Well, i'm glad my post stimulated so much dialogue. No, i'm not trying to be spiteful or negative, the point of my post was more to respond to some of the hautiness I'd seen in several threads but mainly to bring up that some of the "real hybrid mileage database" tracking is based on what I think is easily described as a very short, obviously select trips.
Of course they're valid. But I just 'questioned' whether or not folks are basing their super high mileage claims on those trips and not the entirety of their driving. Tie that with the "people don't know how to drive a hybrid" talk and it gets me annoyed. Makey sensey? Perhaps I could have phrased this better before, (perhaps I could phrase it better now)
People don't know how to drive PERIOD!
I'm getting 29mpg out of my current tank on the Highlander and loving it. Cruise control is a necessity on the freeway (when there's space), as is suffering the slings and arrows of "you drive like an old man".
Changing my driving style has changed my perspective dramatically.

I really doubt anyone is fudging their mpg figures. The figures in the mpg database are biased, but not because anyone is cheating. It is because enthusiasts are just that-enthusiasts. This is an enthusiasts forum-pretty much like every other "car" forum. Hybrid forum folks are mpg fanatics. No matter what they say, they bought a hybrid to get great mpg-not good mpg-great mpg.Many Members who post in the mpg database are the creme de la creme of mpg fanatics. The mpg numbers there aren't what an average hybrid driver will get. The average is probably 10-15% better than what average drivers get.
If you are a normal driver, and want to predict what mpg you will get before buying a hybrid, look at the bottom10%-20% or so.
There aren't many "normal" drivers on the data base.Luck,Charlie

good point...
the enthusiasm is kinda contageous...

Yes, and also, one benefit of this group is to illustrate & educate to what is POSSIBLE, not PROBABLE.

But the more you practice these tips, the more probable great MPG's become!!!

-John

gang
I myself am not overly concerned with altering my lifestyle to eek out high numbers. I bought a fully loaded limited Highlander -not a Prius. I did so because we still want our monster truck with lots of 'boogity boogity'........

I am averaging 22.5mpg -but only have 150 miles on the vehicle. This is because of some basic economic options we have. The hybrid will not get a significant increase on the highway. So, we have the jeep grand cherokee limited to blast away on the open road. It gets 20mpg at nominal 65mph ....... and thats good enough for us. We dont commute at all, we operate our business from home. So highway trips are basically family sunday outings.

We take small trips a mile or 2 to the store in the hybrid. So the gas mileage there is going to be lower too. However, keeping the miles down on the vehicle will do nothing but trump up the already impressive resale value of the beast. I hope to have less than 10k miles on it after 3 years.

I think many of us are tech junkies anyways. This is why we buy new vehicles, especially with this great technology. Within 3 to 5 years, i will bet my bottom dollar a vast majority of us will have unloaded our now new hybrid for the newer and improved plug in hybrids option vehicles. The cars we have now will no doubt be old hat in 2009 just like every other car before it.

I love the hybrid, and enjoy tooling around town in it. But i am not going to bake in 95 degree heat without AC just to try to boost my numbers. I am not going to take the long way to the store just to make sure the engine is warmed up to boost my numbers.

When the stars are right, i am going to open up the sucker to see if it REALLY goes 0-60 in 8 seconds. I am going to ENJOY the car.

I am very happy that many of us get the EPA or fairly close to the 29mpg combined. If i eventually get up to 24mpg i will be ELATED , because it will all be city driving......

Tom,

I'm with you on that... One of the key differentiators of this particular SUV hybrid is it's 268 HP. You gotta have fun or what's the point? Might as well have purchased the FEH or a Prius. Personally, I can usually keep my FE in the 28-29 mpg during my work commute, but during the weekends? Forget about it! Low 20's at best. But overall, I'm still averaging about 25-26 mpg, which is still pretty darn good...

I am surprised you are only getting 20 mpg at 65. We took a 400 mile trip and I average aroudn 80-85 mph and got right around 22.

I agree with your assessment on driving habits. I drive my Highlander just like every car I have owned. app 24 mpg over the first 5K is assume. The RAV4 I traded in was 22 best case and didn't have near the room or power this does.

chilly
hi.......

i think i wrote the Jeep Grand Cherokee gets the 20 on the big road -not the highlander.............

h solo

right on bro....! If i had your mileage for the highlander i would be doing a dance!!!

Yeah. Sorry about that. Darn reading comprehension. I get hit by those It's all the time. I had Highlander on the brain.