Is 44 mpg hiway possible?

Any mileage you get really depends on a lot of factors, one of which is the terrain.

I drive all over. From Marlborough, MA (20 mi west of Boston) to Cape Cod, to Vermont, Boston and NY are some of my frequent travels. I average 45mpg. I used to get 50 or higher when I'd stick to 65-70 tops on the highway. I'm now back to 75mph typically on the highway, hitting 80+ sometimes too - The Prius does move along nicely

Even with all this and MOST of my driving being highway, my average is still typically 45mpg. Even when driving up to Vermont which is up and down lots of hills. I can usually get 43-45mpg.

 

Sure 44 mpg is possible

Just keep your tyre pressure arounf 32 and put your emergency brake on a little bit, a few clicks so it drags a bit, but in my opinion I like my constant 52-53 mpg, ok so it drops to 50.1 when I drive from nh to fl @ 75mph
ymmv

 

Yes it is. We have taken several long trips in our 2005 Prius and overall we have managed 45 mpg - and the includes all types of driving conditions and driving at least 5 mph over the speed limit. If we are on 55 mph roads the mpg goes up dramatically! So speed (and weight) affects the Prius just like any other car. Where you really notice the difference is sitting at traffic lights (like when we are in the Orange County area. The motor shuts off! You sit there in relative silence until the light changes using no gas whatsoever - I love that!

 

I travel about 150miles one way from Houston to Austin every other weekend. I used to get 51MPG-53MPG going about 65MPH controlling the throttle myself, but figured out eventually that cruise control gets 50MPG almost on the dot. That was good enough for me for a 2.5HR trip.

What works in my favor for mileage is flat highways half the way and long downward slopes in the hill country close to Austin. Warm weather and tires at 40psi all around also help.

 

I get 54 mpg highway, and you could do better than that if you keep your speed at 55 mph instead of the 65 (speed limit) that I tend to drive at when traveling on the highway.

 

44 mpg? sure, if you have a leadfoot, stomp on the brakes at the last minute, tailgate, speed, etc.
I drive 55 miles each way every day, mostly interstate, and get 55-57 mpg in the summer, 46-48 or so in the winter. 42-44 or so if it's also snowing and windy. I rarely speed more than 5 over and I'm usually the slowest car on the road, but going over 65 mph really starts lowering the mileage.
Unless you have some big downhills to coast down, at highway speed, you will almost always be using your gas engine. It only cycles on-off below 40 mph.
In any case, buy a Prius and just drive it. Pretend it's not a hybrid. Think of it as a regular car. Just coast a little more than you normally do. You'll easily get 45 mpg or better.

 

.
2008 Touring Prii
Round trip KY / PA
55mph - 75mph
No special driving techniques
Avg 45mpg
.

 

I have a 1 hour and thirty minute commute with 1 hour of it being Interstate..I drive around 62-67mph..running tires at 44(front)-42(rear)..I get over 50MPG ..My MPG keeps getting better as temp's warm up I would quess if you have flat roads you would get a little better I have alot of hills...

 

A few corrections.

The gas engine almost always runs, it has to above about 42 mph. The only time you are on pure electric is when you are under 42 mph with a very light foot on the throttle.
At a constant 65 mph on level ground without a headwind you should easily get 50 mpg. Now, how hard you accelerate, how much stop and go, wind, and other weather conditions can lower your mpg. The first 5 minutes of warmup is where you will get the worst MPG, so the longer your trip the better.

I have a typical 25 mile trip to work, mostly 65 mph highway travel. I get about 55mpg going in (slight downhill) 45 mpg coming back. Average 50 mpg.

 

My best tanks have been road trips driving 70-75mph. I think 44mpg is not not only a reasonable expectation, I think it will be the low end of your average. At least during your summer months. Not sure what KS winters are like but mileage tends to drop when cold. However, even in New England winters I rarely drop below 40mpg.

 

We visited the grandsons on Memorial Day. It's an hour each way. I reset the running average gauge to get an accurate reading on fuel economy for the trip. Setting the cruise control @ 63 mph, when we arrived, we had 61.8 mpg. I was surprised it was that high. The destination was downhill, so that helped. At the end of the round trip, the running average was 56.2 mpg. It was mostly Interstate travel, with part of it on state roads @ 57 mph.

I can easily get over 50 mpg in warm weather by keeping my speed down to the speed limit, or in this case, 2 mph under.

Harry

 

Dirtbag,

Kansas is great for the Prius. Anywhere you go it's long distance, gives the Prius a chance to obtain much higher mileage than 44mpg. You have stretches of flat land, then hills you can glide down.
Other than nasty rock strewn dirt roads, Kansas is great for the Prius.

Well...all except those darn grasshopper mating seasons.

ZC1

 

I know I can't get the Pri to run out a single tank in the 40mpg's ... not unless I let my lead footed spouse drive it. Otherwise, the life time average at appx 70,000 miles is just over 54mpg. But heck, short trips? Lead foot? No anticipatory driving? It'd be no problemo to knock it down into the 30mpg's ... but that's just sick to think about.

 

I agree with the others who say 44 overall should be a piece of cake if you drive sensibly, even at 65 MPH. The Prius MPG Simulator predicts the following:

Speed, Air Temp, MPG
65, 90F, 52.9 (with auto climate control set to 75F)
65, 70F, 51.0
65, 50F, 47.4
65, 30F, 42.2 (with auto CC set to 68F)
55, 90F, 60.1 (with auto CC set to 75F)
55, 70F, 58.6
55, 50F, 54.1
55, 30F, 47.3 (with auto CC set to 68F)

These all assume steady speed on level terrain, smooth dry pavement, no wind, E10 for fuel, and Goodyear Integrity tires inflated to 44 front & 42 rear.

I'll add one more Kansas negative to ZC1's rocks and grasshoppers. MPG will be in the toilet when confronting tornado-strength headwinds.

 

I am glad to see someone mentioned the weather. I live in RURAL Montana, and communte 67 miles each way to work. That is 70mph on a 2 lane hilly (up and down up and down) highway. During the cold and snow, I only got about 42 MPG, but now that summer is here and we are in the 50-60's I am averaging about 48 to 49 mpgs, and I am hoping it will bet higher as it gets warmer. I am not a lead foot, but I do go the speed limit with cruise. 70mph in daylight and 65mph at night. I say go for it. I truly love communting in my Prius, as well as the faces I get when I report my MPGs each day when I arrive at work!

 

OH NO, not another storm chaser!


ZC1

 

31 miles, one way, all highway for me to work. Cruise set on 65mph running A/C -- avg 50.3 MPG. Pumping up the tire pressure to 42-38 helped, but I am consistant 50ish on the highway. I can get the same without cruise, maybe a bit better but cruise is a lot easier. Good luck

 

Two more data points for you:

The day I got my car I drove 1800 miles to bring it home. Cruise Control on 70-75 most of the time, crossed the continental divide, averaged 48mpg. We made a round trip 700 miles from Phoenix to Disney land last winter, cold (50s) rainy and generally crappy weather. Cruise on 70-75, averaged 48 mpg.

45 MPG should be very doable, best of luck in your decision!

Rob

 

May 16th Elkhart, IN to Cincinnati, OH 255 miles 76.1 mpg at 45 mph average. May 17th Cincinnati to Elkhart 256 miles 70.0 mpg.