First Couple of Fill Ups - Should I be Concerned?

Salguod - One thing that has not been mentioned is that the Gen 2 Prius has a bit of a funky gas tank - it is resin and has a bit of flex in it. For this reason you might not be getting an accurate measurement if you are doing miles driven divided by gallons pumped. Because of the flex you never quite know what full is.

I know that does not change the fact that the mpg's that you are experiencing are lower than you hoped, rather just a bit of info to help you put them in context, especially if you get one that is really high.

Take the advice that the other have given about tire pressure, oil, etc - every little bit helps. Then just drive it like any car and know that you are getting quite a bit better mileage than you would with anything else.

 

salguod,

Now I can see why your MPG is suffering. The tires being down like that will really kill the MPG. Keep an eye on them. Check them regularly and keep them pumped up.

And yes, stevemcelroy was talking about the infamous "bladder" in the gas tank. Also the gen II is known for it's "guess gage" which is commonly known as a fuel gage or gas gage. If you really want to get a good idea of what mileage you are actually getting, you should average a minimum of five tanks of fuel for a baseline. A lot of us here use Fuelly - Track and Compare Your MPG to keep up with the average. It is free for the asking. Just click on the link, setup your account and go from there. If you have your receipts from your fuel purchases so far, you can add them in too. You can also keep track of all of your cars there.

Good luck once again!

 

As I understand it, it is due to the increased load on the front end from the weight of the engine and transaxle.

Don't expect great MPG this winter, as the Prius like all car's suffers a little during cold temps. As the temps warm and air the dries out the MPG will improve during the spring, peak during the summer depending on how you use the A/C and then deviate slightly through the fall until Winter hits again.

FWIW, if you drive the Prius like a normal car, you will very rarely get the EPA estimates, especially in the Touring model. With that said, what you are seeing is normal for your conditions.

However if you choose to continue with the quest for better MPG, it can be done if you will employ some or all of the tips that have been mentioned to you in the past.

Tire pressure does make a difference, no doubt about it. That alone will raise it up. Remember that the bladder will mislead you. Ignore tank to tank, and look at the overall figure for an accurate MPG.

Read the attached file for more information.

 

If you haven't done so, take the time to read the pdf I posted above. Also, take a look at the stages of the operational modes. Link in my signature. With those two documents, you can get a good idea of just how the Prius operates and improve your MPG over time.