Getting ready to buy a Prius. Mostly short distance driving. Keeping 2003 Element for trips to lumber yard, dump, etc. so gas mileage is top priority. Did gas mileage drop off significantly with larger engine in 2010? TIA
Don't expect to get great mileage with a lot of short trips. The first 10-15 minutes of driving are the worst for the Prius as the engine and emissions system need to warm up. The Prius is better suited for longer commutes.
You may want to consider the plugin Prius if you do a lot of short trips. It's pretty common to hear people complain of mpg averaging in the low 40s when their commute is less than 10 miles each day. Fortunes that is still much higher than any other non- hybrid when driven in similar circumstances.
In my experience, if your 1-way commute is at least 15 miles then your mileage should easily be at 50 mpg with a light foot. With better technique you can still get 55 mpg even on a 7 mile one-way commute.
Thanks for the quick replies. I got the impression that "city" mileage was better than "highway" mileage from both Prius sticker info & consumer reports. Plug-in estimated price & built-in distance limits are deal-breakers for me, I'm afraid. If the newer Prius performs even close to estimates in gas mileage it will pay for itself the way I have the economics figured. Again thanks to all.
It is better in the city BUT you have to ensure that the engine is warmed up. Like any other car, the mileage suffers in the first 5-10 mins (or first 10 miles) depending on temperature because the engine has to get up to operating temperature. With the 2010 and newer, it's easier to get 50mpg for the average person than it is on the 2004-2009 version. The larger engine helps get better highway mileage as well because the engine doesn't have to work as hard.
I'd describe it as the 2010+ getting better mileage despite the larger engine, at least for the great majority of drivers. A Toyota rep elsewhere eventually admitted that it could have done even better if the engine was not upsized. The very hardcore hypermilers can do extremely well with older smaller engine. But the extra power of the larger engine significantly expands consumer acceptance.
The built in distance limit would be from the southern tip of Africa to the eastern tip of Russia, same as any car. You just add gas now and then. You never NEED to plug it in, it will get within 1 MPG of the 'normal' Prius if you never plug it in. It does even better if you do, but there is little downside besides price.
Most fuel-efficient cars http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/...-fuel-economy/best-and-worst-fuel-economy.htm http://priuschat.com/forums/other-c...uth-about-epa-city-highway-mpg-estimates.html
