HWY MPG for the 2010 Prius. PLEASE HELP!

If you can see through that I know you are going to pick Prius over Jetta TDI. If you don't, you owe us a huge detailed explanation!

 

I assume you test drove the Prius with 15" wheels since you were looking for Prius II. Jetta TDI has 16" so it will feel more responsive and "more on the rail". I wonder how the 17" Prius V will compare to the Jetta TDI. I have after-market 17" rims and the handling difference is like a completely different car.

Is that based on your long test drive? How many MPG did you get?

 

Ebay solves the problem very nicely.

GOOD LUCK!
Bob Wilson

 

I think you'll be in the 52-49 MPG range. There may some tweaks to bring it up a bit but 55 MPG is a stretch in this range:

• tires at max sidewall
• partial radiator block depending on temperature
• straight gas, if available

If you slack off to 65 mph, you'll get 55 MPG easily. Given the long distances, look long and hard at 'lane following' and 'automatic cruise control.' These can reduce your driving load and make it a lot easier to hack out the 700 mile legs.

I used to commute between DC and Huntsville AL, 725 miles, and soon learned 'where to stop' and 'cheaper gas.' My personal preference is to do 500 miles, take a dinner and walk around, and then finish the trip.

GOOD LUCK!
Bob Wilson

 

IndyKing, I think it's OK to turn off the bold.
I doubt much over 50 mpg at 70 - 75 mph.

This graph is courtesy of Consumer Reports, and looks at 10 year auto reliability by manufacturer:

 

Yup, Prius III has 15" wheels. You managed to beat Prius EPA highway 48 MPG.

Did you use the Power mode?

 

IndyKing,
You also said that people's perception of poor VW quality dates from their grandparent's experiences. As this graph makes quite clear, VW reliability is very poor up through the latest data long-term information available. You really should make up your mind whether you want to buy a car based on data available or simple subjective preference.

"Beliefs" about future reliability trends do not belong in a data driven discussion.

 

Ah, good angle. Never thought of that. There are those who think cramming in the clutch and whipping the shifter to the next gear pretending they are NASCAR drivers on public roads is fun, others think seeing how long they can hold a glide or EV is fun.

The second are much safer and use a lot less fuel

 

You will find that 'testing' the hwy torque dragged down the MPG. Any stomping on the accelerator is hugely wasteful Also, if you are using the 'how does it feel' torque test, there is NO 'lag, downshift, rocket forward' feel to the Prius, just a smooth increase in speed. Many think there is no power because there is no 'jerk'.

I do slightly better in the Gen II Prii at a steady 65 MPH (warmer weather) than you got in the TDI.

If you want to get 55 MPG, you will have to slow down. Worse in winter. Snow tires, crud on the roads, cold temps. As suggested, look into grill blocking and some device that will display the coolant temp. I REALLY wish Toyota cared about us cold weather drivers enough to create an automatic (aerodynamic) grill blocking system based on coolant and inverter temp. It would, in fact, improve MPG for ANYONE who drives at temps below 50F. At least in the Gen II, not sure how well the heat recovery system in the Gen III might keep the MPGs up in temps below 50F.

 

I can only report that my Prius highway mileage falls off in the cold at the same rate that the air density increases ... assuming you use a radiator block:



Bob Wilson

 

If you live close to the highway, you will have minimal MPG hit. 2010 Prius warms up faster and it provides cabin warmth by capturing exhaust heat. A long stop and go traffic before reaching the highway will lower your MPG. However the new exhaust heat recovery system is suppose to improve it.

Still, there are a few things that will contribute to lowering your MPG. Winter gas formula has less energy. Rolling resistance will be higher in the snow. Longer warm up time (compare to Spring/Summer). Expect about 3-4 MPG hit. That's coming from 3 winters experience in NY with 2006 model. I block my grill in the winter to shorten the warm up time.

I have no clue if Diesel's winter formula has less energy or not but I heard it takes longer to warm it up. It does not capture exhaust heat either as it is the latest generation of hybrid exclusive premium feature.

Note: I want to add a note that 3 to 4 MPG hit is due to my weekend and other misc short trips (lunch break, etc..). If you purely drive on the highway (95% as you stated), you should see maybe 1-2 MPG hit.

 

At this point, I don't think you should be concerned with which car gets 50mpg at hwy speed, but which car will actually start in the winter. I just took a quick look at that TDI forum.

 

Well, that explains everything! See, I was confused when my MIL's dealer-maintained MB E300 turbodiesel blew the engine...as in catastrophic internal damage...at 160k. I was also confused by the fact that so many HEVs have run that long without any problems with the battery, engine, or any other drivetrain component whatsoever. But, hey, you seem to know everything about your product. Those 30k transmission service intervals on the DSG must be a "feature" that I didn't know about.