I have been toying around with the idea of getting a hybrid. How does gas mileage fare with the new Toyotas driving up/down big elevation changes. My morning commute takes me downhill about 1500 feet in the 1st 7 miles at 50mph, then level the last 10 miles at 75mph. Reverse that on the evening commute.

Anyone with a similar commute have any tips or recommendations.

Thanks,

--Robert

 

Opps forgot to mention I live at an elevation of 6500 feet.

 

We live up on a big hill and the Prius handles it just fine. The only thing that you need to know is that your mileage won't be as good as it could have been without the big hill (but this goes for any vehicle) and the engine will be revving higher than most cars would need to for the given speed, and this is due to the low torque atkinson/miller cycle the engine uses for efficiency, and nothing to worry about, just something to get used to.

 

I have only owned mine for about 2 weeks but I took a trip to West Virginiaand there it ranges from 1500 to 4500 elevation and it handled it wonderfully. As stated in last post it will rev high going up but I set cruise at 65 and it held it right at 65 and of coarse with going up a hill normally there is a down part as well where your engine could be off for a mile or so. I averaged 45-50mpg whole time I was down there which was about 400 miles of driving around the mountains.

The thing I am most impressed by in the Prius is its pickup it was my biggest concern buying the car but is now the last thing on my mind. As I have seen stated a few times it has a awkward point around 40-50 mph but its barly noticeable. I think the really hilly areas help you more than where I live which is a moderatly hilly area. I jsut drove around Allegany forest in PA and got a avg of 51 mpg it ranges from 1000 to 3000 feet elevation. With the sounds of your communte you would do very well as you would likely use little to no gas going there and jsut turn off the screen on way back up should average out nice.

 

I find that mountains are mileage killers--at least the type of mountain I traverse in my commute. This is not a tall mountain--I'm only going from an elevation of 1,400' to 2,700' at the top, but fairly steep in 3 miles. The ascent and descent are the same in terrain. What is always the case is I lose twice the MPG from bottom to top to bottom. For example, if my current average reading is 50.5 at the start of ascent, and at the top it reads 48.9, I know that at the bottom of descent it will read 49.7. Going up, the gas consumption fluctuates from roughly 15-30 MPG. Going down, it's always 99.9, but it might actually be a bit less since the engine is often spinning in regen braking (and I use B mode also).

In a taller but more gradual elevation, the mileage hit may not be as bad and you might come somewhat closer to even up and down.

One other thing is that the MPG average is less affected when you are working on a "mature" tankful--over 350 miles. It is harder to budge the average either way even going over a mountain.

I should add that despite the mountain in my commute, my overall average in Spring Summer Fall is 53 MPG, Winter, 48.

AND...reading your initial post, I see that you descend your mountain at the start of your commute in the morning and ascend in the latter part returning home. That's more favorable considering the engine warm up period where it doesn't get peak economy in the first mile normally or for at least 2 miles in colder weather.

 

Thanks everyone for your opinions and experiences. Haven’t decided what I’m going to do yet, but one thing is for certain...my 7 year old explorer is going bye-bye in the next year or so.

This forum is very useful! I’ve been eyeing the Camry hybrid but also small non-hybrids cars as well. We'll see. --Robert

 

I have driven 2001 Prius up and down lots of NM, CA, and AZ mtns, but not to Placitas in particular. Can't think of a small car I would rather put to the test. But then again, I drank the koolaid a long time ago! (and yet, still live...).

In order to force Prius into "plan B", you must run it up a long grade steeper than 10%. 1500 feet in 7 miles is 4%. Piece of cake. You uphill mpg will be better below 50 mph, if that can be arranged. Downhill, whatever the tires and guard rails will allow. Whee! A 1500 foot descent is enough that you should learn what "B gear" is all about; it is widely discussed here and in other internet chatgroups.

The new model Prius is a bit more clever in the design of the electrical motors (and a few other things), so I would expect a bit more of it. Not that I am contemplating a trade...

For any hybrids etc. that you may consider buying, a comprehensive test drive over varying roads is the only way you can know for sure. On your first hybrid drive, do not be dismayed at more engine noise while climbing. It's just what they do.

Years ago, I found Beaver Toyota in Santa Fe to be "not among the best" in their service dept. If you use them, I hope they have gotten better...

DAS

 

This past week, my family drove from Colorado Springs to Iberia, MO (~2 hrs SE of KC).
2 adults, 3 teens and a cargo space full of stuff. In Colorado and the western half of Kansas, the Prius averaged 35-40 mpg. The rest of the way, I averaged 40 mpg.

Going home, we only had 2 adults and 2 kids, cargo space still full. I averaged 45 mpg. Dropped the girls off in Salina, KS to visit their father. Thereafter, I averaged 35 mpg.

It looks like altitude has a major effect on the Prius's mpg. Anyone seen this?

 

I frequently drive up Hwy 88 in CA from the Stockton area to Jackson in the gold country. I find that climbing the grade (which is long, steady climb of about 40 miles) the Prius gets better mileage up the grade then down. But I also find that to be the case when the wind is blowing eastward toward the Sierras. On one occasion with no wind I got a fabulous 60 mpg going downhill all the way to the Oakland area, including going up over the Altamont and Dublin passes. It seems for me the wind makes the most difference in mileage, and not the climbs I am making.