31.8 MPG? As the current lowest entry on greenhybrid's real mileage database of Toyota Camry Hybrid owners (83 entries at the time of this posting), I'd love to be getting 31.8 MPG! But my TCH is only delivering 27.7 MPG and no technique I've tried has affected it much, save turning off the A/C entirely.

 

First of all I see you have less than 400 miles on your car so there are several questions to ask.

Did you fill up immediately after you purchased the car and reset the milage gage? Do you know that the dealer filled it completely when you purchased it? Have you ever reset (assuming you have NAV) the trip milage to see what's going on currently? Things like this can really mess up your initial tank milage. I'd fill up now and start monitoring it and then let us know what type of driving you're doing and the milage you're getting.

 

Based on our experience, I'm shocked at your numbers. For our last tank, we got over 38 MPG. Half of that tank was all highways up and down mountains in PA with 5 full sized people in the car. The other half was mostly short trips less than 10 miles in the suburbs. 100% of the tank was with the A/C running. Sure, we try to pulse-and-glide to get the car into E-mode, but we're far from expert hypermilers. I'm not sure ours could get under 30 MPG average unless we drove it like it was NASCAR. Sure, when accelerating or climbing hills, it's getting 20 MPG or even a little less, but that's balanced out by periods of >60 MPG when coasting and infinite MPG when in E-mode.

Maybe there's something wrong with your car? Is it going into E-mode at least sometimes when you let off the gas at less than 42 mph? Does it show 60 mpg on the mileage dial when you're coasting with the engine running? What does it show when you're in the middle of a reasonably (but not excessively) gentle acceleration from stop?

 

I started out at 29.1mpg for my first tank and my second tank (which is about to end) is getting 29.9mpg.

I'm a very hard driver compared to most of the folks here (80mph or more on the freeway and I probably average +15mph on most city speed limits).


Since I am now getting the hang of driving it (up to speed and glide) and it is almost broke in, I assume that my third tank should be an accurate representation of what my average mpg will be.


I tried to use the data base here but it's too complicated for me since I have better things to do then to monitor the outside temperature and the actual time that I am driving just to be able to add a new tank of gas (mileage and mpg are about all I can handle) .


When it's fully broke in I'll post my results on the data base.

 

I strongly agree with Orcrone's first point, and it is counter-intuitive. You would think that slower acceleration would help get you better fuel economy, but NO!

When you accelerate slowly, you greatly prolong the time it takes to get to a fuel-efficient cruising speed. The Camry works best by driving it normally (or nearly so).

 

To each their own, but If I were satisfied with less than 30 mpg I think I'd be driving the Lexus ES350 right now. (or perhaps a 330i, G35X, TL, or even an SE). The only reason to put up with the handling of the TCH is because I consider it the best economy car available. If it was'nt for getting 38.6mpg I'd be wanting something a little higher quality or a lot better handling.

 

I assume you're referring to AKM. He is driving at 80 MPH or more on the highway and doing more than 15 mph over the limit around town. I'm also guessing that his normal way of driving is not easy on the pedal. If that's the case he's probably be getting 20 - 22 in those other cars, tops. So almost 30 is not bad under the same conditions.

 

Exactly!


I used to think that 20mpg was great mileage until owing this vehicle.


I love it since I have not given up much performance wise.


Too each their own.

 

BTW, I test drove an SE. It had nice pickup with the V-6, but no better than an LE or XLE with the same engine. Even though it's the Sports Edition I didn't notice any major differene in handling in my limited test drive. In my opinion it mainly adds sporty body attachments (spoiler, etc.) and doesn't do anything performance wise to set itself off as the Sport version of the Camry.

 

I love it since I have not given up much performance wise.


Again, to each their own, but I wouldn't want to own the TCH if I drove it like my past habits with the Infiniti FX45 or my 350Z. I find it leaning way too much around curves at 50 mph that I used to take easily and comfortably at 65. Perhaps some sway bars, stiffer springs and better rubber would help? I drove a 4cSE just to get the feel for the difference in the two cars and I found it unacceptable with the buzzy noise and power. However I don't plan to start driving the TCH like I have in the past.

I simply believe if I wanted to drive rural roads at 15 over the limit this is certainly NOT the car I would want to do it in.

I'm not sure why they didn't make this thing handle better. I find that I can accelerate from the momentum and mass quite nicely down hill but I have to brake around curves to keep from throwing my passengers around. I would prefer to hit the bottom of the hills at say 65 and just keep gliding rather than brake. I feel like I'm wasting energy when I have to do this (even though I would be breaking the law_so I still use my radar detector_only speeding when it's from "free" energy)

If I were driving the TCH in a way to deliver less than 30 mpg then I'm just saying there are spirited cars out there that will still probably deliver 25 mpg and handle 10X better and at that level of FE the savings would not be substantial enough for me to matter.

HOWEVER, I'm averaging 38.6 and as an economy car this thing is at the top of the class. I can't see me ever wanting to go back to anything for my "family" car that gets in the 20's.