[KrazyTony]

I am chuckling after viewing the report tonight on ABC news on expected hybrid gas mileage. The idiot they showed who was all pissed off because he could not get anywhere near expected mileage results probably still drives his Pruis just like he did his conventional car.

I have owned my new Prius for about a month now, have 750 miles on it, and have averaged a little over 48 MPG. Not too bad for a new car, and temps that have not allowed the little snowflake to go away, much in the single digits....I am waiting for the day that that little light will turn itself off.

I wish to thank the many members who have given their input on just how to drive my hybrid, I guess being informed does count. Let the media say what they want...after Jan 1st, my wifes 20 MPG VUE goes bye bye, and another Prius will be in my garage.

 

[redwein]

It always amazes me how magazines and other news sources think it is "newsworthy" to report that someone with no experience with the car and no inclination to try to get good mileage with it, achieves worse results than the average owner. I'm not sure what they are trying to say. They never seem to report that new owners mileage over time increases as they figure out how to best maximize their mileage with the car.

Its kind of like someone with no experience with a manual transmission driving one for the first time and then reporting how bad the car's transmission is and how hard it is to operate.

 

[hyperion]

This was exactly like NBC's report on nat news last week and I believe only emphasized that they would be changing the way the EPA determines milage figures. Besides the owners interview about milage they quoted the Consumer Report and stated I believe that CR got 25 MPG. Something fishy there.

 

[Guest]

CR got 44 overall and 35 in city driving. They claimed they got 26 in the Civic Hybrid.

I easily get high 40's without trying.

 

[Astrowoman]

Achieved mileage varies a lot with your driving conditions. I get 47ish on a good tank with a lot of effort. People who live in flat places seem to do much better as do people who don't have to commute in aggressive traffic.

The more recent news reports I've seen, I was pleased they put the emphasis in the right place which is that NO car gets the EPA rated mileage, especially the City rating. It's just been cast into sharp relief by the Prius and its friends.

I just wish people would stop calling it an Econobox, which I just heard on a radio report. It's not a high-end Lexus, but it's not what I'd call an Econobox either. For one thing, its too big for that!

 

[jeromep]

I just wish people would stop calling it an Econobox, which I just heard on a radio report. It's not a high-end Lexus, but it's not what I'd call an Econobox either. For one thing, its too big for that!

If it were an econobox it would cost a lot less and would not have any significantly high end cabin features. Show me an econobox with digital dash, comprehensive trip computer, auto climate, theatear style interior lighting, touch screen, available nav and JBL stereo, heated mirrors, etc...

dramatic pause

Nobody? I didn't think anyone could.

I rest the case for Astrowoman and myself.

 

[hyperion]

CR got 44 overall and 35 in city driving. They claimed they got 26 in the Civic Hybrid.

I easily get high 40's without trying.

Just quoting what was stated on the ABC news report.

 

[niomeka]

Besides the owners interview about milage they quoted the Consumer Report and stated I believe that CR got 25 MPG. Something fishy there.

The only thing fishy there is hyperions complete inability to get anything right.

Consumer Reports found the Prius gets 44mpg in real world driving, that includes stop and go city driving and freeway combined. That's without any effort to drive more efficiently. Many drivrs get much more by driving efficiently. Regardless, 44mpg is still about 20+mpg better than many comparable vehicles.

But there will always be some idiot who points out the Prius doesn't get 60mpg as the EPA (not Prius) claims, meanwhile driving a SUV that gets 8mpg instead of it's rated 15. Idiots.

 

[dogtag]

I got 26 mpg on my trip to Spokane driving my 90 Corvette.
I drove 65 to 70 with a few bursts to 145.
I have gotten as low at 9 mpg when I drive it like an animal.
So what rating should the EPA give my car in MPG?
How many people who drive a car like mine really care?

The Prius is just a tool.
You can operate it like an artist or like someone who has no talent.
The results depend solely on your skill level.
So I guess what I'm saying is, don't complain if you have no skill.


I've driven my Prius on several trips and have a best of 62 mpg and a worst of 46 mpg for a tank full.
It seems like the news media is just trying for a huge scandalous stroy about how fuel effieient cars don't get the advertised mileage.
Well, mine does so the media can go screw themselves.

 

[niomeka]

I got 26 mpg on my trip to Spokane driving my 90 Corvette.

Consumer Reports got 48 mpg without trying on a 150mi trip in a Prius. Many drivers get 60ish on long drives by driving efficiently.

The Prius is just a tool.
You can operate it like an artist or like someone who has no talent.
The results depend solely on your skill level.

Not exactly. Even opperated by the most incompetant driver it's going to get far better milage and emit far less pollution, as well as being far safer and more reliable than many other vehicles in its class. Certainly better than SUV and trucks.

I've driven my Prius on several trips and have a best of 62 mpg and a worst of 46 mpg for a tank full.

Glad to hear. OTOH, you could drive at 80mph and otherwise drive inneficiently, and still get 40+ mpg. Point being it's more efficient regardless of how one drives. It's also going to be more reliable.

 

[dogtag]

Oh, I understand what you're saying.....you could put a gorilla behind the seat and get 40 mpg.
No argument there.
I have studded snow tires on mine now and am still getting 45 mpg.
Still, in the hands of someone who knows how to drive a Prius, the advertised MPG is obtainable.
Fact is, there are those that can obtain better than advertised on a regular basis.
I have no issue or problem with the advertised specs and those that do
either have a technical problem with the car or just don't know how to efficently drive it.
Would it make everyone happier if you posted a figure that says,
"from 40 to 60 Highway......etc

 

[KTPhil]

"Even opperated by the most incompetant driver it's going to get far better milage "

But Nio, I thought you didn't get your Prius yet?

 

[hyperion]

Niomeka, if you could understand what you read, two of us were quoting what the ABC, and NBC national news story reported, not that we agreed to it. It is well known that I have stated many times that in 19 months of driving I have been averaging 45 mpg. The guy interviewed at the wheel of his Prius said he bought the car because the window sticker hyped 60 mpg and he was getting 35.
Niomeka, you just don't get it! It really is quite simple.

 

[niomeka]

Oh, I understand what you're saying.....you could put a gorilla behind the seat and get 40 mpg.
No argument there.
I have studded snow tires on mine now and am still getting 45 mpg.
Still, in the hands of someone who knows how to drive a Prius, the advertised MPG is obtainable.
Fact is, there are those that can obtain better than advertised on a regular basis.

I totally agree. Another issue is that many of these morons complaining about getting "only 45mpg" get that becasue they drive inneficiently, and get similarly low numbers relative to the EPA guidelines, in whatever else they drive. For example, some of these idiots drive POS like many of the SUV, particularly the American ones, and the EPA may rate them 15mpg, but becasue of the way they drive they're only getting like 10, or less.

Then they complain the Prius gets "only 45 mpg" .... what total idiots. It's amazing those people can operate a car at all.

 

[DanMan32]

When I first got my Prius, I started out getting 48. I wasn't happy, as I was getting 33 with my Saturn SL2. Soon though I was getting mid-high 50's. In retrospect, my low intial MPG was because I played with the bells and whistles in the car with the AC going (though it was night) during the summer, and drove it to work several times on the highway doing a legal 70MPH. When I resumed driving to work on US19, that's when the mileage went up. Then the weather got cooler and I was doing close to 60MPG.

 

[Jonnycat26]

If it were an econobox it would cost a lot less and would not have any significantly high end cabin features. Show me an econobox with digital dash, comprehensive trip computer, auto climate, theatear style interior lighting, touch screen, available nav and JBL stereo, heated mirrors, etc...

dramatic pause

Nobody? I didn't think anyone could.

Spoke too soon, dude.

Most econoboxes actually have available high end stereos, heated mirros, and I'm sorry but 'theater style interior lighting' isn't a high end feature at all.

Keep in mind that the vaunted digital dash and touch screen are cost saving measures as well. Why bother manufacturing LHD and RHD versions of instruments and controls if you can just slap one in there. Why bother with a proper head unit if you can just control that and the HVAC thru one interface.

On the other hand, even most econoboxes come with true 4 way adjustable (and sometimes even comfortable) seats and telescoping steering wheels.

I like my prius for what it is... an econobox with a few extra tech features.

 

[redwein]

Keep in mind that the vaunted digital dash and touch screen are cost saving measures as well. Why bother manufacturing LHD and RHD versions of instruments and controls if you can just slap one in there. Why bother with a proper head unit if you can just control that and the HVAC thru one interface.

Why have controls for the things you mention on the steering wheel? Using your argument, they should not be there. We have had the discussion about the "definition" of econobox before. You believe it is and that is fine. Most others would not.

 

[Jonnycat26]

Why have controls for the things you mention on the steering wheel? Using your argument, they should not be there. We have had the discussion about the "definition" of econobox before. You believe it is and that is fine. Most others would not.

Ya know, steering wheel controls are not that uncommon these days. Even the Elantra GT has them... at about 6K less than the Prius.

And to be honest, they're necessary on the Prius. Can you imagine trying to change the temperature or switch to defrost with just the MFMFD? In order to make up for the ergonomic design nightmare that is the center console, they had to bail out with steering wheel controls.

 

[dgstan]

...the MFMFD...

I don't know if that's a typo or intentional, but it's freakin' hilarious.

 

[Jonnycat26]

...the MFMFD...

I don't know if that's a typo or intentional, but it's freakin' hilarious.

Purely intentional. Most of the time it's the MFD... it becomes the MFMFD when you actually need to use it to do something, rather than to display something.