Disappointing MPG Phoenix to Chicago Last Weekend

The cold temps coupled with high speeds were probably the most likely culprits that ruined your mileage. In addition, the 17" tires aren't helping either.

The lower speeds in NM would have normally helped, but trying to plow through snow would have been an issue at any speed.

These cars don't like the cold, very high speeds or adverse weather. Nothing you can do about it. Had you been in any other car, it would have been much worse.

 

You just answered your question. More friction/resistance from inclement weather = less MPG.

 

Now that the temperatures are hovering around freezing in my City, the prius's mileage is getting a beating as well. Also, I've been doing short trips (about 10 min) so that is not helping at all. Wait till the spring summer and see how your mileage is doing then before the conclusion that something is wrong with your car! Just my 2 cents.

 

I just drove from Chicago to Arlington VA on oem 15" 42/40 ft/rr psi about 58-60mph with car plus 300 lbs of weight (me and luggage). Temps were 22-32F on dry roads with some sleet/rain and I was seeing 53mpg. 2012 with fresh maintenance preformed.


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Driving 75+ mph will NEVER give you anything like 50mpg you are expecting also I am sure you had several people in the car .....

Your consolation should be that if you had any other car you would be lower than 30 mpg

 

When did you set your tire pressures to 35?

Here's a potential multi-whammy when driving at speed in bad conditions:
- higher drag from difficult winds
- higher rolling resistance from surface water
- higher rolling resistance from low temperature reducing tire pressure
- increased waste from more variation in traffic speed causing excessive braking and acceleration

It could be exacerbated by an aging 12V battery. Given that you live in hot Arizona your 12V won't last a really long time, and people report a failing 12V battery having a deleterious effect on fuel economy due to excessive draw from the traction battery leading to increased running of the engine.

 

Regular cars are getting more efficient. My wife's 2013 Accord Coupe just got 39 mpg on a 485 mile trip doing 75+. Direct injection 2.4L engine, CVT transmission, regular gas, 0-60 in 7.1 sec.

 

My wife's 2010 Prius got 39 MPG doing 80 mph:

It is good to see your wife's MPG approaching 80 mph is coming close to our three year old Prius.

That is fantastic acceleration and so useful! No doubt everyone on the road admires her ability to 'street race':

Which one is her's?

In contrast, my crappy wife's car only gets:

That driving stunt used just 10.9 gallons. So tell you what, let's race:

• Both cars have a calibrated, fuel flow meter installed
• Both cars do 30 minutes, warm-up
• We meet at a track or closed, traffic free, loop
• The fuel flow meters are reset
• Both cars drive 25 miles in less than one hour
  • 0.1 gallon penalty for every minute over one hour
• The car that burns the least amount of fuel wins

Look, if you think Prius owners are impressed by 0-60 times, you obviously have no clue. As for mileage at 80 mph, are you serious? All you've done is draw attention to how crappy the "2013 Accord Coupe" is:

• 27/36 - EPA 2.4L, CVT
• 26/35 - EPA 2.4L, AV-S7
• 24/34 - EPA 2.4L, manual

Your wife's car really is a POS, which is perfect considering your trollish post.

Bob Wilson

 

Read a little Bob, mine was a reply to a blanket statement that said other cars would be under 30 mpg going 75+. Cars are changing. I was pointing out that I got nearly 40mpg in a non-hybrid. No hypermiling, no excuses, no mph charts needed.

I drive a Prius. My wife drives an Accord.

 

A simple statement about the mileage in the 80 mph range would have been fine. It was the gradis comment about '0-60' time that rubbed me the wrong way because it is so like this Jetta TDI nonsense:

As the speed increases, aerodynamic drag becomes the predominant drag and energy drain. At full power, ordinary gas engines begin to operate in peak thermodynamic efficiency range. I'm OK with that . . . no problem. But this is so out of the ordinary for most of our driving, it doesn't make sense to emphasize this.

Bob Wilson

 

Performance matters to some people. If the next Prius has more power at the same mpg it will be big news. Not for exhibition of speed purposes, but for situations where more power makes the car less strained up inclines, smoother, quieter.

I pointed out performance, you called my wife's car a POS. Relax a little.

 

sorry I should have said "most" or "many other cars" ... not "any" .... still let me say 90% of the cars doing 75+ mph will NOT break 30 mpg

you just had an exception, brand new car .. it is certainly a good news for everyone that car makers started to care for mpg (just see the ads )!! I never understood that sporty shit about accelerate 5 sec and such. Please, driving is not a sport unless you are on the closed race circuit. Sports cars on the road are an oximoron !!! See recent tragic event of fast and furious !! Those cars take you that way to the grave ...

 

This is probably a big one. If the 35PSI was set in Phoenix, which was probably warmer at that time than anywhere else on the trip, then the lower temperatures it experienced would have lowered the pressure even more. 35PSI is already pretty low if MPG is really a priority. I would set it to at least 38PSI, higher if the ride isn't too bad on 17's.

 

I'm OK with this too. Better highway mileage is a good thing but they still haven't figured out how to solve the problem of urban mileage performance:

Source: 2010 Urban Area FAQs - Geography - U.S. Census Bureau

It is the signature of 'road rage', maximum accelerations and weaving in and out of traffic. We're trying to get home and complicating traffic does no good. Then there is my other pet peeve,"right-lane tailgaters."

I was headed home at 1:30 AM earlier this week on a divided, four lane, cross-town road. Posted 50 mph, I'm in the right lane and I see a pair of following head lights that overtakes me . . . and follows way closer, 3-4 car lengths, than comfortable. The passing lane had been and remained empty the whole time. After a mile, I changed to the empty, left lane, and the tailgater came up and then drove in formation in my blind spot.

So I tap the cruise control down, 3-4 mph, and eventually they stop formation driving and pass me on the right. Once ahead, they resumed their overtaking speed. Waiting until they were as far enough ahead, I pulled back into the right lane. Soon they were over 100 yards away and I resumed 50 mph while they continued to look for someone else to spotlight. So what does this have to do with 0-60 time?

When acceleration means racing to a stop or to close with the rear bumper, it is foolishness and a waste. As for climbing hills, our 2003 Prius, 0-60 in 13 seconds, climbs an 8% grade at just over 90 mph. How fast do we have to climb a hill? What is the requirement?

We know Consumer Reports considers 0-60 time a critical metric while they ignore MPG. So I'm a little cantankerous . . . Ok, maybe a lot . . . but I'm just getting tired of over-powered, inefficient cars touted by car media. But I'll try to be a little more 'gentle' in the future when someone posts a 0-60 time.

Bob Wilson