Are my MPG up to par?

The same exact with me. Thought I would have got more but average is 38.

 

new owner
+ learning curve
+ it's really cold
+ fuel bladder
+ traffic in chicago
_____________
low mpg

don't worry about it too much right now. once it warms up you'll be seeing better numbers.

check this article out: http://priuschat.com/New-owner-Want-MPG-he...rst-t15311.html

 

Also, what kinda commute do you have? Really short ones will give you low numbers. If you run lots of short errands, expecially if they're not strung together, will give you similar results. Even good driving habits won't over come that.

 

Cold weather is probably the main culpret here, combined with short trips and winter fuel = 38-40 USmpg. For a test set up a drive of 30 miles each way and see what happens to the mpg readout. Seconday roads are best and a reasonable driving style, will get your mileage up.

 

I pickedmy 06 on Jan. 6th. First tank was 44.2, second was 41.2. Working on the 3rd tank now, but the temperature outside has not been out of the 20's, so I expect the mileage to be lower. One day it was about 60 outside and it seem like the instant mileage jumped to the 50's and 60's, so I can't wait until the weather breaks to see constant better numbers.

 

I bought my Prius in December 04, and like you, I'm also in Chicagoland. I experienced around 41-42 mpg my first winter, and was disappointed. This winter, I was doing better (43-44), but my last tank has been around 39mpg due to this cold spell. I'd really watch how you are driving, like making sure you coast when you can, not applying brakes hard, and so forth. I would also check your tires frequently. What type of driving do you do? Is it rush hour on the Ryan? Sometimes, I think two different people can go into the same traffic and come out with two different mpg values. Some of us locals might be able to help you out.

Another thing I thought of, if the dealer had it on while playing with it, setting it up, etc, it could hurt the values. My first tank was something like 25 mpg, because she put in my home address and all this stuff before I got there, and then showed it to me while we sat there with the car running, so all of that hurt. I seem to remember that the '06s has a cumulative meter, and that you can reset it, so if you want, maybe reset it and see how you do. One tank of 25mpg could be a lot to overcome, and that might be what is hurting you.

Also, feel free to check out the Chicago group on here! We meet in person from time to time, and it's interesting to interact with others, ask questions, get shown things, see mods, etc.

Later,
Matt

 

On top of everything already mentioned, you may also want to try fueling at a different station and/or different franchise.

I recently encountered one tank where I got much worse mileage without (noticeably) changing my driving habits.

Worth a try.

 

I'd reset the display and keep a cumulative log on your own.. You'll get better feedback seeing how you do on each tank. I got my 06 about the same time you did; I'm averaging 46.74 after six tanks. the last two were a little over 50 each. I noticed a bump in mpg after @1,500 miles.

My advice is to reset at each fillup and go for 50 plus!

Like someone else said COAST as much as possible, etc.

 

if you are going to live in Chicago for the rest of the car's life span, consider getting an umbilical cord job done on your car. A really warm start to the day will improve your milage as well.
umbilcal cord job=block heater.

 

you will see VERY VERY slow progress if you do not reset your mileage on the MFD on every fillup. it is too bad that there is no way to toggle the MFD mileage display like you would on the odometer to see tank mileage and LT mileage and other user setting, but that is the way it is. keeping the MFD at the LT mileage will soon render the information useless imho.

i track tank and LT mileage...but after 22,000 miles. my LT average is 52 mpg. for me to increase my LT average by a single 10th of a mpg. i would have to average nearly 57 mpg for 500 miles. good luck!!

as a new owner, its critical (not to mention exhilarating!!) to see that extra mpg from one tank to another. no resetting that mpg on every tank is just robbing you of important feedback.

 

just gassed the wife's car tonight. Cheap gas at our normal station. Yes cold temps, short multiple trips, much window scraping = 34.1 US mpg.

 

People mention temperature all the time affecting miles per gallon. But the best graphical representation of that is a plot of time vs MPG with temperature plotted along with MPG. Take a look at this and you will be a believer too:

TonyPSchaefer's data (scroll down to see graph)
(don't forget to scroll left to right too)

It made a believer out of me.

Cheers

 

I was wondering what the heck you meant. Strange way of calling it, I haven't heard it before.

 

lots do a double take on that one

 

If you are getting 38 MPG now in the cold weather, you can probably expect to get in the upper 40's in the summer. I got my prius last April. During the warm months, I was getting around 52 MPG on my commute. In the winter, I've been getting around 43 MPG. On the few periods when its been consistently under 25 degrees, which haven't been too often this winter, I've gotten around 40 MPG.

 

124 days without rain.........

I am averaging 51 mpg per tank, almost all freeway driving. I find the car does its best when you get up to speed and maintain with the lightest pressure on the gas. So far my baby has never had a drop of rain on it.

We are still "cold" in the am about 35-40, 60 on the way home. Going to hit 80 this weekend. DRY DRY DRY we are in for a bad summer