Anyone having cold weather milage hits?

Yes; everyone who drives in cold weather.

 

Is anyone not? That's a better question.

Tom

 

Said in Tony's best Blazing Saddles voice: "Let me whip this out."

Tom

 

Thanks for the chart. I have noticed a big hit in mileage since the temperature dropped into the low 30's (from 50mpg to 40) and the traction battery in the green more often. I assume the hit is the ICE running more to stay hot and charging the traction battery while it's at it.

 

That's it exactly.

Tom

 

Block the lower grill, man.

 

Well, for Gen2 2004-2009 block the upper grill, I suppose.

 

Yep, but the grill blocking method works.

 

Grill blocking, engine block heater, and only planning on longer trips during cold weather (consolidate all your errands into one mega-trip, instead of several short trips) will help.

Our MPGs are abysmal this time of year.

 

I went from 42 down to 33.

This is my first winter with a Gen II 2009 in Minneapolis/St. Paul.

After I get my haircut, I'm off to get some pipe foam to block the lower grill.

 

Did you already block the upper grille?

 

Haven't blocked anything yet-I'll start with the upper as most of my commute is highway.

Mind you that this is my first season with this car, having come from a Ford Five Hundred AWD that just tore into snow like butter.

I'm thinking about ditching the stock Turanza's and getting Nokian WRG2s, rather than having to buy two sets of tires and doing the season swapping.

 

Ok good deal. I was checking because the GenII and GenII blocking procedures are a bit different due to the location of the inverter cooler.

 

It's not only the cold weather that does it, but the winter blend gas (higher Ethanol content) has less energy content and reduces gas milage on a Prius as well. In the winter I notice a significant change as I travel from NY to other states.

 

Here we go again. Winter is back. My mpg is down 2 to 3 mpgs as expected.

 

Fuel blend is the same year around in MN. My Prius gets the same as the other MN poster, 32-35 in the winter, 42-50 in the summer. Oh, winter figures are with the grill blocked. Actually, I don't block the grill for mileage, I block it so my wife can get the cabin warm and toasty. She can do warmish w/o the grill block, but toasty requires the block.

 

Block the upper and lower grills on a 2004 - 2009 Prius.

 

I block the upper and lower grill on my 2005 Prius in Minnesota.