Half a tank and doing 70.2 mpg

As long as I can drive normal and my average mpg stays above 50 mpg (manually calculated) I'm happy. It's too stressful to try and get it to 60 mpg or 70 mpg "FOR AN AVERAGE" which I believe is impossible for a regular Prius (Non PIP). Would also like to take note that if you look at Fuelly.com you'll see the real averages for Prius cars or any car for that matter. Except for the PIP Prius which their all over the board for their averages which doesn't make any sense to me. I always get a kick out of non Prius people that tell me their VW Jetta does 50 mpg I always refer them to Fuelly.com to silence them, this holds true for Hyundai Elantra people as well.

 

It's not impossible for a non-pip to average 60+mpg but it does take work and/or an awesome commute! Mild weather helps too.

 

Stressful is no sleep for days. Driving for high MPG is mostly a matter of habit after retraining the nut behind the wheel.

I don't think 60 mpg average is difficult if all my driving is in my fair city. Highway is a different matter, and cold winters make it much harder. Pretty much impossible if most trips are short and run on a cold engine.

 

That's definitely true. My 21 mile commute is ideal for the Prius and I can get ~65MPG on that trip without much effort. If I really try I can get 70-75MPG and once I even broke 80. The short trip from my office to run out to get lunch each day knocks the average down a bit, but I can still get 60MPG on the trip to work, then lunch, then home with no problem.

When I first got my Prius my wife's grandparents were staying with us and her grandfather was in a wheel chair, so for the first few months I was using the Prius pretty much just to go back and forth to work... we would use our SUV for all the other trips so we could get everyone and the wheelchair in. For those first few months I was maintaining close to a 60MPG calculated average on fuelly... but after her grandparents went back north and it was just my wife and I we started using the Prius for more short runs in town and longer trips on the highway and it killed my 60MPG average. I also started working from home more and not taking that 21 mile trip at 65MPG twice a day, so my fuelly average has dropped to the low 50's.

Like F8L said... under the right conditions you can maintain a 60MPG+ average in a non PIP Prius, but not everyone is going to be able to do that.

 

If I offered you proof, would you accept that some non PIP Prius drivers can average 60+ mpg (calculated) over 2.5 years and 57,000 miles?

Codyroo (Toyota Prius) | Fuelly

I think with the PIP drivers being scattered, it has a lot to do with the length of their commutes and the opportunities to plug in and charge. If I had a PIP, my average would be on the low end of the scale, because the length of my commute (~ 35 miles one way) doesn't maximize the PIP experience. My wife (with her 2 mile commute, one way) would be phenomenal with a PIP.

 

You forgot to mention a forgiving girlfriend in your list of criteria

 

No doubt!

I have the day off so I am going to Americas Tire to see if I can work out some crazy deal to trade in my 17" tires for a set of 15" wheels and more Energy Saver A/S tires. This may fix my desire for better looks and high fuel efficiency. I wonder if I can make it happen. Then I have to sell all the extras ASAP or else she will kill me. Hmmm she never goes in the attic. Potential hiding place? LOL

 

Err.. isn't that what you had just a week or two ago ?

 

Ya, I thought you never sold them?

 

Beside our Prius we have a 2003 VW Jetta Wagon GL model with a 5-speed manual
transmission with a TDI, Turbo Diesel Direct Injection Engine. For the last 135,000 miles
I have averaged a true 52 MPG. Even though the EPA current system has it way lower
than that.

For some reason it appears that diesel powered cars usually exceed the EPA rating as hybrid
vehicles, in many cases, do not.

Before the Jetta Wagon I had a 1994 Honda Civic VX, 5-speed manual, these are the rare
models with 50+ mpg. With the VX I also averaged over 50 mpg. On a trip in the summer
in 1994 from Seaside Oregon to Los Angeles, CA, we averaged 58 mpg, with two adults and
two kids. Of course speeds were 55-60 mph due to Federal Speed Limit.

 

I think he wants to rid himself of the stock 15" rims and purchase a set of more appealing 15" rims and THEN slap a set of Michelin Energy Saver A/S tires on it.

I think this is the case because when I first got my car, I considered going that direction as well.

 

Well then what was the point in getting your 2010 Prius if you had two non Hybrid cars the beat the over all averages for a regular non PIP Prius? I would much rather have a Jetta if I knew it could maintain 50+ mpg. I just don't see it on Fuelly.com for the VW Jetta's. (Again overall averages for that type of vehicle)

 

I would think that this person is more of an exception rather than the rule. Please base your evidence on all around averages that people get with the same type of vehicle (Take a look at Fuelly.com again for overall averages). Yes! if i lived in an ideal flat area (Like "The Villages" in Florida and drive it like a golf cart) with no hills or traffic and can maintain below the centerline in the display on the dash going less than 30 mph I could possibly do it. But that's not the real world for most of us is it?

 

Personally I flow with traffic and plan on getting at least mid 60's lifetime average on this car.

In a regular ICE car I can probably get a little bit better than EPA but in a hybrid I should be able to shatter the EPA. That's the difference IMO.


fwiw driving below the centerline all the time would get you horrid FE

 

Of course; the point we are making to you is that your comment that 60 mpg average is impossible is wrong.

You are also incorrect in your assumptions on what is required for that level of fuel economy. It is a lot easier than you imagine. Just because few Americans bother to drive with energy frugality habits in mind does not make it difficult.

 

Dude! Ok you win, I hope I've made your day. Have a good 60+ mpg weekend!

 

That is exactly what I did. I don't like the plastic look of the OE wheel covers, especially up close, and I don't like the look of the OE wheels, especially the black ones. So I bought a set of cheap MB Wheels "Viper" 15x7" +38mm offset. They look better than OE too me and the offset brings the wheel closer to flush with the body line. They will not be everyone's cup of tea but they keep the somewhat OE look compared to most wheels on the market and they were cheap!

 

I do not pay much attention to wheels myself, but fwiw I cannot tell the difference between what you have now and my CTH OEM wheels; and I know you like those

So, you get to have your cake, and topping too (looks AND fuel economy.)

CHEERS

 

I was on the OE 15s with Energy Saver A/S tires. I returned the Primacy MXM4 17" tires today. In return I got a new set of Energy Saver A/S 15" tires and a set of 15" wheels (paid a little extra). I mounted my "old" Energy Saver A/S tires on the new wheels. I will save the new tires as replacements. I can now sell my OE wheels and the Lexus wheels to recoup most of my money minus the new tires and one install charge. Confusing yes but Michelin and America's Tire in Woodland, Ca took care of me as usual.

 

I have to believe you have the negotiating skills of Yoda, the manipulative skills of the Emperor, the charm of Princess Leia, and a portable reality distortion field stolen from Steve Jobs.

Any other consumer with half your requests would have been murdered by store employees years ago.