first fill up for a c 3

Its critical to break in the engine properly so no full throttle applications. If you set the AC very low like 72 or less it does use a lot more fuel. I find 78-80 very comfortably when I need AC. Running in ECO will also help. Keep your speed at 65mph or less and slow down on steep grades until you reach the peak so you can glide down. I went 75MPH with temps of 110 outside AC at 78 and still got 45-46 mpg on a long road trip. So 41 mpg is way off ???

To add I had the CC set to 75mph so even up hills it was full RPM haha. I set it and forget it and still got the 46mpg shown with two passengers and luggage. I don't know of another car that can do that under the same conditions and get this MPG?

 

Just came back from a trip to Illinois from Houston with my 2012 Prius C averaged 49 MPG over the 2900 mile trip. My speed ranged from 68 to 78. The car now has 6900 Miles on it. I was hoping for a little better but 49 isn't really that bad.

 

Did you measure how much fuel was there on the first fill up? If not then just go to the first full click off at the pump and measure from that after trip reset. Even if you drove with ill intent you should not have gotten 41mpg. Something is off?

 

Interested to see how this tank turns out? Post back and let us know.

 

Just because the dealer is supposed to fill the tank doesn’t mean it was entirely filled. (People around here seem to generally be in agreement that the first tank is a crapshoot in that regard — even if it looks full on delivery.)


Mid-40's sounds fairly realistic for a first tank, mostly on highway:

• You’re still in break-in period and people generally report that mileage improves quite a bit over the first three or four tanks. (High 40’s on first tank to approx mid 50’s by the fourth tank in that example.)
• The C is less efficient at highway speed than the Liftback, due to the slightly higher drag coefficient (Cd=0.25 for third gen Liftback, Cd=0.28 for the C) and slightly smaller engine. Due to these factors, the faster you go (above 60mph), the harder the C has to work to keep you going at that speed. Still better than most cars, but something to keep in mind. (As they say, “‘C’ stands for ‘City’”.) Note that the EPA mileage is 46mpg highway and you should likely average just above that if you’re pulling mostly highway (>85%) once you’re broken in.
• The hybrid battery is located under the rear seat and is pretty susceptible to warm temperatures. If your interior is really hot or if you have something obstructing the battery vent, the hybrid system will lose a bit of power and efficiency.

If you’re using the MID screen to help you out, a tip: accelerate to your cruising speed quickly. (As per this post, it’s best if you try to get to the far end of the ECO bar, just before you hit PWR.) Acceleration is killer on mpg and the hybrid system cruises rather efficiently, so you should generally try to get up to speed as quickly as possible. (Also want to abuse the fact that the electric motor provides a lot of the acceleration help, as long as it has some battery charge, so there shouldn't be a significant mpg impact during those moments you’re accelerating fast.)

 

Here is something I found: the lower the fan speed, on the air, the better the fuel mileage is. When I can I run it on low. Try it. Get out on the hiway and set the cruise. Start flipping from high to low and watch the mileage go up. This is easier to see if you have a ScanGauge, that shows instant mileage.
I also got a "full tank of fuel" but I know it was not completely full. At 100 miles it was below full. Am not complaining but I am sure the next tank, when I fill it, will show higher mileage.
This car takes some "playing around" to get the best mileage. I have never owned a hybrid until Friday. I still have not got good enough to hold the accelerator pedal so I can "glide" over 200 feet. I know I will get it soon.
We love the car for what it is.
Dan

 

Be careful with this kind of advice. In general it is not more efficient to accelerate quickly. Slower is better within reason. In the GenIII LB it is best to keep the HSI indicator about 3/4 of the way to the Power section which equates to about 1500-1700RPM. The less torquey 1.5L may need to rev up a bit higher much like the GenII but RPM will likely still need to be just shy of 2000RPM. Basically keep it out of the Power section of the HSI. For people who are not familiar with hypermiling, accelerating briskly works better than super slow poke. Mainly because when they assume they should accelerate slowly they simply go too slow. There is a happy medium.

A more advanced technique requires the use of EV-only acceleration up to 15mph-25mph (depending on conditions and SOC) then lighting off the ICE to reach your desired speed. Combine this with DWB (Driving Without Brakes) and smart regen braking and you should have no problem pulling off 65mph+ tanks if your commute is decent.

 

What you're saying is usually true, but I think the reasoning is that the quicker you get to the point where you can shut the engine off and are just gliding or on EV, the better your mpg will be. It's a question of how much energy is wasted maintaining engine speed for the extra few seconds if you don't accelerate as quickly.

That said, I usually don't accelerate all the way up to the yellow end of the ECO bar- I also go maybe 3/4 of the way up.

 

I understand. I was "raised" on that idea but talking with Wayne Gerdes and other experts I have been informed otherwise. My point is to make sure others know that there are other ways of increasing fuel economy that is contrary to group think.

 

Slow down to 60mph or lower.

Glide down hills or large overpasses. Glide as long as you can on off ramps.

 

Just completed my first tank of fuel here in Phoenix, AZ. 112 deg temps out. I averaged 43 mpg. Tank must have been bone dry, it took 8.7 gallons. It's common for fuel tanks to expand here in the heat. In any case, this with with pulse and glide technique and 65 mph on freeway. A/C on LOW temp and high fan, all the time. My guess is the heat is really playing havoc with the battery system and the constant A/C is wrecking my mileage. Thoughts?

 

We just got the windows tinted today. I think that will help stay a little cooler inside. If so, can keep the fan on the ac set lower. That will save some fuel. I have watched the mpg go down when I click the fan to higher speeds, using the instant mpg on my ScanGauge. I keep the thermostat on 74 so far.
We spend a lot of time in your area. Have 2 daughters out there.
Dan

 

I just made a trip this weekend to Flagstaff and back (280 miles) with the car full of people and stuff and my bike rack on the back and still managed 49 average. Seems like efficiency is going up each tank.