2008 mpg

I don't think there is any changes to the car. The EPA changed how they did the tests i believe. Hope not because my 08 is due in shortly.

 

The large difference in EPA rating is definately due to the new (and more accurate to real world driving) EPA testing.

The change actually happened during the 07 year, and it was possible to find 07 priuses with the 60 mpg rating on the window sticker as well as the 48, even though the cars were identical.

As far as your low MPG goes, when I first took delivery of my 07 I was getting about 48 for the first two tanks also. Now, on my 6th tank, i'm getting 56 MPG (had almost 58 on my last tank). Some of the increase is due to the car finally breaking in (i'm nearing 3000 miles) but most of it is due to reading all the numerous driving tips available on priuschat and implimenting them. I use the cruise control, drive 55 mph on the freeway when possible, and installed an EPH. Short trips without an EBH will murder your MPG. The only way around that is to consolidate trips into longer drives, or install an EBH.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(da prius @ Oct 12 2007, 01:09 PM) [snapback]524722[/snapback]</div>

Hey DA, welcome if you have not been already.

Where do you live, as in city? Describe your typical commute or non-commute for semi and retired folk? You'll find that the length and time of your commute has a tremendous impact on MPG.

 

The first 600-800 miles, your tires are breaking in (roll-resistance).
The car itself is breaking.
You are breaking in

By about 1500 miles, you should definitely see what your average MPG is.
Oh, and keep a logbook of all gas/miles, and go by the average, not individual tanks.

 

I got the car on 10/5/2007 and with a week of driving, I'm getting 48 MPG. Hopefully it will improve with the car breaking in in the next few weeks.

 

I live in Newport Beach Ca. Got my car on Sept. 22. I have already put 2000 miles on it, and the first few tanks I was averaging about 51 mpg (I read a lot of stuff on here). But now I have suddenly jumped up to 57 mpg over my last two tanks. So the future looks promising for you.

 

We've had ours 2weeks today and we're averaging about 50-51mpg in town and 45-49 hwy. We've driven it 1000miles so hopefully those will improve!

 

On my first tank I am doing 43.5 MPG in my 2008 Prius, so we are not that off. I drive back and forward to work (11 mi), so these are rather short trips that do not favour high efficiency milage.

 

On my first tank I'm steadily improving and am up to 49 MPG. My commute is about 3o miles each way with about 70% back roads and 30% hwy. Of course it's way too early, but it looks very promising.

(As a side note, my wife's 07 Camry Hybrid started at about 39 MPG and a year later is at about 43-44 MPG per tank. Pretty amazing for a car of that size --sorry for the tangent!)

 

I just got mine yesterday, but I have 140 mile daily round trip commute, and I was getting between 48 and 51 the whole trip (mostly highway driving).

 

first fill was last night and we did 45.6mpg

 

Received our '08 Touring on Sept 27th. It currently has just over 1700 miles on it. Overall MPG to date is 46.8 from day one. That average has been creeping upwards as engine and tires break in and my wife and I get on the learning curve as far as good driving habits. Last tank was over 54 MPG. Driving is about 30% freeway and 70% in town.

Slide

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(da prius @ Oct 12 2007, 01:09 PM) [snapback]524722[/snapback]</div>

We had an 05 and the 08 doesn't get the same mileage yet. My wife's tanks have done good to average 43mpg. She just gets in and drives. It has about a 1000 miles on it now and it is a lot easier to get better mileage. I drove it about 50 miles round trip at 300 miles and got 67 mpg. She gets about 44 on the same trip. I'm going to put the block heater in this week-end and at about 2000 miles, I'm going to put 0-20w Amsoil in it.

How many miles do you have on it?

How much air is in the tires?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(da prius @ Oct 12 2007, 11:09 AM) [snapback]524722[/snapback]</div>

I noticed the new stickers too. The 07 Prius (which I have) was rated at the old EPA standards. From what I understand, basically placing the car on a dynamometer (however it's spelled, been a long night), where the wheels spin in simulated conditions and emissions output is measured to determine fuel consumption. Anybody, correct me if I'm wrong. It's supposed to be like a smog test. Totally unrealistic - I mean, highway considered someone going about 48mph and city was about 17. Who the hell goes that slow? 48 I can understand on some streets, but on the freeway?

So the new EPA standards are supposedly designed to more accurately reflect actual usage and driving patterns. But always remember - you will NEVER get what the sticker says. Hence where it says it's an EPA estimate. But it gives you a ball park figure you will see. Just like the Hummer - I think it says like 12-14mpg, but everyone I've talked to says it gives them 6-8mpg (and they think they have a right to complain about gas prices...).

Paul

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Rae Vynn @ Oct 12 2007, 01:58 PM) [snapback]524819[/snapback]</div>

At least I know I'm not the only one doing this. I log all my data into Excel. Gas station brand, location, time, what the computer says, what actual mpg is, price, gallons filled up, and then all the lifetime averages, including how many gallons I've filled up on average and the average time I hit the pumps. Gotta love statistics.


<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(berylrb @ Oct 12 2007, 12:22 PM) [snapback]524772[/snapback]</div>

And I'm guessing that your low mpg is due to the hilly terrain in SF? It's frustrating for those of us who live in California, where are are just so many hills and mountain passes, whereas everyone in the country in the midwest is fortunate enough to deal with level terrain.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(da prius @ Oct 12 2007, 01:09 PM) [snapback]524722[/snapback]</div>

Hi all! Brand new to the Hybrid community, but I just traded in my '07 Corolla for an '08 Prius. With my last tank of gas, I drove for 538 miles getting an average of 52.3 MPG. I didn't start adjusting my driving habits and really paying super close attention to the Energy and Consumption meters until about half way through that tank of gas. I'm looking to get close to 600 miles on this next tank of gas. I'll have to post back.

As of right now, I'm averaging 55.7 MPG on this tank of gas and I've already traveled over 250 miles and have over half a tank of gas left (I think two pips over the half tank mark).

I have a 63 mile commute to work and most of my driving is on the interstate. Off the interstate, the driving is still rural, and, FWIW, I live in the mountains.

 

Green Hybrid is a good website to compare mileage ( http://www.greenhybrid.com/compare/mileage/ ). They have 1400 people logging mileage, some more detailed than others.

 

The old EPA standards were created in the late 70's? Speeds were lower then were they not?

So the new EPA standards are supposedly designed to more accurately reflect actual usage and driving patterns. But always remember - you will NEVER get what the sticker says. Hence where it says it's an EPA estimate. But it gives you a ball park figure you will see. Just like the Hummer - I think it says like 12-14mpg, but everyone I've talked to says it gives them 6-8mpg (and they think they have a right to complain about gas prices...).

[/quote]

I disagree. All of my GM cars and trucks gave me the exact milage even the old EPA ratings stated. This included quite of bit of hotrodding and burnouts. :lol: I think those that claim to be getting 6-8mpg in their Hummers are doing their math wrong which is not inconceivable. My buddies '02 GMC 2500HD 6.0L 4x4 got 11-13mpg pretty average and he drove it like it was stolen. I babied it and still only got 11.8mpg over a full tank of driving. In city driving, hot rodding doesn't seem to effect milage near as much as it does on the freeway in these gas guzzling vehicles. My point is, you would have to drive like a maniac with a lot of idle time to get 6mpg in a new style GM "truck". I could be wrong though.

HERE is a video from the EPA's site that shows how economy vs agressive driving affected the milage on two Hemi equipped 300Cs.

 

I picked my car up 2 weeks ago with 8 miles
(i now have ~1700). i drive 99.5% highway
to work and back (about 250 miles per day)
and i am averaging ~50 mpg. i am very
impressed with the mileage considering i have
almost no city driving at all.

r