I'm also disapointed in my gas mileage for my 06 HCH. I average 38.8, under all sorts of circumstances. Once once have I hit 40. Much better than what I was getting in my Lexus, but not the numbers I was expecting.

 

Your mpg in a hybrid vehicle will be directly influenced by your driving style. With the 06HCH, Pruis, or Insight, you have one of the best machines to optimize mpg or fuel economy. All you need is to research thru greenhybrid.com to find the solution. You can start by driving like you have no brakes...that is, coast up to stop signs and red lights, avoid lead foot starts and hard braking when approaching stops, keep a longer distance to the car in front so you have time to let up on the gas and coast rather than brake..etc. Make sure autostop is working and go easy on the AC/Defrost.

Drive with a very light foot and avoid highway speeds over 65mph. In the summer, I avg about 50-55 mpg and in winter about 45-48 mpg. Pump those tires up to just under max sidewall pressure when cold and by all means use a synthetic oil on your next oil change. Mobil 1 0W-20 is back on the market...

Hope this helps...

 

I find that I am able to meet or exceed the EPA ratings on every car I drive, currently with both the HiHy and my other car. I currently average 30.7 (city) on the HiHy and consistantly get 20 around town and 30 or better on my other car (2004 Volvo S80 2.5T AWD). The HiHy is about what the EPA says and the Volvo is much better. The deciding factor on MPG is the driver. Drive with a gentle foot and anticipate traffic conditions and you get great mileage. Drive like you are in a race with everyone else on the road, or like every trip is an emergency and you pay the price.

 

I have to question some of the gas mileage claims on this board. If you're rating your mileage based on a "10 mile" trip that's not very realistic. I can push my car for a mile and say I got unlimited mpg. Also, only inputting trips and tanks that look favorable askews the #'s.
"Real world" mpg is not based on a selected, middle of the night trip 5 miles one way to the grocery store at 22 mph.
To then post on this board and make it sound like people just don't know how to drive is laughable.
Given that the EPA is forcing auto mfg's to recalculate the window sticker #'s it's fair to say that most people won't get the numbers currently listed. That being said, these new calculations probably don't account for much of a committed change in driving style.
So, maybe with concerted effort we get about the same as the sticker. But please, don't keep posting from a high and mighty perspective about how people just don't know how to drive. Let's be realisitic and not belittling.

 

Whether or not you "believe" the mileage posts on this and other boards, that is the reader's choice. Whether or not you want to believe the very trite paraphrase "it's the driver, stupid" is also their choice (I apologize if anyone thinks I am belittling them). My mileage is based on what I normally do in a week, not selected trips. Every mile on the HiHy is accounted for here. Others may have radically different trip requirements. That's OK. All I aim to do is honestly post my experiences and opinions. I expect that others will do the same. I think we can all learn from each other. I know I have refined my driving technique based on the collective experiences of many who posted here. I also acknowledge that some people are incapable of learning. In that case, I can't help them.

Shalom

 

I think that would fit the definition of "real world."

Some people's "real world" will be in Alaska where they'll never get over 20mpg, and others will be a combination of stop-and-go driving in LA traffic that never exceeds 22mph.

At least in the database, 10 mile trips at 22mph are balanced out by the remaining 400+ miles on that same tank. And a 10 mile trip at 22mph? That might be someone's "real world" experience. I coast, in Neutral, down two grades on my commute, does that mean that section of my tank for those 4 miles, should be stricken from the record? That's ridiculous, especially since I have to drive UP those grades at some point. It's part of my "real world" use of my car. If some decide not to believe what they read, that's their choice. The earth might really still be flat, too.

Rick

 

Guess that eliminates my 55 mpg coasting down the driveway.....

Ohh? We must not be talking about the Washington DC area....

The challenge is to get the best perfomance/mpg - I believe everyone knows the EPA numbers aren't realistic - if they change them then the challenge will be to beat them.... GO TEAM!!!

There is a difference in driving a Hybrid - and I appreciate tips and hints - I don't take anyone's "free" advice as the high and mighty - although a few may expound that - that's what ignore, or dev/null is for.....

And I still get 55mpg down the driveway - but only 27 - 28 mpg to and from work....

 

I beg to differ with you DirtyHybrid. I've owned my 05HCH for 1 year now and the lifetime MPG is 47.5-48.0, which is just about what the sticker said it would be. Every tank has been inputted along with every mile driven. In warmer weather, my per tank MPG averages over 50 and I have all of the rolling average data and graphs to prove it. In winter weather, the fuel economy goes down as it does in any nonhybrid. Greenhybrid's mileage data base is probably the most accurate there is out there and I would recommend anyone thinking of buying a hybrid to check it out. Most people who are new to hybrid driving will drive like its a nonhybrid (with a lead foot) until they discover the "art" of improving their fuel economy by altering their driving style.

If people are driving their hybrids on the highway at speeds in excess of 65mph, then their fuel economy will go down considerably because of wind resistance and engine inefficiencies at higher rev's, (as it will in any type of vehicle, more so in a "boxy SUV").

 

gang
I dont know why anyone would bother 'trump' up their numbers. What is the point? I would like to believe we all have lives. Thus no need go get off screwing around on this site.

I believe that the EPA isnt that far off -once we learn to drive our hybrids. Some folks say they SURPASS the epa -which i find encouraging. I still believe though , in the old 'take 80% of the EPA rule' . As long as i can hit that after some practice, i am MORE than satisfied.

try to think about it that way.......

 

I have to agree with Tom on this one. I went into this deal expecting 15-20% less than what was on the sticker. Anyone who takes the EPA estimate as a rock-solid number easily achieved in real life is extremely naive. Can it be done? I'm sure it can be. Will it happen in my vehicle? Not a chance. I'm into personal comfort (AC, heat, heated seats, etc.) more than eeking out that last mpg!

Just a quick note - with the warmer weather (no heater required) and a bit more experience on my side I was able to average 26.3mpg over my last tank. I don't know how much better I can do because my trip to/from work is approx. 10 minutes (about 5 miles) and warmer weather will require AC use.