PRIUS 3rd Gen 2012 owners

That last sentence is much too long to be readable. Try breaking it up into several paragraphs.

Don't pay any attention to where that first bar goes down. It isn't very meaningful, especially on the first tank filled up by the dealer, not by you.

Please read the post linked below, and post your answers to this thread. Some things, such as tire pressure, should be checked and answered right now. Others, such as your actual MPGs, won't be meaningful until you have had a couple fill-ups.
Fuel economy complaints/queries? Please copy, paste & answer these questions, esp. if you're new

 

Whew! I agree, that was one long, run-on sentence! Anyway, I have some thoughts:
I bought a 2012 2 in Sept. and noticed the same thing. The gas mileage was horrible for about the first 1000 miles, but now that I have more than 3000 miles, the mileage is much better, even in the cold up here. Also, I noticed that on a road trip we just made from Spokane to Seattle in November, mileage was bad with all the freeway driving. I pay attention to the gauge next to the speedometer that goes from 0 to 100 mpg and make sure that when I drive, I try to keep it at or above 50mpg.
I am from San Diego and know that area very well. I did the LAX - SD drive many times this year when my mom was sick in the hospital. your Prius will do well in all that SD traffic! Enjoy it!

 

welcome to prius chat! congrats on your new car!

 

I wouldnt go by the bars on the gas gauge either.

Check your tire pressures. Search the site and inflate them to the recommended levels. I have mine inflated to 43 in the front and 40 for the rear tires. Even in the 20 degree weather and snow Im still averaging 45.5mpg. And Im a leadfoot.

 

I'm on my second new Prius (2012/5) and still have the 2nd gen one (2008/2) which my daughter now drives. We experienced the "low" mileage in each one when it was new and it got better after the first 1000 or so miles. Tire pressure is paramount - keep a check on it - every time you fill up. One other thing I've experienced with the 2nd gen is every time I put a new set of tires on it, mileage sucks (relatively speaking) for the first 750-1000 miles. The 08 is averaging 47 right now (3500 miles on tires, 39 psi front, 38 psi rear) and the 12 has improved from 45 mpg when new up to 48-49 on last two tanks (same psi, but running 17" on it). Be patient, it should get better.

I also found that the two cars drive so differently that I had a hard time getting the "hang" of better mpg for the first 300 miles or so in the 3rd gen. Forget the gas (guess) gauge - the 2nd gen gets 100-120 miles before it loses a pip, the 3rd gen gets about 50 before the first pip drops.

 

Run on sentence with a stuck throttle!

Agreed on the MPGs... my initial MPGs were OK but I peaked with some record MPGs in October and am averaging 47 now... dismal compared to what I was getting but still respectable for the most part.

Still trying to eek as much mileage as I can before losing a pip on the gauge...part of the fun of driving with all these screens and technology.

Give the car some time and enjoy it!

 

So I have a prius 3. I have put about 280 miles on it and I am averaging 29.1 mpg. My sister has one so I know how to drive it. The salesman told me I couldn't do that bad if I tried. He is putting call in to Toyota. Last night I parked it with an average of 46.4 since new tank full. I started it this am and let it run to defrost windshield (in Connecticut). It ran for 8 minutes with heat on and when I got in found average dropped to 32.2. Have driven it today and it's up to 34.2. Overall is still only 30.1. Not happy!

 

This video may help. Also, the car needs to be broken in which is about 10,000 miles.

 

Ok seriously - you ran it for 8 min and complain your mpg's went down. The ICE is running while going no where, so of course it will affect your mpg. At 50 mpg, the Prius uses a miniscule amount of gas compared to other cars, and any time the ICE is running while you're not moving will lower your mpg's, and it will seem dramatic. I can't imagine what your mpg's would be in a non-Prius in the same conditions!

 

My eyes hurt....

 

My MPG can range from 45 in the Winter (I like to have the heat on) to 55 in the summer. If it drops below that range the tires are underinflated or I drive with the windows open to create drag. Patience

 

Where in CT? I am southeastern CT/RI area - my "baby" enjoys being garaged at night but even on the cold days coming home from work the worst MPGs was 40.1 with the heat on...

Hope Toyota figures out what is going on with your "baby..."

 

I have noticed that the gen III seems to be more "sensitive" to marked changes in mpg with any extended warm-up compared to my older gen II. Not sure if the changes to the coolant system contribute to that. I have had those times when I've been sitting in the car with the "power" on waiting for my wife to "just run in the store to get a few things" and suffered a big drop in mpg, but it usually recovers within a couple of days driving.

Is sister's Prii also a gen III? I've found the gen III "behaves" differently than the gen II in some respects when trying to improve my mileage. Your situation does sound a bit extreme though.

I have to agree with JMD - patience. My gen III just passed 2K and the mileage is already getting better - from 44.5 to 49 average now. Maybe we are just getting used to the car.

 

He said he is on a new tank. If there is only a small number of miles on this new tank then of course the average mpg is going to fluctuate wildly until a larger number of miles is accumulated. This is especially true if you are getting 0mpg for 8minutes!

Even I can get 29mpg if I just refilled the tank and I let the car sit idling in cold weather.

 

The dealer undoubtedly ran the car in ready while prepping it for you, so the first tank's mileage is uncertain, go fill up and reset the trip meter and start anew, and wait until the third tank (without resetting again) to actually get a good indication of you average miles per gallon.

 

Wow.... worst I got with my new prii was 43.2 and best was 67.4, with 100 miles on the odometer I'm still on my first tank of gas.