I suspect many drive it like a sportscar and expect economy mileage! With a normal car that only gets 17MPG.. its very easy to fluctuate 3 MPG simply by how fast and aggressive you drive. 17 X 3 = 51..... So driving a prius that is capable of 51MPG similiarly like a sportscar and using high speeds... the 3 MPH becomes X 3 to equal 9MPH difference! the more efficient a machine you run... the more dramatic will be the inefficient behaviors when factored in.
Well - I made the mistake of taking my 2004 with 20,000 miles in to Toyota dealer for recall "flash" of computer. Now I get 34 to 39 mpg . . .down from around 45 mpg . . . It's been back twice since and no problems found - dealer says that's normal . . . Anyone have any ideas? I'm ready to trade it in on a Honda . . .
This is ridiculous. Why is it that Toyota should put a warning on the car? Toyota's only problem was instanatious mpg display. Inept drivers would manage to drive a 30mpg capable car down to 10mpg: they would just never know it because those cars dont have MFDs!
did you test to see what the real mileage was when figuring by hand?... if its truly down, I would complain to toyota themselves and mention your lamo dealer.
Read this forum and you'll find that many folks are not getting that kind of mileage. You are at the high end of band and probably have close to ideal Prius conditions.
There is not a vehicle made that gets the EPA mileage. The EPA needs to come up with a new way to more accurately measure what mileage most consumers will get.
Damn. I guess I better go back and check my 15 months of data. Unless you are talking about 70 F conditions -- then I would agree with you. In that case my ~ 70 mpg is WAY off EPA. Who should I complain to ?
Gas mileage in a Prius is like anything else, there's going to be a bell curve with some people way at the top (>60mpg), and others at the bottom, but the majority will be in the middle somewhere. I agree that the EPA mileage should address more of an "average driving mix", not some idealized model that very few of us ever experience. More realistic numbers for all cars would be more useful, even if they are still only a standard for comparing car models against each other. -Roger
We re-hash this constantly. There ARE cars that meet or exceed EPA numbers, and not just with geeks like me at the wheel. All four Saturns I owned, my VW diesel pickup ('81), my Honda Civic ('77) and my '92 Corolla all regularly beat EPA estimates. My Honda Odyssey ('98), VW Campers ('87 and '90) and a bunch or earlier cars didn't.
RE: ADS.</span> It's doubtful that everybody will actually read to the 5th page, but... The original vote was on whether future Prius ads needed to have a "YMMV" statement tacked onto them. I picked the "Caveat Emptor" choice, but it really should have said something like: <span style=\'color:blue\'>"Sure, add YMMV, but only do it when every other auto, motorcycle, boat, airplane, etc., company also puts YMMV in their ads." As everybody has been stating here, all cars are subject to the EPA ratings. Guess what, all cars advertise their EPA mileage as standard on ads, too. Marketing is a cuthroat business. The only time you really want to advertise weakness is when your back is completely shielded (to keep knives from being stuck in it), you want to appear as a servant to the community, and you'll be guaranteed to make really big bucks off the ploy. This thread is just the latest version of one copied for many years. In '04, I asked, "why on earth would a car company want to make that kind of wacko claim? They don't owe consumers honesty. They're a car company and they perform for their shareholders as any good car company would do." Aerich the Rocket Scientist Washington D.C.
Even Toyota knows they should say SOMETHING, and they do---but they bury it in their FAQs, which in turn is buried under (of all inexplicable things!) in "360 views" under "buildatoyota". To wit: 6. Can I expect to get over 50 mpg in the new Prius? Reported fuel economy numbers are based on a standard test defined by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (For information on test methodology, visit the Prius Fuel Economy fact sheet). While Prius has an EPA-estimated combined mpg of 55, [5] hybrids are like conventional cars in that the actual fuel economy achieved varies widely by driving routes, conditions and behaviors. The following tips can help Prius drivers get the best possible fuel economy: Make sure tire pressures are maintained at levels specified in the Owner's Manual. Low tire pressures increase the car's road resistance and can have an impact on fuel economy. Link trips if possible. As the engine uses more fuel to warm up after it's started, fewer starts with a cold engine will improve gas mileage. Avoid driving at speeds that are higher than necessary, especially on the highway. For the same distance, driving Prius faster will usually result in lower fuel economy. When possible, avoid sudden stops to maximize the regenerative braking capability of the Prius. Accelerate moderately, avoiding jackrabbit starts. Don’t carry unnecessary loads as additional weight can decrease fuel economy. Despite Prius' significantly improved electric air conditioning from the prior generation, less use of the A/C will translate into better gas mileage. Remember, Prius' multi-information display provides the driver instantaneous fuel economy values. Owners frequently report that, over time, this feature on Prius “teaches†them how to become more fuel-efficient drivers
