Five weeks experience with a new Prius III seems to have had a positive influence on my driving technique today, piloting my MX-5 in our Miata Club's annual May Day cruise. The run, from the Atlantic shore or Nova Scotia to the Bay of Fundy and back (300+ kms through rolling hills and turns), yielded a very respectable 45.3 MPG (Imperial)...best yet for me in this little car.
I've had the same experience with my Chrysler Sebring Convertible. I had already been a relatively conservative driver with it, but some of the lessons from the Prius have picked me up a good 3 mpg or more.
mine had the opposite effect. when i drive my wife's 350z i let out all of my urge for speed on it, and decrease the avg. MPG. from 21mpg to 19mpg.
Much like Aegison said above - and in very similar car - I get somewhat unexpected MPGs out of Stone White, our '97 Stratus; at least on longer, highway trips. But since we've had that car for so very long - we bought it new in late '97 - I think its more that I've long been something of a "pseudo-hypermiler" at heart, rather than the Prius having "taught" me how to become one. Nearly two years ago, on Stone White's last lengthy, multi-tank road trip - it hasn't been on ANY long trips since we bought Mithril 21 months ago - I managed to eke out nearly 33 mpg over the course of nearly 1,600 miles; about 18% above its EPA Highway rating of 28 mpg. At the time, Stone White had been driven about 112,000 miles and, on one tank during that same trip, the mileage was nearly 36 mpg ...
I also have a Gen III and a Miata (2001). Like you I find the Prius is teaching me a new style of driving, which is sometimes difficult to remember in the Miata. The Miata will deliver excellent fuel economy, for a gas-driven car, if driven conservatively. I'm finding switching back and forth between the cars a little confusing. The driving poistion in the Prius is so much higher than the Miata and I am so much farther from the road surface that it feels as tho the Prius is not accelerating quickly or moving fast. I often look at the speedometer to check that I am really going at the speed limit.
After driving my Miata (same tires and suspension as yours) the Prius seems to have the rude handling manners of a van, rather than a car. That's a bit unfair though, I suppose. The Miata and Prius are totally different vehicles, so trouble with adapting from one to the other is certainly understandable. But they are both very interesting to drive and require different skills to drive well.
It is true. I always used to be quite lead footed but am much more gentle (most of the time) with the Prius. Was driving the girlfriends Honda Civic Honda Civic (eighth generation) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia 1.4 litre Euro hatch, the other day for a day out and managed to get 50mpg (UK mpg) out of it. She's never had it above 40 mpg before and I know when I drove it on holiday last year I only managed 42 mpg on average. Not bad for a Civic but I wouldn't say it was a fast car!
