Future Prius owner here, have questions

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Soylent @ May 2 2006, 04:45 PM) [snapback]248711[/snapback]</div>

Just curious. Why do you often need to go quickly from 70 to 85 to pass people?
Are you on a 2-lane road and find 70mph just too slow for your taste?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Soylent @ May 2 2006, 04:45 PM) [snapback]248711[/snapback]</div>

You should get very good mileage on your stop-and-go once you warm up the car. Since you're in South FL, the warm up times should be very short. Without A/C, I imagine you could top 60 MPG. Running the A/C, I'd be very surprised if you got less than 50 MPG on this stretch of road.

For your 75+ MPH segment, I imagine you'll do no worse than 40 MPG (assuming that you're not routinely going 95+ MPH). So, a very conservative estimate of a weighted average on a given trip would be 40-45 MPG.

I just feel the need to point out that if you slow down to ~55-65 MPH, you'll really improve your fuel efficiency for that stretch.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Soylent @ May 2 2006, 04:45 PM) [snapback]248711[/snapback]</div>

The Prius has acceptable acceleration at those speeds. I can't compare it to the Focus since I've never driven it, but I've been pleasantly surprised by the accelleration that the Prius is capable of. Take a test drive and see what you think.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Soylent @ May 2 2006, 03:45 PM) [snapback]248711[/snapback]</div>

First, if you want to improve your mileage SLOW DOWN! If you have to pass people quickly from 70 mph, that means that all the traffic is not going 85 mph, so there's no reason you need to do it also. Give yourself an extra five minutes and you'll arrive at your destination a lot less stressed, as will the people who you cut in and out around.

If you still don't want to do that, maybe the Accord Hybrid or the Camry Hybrid might be more to your taste. You still get a hybrid for the stop-n-go traffic, but more power when you need it.

It's really hard to get 30mpg or less in a Prius, about the only way is to make a lot of short trips at below freezing temperatures.

nerfer

 

I've had my Prius for 13 days now and just passed the 300 mile mark. I drive 5 miles each way back and forth to work, some on country roads with several stop signs, then a mile or so through a town with 4 stop lights. My MFD says I'm getting around 44 MPG, and I'm told that's typical for a new Prius and my kind of driving routine. I've only had it on a highway once, just to see what it was like.

I'm happy with the mileage I'm getting now. I'm told it will improve as the weather turns warmer and I learn to drive it better, and that some people think there's a break-in period of about 5000 miles before I'd see significantly better mileage.

 

You should see something in the mid to high 40s for mileage.

The Prius does pretty well passing at highway speeds; much better than the Focus. It's not a sports car, but the hybrid drive goes a long way towards making it pretty zippy.

Tom

 

You'll find the Prius is no slouch when it comes to passing. Just keep an eye on the speedometer.

Tonight I had a good opportunity to open it up, no places for spped traps and due to weather no fixed wing radar... OK, so I've done something similar before but never where I could REALLY open it up. So at 70mph I shoveled more coal. The Prius has a curious acceleration. It just keeps accelerating smoothly and continuously. Within seconds I was up to 103mph and it appeared to want to keep going, but I know I was about to hit the governed top end, so I backed off. It sure didn't give 103 MPH sensation in the cabin. Amazing acceleration. Keep your eye on the speedometer.

 

Just adding my comment here - I've had my Prius for about 6 weeks now and driven about 2000 miles. In the last 1000 miles or so, I've averaged 51 MPG. I've been driving about 65-70 MPH for the most part, with some in-town driving in bumper-to-bumper 35-45 MPH, and paying attention to the consumption graph, it looks like the average for any 5-minute span, regardless of whether it's highway or in town, seems to be right around 50 MPG (even with A/C).

If you drive a reasonable 70 MPH with not so many moments at 75+, you should still be able to get pretty close to 50 MPG on all of your trips. If you insist on exceeding 75 regularly, I'd expect that to drop to the mid-40's, but otherwise, expect around 50.

Finally, I've been very pleasantly surprised by the acceleration power in the Prius. It's definitely much better than other 4-cylinder cars, as it is assisted by the electric motor. I seriously doubt you'll be disappointed. As was said, though, take a test drive (just don't drool all over the steering wheel)!

Bottom line - the Prius is a joy to drive (I have yet to find anything to complain about in any aspect of the car), and if you're getting 12 MPG now, there is absolutely no comparison to what you'd get with a Prius.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Jeannie @ May 2 2006, 06:10 PM) [snapback]248788[/snapback]</div>

That's pretty much like me. I have a similar 7.5 mile drive and get mid-to-upper 40's mpg, even though I'm doing the pulse-and-glide on gently rolling hills under 40mph for a good portion of the drive. Trouble is, the engine is still warming up for the first 1/3 of the drive. The last part of the drive really improves the mileage, about double or triple the first part (regardless of where the rolling hills are, since it's near the beginning of the drive in but the end of the drive back).

I'm somewhat envious of people with longer commutes easily getting >50mpg, but then I remember I go to the gas station every 3 weeks for about 8 gallons. (My sister called from out of town recently and asked what the gas prices were here. I had to tell her I couldn't really remember.)

nerfer

 

Howdy Soylent

"Gutless" is definitely NOT a word one would use to describe the Prius' accelleration. The electric motor kicks in and our accelleration is somewhat smoother and stronger than our Camry (also a 4-cyl). Smoother: There's no "down shift" needed (indeed, there's no "down shift" even possible).

As for MPGs: Freeways at cruise control 70-75 MPH I get from 49 - 54 MPG consistently, the variance being up or down hill and wind direction (cross winds seem to have a noticeable effect on the MPGs.) Around the Dallas TX metroplex, I experience 42-46 MPG normal stop/go driving.

I soon found that the Prius changed my driving habits. When I see a slowdown or stop coming, traffic permitting I coast. I accellerate from a stop to street speed normally and for me have found that CruiseControl gets better MPGs than my foot - I tend to keep the accellerator pedal depressed (as in a "normal" gasolene engine car) when CruiseControl is not engaged which decreases MPGs. Another CruiseControl thing - when it is engaged I remove my foot completely from the pedal. Even slight pressure on the pedal reduces CruiseControl MPGs.

 

Wow this forum is great Just this thread alone has given me a lot of good tips! My Prius is still on order, and I can't wait for it to get here.

Thanks all the great replies, VERY helpful and appreciated! :lol: