The Real Test Drive

So I got the 07 Prius (as base as it gets) from Hertz and now it's sitting in my driveway.

1) Feels like The Jetsons! I love the futuristic feeling, like you are in a space ship or something. All that glass all around it and all the tiny extra windows - nice touch! Most impressed with the windshield.

2) I am already starting to increase the average MPG from the last guy who's rented it. The car has only 440 miles. The average MPG shows at 32.
I've had the A/C the entire time at Medium fan and Max Cold. Driving both on surface streets and freeway and within a few minutes already got the average to 35 and I know I can get it to a lot more on my next drive, which I'm taking right now.

3) The A/C is great even at 110F.

4) Good enough handling, the upgraded Touring must be even better!

5) Good enough accerelation. Not crazy about the delay when flooring it, but you get that with many other automatic cars as well. You get it even with the 300C HEMI, so no biggie!

Going to the Mountain now to see how it does going uphill with the A/C on and 110F outside temp.

I'm pretty sure I'll be buying a Prius.

More updates later.

Al

P.S. On my way to picking up the Prius, I was riding my 250CC Kawasaki Ninja with very strong wind, going slightly uphill, I was trying to keep up with a white Prius doing 95 mph. Not bad, Prius! Though I wonder what his MPG would be at that speed. I might just find out in a few minutes ;-)

 

Thanks for the tips. Will do.

It handled the mountain very well. Had the A/C on MID/MAX, it was in the 110F, going up very steep hill, no overheating issues and I was able to pass a few slower cars, no problem.
At the very steepest uphill, it was showing 13 to 20 mpg and the battery was showing One bar left. Then when it wasn't as steep it was doing about 25 to 35 mpg. The good thing about going up, is that you eventually have to come down and the coming down part makes up for it more than handsomely. It was recharching the entire trip down and was showing 99.9mpg. So with all this I was still able to bring up the previous guy's average from 32 to 40 in a few short miles!
Now that I know how to reset it, I will and I'll know exactly what MY mpg is.

The thing I love about this car is that it makes you drive responsibly. I'm used to driving sports cars and I'm always exceeding the speed limit and driving like a maniac, but I feel no need for it in the Prius and even on the contrary, I drive very conservatively and I ENJOY it because I'm seeing how much higher I get the MPG driving that way. It feels like a game with your goal to get as high the MPG as possible.

Oh and I did take it to the limit 105 mph, just to test it. It got to 105 pretty quick. The MPG was showing at that speed 23 mpg.

Going on a 5 hour trip to Utah tomorrow. So I'll be posting more updates.

Al

 

Came back from my Vegas-Arizona-Utah-Arizona-Vegas trip.

50 mpg average. About 600 miles with 1 gas tank. Lots of mountains, it handled them beautifully, no issues at all. I agree with the few people who said they don't see much difference whether you have the A/C or not! Half the trip I had the A/C on, the other I didn't (didn't need it in Utah) and I got pretty much the exact same mpg both ways.

So 50 mpg Highway, makes me a happy man!

Testing City tomorrow. I'm sure I can get 60 or more easily. I'll post results.

Now I'm sure I'm buying a Prius. It's just a matter of when I'll find a really good deal. Hopefully with the 08s coming soon, dealers will be more inclined to give me a great deal on a new 07.

 

This is the beast I rented:




That's in Zion National Park, Utah

 

OK, so I'm back from my City test. Here are the rounded up results (A/C used the entire time - no other way in Vegas):

1) Bad Traffic (Surface Streets Only): 35 mpg

2) Normal Traffic (Surface Streets Only): 45 mpg

2) Good Traffic (Surface Streets Only): 50 mpg

3) Freeway with good traffic: 55 mpg

4) Combined a little bit of Surface Streets and more of Freeway (which is my normal commmute): 50 mpg

Bottom line:

With some easy calculations it appears my life-time average MPG with the 07 Prius will be around 50 mpg. That's when I combine normal commute, once in awhile mountain climbing, going on long trips, short trips to the grocery store, etc.

I've no idea how you can do 60 mpg in the city, and I've really no clue how some get 70 and 80 and that doesn't matter much, because 50 mpg is GREAT and makes me a very happy man!

I guess I'll buy the 07 Prius, as it appears next generation won't come for another year or two. The money I'll save from gas would make up for the loss of resale value in a couple of years when I have to sell it and get the new generation one, so the loss will be minimal.

 

Tomorrow's test is going to be very interesting! Doing a trip through all of Death Valley at 122F......... 9 hour trip.
If I never come back to this forum, you can take a guess what has happened with the car and me LOL

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(nark @ Jul 20 2007, 01:07 AM) [snapback]482076[/snapback]</div>

I can try this tomorrow on my way to Death Valley. Thanks.

 

Back from Death Valley. Must admit, was a bit nervous driving a car for 9 hours through Death Valley in the insane heat with no other cars or living beings anywhere in sight, but we made it! The car did beautifully!
Driving 45-50 mph for 25 miles on a flat road did get the mpg to a lil over 60 mpg. Then going down the Valley the MPG got to 80 mpg average for 50 miles driven, but of course it dropped down when I had to climb up the hill.
All and all, it did 50 mpg average on the entire trip, which is what I expected.

Found THE exact prius I want, color, options and all for MSRP ($28K, 07 Touring #6, seaside pearl) in San Fran, but knowing a few people have paid way below MSRP makes me not wanting to buy at that price. Waiting to hear from the dealer if he'd drop down the price a bit. With the 08s coming up soon, it only makes sense they'd drop the price.

Oh and my week long test drive is over in a few hours :-(