I have a 2006 Prius. Today I went to the dealer because I love my Prius so much, I want another. I test drove a package 3 touring edition. During the test drive I noticed that something was not quite right. You get to know the feel of the Prius once you've driven it enough. And, what was off for me was the mpg. I couldn't get the car (touring version) to respond to my Prius driving like my 2006. By the time I left the dealer I had 19 miles on the car and the energy consumption score..or whatever..anyway, it only read about 22.3 mpg. I also test drove a standard 2007 and it did respond to my driving like I am used to. I love the options and the price they were offering but walked away to think about it because I was so concerned about the performance (mpg). Any thoughts? What are other touring edition owners getting in the mpg area? Do you think it could be the particular car itself?
I'm getting between 40-45MPG on each tank, after driving my Touring #6 for the past 3 months (2k miles). I'm told this is pretty normal for winter, for a 13mi commute, for a new Prius driver, for under 6K miles or so. You're an experienced owner, but others who read this may not know that the worst MPG happens during the first 5-10min while the car warms up. That will skew the average if you only drive for 19mi. I doubt it's being a Touring makes much difference -- it's certainly not reflected in the EPA ratings. But what did you think about the feel of the Touring? I find the suspension to be noticably different and better.
You're an experienced owner, but others who read this may not know that the worst MPG happens during the first 5-10min while the car warms up. That will skew the average if you only drive for 19mi. --------------------------------- I have been tring to keep this in mind. But I have been searching the internet and I think I'm coming to the conclusion that not all Priuses are created equal. the trouble is, it seems when people who are getting in the low 30's complain to the dealer they are told that what they are complaining of is normal. It seems for those who do not acheive expected / decent fuel economy there is no real recourse. I have yet to come across a post from someone complaining of low mpg that a trip to the dealer's service department has made a difference. But what did you think about the feel of the Touring? I find the suspension to be noticably different and better. ---------------------------------- It definitely felt different. Its hard for me to explain but it was tighter and stiffer / not so swishy. I'm used to that swishy softer feeling now. I can't say if it was a better feeling. It was different but I think I still detected a little feeling of being buffeted around (just slightly) on the expressway.
I recently took delivery of a 2007 #3 touring edition Prius. I have put approximately 1000 miles on it - with mostly highway driving. I commute 250 miles each way to work. I have averaged 44mpg on the first 3 tanks of fuel. I live in the cold north - so the winter mileage is better than I expected. I am pleased with the car and the mileage. I notice it goes up during in town stop and go driving. I picked the Touring for the larger wheels and firm suspension. I am still trying to get used to the sensitive steering which I only notice at freeway speeds. I plan on having some toe in adjusted into the front end on my first visit to a dealer. That is reported to help the steering.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(bepilot @ Mar 24 2007, 09:47 PM) [snapback]411722[/snapback]</div> :blink: You must really like your job. I assume that you're not doing that everyday.
Bill, thank you for the warm welcome. Fortunately I don't have to make that drive every day. I am a corporate pilot and find that I am gone many times for a week or more before returning home to make that drive back home. I traded a 2006 Ford Focus that had accumulated almost 30,000 miles in a year making the drive. The technology of the Prius was one of the things that first interested me in test driving the car. I have been impressed with the fit and finish of the car. I have been reading the forums here for many weeks and enjoy the information and opinons from the other owners.
I commute 250 miles each way to work. I have averaged 44mpg on the first 3 tanks of fuel. I live in the cold north - so the winter mileage is better than I expected. ----------------------------------- Bepilot..thanks for responding. I decided to do my own little experiment about 1/2 hour ago. I set my trip odometer to 0 and took myself on a test drive with my 2006 that is sitting in my driveway. I did the same basic drive I did this morning when test driving the 2007 touring. Well, I went 5 miles in total and by the time I pulled back in my driveway I was already registering an average of 50.5 miles per gallon. Based on what you are telling me about your car and my little test drive experiment, I believe the car I test drove is faulty. The only thing still nagging at me is I can't remember if maybe the on the first tank from the dealer..did I average in the 30's. I was in the low 40's for awhile (when I was only driving 1 mile to and from work) but now that I drive farther to work each day, I'm in the very high 40's.
Hi All, Claypot2 seems to me that a faulty temperature sensor might result in the effect you saw. The car would stay in warm-up mode, ad infinitum. If there is a catalytic converter temperature sensor, and the car was driven centered on a gravel road, the wire to it might have been snagged, would be one possible such scenario. Another possibility would be E85 fuel. Do you have that there in Florida?
Another possibility would be E85 fuel. Do you have that there in Florida? ------------------------------------- Donnee...wasn't sure if we have e85 here in FL. I looked it up on the internet and we do but in the north end of the state. I don't know but do you think a dealer would use it instead of regular old gas. Do you think they would tell me? I am assuming you mentioned it because the car would get bad gas mileage using it. I'm not all that familiar with it other than they make it out of corn, right?
E85 has less fuel energy, but with the proper engine can have similar energy output as a gasoline engine per gallon. This is due to being able to run at a higher compression ratio with E85, and recouping better thermo-dynamic efficiency. Unfortunately, none of the socalled Flex-Fuel Vehicles sold today have this capability to change the compression ratio, based on fuels. And the Prius, although it has the capability of variable compression ratio, probably does not have any kinda of sensors that can tell it it can run higher compression ratio based on the fuel. So, it would get worse mileage on E85. Its been a mistake, that some people have made, that thinking of the Prius as an eco-car, have put in bio-renewable fuel. While not damaging for the one-tank mistake, the car apparently does not like it, and lights up a warning light when running E85. As you did not indicate a warning light - I am leaning towards the faulty temp sensor on that demo car as the cause of the poor mileage.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(claypot2 @ Mar 24 2007, 05:13 PM) [snapback]411671[/snapback]</div> Our 2007 Prius Touring package 3 is currently showing 48.1 mpg. It currently has about 3,300 miles. It started out in the low 40s and has been climbing slowly but surely here in the Seattle area.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(claypot2 @ Mar 24 2007, 08:13 PM) [snapback]411671[/snapback]</div> Hi Claypot2, your experiencing what I went thru with my 07 Touring. I couldn't put my finger on it but the car was different from my 06 prius. I understand the wheels and suspension scenerio but something was wrong with the picture and I couldn't put my finger on it. I thought that maybe toyota hadn't taken the size of the larger wheels into consideration etc. etc. I've had the 07 alittle more than 3 weeks now and have approx 2000 miles on it. My everyday driving is averaging 47 mpg thats around town and some interstate. I'm use to the touring edition now and although there still seems to be a difference I can't explain, its working out just fine.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(claypot2 @ Mar 25 2007, 12:40 AM) [snapback]411794[/snapback]</div> From what I have read on these forums the new car needs to break in b4 it will get great milage like your old one, 3000-5000 miles.
I have about 2K miles on my '07 Touring, and the last three tanks have averaged 46 mpg. That's with a combination of coastal mountain, freeway and very little town driving. And I haven't really changed my driving style much, accept going to "B" on the long downhills. Generally run at posted speed + 5... I love this car.
I assume when you refer to E85, you mean E15. E85 is 85% ethanol, which can only be used by flex-fuel vehicles. The highest concentration that is recommended for most gasoline engines is E15 (15% ethanol). I don't know if that recommendation applies to the Prius but I would think it's OK. Ethanol has lass BTUs per volume than gasoline, so going from 0% ethanol to E10, or from E10 to E15 might result in a noticable (although slight) decrease in fuel economy. We went to E10 in Rhode Island a year ago. I didn't note an adverse effect on fuel economy, but as my Prius was breaking in and the weather was getting milder, I'm sure the effect of the ethanol was masked. I don't know what the state-by-state ethanol differences are- does anyone live in a state where they are using E15?
