How good is this car for long trips?

I've driven mine gen II for several hours continuously at 90mph level (140-150km/h) at autobahns through Germany. Occasionally (when overtaking), I went even faster than that, reaching 160-170km/h for short periods of time and once even touching the top speed (electronically limited to 180km/h or 112mph). When there was a speed limit, I slowed down accordingly, typically to 130km/h or 120km/h and sometimes down to 80km/h when there was a construction. Went like that for 700-800km a day, three or four days consecutively.

I've done this several times. No problems at all. The car handles very well even at the top speed, no tendency to shake or being unstable whatsoever. Of course, you won't get 50mpg that way, but I still got something like 6.2 - 6.5l/100km (38-36mpg), which is an excellent result.

 

I drove from Montreal, Canada to Orlando, FL non-stop in 23 hours, speed from 65-85 miles per jours and with the A/C full blast.

2400km and my Prius did 4.6 liter/100km. So if i am right, thats 51.13us Gallon per miles!

Incredible!

In the more dense traffic i have encountered, i had set the cruise control to 45mph but was overriding the cruise with my foot on the pedal and was driving at 75-80mph and when traffic was suddenly slowing, i only had to release the accel pedal and the cruise was gently braking while regenerating the battery without waisting any energy!! It was awesome!

I love my Prius!.......and my girlfriend!! (she is watching right now!)

 

I'd have to agree with most that the car does very well on long trips.

I and three friends did a 7000km road trip in my Prius June of this year with temperatures in the high 40's and the car handled it perfectly well.

We were comfortable with 47 celcius temperatures, and with some long hard hill climbs out of places like phoenix it was always amazing to me that the engine never seemed to ever get hot or be taxed in the slightest.

I checked the oil on my dipstick every fill up, and it was clean on the stick and didn't use a drop when changed at 8000km's. ( Canadian service interval )

 

850-mile trip: Albuquerque - Durango - Telluride - Dolores - and back.
50+ MPG.
Lotta mountain passes up to about 10,000 feet, and one day of steady rain.
Prius was great. Handled nicely on the mountain roads. Very comfortable.

I think I have finally come to really like the Prius.

 

I put a ton of long miles and long trips on the 07 Gen. 2 my experience with the Gen. 3 is limited I've only put a few miles on the new one. It does appear that it is a better highway machine with the Gen 3. Of course my Gen. 3 has the 17" wheels so the handling is def. better.

 

We just did a 8 hour (one way) trip to Niagara Falls a few weeks back. Had no problems back and forth, and of course no need to stop for gas often at all. LOVED IT.

The other funny thing is we watched 3 movies at a drive in cinema in Lockport NY, and the first movie was "The Other Guys", which everyone should know had a red Gen 2 Prius as the lead car. VERY COOL.

 

We just completed a six-week, 5738 mile trip from Tucson to the Pacific Northwest, B.C., and back. The car was fully loaded. On the freeways we drove 70-75. We used cruise control when we could.

We averaged 49.591 MPG for the trip. We were well on our way to 50+ when we got to Seattle. Both our Seattle and Portland tanks dragged us down, as I suspect the greater use of ethanol there. Only 46.135 MPG out of Seattle. Our most efficient leg was Fruitvale, Idaho to Spokane: 52.487.


The most expensive gas was outside of Vancouver BC at $4.04 / gallon. The cheapest was here in Tucson at $2.49.

Our Prius was comfortable. Not quite as comfortable as our old Avalon, but it suited us fine for a 400, 500 or 600 mile day.

 

While I don't have enough history on the Prius, my previous cars on similar trip routes always produced their worst mpg at sea level. Even a few thousand feet thins the air enough to be noticeable.

PS. Your Fruitvale to Spokane section probably had a lower average speed than many other sections, thereby helping mpg.