Historically, I’ve been averaging 44.[something] mpg on my 2007 Prius. Lately the mpg has dipped to 38-39 mpg. The car was checked thoroughly by the roving Prius tech who found nothing wrong. Same driver (me), same conditions (city) since I’ve bought the car. Is there any explanation other than my style of driving, which is what the tech suggesetd? The service person suggested that I should drive like ‘an old person’ which means creeping up to stops and inching ahead after stopping. I tried this and the other drivers were snarling and racing around me, including the other Prius’ on the road.
I have a friend that had one and had the same problem. He got tired of trying to figure it out and sold it. Bought a sailboat to spend the weekends. Says he is better off.
By the way,he bought a gas guzzler to haul the boat around and can control the MPG better.
maybe the batteries are getting weak and they dont go as far as before, making the gas engine work more.
It could be the ‘summer’ blend of fuel with oxygenators to help reduce smog. But they do reduce mileage in some cars. Check again in December, and see if the mileage is restored.
That’s pitiful…even my 15-year old non-hybrid Subaru Justy gets better MPGs than that(45)…I’m beginning to wonder about this hybrid technology.
Using the air conditioning probably has something to do with it.
Uh, extra oxygenators are used in the winter, not the summer.
But summer means a/c use in most parts of the country for most people, and in a Prius, that means the gas motor is running.
You get better then 45 CITY driving??? I find that very hard to believe.
It is possible, believe it or not. You just have to learn that your foot doesn’t have to be either on the gas pedal or the brake pedal all the time. I have been turning my gas mileage “upside down” that is getting better mpg numbers in light traffic city driving than the car gets on the highway for quite some time now.
If you look far ahead and drive so that you hardly ever NEED to brake, then the benefits of a hybrid car largely become moot.
They are used in summer blends of reformulated gas as well as other additives to reduce smog. Check out the EPA’s own web page: http://www.epa.gov/Region4/air/naaqs/reform.htm They even admit the reformulated gas will lower gas mileage, but I think the 1-2 percent they cite is a low ball figure for some cars.
Plus, a 1.2L three cylinder engine may have a bit to do with it.
I must admit 45mpg is the BEST I get during the summer months on mostly backroads doing approx 45mph. Overall, the car averages about 40mpg. Worst in the winter time when it gets around 38. But B.L.E.'s comments are so very true…my game every day is to see how infrequently I can use the brake pedal and I do a lot of coasting. The 3-cyl. engine helps and also the low weight of the vehicle (1850lbs) and I keep the engine in good tune and max. air in all tires.
“Roving Prius tech”? Perhaps the tech is not up to snuff. I have a 2008 Prius and cumulative mpg for all driving (highway and city) is right about 47. I have a friend with a 2003 Prius, and his overall average is 44.
Ah, but they are talking about old, non-reformulated gas versus reformulated gas, not current summer versus winter reformulations. Winter gas has additional additives to increase volatility so it burns cleaner in cold engines and catalytic converters until they warm up. Winter gas reduces fuel economy compared to summer gas if they are purchased in the same area.
In the Phx. area, ether is used in the winter and ethenal in the summer. (Or visaversa) and it does reduce my gas mileage a bit. When I am going on a trip, the first highway tank (filled in Phx) will be 2 mpg worse than the next tanks.
jimboh55
Make sure thet the engine oil is not overfilled. Tires should be at least at Toyota’ ssuggested pressure (35/33) and closer to the max cold psi marked on their sidewall would be better.
Combining short trips will improve fuel econ in all cars, incl prius.
Once in a while we hear about rear brakes dragging. Very simple to drive a few mi and feel if the drums are getting hot.
DAS
It is so funny to see even Prius drivers race up to the stop light, with their foot heavily on the brake, and then, race off when the light turns green…driving just like they did in their prior gas hog!! And you want to drive like THEM, aud not “offend” THEM?!
closer to the max cold psi marked on their sidewall would be better.
Well it would be better for mileage, but not for safe handling. The max on the tyre is not a recommendation, it is a limit for the tyre.
I would consider 45 mpg city low and anything less than 55 highway is low, for me. I drive a VW diesel. What you drive, how you drive and where you drive all enter in to what mileage you will get.
This country could make a noticeable dent in the amount of fuel we use if we just changed our collective driving habits.
On a trip to Cincinnati in 1996 they were testing reformulated gas in northern Kentucky where I filled up.
It cost more and my mpg dropped by 50%. It took two weeks for the gas mileage I got before the trip
returned.
Rick