What is your Real World Fuel Economy

Excellent advice!

 

I've been doing quite fine. I do a mix of city/highway but have a trip from OH to FL in the mix so far (2k of my total 5k miles). As with my HCH I had previously I'm getting better than EPA estimates. That said, both cars blew the '98 Civic I had out of the water. Best MPG I remember seeing on it was 28. I don't fret much about mileage at this point. I just drive and have fun while doing it. The C is a great car for the happy middle of everything. It's fun, practical, and efficient.

 

I've tracked close to 2 years of gas consumption now, and our usage is really mixed: lots of short, local trips. I'm not the principle driver, and my wife's not as fanatic, though she does pay some attention to improving the mileage.

OTOH, we use a blockheater virtually without fail, for the first cold start of the day, and grill block through fall/winter/spring.

The 5.1 in my fuelly signature was at 5.0, but unfortunately with cooler temps of late it clicked up again. That translates to roughly 46 mpg (US gallons).

Whatever your mpg level, you'll never be satisfied, and I think that's for the good.

 

I'll echo everyone by saying your mpg is going to be great. I'll add a reminder that most of us are dealing with winter which means lower mpg until warmer temps and summer blend fuel kicks in. For new owners all I can say is, be prepared to be amazed this spring/summer. At least until you start using your A/C heavily.

 

Yep, better than most. I drove up I-55 to St Louis airport and back today, 360 miles, interstate. The readout when I pulled into the driveway was at 50.1. So, 49 is actual, or there abouts. Not bad and I drove the posted speed limit and above. High winds will make 50 impossible as I experienced last week going to Memphis and back, 44 mpg interstate driving, 300 miles. We do almost no city driving. Lots of short 1.5 mile trips. Over the last 5000 miles we are averaging about 47 mpg actual. I will admit to some hypermiling but I never hold up traffic. The car does a good job saving me lots of money at the pump. I like seeing fill ups for under 30 bux.
Dan

 

My Fuelly MPG is slowly going up. I'm easily averaging 52+ lately - car says 54 to 55 but it's a little 0ptimistic. Fuelly actually says my last few tanks have averaged 53. Hey - it's a lot better than I'm getting on my Prizm - which I still drive on occasion - especially weekends.

Winter's here - why last night it got down into the 60s.... Doesn't seem to affect my MPG. Just kidding folks.

YMMV

 

I can attest to this. I was hoping to be enjoying our summer down here and smoking everyone's Fuelly figures, but the reality is that our humidity has hit and I've returned to my normal practice of having the air con on pretty much the entire time I'm in the car and on occasion needing to deal with cooling down a solar oven that's been in the sun (even though I do all the mitigation, winding down the windows to help it cool out and equalise at first, etc). I'm really really struggling to maintain the averages I've set since getting the car in August.

Unfortunately the air con situation only makes the whole problem of a short commute even more acute... the longer the drive, the smaller the average impact the air con has.

Clearly this fuel economy is still utterly awesome, but so far it is appearing that the springtime was the sweet spot in my conditions here.

 

Yes winter here in the Northwest is 40-50 degrees, rain, wind, and constant dampness. MPG"s range
mid 40's, but in summer with warm weather, and dry roads we see 50-53 mpg, calculated of course.

This is based on real world driving not driving 30-40 mph with a mile of traffic behind you....

 

I always need to tell myself that as someone tailgates me for going the speed limit and then zooms pass me; good ol Los Angeles drivers.

I get fantastic MPG, I am exactly the person this car was targeted at, city driver. My commute to work is a combination of high way and city streets, but even the high way portions I find myself going under 40 miles per hour.

My commute is 21 miles one way and I usually get 50+ MPG. 42 or so miles a day, five days a week, comes out to half the tank a week (give or a take a trip to the store).
My previous car (1999 Nissan) was costing me an entire tank a week... loved that car, but it was burning a hole in my pocket.

 

I am the same way, run the speed limit or a little over. Can't control the guy behind me. Ticks me when someone pulls out in front of me then runs less than the speed limit, on a 2 lane street.
Real world, I don't get the mileage most of yall talk about. Today, 360 miles, interstate, I got 42 mpg running 72 mph, in 34 degree temps. No concern for fuel economy, just drove it. 9 days ago, I got 50 mpg, warmer day but had strong winds. I was watching the mileage and running a couple of mph under the posted limit. Ups and downs in the Ozarks south of St. Louis. Early morning 26 mile commute, at 65 mph, 43 mpg on flat surface. Coming home, same road, close to 50 mpg. I just don't get the posted mileage here. Am I unhappy, nope. We enjoy the little car and it averages close to twice the mileage of our Vibe gt.
Happy New Year,
Dan

 

This car just cannot get the amazing mileage at those speeds. Once you go over 50-55 mph than your mileage is going to drop right off.

 

Yep, and that just won't be happening with this old hot rodder. I was getting better before it got cold. I am not beyond catching a truck going my speed on the interstate. That will bring up mileage significantly. But, got to hang back as far as possible and still get the draft. Not going to tailgate to get mileage. Depending on conditions, much of the time I can hang a good ways back and still catch the draft, safely.
Dan

 

I know you asked about our (priuschat) real world fuel economy, but did really mean it? I drive in the only world I know or ever been to and get high 50s to low 60s in the dead of winter in Chicago. In summer when I got car I got high 60s low 70s. That was also be for the break in was over.

So please define "real world"

Im not trying to be argumentative or snarky, its a genuine question.

 

tcidrp, you are correct. I did not buy the C for city driving. We use our's mostly on the interstate. The mileage varies. Today we did 320 miles, 45 of that was back roads. The rest was interstate. The computer said 50.5. Real mileage was 49 mpg. I drove 67-74 mph on the interstate. Depended on which direction, the car was pointed, as to what our instant mielage was. Running along north at 60 mpg, curve to the east a little and mileage drops to 53 mpg, or so. Then due east and down to 43 mpg.There was no wind today. It is crazy the way the mileage varies on this car. However, I am tickled with our mileage. Today was not bad for winter driving.
Dan

 

Sorry, I don't ever drive in a way that you would consider "real world". Behind schedule or not, there's no reason to drive unreasonably... unless I was rushing a bleeding victim to the ER.

 

If that constitutes 99% of your driving then maybe you should consider reorganizing you life.

Most people are in a hurry once in awhile but careful driving during the not so hurried times can make up for loss of mpg during the hurried ones.