MPG from cruise vs you

I can beat EPA and cruise on the pedal in every vehicle we (I) have ever owned. Newer cars with predictive cruise should be able to narrow the gap.

I accelerate WAY more gently than CC does, I look 1-2 MILES ahead for traffic and road conditions and use geography to my advantage. All things CC cannot do

However, it is mentally taxing to eek out those last 1-2 mpg, so I generally use CC on the interstates as traffic allows.

 

Having recorded amazing MPG from my Gen II in the past, utilising the pedal AND cruise control where I know it can do a better job than my foot; I now mostly use Cruise Control wherever possible and mostly on my commute, especially in "Average Speed Cam" zones.

Yes, it's true it's not as economical using CC when flying up a hill at 50mph, but after work when I'm exhausted and just wanna get home as soon as possible, it's nice to have auto throttle technology hauling you up a hill on a 3 lane ring road while your tired old legs relax (but nonetheless ready to disengage CC in event of an emergency).

Anyhow, I'd like to think my Prius ICE benefits from the smoothly increased RPM as I climb uphill like a Boeing 777 during the take off phase. Dropping down the other side, it's nice to also have CC kick in the regenerative brakes as the vehicle is held strictly at 50mph - though it now wants to go faster.

Normally, I only ever allow CC to pull me up a hill when the engine is at optimal operational temperatures. I always use my foot when it's cold - or still in the warm up phase.

I'm no longer that strict about scraping the highest MPG figures I can. While general hypermiling is now fully part of my daily flight plan, I also delight in letting CC do some of the work for me, and damn the 1 - 3 mpg loss difference. I also use my A/C - including on cold British DAMP mornings, when my windows can fog up so badly, it's a danger driving like that in the dark. Safety first, and damn my MPG figures.

It's also great fun on a motorway, using the CC control stick to increase or decrease speed in steps, based on the traffic conditions ahead. I'm getting extremely good at that now, and I couldn't imagine driving a vehicle without CC.

I've also stopped travelling at 60mph on motorways, instead preferring to do between 65 - 70mph where possible - unless I really have time to kill, and I'm alone on board. Then I'll relegate myself to the "slow" lane and cruise along slowly.

I've resolved to get my money's worth (and every dollop of pleasure too) out of my Gen II.

I'm now swotting up on voice commands. There's so many of them, it's incredible what you can do with just your voice - things I hadn't even imagined possible.

I'm still learning new things 4+ years after buying this technological wonder on wheels!

My last tankful worked out at 63.3 mpg displayed.
I can live with that. I presently have 59.7mpg from my 400 mile round trip to drop off my daughter at University in Manchester UK. It was CC most of the way, at mostly 70mph - and the vehicle was heavily loaded on the outward trip - and no hypermiling....!!


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