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USA Today article gives Prius bad mileage image

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Fuel Economy' started by driveprius, Nov 30, 2005.

  1. driveprius

    driveprius New Member

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    I happened to stumble upon a USA Today article:

    http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/2004-0...vs-hybrid_x.htm

    that pitted a VW Jetta Diesel against a Toyota Prius. The Jetta won by averaging 44 mpg. The Prius was measured at an unusually low 38 mpg, all done in the summer and all done on the highway. The article goes on to mention the computer did show an average of 51.7 mpg. The give away that something was awry was that the article mentioned being able to fill up to 11.1 gallons of gas at a gas station. Filling up your tank all the way is a rarity.

    The Toyota vice president did comment that there was a good chance that USA today failed to fill the tank at the start of the trip but were able to fill it at the end of the trip and so the mileage appears much lower than what the computer shows. Toyota commented that the computer is almost 100% accurate.

    Despite this fact the article concludes that the Jetta gets better mileage than a Prius because 44 mpg is better than 38 mpg. Which pretty much restates the fact with the Prius you can't rely on the standard technique of counting how many gallons to fill up the tank because you can never be sure. In general it's just best to stick to the computer estimate of mileage.
     
  2. Kiloran

    Kiloran New Member

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    For an article like this I wouldn't believe the computer.
    The most reliable way of calculating mileage is to divide miles driven by gasoline consumed.
    Because of the bladder tank, for a Prius, this should be done over the course of at least 3 tanks "full".
     
  3. ABC12

    ABC12 New Member

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    38 MPG, all highway, in the summer. ya, right. was it a 90 MPH 1 mile trip in siberia?

    ya gotta be kidding. major malfunction, total incompetence, or extreme conditions...
     
  4. DaveinOlyWA

    DaveinOlyWA 3rd Time was Solariffic!!

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    the article is nearly a year and a half old, reposting it will not give it anymore creedence
     
  5. john1701a

    john1701a Prius Guru

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    I have over 104,000 miles of personal data showing the computer can be trusted, coming very close to actual MPG every single time I fill with more than 4 gallons.

    To be off by almost 14 MPG is absolutely absurd.

    Of course, their results are way too low anyway. Cruising on the highway during the summer results in high 40's for me. And if the wind is right, low 50's. Getting 38 MPG is hard to believe no matter how they measure it.
     
  6. mikepaul

    mikepaul Senior Member

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    Too bad reviewers aren't aware of the bladder problems. They should add their own fuel-flow meter to every car they test so they have apples-to-apples results. Back in the day, if one wanted to add a trip computer to a car, a fuel-flow meter was included. If they can't afford to mod the car for a while, maybe the quality of their reviews isn't moving enough magazines...
     
  7. john1701a

    john1701a Prius Guru

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    It doesn't really matter. The test was rather blatantly setup to favor the diesel anyway, since they do best on the highway.

    Had it been a mix of driving, rather than highway only, the Prius would have really shined... despite their filling mistake. Slowing down causes an efficiency loss for the diesel. Slowing down causes a rather impressive efficiency gain for Prius.

    Imagine if no one ever had to deal with a daily stop & slow commute. Highway cruising alone is not an option in the real-world.
     
  8. ez2bgreen

    ez2bgreen New Member

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    :angry: There's a lot of bad information being disseminated in the media. Yesterday, KCNC, Denver's CBS affiliate, stated that it would take years to recoup the additional cost of the hybrid system through gas savings, even after tax breaks were factored in. Apparently, they didn't do their research on tax breaks. Between the generous 85% (of the differential cost) tax credit Colorado offers and the federal tax deduction, the increment cost of the hybrid system is more than covered in the first year. That means savings begin accruing immediately, not after many years, as KCNC alleged. Of course, not all states are as generous as Colorado. :D
     
  9. ez2bgreen

    ez2bgreen New Member

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    I've seen discrepancies as large as 11 mpg between the computer and the fill calculation. In that case, the fill (59 mpg) exceeded the computer (48 mpg). More often, the computer is higher (av. 49.2) vs. fill (av. 48.6). I rely on the computer as a better indication of per-tank mileage (standard deviation = 2.6). SD for fill-ups is 4.4. But in the long term, the average fill-up calculation probably is more accurate. <_<

    I read somewhere (can't remember the citation) that the magazine's test drivers accomplished something I thought impossible. They managed to drive 700 miles on a tankfull. While that may be technically feasible (60.3 mpg), I have never gone more than 430 miles between fill-ups. And I waited until the idiot light started flashing. Because of the adverse consequences of running out of gas, I never drive more than a few miles after the gauge starts flashing. :unsure:
     
  10. Jaguar88

    Jaguar88 Member

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    We should all be on the Prius gets shitty milage bandwagon and the EPA can't be trusted. That way when they try and add the Hybird tax we can argue it should be lower.
     
  11. Catskillguy

    Catskillguy New Member

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    I was at a Subaru dealer this AM to have a problem with my Wife's Forrester. They have some laminated article taped on the glass case by the service desk. It has higlighted portions, basically this guy saying how the replacement costs for batteries will be $5300 (source please?), and how you'd have to drive 90,000 miles a year to make up the price difference, etc etc. I guess it's an OLD article.

    The fact they have this thing on prominent display.... gee, are they worried? OH, it is right across the street from the Toyota dealer!

    Hey, I love my Wife's Subaru Forrester, with studded snows is a TANK in winter.. but the misinformation, sheesh :blink:
     
  12. habel

    habel New Member

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    Well, Toyota owns a big chunk of Subaru (FHI) now - and we will see Subaru Hybrids based on Toyota's technology in the not so distant future.

    Perhaps you shoud give your dealer a hint about this? ;)
     
  13. tripp

    tripp Which it's a 'ybrid, ain't it?

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    Interestingly enough they got a lot of that Fuji Heavy ownership from GM.
     
  14. Potential Buyer

    Potential Buyer New Member

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    They're not aware of the bladder problem, but it is indeed a real problem. The discrepancy was a result of the fact that they were unable to fill the tank the first time because the pump shut off prematurely.

    This is one of the advantages the '06 Civic Hybrid has over the Prius: a normal tank. The low-fuel alarm goes off after exactly 10.2 gallons are consumed and 10.2 is exactly what I pump at full speed before automatic shut-off.
     
  15. IALTMANN

    IALTMANN New Member

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    Why is a 2004 article discussed at all??

    The Jetta used diesel, down here in the South, and in TRUCK country the Diesel is more costly then the GAS...averaging .50 cent more a gallon...

    If the reporter was going faster he got worst mileage, but the disparity between the computer mileage and the actual mileage he noted shows the REPORTER did something WRONG in his fill up or calculations, or operation. Was he going FASTER ??? Did this reporter have his mind made up before he did this "test"??? The computer calculated mileage is never FAR off the actual mileage, usually about 2-3 MPG higher then the noted fill up. Just filling up to the first stop, and totally depending on the GAS STATION vapor back pressure system can introduce a 1-2 gallon difference in the fill up. Supposed he "topped it off" to start and did not get a FULL fill up...that explains the discrepancy...

    I have found the PRIUS to basically offer the most CONFORT, and MILEAGE for the size and price. That Jetta Diesel has no get up and go and probably he did not go as fast as he did with the Prius because of the better PERFORMANCE of the PRIUS.

    Typical old world thinking...each technology offers something, but to just trash one with an un-fair and biased viewpoint is not just old world but also TYPICAL for some media conglomorates, that have already decided an outcome, before they even write the story. Suggest that USA Today re-do this "test" and do it RIGHT., ie same trip same road same day, same speed, and carefully measure out and fuel the two cars, then let's see what is what.