How does the Prius fair in cold climates?

While I'm not pleased with the fuel economy during the winter, the primary problem with my Gen II Prius in cold weather is low BTU output of the heater.

Other posters in this forum have described the heater output as "less than spectacular". In my opinion it's simply insufficient and will probably affect my decision on whether to purchase another Prius.

The first winter of ownership was not a problem because I lived in Nashville, TN. This winter I'm in Indianapolis and occasionally see mornings at single digit temps. The car does warm up to comfortable temperatures for a jacketed driver, but it takes 10 minutes of driving at speed to accomplish.

At single digit temperatures Prius' ability to keep its side windows clear of fog is nil. This is true whether I run the system manually or allow the HVAC system to choose its own settings.

A high proportion of cold weather driving in a Prius is done with the fan speed at its highest levels, with the attendant cabin noise problems. You're forced to choose between adequate heat or quiet. A cell phone conversation with Prius' fan on the high step is impossible.

Otherwise I am very pleased with this vehicle and feel that I got my money's worth. I've guessed that Toyota's target customer for Prius is a freeway commuter in the large metro areas of the US Sun Belt and West Coast. It scores a solid hit for that demographic.

I would never side with those who seem to be piling on Toyota this month. This car pushes the state of the art and exhibits a few quirks as a result.

 

Biggest concern I would have in ND would be clearance in snow, given the plastic shields underneath and, like any small car, limited clearance period. If you have an alternate answer for the deep stuff, then it comes down to mpg: how much mpg will you sacrifice for personal comfort.

Don't expect EPA in -30F, and don't expect 40 mpg in -30F if you are not willing to wear heavy gloves, coat, hood, etc. on short to medium trips. Heat in a V8 is just wasted, since there is always a surplus (so a hot cabin does not kill mpg). Heat in Prius is key to somewhat salvaging winter mpg. The engine is only a little bigger than it should be instead of triple-sized, so even at 10F there is no waste heat except in extended highway driving. I imagine at -30F there is no waste heat period, and the cabin might struggle to make one comfortable, or if it did get really warm, mpg would drop to 30ish.

Whatever it is, Prius mpg will easily beat most normal cars, and in a worst case, more or less match them.

 

How has the Hybrid battery pack been holding up in cold winters?

 

Well. Cold isn't a problem. Heat, on the other hand, is bad for the battery.

Tom

 

I am new to the Prius and after using (in my novice learning state) the techniques of hypermiling and gliding etc....I am averaging about 49mpg. I have been running with A/C on constantly though as we have had the hottest June in decades. I heard on the news tonight that we had 15 days in June over 90 degrees which hasn't happened since 1943. At any rate I am hoping to see at least a 50mpg average once I get more adept and the weather regulates a little. All of that rambling to ask ...what is a "huge hit on gas mileage"? Wanting to prepare myself for the inevitable. I also am curious whether a good A/S tire would be effective as opposed to season specific tires. I know there other threads on this topic so no one needs to accommodate that question unless in a generous mood. Thanks for any input/insight.

 

Battery voltage level drops if battery is very cold, and it does not take charging from small currents very well. In very cold weather (under -20 C) ICE is running almost all time. Keeping engine/cabin warm and loading battery.

But in generally you can say that storing batteries in cold is very good anti aging treatment for battery.

My experience about Prius III in winter usage is positive. Only minus comes from fuel consumption which goes same level with regular cars.

Btw, I have extra cabin electric heater and engine block heater. I plug in car in winter times to get warm car at the morning.

 

With my Gen II Prius, my mileage drops from the mid 50s to the mid 40s in the winter months. Each driver's conditions are different, so there is no way to accurately predict your winter mileage in advance, but expect something in that range.

Tom

 

Thanks qbee42. I am aspiring to get "mid 50's" but as I said ...very new to this type of driving. I did manage a 49mpg for this tank (my second full tank) Using advice from here on the do's and don'ts I jumped from 41 to 49 so pretty pleased. 50's seems very realistic and had we not had such hot weather, I had A/C on all the time, I might have been higher this time. I would like to see 50mpg as a "usual" and hope to see 43 in cold weather....but time will tell I guess. Winter here in Phila area is truly cold from about Dec-Feb. March begins to warm and April -Nov is usually reasonable. Anyhow thanks for the reply.

 

We've never had snow on the ground later than June 19th.

Tom