• Hello everyone! My name's Renee.
• I recently bought a used 2013 Camry XLE Hybrid with 50,000 miles on it from Toyota.
• I noticed it was getting low mpg in the city 31-32 but on roadtrips it gets 38-39 mpg. Is this normal? I thought it was supposed to be the other way around?
• I took it in for a checkup and they said it's fine and nothing they can do. I researched and use driving techniques I learned but it only seems to be getting worse...
• Any suggestions?

 

If you run AC non-stop and get stuck in heavy traffic often, that could kill your mpg. Without AC, in moving city traffic I get 38-40 in my 07 (so should you). Get stuck in massive traffic jams, run AC non stop and I'll also will struggle to get 32-33 mpg. But that's still much better than 14-16 mpg my wife gets on her Santa Fe, but that's another story. Actually 38-39 mpg on highway is not that impressive unless you drive way over 70mph. Around my place speed limit is 55, I drive around 70 max and get 41-42 mpg. Only if push 80 mph or more, would I stay in 38 mpg range. Anyway I would do the usual: change oil, make sure tire pressure little overinflated 35 PSI, maybe add injector cleaner etc.

 

Thank you for your reply.
It was bad before I started using the AC and even worse now that I do use it.
I will do thpse things you suggested and see what happens...

 

I'm also in Tulsa. I've been getting around 40 mpg in my 2009. What I do a lot is put the car in neutral on downhills and also a bit before there's a curve and then coast and not use my brakes at all. Sometimes there are idiots that tailgate who want to go 70 (e.g. on the big curve going south on Highway 11 just after the airport to get onto I-244) and then hit their brakes hard. That KILLS good MPG. Go slow from a stop too will help.

I rarely use A/C even in mid-summer but heat doesn't bother me like most people. Only time I run it is when I have a passenger. I prefer to open my sunroof.

 

As someone who grew up in OK, I can tell you that you're going to shorten the life of your battery by not using A/C. Bottom line is if the driver AND ALL passengers aren't cool and comfortable, the battery is being damaged.

Coasting in "N" down a hill means you don't recover the battery energy consumed in the climb.