Well, I don't own a prius. I own a Jetta TDI that gets 50mpg hwy and a 1st gen insight that will soon be my dd, but I'm thinking of getting a prius down the road. I was never really a fan of the prius, but understand them now. I like MPG cars and debating that my next car will be something like a Mirage. Something like a 4 door hatch, but the Prius has recently interested me for some reason. It has the 4 door hatch which is my preferred style. So, If I were to buy a 6-20 year old prius, what models/years are the best for max MPGs and what are the realistic city/hwy mpgs? I know, driving habits, etc make a difference, but just getting a general overall. I see some people brag about 60mpg and then some only saying they get 45mpg. Yes, I understand that older cars need work and some may need the hybrid battery. Realistically, if I buy one, I'll probably buy one with a bad battery for cheap and go from there. Thanks for the ideas/help.
they're all about the same if they have been well maintained highway mpg is totally dependent on speed, all else being equal. i drive the limit (mostly 55) some drive as fast as 75-85mph, big difference in mpg's you don't want anything older than 2004
Welcome, and you've certainly come to the right place to get answers to your questions! It's just a matter of patience! Good luck!
Hybrids 2001 to 2003 Gen 1 2003 Toyota Prius MPG - Actual MPG from 29 2003 Toyota Prius owners 2004 to 2009 Gen 2, electronics updated in 2006 I think. 2009 Toyota Prius MPG - Actual MPG from 283 2009 Toyota Prius owners 2010 to 2015 Gen3 2015 Toyota Prius MPG - Actual MPG from 358 2015 Toyota Prius owners 2016 to ? Gen 4 2017 Toyota Prius MPG - Actual MPG from 191 2017 Toyota Prius owners 2012 to 2017 Prius v station wagon Toyota Prius V MPG - Actual MPG from 980 Toyota Prius V owners 2012 to 2018 Prius c compact city car Toyota Prius C MPG - Actual MPG from 1,301 Toyota Prius C owners Plug in Hybrids oddly, not a bell curve 2012 to 2015 Prius PHV Toyota Prius Plug-In MPG - Actual MPG from 136 Toyota Prius Plug-In owners 2017 to ? Prius Prime Toyota Prius Prime MPG - Actual MPG from 239 Toyota Prius Prime owners It is awful late to buy a Gen1. Expect a lot of work. 2008 to 2009 are the best Gen2s. I would skip 2010 and 2011 Gen 3s, as there seem to be head gasket issues. My 2 cents.
Prius c and v models are closer to a traditional hatchback configuration- very different in size though. If you've got Mirage & Insight on the menu, the c could be a good fit for you too. We don't apply any special techniques for MPG, we just buckle up and drive, and the numbers on @JimboPalmer 's awesome fuelly link are legit. It swings from 40 to 60MPG; our long term average is 49.5.
I don't mind at all working on vehicles. I understand that hwy speeds make a huge difference. I was more interested in say a 2005 prius at 65mph hwy vs a 2012 at 65mph hwy......making all other variables equal. I'll look up those links posted.
The Gen 3 has a touch more power at 65mph. The 1.8 litre was chosen to give more torque and horsepower to compete with the 1.4 litre/1.5 litre turbodiesels in Europe. The extra power also allows the engine to sit lower in rpms so it’ll get slightly better mpg. (About 46mpg in the Gen 2 vs. 47-48mpg in the Gen 3).
While the gen 3 gets better MPG below 60 MPH and above 65 MPH, right at 60 to 65 MPH they are remarkably similar.
while those numbers all work with a new car, a 2005 isn't likely to give you what you're looking for. a better way would be to test drive individual cars, but even then, things can change rapidly on an old car
Not really as impressive as I was looking for. Thanks for the info. Also, I didn't specifically mean those years. Was just meant as an example of comparing years. Wasn't sure if there was a specific model/year that just blew away the other years/models.
I don't mean to scare you off but one thing to consider in the used Prius market is oil consumption ( search for it on here ). If folks notice oil consumption...I'll go out on a limb and say that *most* probably don't disclose it when selling it or trading it in. Therefore, you have to be very careful when shopping. 2010 *may* be a bad year for oil consumption...but there really really isn't much conclusive evidence at all other than a higher incidence of 2010 owners reporting consumption around here. Personally, I lost the 'oil consumption lottery' with our 2010 and won (so far) with our 2012 Prius v wagon. Other than oil consumption, the Prius is rock solid as far as reliability goes. Look on youtube for videos about the Prius transaxle, etc...the design is simple and elegant. Plus, no engine belts, etc...to maintain at all ( in the Gen3 anyway ).
When new. It will be hard to find a 2005 that is "new".......or with VERY low mileage. There usually is some penalty with the gas mileage the older a vehicle is. If all systems are working normally, the drop in mileage will be small. As soon as something is NOT working normally........all bets are off.
