Auris Performance

[Terry953]

Has any one noticed that now spring is here and our engines are warming up more rapidly and heaters are not needed so much our MPG’s are improving ?

YUP ! Lots of amazing claims to happy days so far this year achieved on the forum - especially from Auris owners as we haven’t experienced a British summer yet , have we chaps? [sorry girls, but are there any lady Auris owners/drivers out there ?]

OK I’m being sarcy, but it has always happened to a much lesser degree with my cars over the last 20ish years.

Looking at ‘Fuelly’ which some of us contribute to, I’m a bit worried as to their results/integrity, in that they still quote 2010 as the current year for results.

Do you think this site is worth continuing with?

What’s the difference between an Auris Hybrid and an L4 ?

For some reason that I can’t remember I stated my Auris Hybrid was an L4.

Keep on ‘Pulsing & Gliding’ chaps it really does work.

[dwilson]

Looking at ‘Fuelly’ which some of us contribute to, I’m a bit worried as to their results/integrity, in that they still quote 2010 as the current year for results.

Do you think this site is worth continuing with?

I can see 2011 for your results (and mine)!

David

[Terry953]

I can see 2011 for your results (and mine)!

David

Not in the 'Browse Vehicles' page for Toyota Auris you can't there isn't a 2011 List!

TerryB

[Daveyonthemove]

That relates to the cars registered in that year. Maybe nobody has registered on fuelly with a 2011 registered model yet?

[peak_46]

That relates to the cars registered in that year. Maybe nobody has registered on fuelly with a 2011 registered model yet?

I've now covered 14.500 miles in three months and I'm just turning the corner in terms of getting some half decent figures out of the Auris. I've adopted all the coasting up to roundabouts and trying to avoid the brake and accelerate nonsense on motorways and I'm now getting about 53mpg at an average of 48mph since its service at 10000 miles. Nearly all my mileage is motrway/dual carriageway and I'm crusing at 75 indicated (70 on sat-nav). I've also monitored 9 other company users for a total of 74000 miles and we all average 49.8 mpg.

As you say the car is a virtual thermometer and really reacts strongly to the ambient temperature. I know this is only physics but I never realsied it would be so obvious!

[Grumpy Cabbie]

That relates to the cars registered in that year. Maybe nobody has registered on fuelly with a 2011 registered model yet?

.....As you say the car is a virtual thermometer and really reacts strongly to the ambient temperature. I know this is only physics but I never realsied it would be so obvious!

I'm thinking the Hybrid system is super tuned for economy (special tyres etc) and as such the small percentage gains achieved due to the weather, the correct pressures etc make a more noticeable difference to your mpg figures. A 5% gain on 60 mpg is more noticeable than a 5% gain on 30 mpg.

If you think of the Prius/Auris HSD in the same way you look at a tuned performance car - wrong tyre pressures affect economy on the hybrid or they affect the performance/handling on a Porsche. Hot weather can affect a turbo car whereas the Prius is happier. A bog standard car isn't quite a susceptible to the extremes of either economy or performance. You could also say that a hybrid is suited to town/city driving and comes into its own, whereas a super tuned performance car can be a handful in these conditions.

Horses for courses.

[Daveyonthemove]

That relates to the cars registered in that year. Maybe nobody has registered on fuelly with a 2011 registered model yet?

I've now covered 14.500 miles in three months and I'm just turning the corner in terms of getting some half decent figures out of the Auris. I've adopted all the coasting up to roundabouts and trying to avoid the brake and accelerate nonsense on motorways and I'm now getting about 53mpg at an average of 48mph since its service at 10000 miles. Nearly all my mileage is motrway/dual carriageway and I'm crusing at 75 indicated (70 on sat-nav). I've also monitored 9 other company users for a total of 74000 miles and we all average 49.8 mpg.

As you say the car is a virtual thermometer and really reacts strongly to the ambient temperature. I know this is only physics but I never realsied it would be so obvious!

Coasting (free wheeling in neutral or on the clutch) is probably costing you MORE in fuel than it woukd if you allowed the engine to slow you down.

Its also not a recommended way to drive as you have less control of the car, and this is also mentioned in the highway code.

[ashpole]

Has any one noticed that now spring is here and our engines are warming up more rapidly and heaters are not needed so much our MPG's are improving ?

My MPGs are certainly on the up. This morning I drove from Northampton to Central Milton Keynes (via A508 not the M1) and outbound got 60 MPG from cold on the single trip indicator; the return journey (two hours later) was via the same route and I got 72+ MPG (the single trip indicator tops out at 72) and a flashing EXCELLENT. Last weekend on two reasonable country road journeys of about 18 miles I got EXCELLENT on both.

Two things: I guess we should only be talking about the average provided via real fill-ups but the average consumption and single trip displays are reasonable to be indicative of changing fuel consumption.

Secondly, I get much better consumption when taking country lane routes instead of motorways etc. I'm lucky enough to have the time and choice to take the more relaxing drive through the countryside.

Do you think this site is worth continuing with?

I keep my fill-ups in a spreadsheet so it's not too much effort to copy them to fuelly.

[peak_46]

That relates to the cars registered in that year. Maybe nobody has registered on fuelly with a 2011 registered model yet?

I've now covered 14.500 miles in three months and I'm just turning the corner in terms of getting some half decent figures out of the Auris. I've adopted all the coasting up to roundabouts and trying to avoid the brake and accelerate nonsense on motorways and I'm now getting about 53mpg at an average of 48mph since its service at 10000 miles. Nearly all my mileage is motrway/dual carriageway and I'm crusing at 75 indicated (70 on sat-nav). I've also monitored 9 other company users for a total of 74000 miles and we all average 49.8 mpg.

As you say the car is a virtual thermometer and really reacts strongly to the ambient temperature. I know this is only physics but I never realsied it would be so obvious!

Coasting (free wheeling in neutral or on the clutch) is probably costing you MORE in fuel than it woukd if you allowed the engine to slow you down.

Its also not a recommended way to drive as you have less control of the car, and this is also mentioned in the highway code.

When I say coasting I mean taking my foot off the accelerator and let friction/road resistance contribute to braking, therefore I stop using power earlier and brake less thus saving fuel. I don't think any of us hybrid drivers even consider selecting neutral whilst in motion, in fact i'm not sure the car would let you select neutral anyway whilst on the move?

[Terry953]

That relates to the cars registered in that year. Maybe nobody has registered on fuelly with a 2011 registered model yet?

I investigated your theory and discovered that if you click on the "SHOW ALL" link you get 37 vehicles that include some for 2009 and 2011 now.

The link then changes to "HIDE UK ZERO MPG" Which conjures up another mystery, why register on Fuelly if you don't upload your data? There's nowt as !Removed! as folks .

My trust is now restored and I shall continue to contribute.

TerryB

[Terry953]

When I say coasting I mean taking my foot off the accelerator and let friction/road resistance contribute to braking, therefore I stop using power earlier and brake less thus saving fuel. I don't think any of us hybrid drivers even consider selecting neutral whilst in motion, in fact i'm not sure the car would let you select neutral anyway whilst on the move?

One important aspect you've missed here is regenerative braking so not only are you being slowed electrically but also charging your traction Battery.

TerryB

[johalareewi]

Coasting (free wheeling in neutral or on the clutch) is probably costing you MORE in fuel than it woukd if you allowed the engine to slow you down.

Its also not a recommended way to drive as you have less control of the car, and this is also mentioned in the highway code.

Good job the Hybrid Auris doesn't have a clutch then

Your advice applies to normal cars but for Hybrid Toyotas things are a little different.

Coasting in a hybrid is not the same as coasting in a manual or other automatic car (we call it gliding).

[Doesn'tExist]

Coasting is coasting and gliding is gliding

I'm with Terry just drive normally and brake, heck the moment you brake you can see your regeneration immediately and fuel consumption increasing.

[Cyker]

Ya,the cool thing about the HSD is that it is always 'in-gear', there is no disengaged 'neutral', so it's always either outputting power or taking it in :)

Getting the mpg past about 50 or so becomes increasingly hard and every little thing makes a difference!

I find I can drive like a rabid badger and still get low-mid 50's out of my Yaris, but getting it up to the low-mid 60's requires more restraint and fore-planning.

I think the biggest saver is looking ahead tho'; I try to stick to the 2-second rule even below 40-mph and I find that extra buffer allows me to slow down without braking and smooth out situations in front of me where people in front brake to a stop for half a second then continue.

My new EcoContact3's had frankly been a bit disappointing; Started off great but after a week started to feel a bit spongy and rather dead. Lots of corner lurch. Discovered they were all at 28psi and front right was 20 psi

Hope they aren't leaking or something! Re-inflated to 35/30psi and now they feel much better. Much more positive feel and I can coast in-gear for a lot longer and this has helped drag the MPG up quite a bit :D

[ashpole]

Ya,the cool thing about the HSD is that it is always 'in-gear', there is no disengaged 'neutral', so it's always either outputting power or taking it in :)

Hmm, if the HSD is in Neutral then it's neutral - in such state the ICE cannot charge the HV Battery but if your air conditioning is on then the HV Battery will slowly discharge and unable to be topped up via the ICE.

But peak_46 wasn't on about selecting Neutral. Your point re looking ahead is extremely relevant.

[Terry953]

Coasting is coasting and gliding is gliding

I'm with Terry just drive normally and brake, heck the moment you brake you can see your regeneration immediately and fuel consumption increasing. :o

Think you mean "fuel consumption decreasing" 'Don't Exist' as the ICE switches off. ;)

The name of the game is anticipation, planning and looking ahead.

I'm convinced my driving standards have improved by adopting the different techniques our HSDs demand to improve fuel consumption.

One very noticeable feature is that 'she who must be obeyed' doesn't seem to offer so much advice on my competence as when I drove my Corolla :censor:

TerryB

[Doesn'tExist]

thanks for the english lesson

[Cyker]

Hmm, if the HSD is in Neutral then it's neutral - in such state the ICE cannot charge the HV battery but if your air conditioning is on then the HV battery will slowly discharge and unable to be topped up via the ICE.

But peak_46 wasn't on about selecting Neutral. Your point re looking ahead is extremely relevant.

Even if the petrol engine is off, the electric should still be able to charge off the energy from the car wheels turning it, or is the whole charge system disabled in neutral?

(Note: Just curious about that aspect of the HSD as I thought the charger was always on; Am not suggesting anyone go to neutral while driving! No car should be in neutral for any significant time while being driven! It's dangerous and that'd be an instant fail on the test! ;))

[ashpole]

Hmm, if the HSD is in Neutral then it's neutral - in such state the ICE cannot charge the HV battery but if your air conditioning is on then the HV battery will slowly discharge and unable to be topped up via the ICE.

But peak_46 wasn't on about selecting Neutral. Your point re looking ahead is extremely relevant.

Even if the petrol engine is off, the electric should still be able to charge off the energy from the car wheels turning it, or is the whole charge system disabled in neutral?

(Note: Just curious about that aspect of the HSD as I thought the charger was always on; Am not suggesting anyone go to neutral while driving! No car should be in neutral for any significant time while being driven! It's dangerous and that'd be an instant fail on the test! ;))

Strange isn't it! If you're stationary at, say, traffic lights, I think some people will leave the HSD in Drive, but those that decide to take it out of Drive are advised to select Park because, unlike Neutral, the ICE can still the charge the HV Battery.

So to summarise, Drive and Park can charge the HV Battery, if in Neutral it doesn't.