,Newbie here. Purchased 2010 Prius a few weeks ago and I'm finding Cons Mpg at 31.0,,,considerably less than specs.. Im driving in Miami in the Eco Mode. Is there a break in period with lower than spec Mpg?
31mpg? That is WAY low! I suggest you start by checking the tire pressures as even 1 or 2 psi lower than spec will reduce your mpgs. The correct ratings are shown inside the drivers door. Also, you might want to reset your mpg trip meter as it could be that the engine has been run whilst the car was stationary - such as pre delivery inspection by the dealer. Give these a try and see how you get on. You should be getting 45 -55 mpg with ease - though it can take a couple thousand miles to get the very best mpg ratings.
Also reset your trip meter (by pressing on that trip button after power is on)..check the tire pressure , fill up and then see. My MPG hovers between 45-50 MPG and I do a bunch of short commutes through out the day.
First of all, welcome to Priuschat! :welcome: Secondly, your average might be influenced by several factors including the tire pressure GC mentioned and the existing mileage history still stored by the car, as mentioned by newto. Finally, head over to the Newbie forum and read the "sticky" threads. They are the ones at the very top of the list. These threads hold information asked by many new Prius owners and quite possibly the answers to all of your questions. You can save a lot of time and sanity by reading through these. Newbie Forum - PriusChat Forums Keep us posted and good luck!
If you seriously want mileage help, please answer the questions at http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-iii...-answer-these-questions-esp-if-youre-new.html. As for "specs", http://priuschat.com/forums/other-c...uth-about-epa-city-highway-mpg-estimates.html is a good primer on what goes into EPA tests.
I would think to get a Prius to obtain only 31 MPG average, one would need to deflate the tires to about 20 PSI (don't try this it would be dangerous!), floor the accelerator from every stop light and brake hard into every stoplight while running lots of cabin heat. Even then, I don't know if a Prius could go down to 31 MPG under those conditions. 9 times renting the 2010 Prius - every time the average was well over 50 MPG, usually about 53 or 54 MPG. That is no fluke. It is incredible to see most drivers scooting around in 25 MPG cars. They don't know what they are missing, but I do. You go to the gas station after 250 miles and chug in 10 gallons instead of about 4.7 on a Prius.
I agree with cycledrum that it would be hard to get mileage as low as 31mpg on a Prius, even if you tried, given that you are in Miami and not driving in cold like most of us in the US are right now. Are you sure you aren't reading the average mph number on the same screen? To answer your question about break-in, my mpg increased about 10 mpg between about 4,000 and 10,00 miles (from mid-40s to mid 50s), so look forward to that. It probably had something to do with me learning to drive the car, too. In the meantime, pump up your tires to 42F and 40R like many of us do, and then strive to drive never using your brakes. That will give you good mileage.
You left out short trips. Someone commuting only two or three miles each way could very easily get this mpg even when everything else is set up correctly. Especially with long traffic lights near the start of each segment.
This is precisely why we need info from the OP. I've found it a not very good use of my time to craft responses every time mileage complaints surface, esp. when given scant or no details coupled w/a large % of these folks never returning. I, along w/many others are willing to help, but it sure isn't helpful when we're flying blind nor is it very motivating to see a substantial part of our efforts be in vain.
why do so many people post with problems and questions and then go days without responding to the offered suggestions?
