I drove a Prius from our competitive vehicle fleet over the Labor Day Weekend. I decided I would not change my driving habits, except for two specific exceptions......

1. I reduced my usual amount of highway driving and focused on taking city thoroughfares where possible.<
2. I tended to coast towards stop lights and stop signs in order to get as much ICE-off driving as possible<

With a bit over 300 miles driven from Friday afternoon 'til Tuesday morning, I averaged 41.9 mpg. The person who used the car before me hit 57.3 over 77 miles.

The car was fairly nice. A little beat up in the interior (upholstery was wearing on the center console). The engine restarts were seamless and nearly imperceptible. The shutoff of the electric motor was not quite as seamless in the vehicle I drove. If I was stopped at a light for any appreciable amount of time, I could feel the EM chuggle as it turned off. Otherwise, no mechanical or system concerns or malfunctions.

I found that I got the best mileage travelling steady state at about 35 - 45 mph. That is, of course discounting the high numbers you experience when travelling downhill.

All in all and objectively speaking, a very nice vehicle.

Peace,

Martin

 

Interesting report, Martin.

I have seen mid 40's MPG in the middle of winter from a cold start and a trip less than 10 miles, but never in the summer. Even my wife (who is not a very successful anticipatory driver) went over 60 MPG today driving to school and the supermarket.

I wonder what conditions or driving habits allowed your results.

 

I've noticed the same thing in my Prius during shutoff and it's slightly annoying.

Your city streets experience is interesting. Sometimes I can slice through city streets at 75+ mpg, but other times, like this past weekend, the same or similar streets send my mpg plummeting.

In fact, in my fiancee's Highlander I find it's much easier for me to drive that on city streets at high mpg *consistently* than it is the Prius.

Rick

 

Trip time is the one variable you left out Martin. How many trips did you make and how long were they?

Overall I think you did pretty well for not knowing the car.

 

The driving conditions were typical Detroit city and suburban driving except, as I pointed out, I avoided expressways as much as possible. For example, instead of going North / South on the Southfield Exwy or I-75, I would travel Woodward or Telegraph Rd. Both have speed limits in the 45 - 50 mph range, with sporadic traffic lights of varying lengths. Instead of traveling East / West on I-696 or I-96, I tended to use the Mile Rds (8, Mile, 9 Mile 10 Mile.....you get the picture). Lower speed limits and more lights wrt Telegraph Rd and Woodward Ave. I tend to drive with the flow of traffic.

I was basically looking for excuses to drive, so trip length varied wildly. Anywhere from 5 minutes drive time post to post to about 45 minutes post to post.


Peace,

Martin