What Is Your WORST Prius Fuel Economy?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Fuel Economy' started by jyl, Aug 31, 2009.

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  1. jyl

    jyl New Member

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    Here's ours.

    For daily city driving - have seen as low as appx 32 MPG in winter. Temps around freezing, short trips with cold starts, climbing a big hill most days. Wife cranks heat to max and is a total leadfoot (P&G for her is Procter & Gamble). 10% ethanol gasoline, and snow tires (Blizzaks inflated to 40 PSI) on steel wheels. Carrying 2-3 kids. In those conditions, I got 35-36 MPG so the leadfoot better half is not entirely to blame.

    For highway driving - Averaged 30 MPG over a 650 mile roadtrip with four occupants, stuffed full of luggage, Yakima rack with 12 cu ft cargo pod on one side of the bars, also stuffed full, two 17-foot sea kayaks on the other side of the bars, straps and cords all over. I estimate about 270 lbs on the roof and a huge amount of aero drag. Rear wheels were squeezed up in the wheelwells. Almost new Nokian WRG2s inflated to 42 PSI. Oil slightly overfilled (1/2" on the stick). AC cranked. 10% ethanol gasoline for 1/2 the trip. Averaged about 70 MPG - no eco-driving, not with the trip already going to take 11+ hours.

    Not negative about it - I think its funny actually. Any other car in similar conditions would have been much worse.
     
    #1 jyl, Aug 31, 2009
  2. Betelgeuse

    Betelgeuse Active Member

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    We had a tank around 28 MPG once. Daytime highs around 20 Fahrenheit, almost exclusively short trips (<3 miles), plus a good amount of time idling in the driveway trying to get the ice on the windshield to melt.

    It's amazing what you have to do to push this car below 30 MPG.
     
    #2 Betelgeuse, Aug 31, 2009
  3. efusco

    efusco Moderator Emeritus
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    I had a 37mpg tank once in the early dark days of ownership. Frigid temps, loaded car, 75mph with terrible quartering headwinds on a long freeway drive.
     
    #3 efusco, Aug 31, 2009
  4. hm800x

    hm800x New Member

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    I remember a camping trip with our tent trailer weighting around 1700 lbs with luggage and use of the Prius as generator because of no electricity on camping site. Got as low as 26 mpg but mainly because of using it as generator for about 10 hours.
     
    #4 hm800x, Aug 31, 2009
  5. qbee42

    qbee42 My other car is a boat

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    For a whole tank, probably somewhere in the high thirties during the cold and snow of winter.

    Tom
     
    #5 qbee42, Aug 31, 2009
  6. kinghuang

    kinghuang Member

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    I've had 7.6L/100km in –30°C weather. That's about 31 mpg.
     
    #6 kinghuang, Aug 31, 2009
  7. brick

    brick Active Member

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    44mpg (actual...MFD said about 46). Daytime highs were around 20F with mornings in the single digits, and I drove through one major snow storm. At the time I lived in an apartment so the only way to get the windshield clear enough to see was to warm up and defrost before driving off. Needless to say that was before I moved to SC!
     
    #7 brick, Aug 31, 2009
  8. richardp

    richardp New Member

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    18 mpg......just bought the '07 and discovered that the parking brake was on. Take the brake OFF, and it gets much better mileage. who knew?
     
    #8 richardp, Sep 8, 2009
  9. richardp

    richardp New Member

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    BTW- I'm a newbie here. Where do I go for economic driving tips? After I take the brake off that is.
     
    #9 richardp, Sep 8, 2009
  10. TonyPSchaefer

    TonyPSchaefer Your Friendly Moderator
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    Hi Richard and welcome. :welcome:
    Since you list your car as a GenII I've pointed you to the GenII Fuel Economy forum: Gen II Prius Fuel Economy - PriusChat Forums

    My worst tank to date is 40.3 logged between 11/30/05 and 12/14/05.
     
    #10 TonyPSchaefer, Sep 8, 2009
  11. 13Plug

    13Plug Active Member

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    My worst two tanks were both 8.6 L/100km (or 27.4 mpg US). That was late December / early January, really cold weather, mostly short trips. It's hard to think about that because I filled up today with my best tank (4.8 L/100km or 49 mpg US)
     
    #11 13Plug, Sep 8, 2009
  12. nikki&petey

    nikki&petey Junior Member

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    This week. 43.3 MPG. AC blasting constantly and I had to go up a huge mountain pass twice on this tank.
     
    #12 nikki&petey, Sep 8, 2009
  13. blippo

    blippo New Member

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    48.5
     
    #13 blippo, Sep 8, 2009
  14. Son of Gloin

    Son of Gloin Active Member

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    Mithril has suffered through one tank at 38.2 mpg ... two tanks at about 39.5 mpg. These were primarily the result of EXTREMELY cold winter weather, coupled with mostly VERY short, 'round-town trips.

    He's making up for that now, though. Eight of the last ten fill-ups have resulted in over 50 mpg for an average of nearly 52.5 mpg -- per hand-calculations -- over that stretch ....
     
    #14 Son of Gloin, Sep 9, 2009
  15. Sandy

    Sandy Hippi Chick

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    about 40 MPG
     
    #15 Sandy, Sep 9, 2009
  16. Celtic Blue

    Celtic Blue New Member

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    During winter, and before I blocked the bottom set of grill slats, I had a tank at 42.2 mpg. It was all short commutes.
     
    #16 Celtic Blue, Sep 9, 2009
  17. ETP

    ETP 2021 Prime(Limit),24 Venza Limit,B52-D,G,F,H

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    54 but the air had leaked out of the tires over the summer. Back up to 46PSI and my MPG is back up 58-60 MPG going to work. AC hits my mileage big time. I did a brain dead flat and rolling check after moving for 20 miles and I got 68MPG. To me that is a stupid check since you should check it fill up to fill up. EH!
     
    #17 ETP, Sep 11, 2009
  18. ken.miller

    ken.miller New Member

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    I have 4,600 miles on my 2009 Prius and the best mileage I'm have gotten is 37, the 4,600 mile average is 35.63 and the least is 33.08.:mad:
     
    #18 ken.miller, Sep 21, 2009
  19. nhguy78

    nhguy78 whirr...........

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    2012 Prius Plug-in
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    Plug-in Advanced
    My worst useage is in winter and it gets down as low as 40mpg. This is New Hampshire winters on the highway.
     
    #19 nhguy78, Sep 21, 2009
  20. DeadPhish

    DeadPhish Senior Member

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    March 2009. Cool to cold weather. Uphill from sealevel to the Catskills...against the prevailing weather...on I95 / NYS Thruway...at an average speed of about 75 mph.

    For 700 mi I averaged 41 mpg.
     
    #20 DeadPhish, Sep 21, 2009
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