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New Prius Owner Here

Discussion in 'Newbie Forum' started by Michael Herr, Oct 4, 2014.

  1. Michael Herr

    Michael Herr New Member

    Joined:
    Oct 4, 2014
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    Location:
    El Segundo, CA
    Vehicle:
    2014 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    I purchased a 2014 Toyota Prius Two, not II as Roman numerals were for model year 2010, in June of this year. When I first purchased the car I noticed that it said I add roughly 600 miles till the tank was empty. That estimate has gradually gone down over the weeks and now it estimates around 400 or so. Does the car "learn" how you drive and make adjustments? Because I also "think" I notice, it very well may just be me, that I am getting less mpg based on how I drive. I drive the same way every day. I have to. I live in LA and drive to work on the 405 every morning. I cant do 60 one day and 35 the next. I drive the same speed, for the same amount of time there and back and I notice every week the average mpg's per trip get lower and lower. I used to get 60-70 with each commute, now its in the low 40's.

    Any thoughts or ideas? I think I am just super nervous that something is wrong because I do not know too much about these cars.

    Thanks
     
  2. wjtracy

    wjtracy Senior Member

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    Northern VA (NoVA)
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    N/A
    Welcome to Prius Chat!
    Sounds normal to me. Yes I do think the first couple of tanks the car is adjusting.
    600 miles on a tank would be a helluva a lot and would earn you a spot in our 600 mile Club.
    I can't comment too much because I have a Gen2 (pre-2009) which was worse than your car...I am lucky to get 400 miles per tank. The Gen2 had a flexible gas tank which was hard to fill over 8 gallons. You at least have a rigid fixed volume gas tank.

    In California, your gasoline is EPA/CARB Reformulated gasoline with 10% ethanol. Same gaso I got here in the Northeast corridor. It's relatively low energy content so your MPG will not be as stellar as some Prius owners in other states.

    Many posts here on how speed impacts MPG and so on. What MPG are you getting? Is that by hand calc or by Display reading? Display reading is usualy optimistic. Make sure you have good pressure in your tires...many here go to 40/38 or so.
     
  3. KennyGS

    KennyGS Senior Member

    Joined:
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    Location:
    Keystone State
    Vehicle:
    2014 Prius
    Model:
    Five
    Welcome. I just drive my 2014 and enjoy it immensely. It's become my go-to vehicle, and has spoiled me with it's frugalness. Now I am astonished how fast my other cars consume fuel.

    Congratulations to you!
     
  4. Michael Herr

    Michael Herr New Member

    Joined:
    Oct 4, 2014
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    Location:
    El Segundo, CA
    Vehicle:
    2014 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Awesome thanks for the information. I appreciate it.
     
  5. jejb

    jejb Member

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    Location:
    NW Ark
    Vehicle:
    2016 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    V
    If your commute has a lot of higher speed driving, that has a big negative impact. That's why the EPA fuel ratings on the sticker are lower for highway driving than city driving, the opposite of most vehicles. My lowest MPG tanks have been on interstate driving trips.

    Checking the tire pressure, as suggested above, is good advice also.
     
  6. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    Start calculating your mpg for each tank full, maybe register with an online mpg logging site? Fuelly is popular.
     
  7. Ashlem

    Ashlem Senior Member

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    Gasbuddy also lets you log your fuel usage as well, though it's a little harder to find it on their site. But if you want to find the cheapest gas around your area, it's a good place to do it. I've been doing the fuel log on both fuelly and gasbuddy, though admittedly it's a bit redundant.
     
  8. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    Plug-in Base
    i think more details are needed. if your average mpg's have dropped from 60-70, down to 40, i would say something has changed.
     
  9. stephensprius

    stephensprius Active Member

    Joined:
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    Location:
    Minneapolis, Minnesota
    Vehicle:
    2013 Prius
    Model:
    Persona
    I was able to get 602 miles on one tank of gas only once and it was with my 2012 Prius model two with the smaller tires. My wife's Prius is a 2013 persona with 17 inch wheels which only gets 480-500 miles per tank. I say only as if that is a bad thing. Meanwhile, my 2014 honda crv barely cracks 300 miles. :(
    never should have gotten rid of my prius.
     
  10. JC91006

    JC91006 Senior Member

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    Location:
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    II
    So why did you go to a crv? need the room?
     
  11. jejb

    jejb Member

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    Location:
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    Vehicle:
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    V
    Are those v models, or other?
     
  12. stephensprius

    stephensprius Active Member

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    Location:
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    Vehicle:
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    I thought the added space and awd were important. I was wrong for the most part.
     
  13. stephensprius

    stephensprius Active Member

    Joined:
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    Location:
    Minneapolis, Minnesota
    Vehicle:
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    Persona
    MN is a terrible place in the Winter though, and the crv is more luxurious inside, but it sucks filling it up.