I just don't get it.

ok one thing i have just noticed, what we are reading is mostly opinions sent in by other readers....a sort of "letter to the editor" page. that is why the opinions expressed here are all over the place

 

I have to disagree in that the article is completely off base. After having the car for much longer than a month, you might see it differently. Most people are not only getting 35 mpg in their car (I have read most of the posts on the hybridcars.com website) and one doesn't have to result in extreme techniques to get great mileage. The feedback has completely changed my driving style from one of those rush to the stoplight and slam on the brakes to a more subdued, drive the speed limit and anticipate the lights. On my 12 mile commute on city streets (35-45 mph) it ranges from 55 to 60 mpg depending on the temperature.

However, a person doesn't have to change their drviving habits to get good gas mileage,. My wife's driving style did not change with the car and generally gets 50-55 driving aorund town. Her work commute of 1 mile is about 45 mpg. This is almost triple of what our other car (a 4 dr car) gets on the same commute. So your mother might drive short trips, but she will still get signficantly more in the Prius than a car of similar size.

I am not trying to dismiss your experience, but I don't think 2700 miles is really knowing the car. We have over 30k on it right now, and I was still learning the car at 15K and I still learn some hear and there about what it really can do. I haven't even messed around with any pulse and glide, so I am sure there is much more that I could learn.

In terms of passenger cargo, we took about 300 lbs of cargo and 600lbs of people to Denver and got 49mpg. Driving at speed (65-70 on highway, 75 on interstate) with an overall elevation increase. Kind of shoots down the impact of peoplel cargo.

Either way, it seems like the author went to a site and took the most extreme examples and used them to build a case.

 

Well, this whole stupid thing assumes that high gas mileage is the ONLY reason to buy a hybrid. It also assumes that the average percentage difference between EPA and actual mileage is somehow greater for the hybrids. But it is NOT! So what's the story here? NOTHING.

That said. Welcome to my life. For no understandable reason, the press, and therefore the general public seems to hate EVs as well.

 

Michael, I hope you're right. If you're right, one of these days I'm going to wake up and easily get 50+ rather than having to 'try' for it.

I don't know you, and I'll never meet you, so I can't call BS on your statements. I can only suggest that we have new owners with recent posts who are wondering how to climb above 38mpg. Apparently, they are dragging a big bag of cement or something that's causeing them no not get that natural 55mpg that your wife gets.

Perhaps there are subtle and slight manufactureing differences from one car to another that can cause such a difference in mpg from one car to another.

Unfortunately, the people at Consumer Reports, and at other reporting agencies keep getting the bad apples in the basket too because they all can't seem to 'naturally' pull that 55 either. Somehow all those 'normal' people can't seem to crack past 45 and thus they slam into Prius and hybrids as a whole and then we all get upset and yell BS on them.

Weird that so many of them can't get that 55 that is so natural with you and yours.

There definately couldn't be a bias toward easy high mpg achievement on this site where all the die-hards hang out and compete for the most. Everyone on here is trying to inhale as they climb slight inclines so that when they fill up they can come back here and brag about the mpg. I don't think that's the 'normal' prius owner.

Congrats on your wife's effortless mpg, I hope I'm getting 50+ without trying after I have 30k on my Prius. I'd be glad for you to be telling the whole story here.

I also believe there are some people who are a little more accurate with their actual mpg calculations, and others who want it so bad that it just happens whether or not it really happens.

 

until summer time rolls along, you will have to wait for that 55 mpg tank. but summer is here, you might be pleasantly surprised

 

If you throw out anyone's MPG who has less than 5000 miles driven, the average is 49 mpg, stdev 4.5

If you look at those 5000 miles and less population, their MPG avg is 46.7, stdev 4.5

This looks like possible evidence of the prius learning curve!

 

From article: Another said he watched the NBC story in disbelief then went on to brag that his hybrid was getting 22 to 27 miles per gallon on the open road compared to his old GMC Jimmy which got 12 to 16.

I think he was talking about his Silverado Hybrid . . . which of course qualifies as a “Hybrid†because it comes with an onboard 20-amp, 2400-watt generator . . . to power the construction site tools!
http://www.chevrolet.com/silverado/

And of course in order to get 22 to 27 miles per gallon in a truck with a Vortec 5300 V8 engine , he was driving his “hybrid†down hill.

 

ok.. i was enjoying reading all the messages. then i got bored. The topic has it's points. Sure.. it's not favoring both sides.

The topic also doesn't add up life cost... not having to replace the brakes as often.. no belts... the engine lasting longer, oil changes spaced out more, etc.. etc.. etc.. it's the little things that make us love our prius..

btw.. if i drive my prius like i normally do.. i get just over 40.. oh yeah.. that's what i get now.. and i'm a fast driver... i'm a safe driver ( to defend my recent post ) but i'm a fast driver.

 

And just to cement my data point:

I purchased the Prius knowing full well, that it would be my WORST GAS MILEAGE vehicle in my stable. Infinitely worse! But I still bought it even with this knowledge of what a terrible, stupid thing I was doing. How crazy am *I*?

 

My brother-in-law's lawyer's best friend knew someone in their neighborhood claim that their neighbors across the street received an average of 75 mph while driving a Prius. There's all the proof you need right there to refute that person's article.


Seriously, any real journalist making an argument would back it up with hard data from credible sources (not an online opinion site) and quotes from experts on the subject (not anonymous "he said" or "she said" sources). Any reader who is unsavvy enough to take that article seriously would probably believe the sky is falling if they read it.

 

Thanks for the link. I sent the newspaper a message too. 54.5 MPG today (80 degrees outside and driving at or slightly above the speed limits. And I haven't had to change the way I drive.

 

I wish people would pay more attention to whether they're talking
about mpH or mpG. I see this all the time across the forums, and
frankly, I just don't get it.
.
_H*