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3237 Mile Trip Report

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Fuel Economy' started by DetPrius, May 1, 2010.

  1. DetPrius

    DetPrius Active Member

    Joined:
    Apr 24, 2009
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    Location:
    Southeast Michigan
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    Clarkston Michigan to Orlando Florida and back
    Trip Duration: 11 days
    Passenger Weight (4 of us): 470 lbs.
    Luggage Weight: 155 lbs.
    Unused Weight Capacity: 200 lbs.
    Total Miles: 3,327
    Avg Spd: 52
    HSI MPG: 52.3
    Calc MPG: 49.3
    Total gas cost: $184.53

    Cruise control was used whenever possible. Speeds usually between the limit and 10 above, though not many miles at 10 above.
    Saw 8 bars on the battery for the first time and saw it several times. Very happy with the cars performance, MPG, and ride on the road for this many miles.


    Date Trip A MPG Trip A ODO Gallons Price Calc MPG Temp DTE Avg Spd Location Notes

    4/2/2010 52.4 571.3 11.391 $2.719 50.15 86 8 56 Lenoir City, TN Scan Gauge II Fuel Level (FLV) 1.5 - 10-15 MPG headwinds most of this tank
    4/3/2010 51.6 570.0 11.7 $2.789 48.72 79 0 62 Jacksonville, FL Scan Gauge II Fuel Level (FLV) .9
    4/7/2010 51.8 558.7 11.598 $2.779 48.17 77 0 37 Orlando, FL Scan Gauge II Fuel Level (FLV) .9 - Included 2+ hours of stop and go leaving the launch of STS-131, (Space Shuttle Discovery)
    4/10/2010 55.3 257.3 4.969 $2.859 51.78 57 333 42 Champions Gate, FL
    4/10/2010 54.8 599.6 11.586 $2.859 51.75 52 0 54 Statesville, NC
    4/11/2010 49.4 543.3 11.719 $2.899 46.36 59 0 63 Clyde, OH Scan Gauge II Fuel Level (FLV) .9 - This tank included the Appalachian Mountains
    4/11/2010 53.7 136.9 2.645 $2.799 51.76 64 428 62 Clarkston, MI Scan Gauge II Fuel Level (FLV) 10.1
     
  2. spiderman

    spiderman wretched

    Joined:
    Jul 5, 2009
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    Location:
    Alaska
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    II
    Nice! So how was the comfort level?
     
  3. Judgeless

    Judgeless Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 30, 2009
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    Location:
    Cleveland, OH
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    IV
    We made a similar trip from Cleveland, OH to Key West. The car did great. I do not have all the stats. I had had cruise control set at the speed limit the entire trip. A lot of the trip was 70MPH roads that has a bad effect on MPG’s. We still did better than 55 MPG the entire trip.
     
  4. tumbleweed

    tumbleweed Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 3, 2005
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    Location:
    Eastern Oregon
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    V
    Thanks for the report DetPrius. I'll add one of my own which covered a distance similar to yours.

    I completed a 7 day 3353 mile trip through Oregon, Nevada, Utah, and Arizona last September.

    I was alone in the car with a minimum of luggage, small tool box, after market jack and lug wrench, tire inflater, some water containers, and some other things, camera, lunch, etc. Luggage and other stuff about 100 lbs, me about 180 lbs.

    Freeway speed limits 70 or 75 MPH and two lane highway speed limits 55 to 70 MPH, I usually drove about 5 MPH over the speed limits by speedometer which is about 2 MPH fast at that speed. Average speed was 57 MPH corrected. If that seems fast it is only because I avoided cities and other high traffic areas.

    Mileage 49.7 MPG on trip meter, 47.6 MPG calculated. Used cruise control and air conditioning most of the trip. Best tank was 55 MPG worst was 46 MPG. Did not keep the records of gas prices.

    Weather was dry not much wind, temperatures 70 to 90 degrees.

    Driveability including road holding, tracking, cornering etc. I considered to be excellent. Very relaxing car to drive.

    Driving position is just fine for me, comfort much better than my Gen2, not as good as my old Honda Accord or my BMW but still OK.
     
  5. alfon

    alfon Senior Member

    Joined:
    May 17, 2009
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    Location:
    seaside, oregon
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    We had a trip back in March 2010 from Seaside Oregon to Mesa Arizona. Prius
    gross weight with 3 of us, 3850 lbs.

    True MPG calculated was just over 48 MPG. Speed were usually 70 MPH, mostly
    interstates.

    alfon
     
  6. DetPrius

    DetPrius Active Member

    Joined:
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    Location:
    Southeast Michigan
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    I'm pretty tolerant in life so my comfort opinion doesn't hold much water. That said, I found the comfort to be fine. I drove all the way down and all but around 150 miles on the way home. For reference, I'm 47 and my wife is similar in age. She has had recent back problems and did not find the Prius ride made it any better or worse. The kids? They're kids and would never think or something like ride comfort.

    I forgot to note the entire trip was dry. The first couple hundred miles leaving Orlando on Saturday closing out Spring Break, traffic was very heavy, as in under 20 MPH stop and go.
     
  7. toyolover

    toyolover Member

    Joined:
    Oct 29, 2009
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    Location:
    toronto, canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    What is the longest time any driver drove non-stop and how's the lower back support of the driver's seat during this period?
    Any feel of lack of power when going up mountain hills?
    Which mode did you use most of the time?
     
  8. tumbleweed

    tumbleweed Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 3, 2005
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    Location:
    Eastern Oregon
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    V
    Just checked my trip records, my longest day was 660 miles. Pretty much straight through, rest room breaks, stopped once for gas, and ate lunch setting in the car. I have the lumbar support in my car and had no back pains or anything of the kind, I was glad to get to my destination though. I took the same trip in my Gen2 and felt really cramped up by the end of the day. I am a senior citizen but in pretty good shape, no back problems or anything.

    The Gen3 is fine in the mountains, in fact it's fun. Plenty of power, I've had mine up above 12,000 feet on an 8% grade and it didn't even need to use the traction battery to help the ICE except for a couple of times when I put my foot in it coming out of a corner. Arrived at the top, about 15 miles, and the battery was at 5 bars. Same grade in the Gen2 and the battery was down to two bars after the first few miles and stayed there clear to the top.

    I drove the whole trip in ECO mode. Once the AC quit working for a few miles but I figured it out, I had one of the back windows down! :)
     
  9. alfon

    alfon Senior Member

    Joined:
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    Location:
    seaside, oregon
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    For us the longest leg of our trip was Seaside Oregon to Lost Hills CA. on Rte 5.

    Which I believe was close to 900 miles for one day of driving.

    Me and my wife never had any back pain. Plenty of power climbing hills
    even the GrapeVine on Rte. 5 was a piece of cake, in fact I was passing more
    than I was passed.

    alfon