After looking at the non-hybrid MPG posts, I seen a bunch that were way out of line with reality. I have also meet people who are in denial about hybrids and tend to claim that their car gets the same mpg as most hybrids. I've tryed to post as close to correct as i can and I am noware near the top dogs on my 2 hibrid vehicles MPG comparison boards. So my question is = Are the "average" mpg posted on our comparison board about right, or higher or lower.

 

I know that MPG can vary widely with driving conditions and style, but I've sometimes wondered the same. Many of the hypermilers who regularly post here and elsewhere come across as credible in every other way, so I have no reason not to trust them.

A recent experience makes me inclined to believe them. My fiancee and I took a weekend trip a couple of months ago, about an hour and half's drive (mostly interstate) from home. We took her 2006 Corolla instead of my Prius, for two reasons: 1) We really hadn't taken it on the highway for anything more than short trips since she bought it, and we wanted to see how it would do on the open road in all regards, and 2) I just bought a ScanGauge and I wanted to use it -- and some of the non-hybrid-related hypermiling techniques I've learned since buying the Prius -- to maximize fuel efficiency. Besides the trips down and back, we spent most of Saturday afternoon visiting local shopping venues (go figure!), with multiple stops and suburban/urban driving conditions. Even with that, Saturday's fuel mileage was close to 40 MPG, and for the entire trip it was 46.7 (about 10 better than EPA estimate, if I recall it correctly). She had been getting MPG in the low 30s, with a combination of an 8 mile commute on mostly country roads and her frequent shopping trips (go figure again!) of various distances and durations. She and I were pleasantly surprised at how high I could push it through simple modifications of driving technique.

So high numbers are achievable, and a hypermiler driving a Corolla can come close to a "normal" driver in a Prius. Whether everyone reports theirs accurately, of course I can't say.

And those who would diss hybrids because of this "comparable" mileage obviously aren't comparing apples to apples.

 

I just took another passing glance, and I didn't really see any that scream I'm lying about my true MPG.

I have a non-hybrid civid DX with automatic transmission. With a scangauge, 50psi in the tires and a light foot I've managed a personal best tank of 50.16MPG during my everyday commute. No P&G, no kill-switch, no neutral coasting, nor any other advanced hypermiling techniques.

I think there's room for advancement as my car continues to break in, I continue to modify my driving style.

I have a handful of colleagues at work who drive the HCH-I and look at me like I'm from the moon when I tell them what I manage in my non-hybrid civic; but then again I've seen them coming/going from work and they drive their cars like they're stolen...

 

LINDERMANT: Could you tell me a little about the scan guage-can it give mpg readings like tank ave. or instant mpg and what is involved in the hook up. Also where does one find the scan guage, webssite?? THANKS JOE

 

I can tell you that mine are 100% accurate. What would I profit by lying? I have no earthly idea. I compete with myself and on my current tank, I have average 59.8 MPG with 574 miles on my current tank. I've averaged 53.8 MPG and the savings from my last van (94' Chevy Astro) pays about half of my car note on the Prius. It's the savings from my previous car that motivates me to report it accurately. Lying isn't going to put money in my bank account!

 

IMHO, it more likly that someone didn't understand the interface and entered their data wrong. I am concerned about the onesies-twosies entries for very large numbers. For example, in the Prius Classic forum, there is one entry for 90,000 miles @55.0 MPG. I know that user is in the UK and I suspect used Imperial gallons. That would make it closer to 45 MPG, a more likly number.

Bob Wilson

 

www.scangauge.com

... should tell you what you need to know about its capabilities.

It's an easy hookup; it just plugs into the car's OBD (On Board Diagnostics) jack. The jack's location varies somewhat by vehicle, but is typically on or beneath the lower edge of the dash on the driver's side.

It's a handy device, especially given the Prius' lack of instrumentation (ie., no tachometer, temperature gauge, etc.)

 

thanks to jimboK for dropping the scangauge link!

 

Mine are real. Heck, if I wanted to skew my numbers I wouldn't have posted the 30-odd tanks that I drove before knowing anything about FE driving techniques.

 

Mine are real. My ongoing project is aero modding my car and I want to know what effect all of the mods are having. I've gotten it to where I consider 60mpg to be terrible mileage.