EPA gets real on mileage labels for '08

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jkash @ Sep 15 2007, 05:33 AM) [snapback]512974[/snapback]</div>

We purchased a 2008 Toyota Prius last Thursday, so they may be in dealer showrooms.

Tim Storey

 

The older EPA rating system was fine. I had few problems attaining the EPA ratings in the cars I owned. Thjey should have just said on the sticker "drive smart and you can get this mpg".

 

HTTP 404 Not Found

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(hampdenwireless @ Sep 15 2007, 08:58 AM) [snapback]512996[/snapback]</div>

Look at it this way,
The old sticker showed the potential best case MPG the car could get under ideal conditions. ( I know some people have been able to beat the old MPG numbers, but they are rare and certainly go to great efforts to do it.)
The new sticker shows what somebody is likely to get during normal driving conditions. Most people will average close to those numbers. If you work at it you will beat the numbers by a bunch.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(TonyPSchaefer @ Sep 15 2007, 12:40 PM) [snapback]513057[/snapback]</div>

Hey Tony, what's your route? 35 MPH through synchronized stop lights each morning? That's the only time I can clear 60...


<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(hampdenwireless @ Sep 15 2007, 09:58 AM) [snapback]512996[/snapback]</div>

Environment counts too..

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jkash @ Sep 15 2007, 09:33 AM) [snapback]512974[/snapback]</div>

The new Prius "combined EPA" figure is still 3 times higher than that of a base Silverado with one of the smaller available engines (18 mpg):

http://www.chevrolet.com/silverado/specifications/

My "combined" actual number is close to 51 mpg warm weather, and 44 mpg during the coldest part of the winter.

Harry

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(narf @ Sep 15 2007, 01:29 PM) [snapback]513052[/snapback]</div>

Well maybe I am the exception but normal driving for me has obtained the epa ratings pretty closely. That is highway at 65mph not 55 or slower. In the city I get the stated mpg too, maybe I know the lights etc. I DO NOT accelerate slowly unless I know the light will probably be changing red on me.

The new rating system is almost geared to report mpg ratings for lead foots.

 

i allways thought the old EPA figures were a bit high (although i have attained them SEVERAL times) but 46 mpg??? that is ridiculous.

we have gone from one extreme to the other. besides, the highway figure was not the one that needed adjustment. 51 mpg was just about right, maybe somewhere around 47-48 in the winter. it was the city of 60 mpg that was tough to make. that i thought should have gone done since you have to be good AND lucky to get that high

 

The overall is what changed to 46. The new numbers are 45 Hwy / 48 City / 46 Avg -- down from 51 Hwy / 60 City / 55 Avg.

I consider myself a pretty darn good "Prius driver", being educated in the various techniques, and attaining as high as 72 MPG over a 2-hour trip. However, my typical routes do not allow me to get anywhere near that mileage. My lifetime average over almost 20,000 miles (including that 72 MPG trip) calculates out to 45.79, right at the 46 MPG they now claim. I know the majority of reasonably decent Prius owners on this board also average in the mid-to-high 40's. So, personally I support the move to 46.

Half of your MPG is how aggressive a driver you are, half is your daily route (distance, stops, temperature...) Not everyone is blessed on the second half of that equation. In fact, I would say those who are blessed are the exception.

Look at it this way: You guys with higher mileage can brag your numbers up even more!

http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/calculatorS...amp;model=Prius

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(hampdenwireless @ Sep 15 2007, 06:55 PM) [snapback]513134[/snapback]</div>

I agree on my previous car Hwy was rated 29 and I never got less then 32 without doing anything but driving normal and that was with never turning off the a/c in the summer, if I did a few little tricks I could get 35mpg in it. A handful of times I even pulled out 40 mpg and that was driving at constant 70 mph.

So far in my Prius I have only gotten less then 50 mpg tanks 3 times (2nd, 3rd, and 4th tank) and it was all from a cross country trip. My avg is at 55.1 (mostly highway) and I just drive normal and with the cruise.

 

I get 4.3L/100km (55mpg) city and 5.2L/100km (45mpg) country easy, without trying just driving sensibly although I'm almost always quickest off the lights. If you read a few high miler threads on here you will see that I object to the methods some use to get very high miles per gallon.

I believe manufacturers have no choice what is written on the sticker, maybe they need a second sticker pointing the potential buyer here!!

 

We were at Champion Toyota in Austin Texas yesterday and they were delivering two 2008 models yesterday.
We stopped by to check up on our '08 order and saw them. What clued me in that they were the new ones was the lower EPA ratings..But indeed..They have arrived in Texas too...

John

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(TonyPSchaefer @ Sep 15 2007, 01:40 PM) [snapback]513057[/snapback]</div>

I would love to know how you possibly got 65.1 MPH. I am not attacking your credibility, but I do not see how it is remotely possible under anything but totally open roads where you have total control of your driving habits. And even then, those numbers, according to everything I have read, would put you in the top .0001 percent of Prius drivers.

I have tried every trick I know in a 30/70 (CIty/Highway) driving and the most I could get was around 50 mpg. I have tried keeping my highway speeds to no more than 65 mph and have coasted as much as I could. I have tried other "tricks" that some of suggested in driving styles.

This last tank, I drove the Prius like I drive my BMW 750 (normal, not trying to get great gas mileage) and I got 47.7 mpg (which is darn close to the new EPA numbers).

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(bostonimann @ Sep 16 2007, 11:08 AM) [snapback]513319[/snapback]</div>

You can find Tony's mileage logs at http://www.chicagopriusgroup.com/MileageLo...chaefer/All.htm
and the Chicago Prius Group driving tips page at
http://www.chicagopriusgroup.com/the-prius/driving-tips.htm

 

The old highway miles I could get fairly easily (51mpg) as long as the highway didn't go up any hills/mountains... the city one, no way in hell I ever got closer to 60mpg, but then again I don't live anywhere near what people would consider an ideal city for driving i.e. "flat", in fact I get better highway mileage than city mileage.

I mean sure there are some flat areas in neighboring cities where I can simply cruise along at 35 using hardly any gas (or electricity for that matter) but those areas are far and few between for me normally, so don't apply.

I mean Toyota used to have an ad campaign for the Camry hybrid(?) "40MPG in the city... ANY City" it's crap like this which does lead to deceptive advertising (aka lying)... now EPAs numbers, I have no problem with those, I can see how someone in a nice flat city can get 60mpg without issues.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tideland Prius @ Sep 16 2007, 12:40 PM) [snapback]513333[/snapback]</div>

Interesting. I think my biggest issue is that I use this car mostly on short (15 minute commute to and from work). Given the warm up 5 minutes, with its awful mpg, I then only have 10 minutes at the 30/70 city/highway ratio. So, I guess that 47.7 mpg makes sense under those conditions.

One day, I am going to try an all city trip, using the tricks to see if I can be part of the 60mpg club