Mileage takes a hit

This summer, I took my Prius on a 1,400 mile round trip tour of southern Oregon with 3 people and quite a bit of luggage. My MPG took a hit upon my first fill up, but this appeared to have more to do with the fact that all of these miles were highway speeds, not the weight I was carrying.

During the rest of the trip on mostly secondary roads, my MPG returned to normal despite the additional weight and the significant altitude changes.

 

They could have taken a Bus or a bicycle ( you live in a small country as apposed to the western US States that is). Hits on your M.P.G. is not an excuse for hauling around those extra butts. Surely your girl friend will understand this!

 

Yes HEAVY Sigh. I understand. You are trapped. What can you do?

 

Batavier:

just a quick question... how cold is it getting to be in your area? you might want to consider the reduced mpg's could be the result of the change in gas formula. if that is the case, get used to it, the good ole days of high mileage summer driving is over... for about 6 months anyway.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Batavier\";p=\"40247)</div>

Whereabouts in Holland are you located? I have all these visions from my childhood - mostly from reading - about all the little Dutch boys and girls ice skating on frozen canals.

 

you thinking of Hans Brinker and the Silver Skates??

when i was there it was cold and there was snow on the ground although as i recall, it didnt snow much there.

in fact their climate is similiar to Western WA

 

One of the first recommedations for increasing mpgs is reducing weight by not carrying stuff you don't need. The Prius is no exception (otherwise the hood, rear hatch, and wheels would be made of steel instead of aluminum). People add weight, so evidently carrying people reduces mpgs.

 

the people factor is why i am averaging 55.9 mpg over my last 3 tanks. i have not had a single passenger in that time.

i must admit i have a slight dread over the expected performance hit the changeover in gasoline will have, my current tank is at 58.5 mpg and it is about 80% freeway driving. (here that means between 35-70 mph)

as always when driving i used the cruise control and coast as much as possible during the inevitable slowdowns at freeway interchanges, but for a short period of time when the tank was at 99+% freeway, i was in the low 60's. i have never done so well on the freeway for that long a distance (110 miles) before.

previously i had always averaged bet 51-53 mpg but nearly always had a passenger and a few times had a few computers i was hauling. didnt think the computers were heavy enough to matter. (LCD here no CRTS)

 

I'd like to make a comment on the "hits" people get to their mileage when the temperature changes or they have more people in the car.

To me, this is all to be expected. Toyota has found a perfect balance to this Prius. They've set the computer to adapt to the situation.

In a regular car, it is totally overpowered 95% of the time. All that horsepower to move a single passenger and tons too much steel. So when you then go and stress that vehicle up closer to it's limits, you don't see as much of a "hit" on the MPG because when all filled up, the horsepower/weight ratio is closer to what it's designed for.

Toyota has designed the Prius to match the conditions. When the various "loads" are low, i.e. no passengers, mild climate, no headlights and no wipers or defrost on, the computer matches that load and shuts the gasoline engine off more often. So you get great MPG. But the car can easily deal with all those stressors and it does that by using up more gas. But it only happens when it HAS TO and not 24/7 like other cars.

So I say don’t feel bad when you “stress†your Prius and then see a “hit†on the MPG. Take solace in the fact that you only see these “hits†when the computer feels the car needs that extra gas to do the added work, and that your car is smart enough to know the difference. Unlike the other 99% of the vehicles out there that can’t adapt and are taking that “hit†24/7, independent of any added load.

Again, what a great car.

 

Speaking of MPG taking a hit, it was 45 degrees in the DC region this morning. While I didn't see the rascal appear today, it got me thinking about our old friend...