Iv been able to attain low to mid 50s consistently over the last week however I just can't "nudge" anymore out of it.. Tires at 42psi synthetic oil , ordered Trans fluid to change tomorrow... Anyone try cold air intake? Or perhaps closing off the nose of this thing for aerodynamics? If I can get 66mpg from a VW diesel this little hybrid monster ought to do better!
Probably can't get much more out of it aside from reading up on and changing your driving behavior (S4 mode). [after coolant warmed up, after hitting 35 mph, then stopping for 10 seconds, you will be in S4 mode]. Then learn about pedal behavior where if you are very light on the pedal, you can get mostly golf cart mode when under 42 mph, and get great mileage. But you want good airflow to make sure the inverter and stuff stays cool as possible.
60mpg for an entire tank? No. On moderately flat stretch of highway 55-58mph I got 67.9mpg over 15 miles.... I was following a dump truck.
Also, check your oil level should be below the upper fill mark. (And the at the pump mpg may differ from what the display says, since the car is over optimistic about mpg, and you would have to describe elevation changes, speed of roads, stops etc on your drive, but mid-50s is the upper end of expected) Some more technical information from Bob Wilson: Prius NHW11, NHW20 and ZVW30 mileage - Hybrid Car Forums 01-03 Prius - fuel consumption and MPG - GreenHybrid - Hybrid Cars
Run the VW diesel through rush hour traffic for couple of hours of city driving and then compare mileage. <rim shot> Running both vehicles at constant, speeds of 42 mph and higher will deliver similar highway mileage. But drop the speed into the 18-38 mph range, I prefer a 4 mph buffer, and you're in the Prius briar patch. Warmer temperatures low 80s, help along with front bumper air inlet block (monitor temperatures,) Sumtomo T4 tires at 51 psi, four-wheel alignment, 0-20 or 0-30 engine oil, 10k miles on Type WS transmission oil, . . . If you have access to a large, shopping center parking lot with a boundary road, head over there on a Sunday morning and find a path that does not require a stop and lets you run a speed of 24-25 mph. Then set the radio/CD on some good tunes and set the cruise control for 24-25 mph and do 30-60 minutes of laps. If you can stand the boredom, manually hold the speed to 18 mph: There is merit in spending time, once, to verify insanely high MPG is possible from a Prius. Sensible people will then reflect on the time wasted 'doing laps' and then get back to more interesting problems. But sometimes, you can have some fun: In engineering we talk about "managing user expectations" and this chart shows my current thinking: Many years ago, I studied NHW11 performance at GreenHybrid.com and concentrated on the extremes, high and low mileage. What I found were some people live (and have a life) where terrain and climate make busting 40 MPG nearly impossible. Others live and have the time to run over 55 MPG in an NHW11. But I take the point of view that this is a f*ckin' car, a means for getting from where I am to where I want to go, and I am not going to be OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) about MPG. Bob Wilson
I have seen 60-62 MPG once in awhile. Without over thinking the driving, I get 54-58 consistant with city only driving. I drive 6 miles one way per day to work. Take forever to empty my tank! The car varies with other trips and the easiest way I look at my car.....no other car I owned got this kind of mileage! I just drive the car now and smile that it is over 43 MPG no matter what! 43 is my highway mileage at 74 mph. Happy with any number and the longer I drive this car, the more I save when comparing other options. LOVE IT!
I've been able to get > 65 MPG on a full tank, but that was due nearly perfect traffic conditions for a whole week (20-30 MPH average, with undulating traffic speed patterns between 10-40 MPH), warm weather (> 80F), and no short trips. It also appears to me that concrete has lower rolling resistance than tarmac and asphalt, and helps in MPG. As Bob Wilson as said above, terrain and climate impact MPG profoundly. I was able to regularly get > 60 MPG for trips in southern CA, when I lived there. Here in Seattle, it's a lot harder. Climate, rain (thousands of pounds of water splashed into the air by tires), and hills have all affected MPG.
I get 53mpg on average with both the city and the freeway. I believe its definitely possible to get over 60mpg. I'm fairly happy with my current mpg considering I take it anywhere
I too think 60 is a doable number for some people. I have been able to get 56 if I work at it, but I did have to be very diligent and it was almost a obsession which meant no A/C which is redundant in my area during the summer. If I utilize P&G, along with keeping air pressure to max in tires and other hypermiling tips and tricks, I always get low to mid 50's so I do not think it would be impossible to get 60. The best on record is from Japan, and that user got over 100. Of course his trip is not the normal trip, and his top speed is 18. There are poster's here on PC that show over 60 in their fuelly averages, so again I think it is doable. It boils down to the driving conditions, and how the user drives the car, along with the condition of the car itself.
