinged my MPG pretty hard. Longer trips (where everything gets warm) would help.
     
    #13 Breadman03, Dec 13, 2016
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  14. That_Prius_Car

    That_Prius_Car Austin Kinser

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    Greetings! You and I live very close. I live in Wheeling, WV and I drive to Pittsburgh almost every weekend. I bought my Gen.IV in August and just hit 2,300 miles yesterday. My lifetime average over those 2,300 miles is 58 mpg. I don't do much local driving in Pittsburgh though, other than in Greentree, West Mifflin, and the Waterfront. Wheeling is pretty similar to Pittsburgh, and I'd say my MPG in local driving is about 50 mpg. However, roads traveled, miles driven, and time spent behind the wheel is an important factor.

    With "short" trips (e.g. running a mile or two down the road to the grocery store) combined with the hilly terrain in this cold weather, MPG will drop accordingly. Traditional vehicles are no exception. To reduce emissions, the catalytic-converter must be hot for the cleansing of exhaust to occur. The source of that heat comes exclusively from the engine. It requires gas to be consumed just for the sake of getting the engine hot, so MPG will suffer during the first few minutes of driving.

    If it makes you feel any better, you're still getting better MPG than most cars that do the type of driving you do. A 35 MPG rated Corolla would probably be getting in the low 20's in those conditions. A close friend of mine in West Mifflin who has a 2017 Hyundai Elantra, rated at 40 MPG, has only been averaging 23 MPG I noticed last time I rode in her car last weekend.

    32 MPG isn't good by Prius standards
     
    #14 That_Prius_Car, Dec 14, 2016
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  15. Rmay635703

    Rmay635703 Senior Member

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    Get a block heater, on most cars the cost to run it a few hours is less than the gas mpg lost, also check ecomoddder you can safely insulate at least above the engine in the winter so if you have more than 1 short trip a day your engine can stay warm 4-8 hours instead of a couple.
     
    #15 Rmay635703, Dec 14, 2016
  16. bbald123

    bbald123 Thermodynamics Law Enforcement

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    #16 bbald123, Dec 15, 2016
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  17. bbald123

    bbald123 Thermodynamics Law Enforcement

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    I borked the formatting on this post somehow. Apologies.
     
    #17 bbald123, Dec 15, 2016
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