December MPG Averages<img alt="" src="chrome://easygestures/skin/xLink.png" style="border: 0px none

Purchased Car: May ‘05
Current Miles: 16,000
Summer Avg MPG: 55.5
Best MPG: 59.6
Nov – Dec Avg MPG: 47.5
Commute: 50 miles one-way
AM Temps: 24 – 38
PM Temps: 32 – 48
Region: Northern VA

As of yesterday I began getting an average of 52.3 MPG during my daily commute by simply following the steps as outlined by Dr. Evan. I also adhere to the posted speed limit in almost all my driving.

One thing I noticed this morning, my MPG dropped as the rainfall got heavier. According to my “consumption†graph I was achieving about 53 MPG @ 65 MPH for the first part of my trip. The last ¼ of the drive was in heavy rain and I was getting about 50 MPG.

 

I'm by no means a highly experienced Prius driver (only have 1600 miles), but possibly an experienced Prius Chat reader. I do recall someone telling me that he consistantly go 50 mpg in his old honda civic. Here are some things to consider:

1) When it get's really cold the Prius is no better than a midsize car with a the compact car's gas engine when doing local short range driving.
2) The reason the 88 honda civic gets great mileage is because it's a subcompact car with a tiny engine. My guess is that the 88 honda civic may not even accelerate as well as the 2004/2005 Prius.
3) To be fare imagine going back in time to the 88 honda civic. Now rip off the body and frame of the toyota prius and plop it around the 88 hond civic engine. I'd bet you'll now see that 88 honda civic struggling hard to get moving as well as it's mileage dropping a lot.
4) If the VW is a diesel it will probably do better in cold weather than a hybrid. However, once again isn't the VW golf a smaller car.
5) There's way too much hearsay when people describe driving non-Hybrid cars. The same person that described always getting 50 mgp on his Honda Civic with no special driving techniques also inquired about why the Prius doesn't come with a remote starter to warm up the cars engine while parked. If all cars had the mpg meter that's on the prius you'd here the truth
6) For example the Jeep Liberty which is EPA rated at 22 mpg tends to get 11 mpg. Owners of Jeep Liberties could than complain "my friend drives a HUMMER H3 that gets 16 mpg."

 

2005 Prius
Bought New Feb 15th 2005

From Feb through September averaged between 47 and 55 mpg

Since then we have had steady decrease in temps from 40s to 30s then about three weeks with top temps in the 20s.

We garage the car and my commute is 2.5 miles each way

My average in town was about 32 mpg

I did a trip from Walla Walla WA to Redding CA in late december with 7500 miles on the car. Temps in the high thirties and low forties. The first leg of about 200 miles brought my mileage up to 41 mpg. The second leg of about 200 miles my mileage improved to 48 mpg. The last leg of about 150 miles was close to 50 with the leg from Klamath Falls OR to Yreka CA over 52 mpg. I drove with Cruise as much as possible and held steady at 65-68 mph.

Coming back my mileage was more variable with bad weather and road conditions. Temps similar to those going south. I averaged in the mid to high 40s initially but dropped back to low forties by the time I got back to Walla Walla. I was going against a head wind and driving rain for the last 150 miles.

Temperature in combination with using headlights and heating more definately keep the ICE busy. I have tried to drive conservatively in town, but I have not made much of an improvement in mpg.

 

is my mileage worse when I have the heat on?
is it an all or nothing effect or is it just really bad to have the heat cranked up?

 

Depends on where you are somewhat. Key is good mpg requires a hot engine.
If your use of heat delays warm up or cools the engine too much (like under 163F) then it becomes very costly in fuel.

If you are in a mild enough climate or driving fast so there is excess heat, the little needed for the blower will not be that significant but will have some effect.

Recirculation helps a lot in cold weather. Beyond that higher temperature settings or more blower speed takes more heat from the engine. It is not an all or nothing trade off.

 

The HVAC system in the Prius is a marvel in itself. Check out this website to learn more about it.

http://www.denso.co.jp/AR-e/1998/TW/climate.html

In the morning, with an outside temp of below 40, I use my heat minimally. BTW, I keep my cars in a garage where the temp is about 45 when it’s 35 outside.

I’ll wait until I’ve driven about ten minutes before I turn on the heat. I ALWAYS turn it on manually by turning the fan on to no more then “2†and setting the temp to 68 or 70. I always make sure I turn the AC switch off (why it comes on, I don’t know!). I’ll let the car warm up and then turn it off.

My commute is 20 minutes to get to the highway and then 40 minutes on the interstate going 65 MPH.

My average MPG between a very cold December and now is between 51 and 54. I’m thrilled with this MPG during the cold season and can’t wait until the warm weather to see how well it will get then (after I tint my windows, too).

The ONLY thing that hurts my mileage is ( <_< shhhh, I don’t want my wife to hear) is when SHE drives it or, to a lesser degree, when she is in the car and wants HEAT on to keep her little body warm!

 

SE Arizona
1521 miles in December
33.409 gal = 45.53MPG
Al 2005 Silver Prius, 15700 miles, 47.0 MPG