mileage

Give it some time. There are many factors to do with mileage. Oil level, tire pressure, roads, temperature, season of the year (winter is generally bad for all cars) and driver experience in driving a Prius all come into play.

 

You should peruse the Fuel Economy forum--there's about a billion discussions on how to improve your fuel economy.
And no, your experience is not uncommon, but can definitely be improved.
http://priuschat.com/Fuel-Economy-f18.html

 

1. Check your tire pressures, monthly or whenever the daily average outdoor temp changes more than 20 degrees F or so. I use 40/38 front/rear.

2. Make sure the oil is not overfilled.

3. Try to drive so that your speed changes infrequently. Ideally you'd accelerate to some top speed and then glide all the way to the next stop.

 

watch your MFD and see how it reacts to different acceleration and braking styles. Just don't stare at it for too long!!! After awhile, you'll have subconsciously adjusted your driving style to obtain the best fuel efficiency for your situation.

Good Luck!!! - and Welcome!

 

That is a very good link. I was in a real pissy mood last week and my driving showed it. I had improved to 44 mpg over my last few tanks but this one was 41mpg and I know it was my fault. I am in a better mood this week and have 50 into the first part of this tank....PMS car?!?

 

The whole fuel mileage issue still puzzles me. I recognize that there are lots of variables, etc., but the variation in mileage between drivers (or cars) seems out of whack. I have had a Prius for 27,000 miles and have religiously tracked mileage by the reliable gallons purchased/miles driven formula. 51.1 mpg lifetime is the result. I am a fairly "normal" driver, but do drive to maximize mileage. I cannot understand how someone can get 39 mpg. I have never had a tank meaure below 42, and that was under extremely awful conditions (driving in a blizzrd into a strong headwind in Wyoming, heater and defroster on full blast).

I would recommend getting a on stretch of relatively clear, dry, flat interstate and setting the car on cruise at say 70 mph. Start with a full tank, drive for a couple of hours and refill. If you aren't getting at least 45 mpg, there must be something wrong.

What do others say about this? There shouldn't be much variation under that sort of condition.

 

It's up to you. For the most part, better milage has happened when the tire has a small "footprint." I have mine at 42/40.

 

Our car is still in babyhood. Only on it's second tank. We're at 39.2 mpg, but there are some major differences between terrains I think. We can't drive on cruise on local roads (no highways). There are too many people cutting in front, hills, deer, and other unanticipated variables. Also, so far the weather has been cold and wet. Most of our driving has been short trips of less than 10 miles. It would be great to get better results, but we will wait for warmer weather and the open road before judging results.

 

The tire will be safe up to the maximum pressure printed on the tire itself.

A car's owner's manual gives pressures which compromise between fuel economy and comfort. Using higher pressures will change the ride and handling characteristics of the car.

Note that tire pressures must be measured "cold", which means that the car has not been driven more than one mile in the past hour. Buying a gauge (they're cheap) and checking before you start the day's driving is good.

 

You have to understand that some people (like myself) live in areas that are not ideal for high gas mileage. I have 4,000 feet of elevation gain and loss on my daily comute and the steep hills kill any chance of getting anything over 39-42 mpg on a tank of gas.

However, I'm not complaining since the Prius is doing alot better on gas mileage than most other choices I had when purchasing the vehicle.