Absolutely dismal MPG...

You can call it crap if you like, but driving technique has a major impact on fuel economy. Most here with high FE numbers likely pay close attention to technique.

 

Or I get 4.3L/100km driving pretty normal but with a longish commute across a city.

I agree with daniel. How many weeks did the tank last? How much fuel did you use compared to the last car you had? These are numbers worth looking at to show real reductions in consumption.

I find it so funny when people say "drive a longer route to increase your MPG." What are they thinking? Drive further to burn more fuel but the number on the display will make you happier?

I think you can block the top grill without issue under about 60 degrees F outside temp. Also wear a jumper and turn the heater down but hey, refer to my second paragraph.

 

Or you could ask what their MPG was in the car the Prius replaced and how did that compare with EPA figures doing a similar commute? And I think Daniel has done a pretty good job of explaining it. It still doesn't make sense to tell someone to drive further to save fuel, I can see your point as a diagnostic tool like SW03ES has just done but sometimes I see people say things like "can you lengthen your commute and avoid the roads that get you home quickly, use more conjested roads or roads with low speed limits." Can you see how for real people trying to live a real life that isn't going to satify their desire for a practical, economical, clean transport solution?
I try to use the smoothest flowing roads to maintain my sanity rather than save fuel. Yes I know it appears to have failed.

 

It's unfortunate that some equate fuel-efficient driving with being unsafe. Certainly, taken to an extreme it can be unsafe. But not only is driving conservatively safe, it is safer -- and will save more than a little gas -- than the prevailing approach on the roads today.

 

Driving safely is good for MPG: Avoid jackrabbit starts and hard braking. Drive gently.

However, pulse-and-glide can be unsafe because you are constantly accelerating and decelerating in a way that other drivers cannot anticipate.

 

Between the temperature being in the teens, the snow, sleet, ice & short trips because the weather s__ks, I'm expecting to see my mpg go into the negative numbers soon. I want summer back.

 

I frequently use a modified P&G... In a 30 or 35 mph zone if somebody is within a block behind me I P&G between 35 and 41. I'm still going fast enough they should not mind with the stop lights etc. But even in a 30 zone they still close the gap. Anticipation of lights helps a lot too.

 

Exactly the point the other fellow(ess) was making.

Each of you is discussing your own level of willingness to adapt personal driving techniques to meet a goal. And every driver is somewhat different as to where the perfect compromise lies. Many people say, "If I can't just drive it like I'd drive anything else, then I don't care for it." Many others say, "It's very easy to learn some of these tricks, and they have measurable impact, so I'll stick to them." It's just a matter of where you draw that line.

~ dan ~

 

Many of the fuel saving techniques are nothing special or purely Prius.
Things you should always do when driving are: -
Watch 15+ seconds ahead for changing traffic conditions
Don't speed up to red lights or stopped traffic then brake hard
Coast to a stop if you must stop
Try to arrive at the back of the cue as the cue starts to move avoiding stopping.
Treat the brake pedal as if it has an egg on the pedal, don't break the egg unless you have to.
Use light pressure on the brake pedal when going down hill to control speed rather than B mode. Use B mode only when the battery is fully charged or the hill is very steep. This is a departure from other vehicles.
Drive smoothly.
Then if you want to stretch it further: -
Accelerate reasonably briskly up to speed then lift off to cruise. Accelerating slowly seems to me to have the consumption higher for longer.
I have found that if I use the cruise control at below 65km/h (about 42mph) on flat level roads if I set the cruise about 2km/h higher than I want to go then tap down my speed with one tap after the speed has stabilised the drive will switch to electric only. Try it if you like and see if it works for you.

I hope this helps, I don't mean to push my driving style onto anyone, my suggestions are just that, not orders.

 

Test Alternatives

Steve,
Why don't you test a few different solutions? Sounds like you've got a short commute, uphill both ways, and lead feet with a leaky tank. Barring all that, I'd be inclined to slip a drop-light underneath it for a week or two (warm up the crankcase during the night) and then try blocking. If you're only commuting 3 miles (did I read that here?) it'll NEVER warm up. Try a couple things, but it sounds like the commute is the biggest foe. And racing.

How long does a tank of fuel last, on average? In weeks?

 

It's not just the driver behind you being forced to speed up and slow down (which is as bad for his FE as it is good for yours) but it is the driver you don't see, in the side street, waiting to get across the flow of traffic, and trying to figure out whether he has enough space: The erratic speed of P&G confuses him, and may lead him to make a poor decision.

That said (of full-on P&G) the strategy you describe is fairly moderate and much less likely to cause problems. My criticism is of the full-on pulse and glide. Lots of people say they only do it when there's nobody behind them, but they're not thinking of all the other drivers around, some of whom they may not notice, who are trying to anticipate their driving. And I bet there are folks who say, "Screw the guy behind me. I'm going to P&G and save gas." And they're forcing the people behind to burn more extra gas than they're saving themselves.

 

To me it's just a car. I drive it - period. I don't blow away traffic, but I don't hold it up either. The biggest danger now is speed differential, as apparently the various maximum speed limit laws are no longer enforced

For the same commute, I could easily compare to my previous vehicle, a 2000 GMC Sierra with 5.3 litre Vortec V8. The Prius got around 28 MPG at -40, the GMC around 7 MPG.

 

I wasnt sure where to put this so i put it here. I just recently found a thread on blocking the grill with foam pipe insulating tubes. So i did it 2 days ago. (20-30 degrees here in Chicago this week). I Imediately noticed a 5 mpg jump. I wouldnt have believed it if i didnt do it myself. I also noticed someone had put some insulation over something on the engine itself and that was supposed to help also. Not sure what they covered up. If you live in cold climates BLOCK THAT GRILL it helps.