Is It Worth Getting The Gen 2?

[ph47mf]

first tank completed. it didn't get to my target of 450 miles.

i did 443 miles (80% city) costing £54.14 which equates to 48.3 mpg and 12 pence a mile.

I am happy because i never got that figure before, not even with my Passat diesel previous to this. however it is off my pessimistic personal target and long way short of the official figures. should i be alarmed or is the winter and city driving getting the better of it?

I shall check the tyre pressure later.

[Grumpy Cabbie]

48.3 mpg? :!Removed!:

Not bad for a first tank but believe me you will be disappointed with anything less than 50 mpg once you get used to the car. Just wait until next summer when you'll be getting mid 60's mpg!

Double check those tyre pressures

[sjrainsford]

In my experience with my Gen2, they're a little worse than the Gen3 and mid 60s is unrealistic for normal driving. I get between 50 and 55 with plenty of 70 mph stuff. And mine due to the speedo innacuracy reads over by about 3mpg normally.

Still more than happy as it's got those crappy bridgestones on the back.

[timberwolf]

What mpg you get or could get is really going to depend on where you live, what the weather is like and how you drive.

Personally, I've seen a 15 mpg variation between Summer and Winter driving, with the worst at ~45 mpg and the best at ~60 mpg.

I do mostly local journeys, destinations are short distances of 7 or 8 miles and I try not use the car for shorter journeys than that. My choice of road speed limits are mixed, either I use the motorway (it varies but I tend to try to limit it to 60 mph speedometer indicated but up steep hills I'll let the speed fall off) or 30/40 mile an hour roads, and I've got various hills and not much level ground. My driving style could be described as variable, I tend to drive slower than I used to but I'll have bursts on the motorway at 70 mph and when up the steeper hills that punishes my mpg. I do like to try to anticipate traffic light changes, partly because it is fun gliding up to the lights and timing it just right not to have to stop and partly because it is fun to watch other drivers tear past me straight at a red light and then brake hard!

[ph47mf]

to be honest i am a little disappointed, my other half's Nissan Note 1.6 Auto can manage 36mpg doing the same journey in similar climate (I used it for a few months). And the hybrid can only muster 12mpg more.

i will check the tyre pressure to go from there. i am just hoping my car isn't too old for the job or have something wrong Mr T should look at whilst still in warranty.

sjrainsford: what mpg do you get for city driving?

[MSHasan]

to be honest i am a little disappointed, my other half's Nissan Note 1.6 Auto can manage 36mpg doing the same journey in similar climate (I used it for a few months). And the hybrid can only muster 12mpg more.

i will check the tyre pressure to go from there. i am just hoping my car isn't too old for the job or have something wrong Mr T should look at whilst still in warranty.

sjrainsford: what mpg do you get for city driving?

Don't feel too bad! It definitely gets better with experience even though you may think you've already got the car sussed out. Short journeys (anything less than 10 -15 mins) certainly will have an effect on the MPG due to the first five minute warm up session not being counterbalanced.

You're still getting better average MPG than I am, albeit that's due to me doing very short trips AND a certain other person in my life regularly driving the Prius and explaining echo driving to them (and then getting them to actually do it) will probably take me a few more years

Have you thought about 'grill blocking'? I haven't tried that myself but will look into it this winter (if and when I get my car back :( )

Also, just read your reply to my post about the LEDs - they are very easy to fit as each panel comes with 3 different types of attachements so will fit virtually anywhere there is a bulb in the car.

Hasan

[kithmo]

to be honest i am a little disappointed, my other half's Nissan Note 1.6 Auto can manage 36mpg doing the same journey in similar climate (I used it for a few months). And the hybrid can only muster 12mpg more.

12 mpg on 36 mpg is 33% extra so for every tankful (10 gallons) you use, you're going to get another 120 miles over the Note.

[ph47mf]

I understand every little helps but 25% improvement from my Prius over the Nissan Note is not great. let's see how my future tankful looks like, if it falls below 45mpg then i am taking it back to Mr Toyota for a quick check-up

MSHasan, can you send me the link of the exact one i need to change all interior light to LED? i am still a bit clueless

[sjrainsford]

Town driving is where the Prius normally excels to be honest. However, it very much depends on the circumstances. If you're doing short journeys then it won't be much better than any other car.

Try having the heating down fairly low, or turn it off where possible on short runs. That will give much less engine use, especially now it's getting colder.

[Grumpy Cabbie]

I'd be very curious to know which car the op would be pleased with if, if approx 50 mpg round town in a 5 seater car is not sufficient?

In fact the very comparison is madness - my 1.8 5 seater only gets 33% more mpg than a 1.6 automatic.

Without following someones morning routine there is no way to know why the car is getting only 47 mpg. Is he lead footed? running the heating high, zooming out of a junction or driving up hills? In the middle of winter my worst tank was 41 mpg but I sat with the heating on which required much more topping up of heat from the engine - esp as it was about -5c at the time.

I'm wondering if this is a case of overly optimistic expectations?

Oh and just to prove the car can get great mpg's (even driven by a cabbie) I'll throw in this picture again;

[Carltona123]

I wouldn't get too worried about your performance - and just getting stressed will make things worse!

When I got mine a year ago I was thrilled to get 48 (or was it 43?) on my first run. I'd be horrified by that now. Your technique will improve - do you drive with the MFD showing power flow direction? I think that's a really good way of picking up good technique. Trouble is you can get a bit obsessed...

[sjrainsford]

I'd say one of the most important techniques required for the Prius is to always remember to take your foot off the accelerator after getting the car up to speed. This allows the system to alter the drive gearing and get the engine revs down. Then gently re-apply the accelerator to the point required to maintain your speed.

Also my second piece of advice is to not drive it like a granny as so to speak. They don't like being nursed and getting up to cruising speed slowly. Use that electric punch and get it up to speed quickly but not so much that the engine is revving too much. Then when you're up to speed the energy you've just used will be restored.

There are plenty of other tips, but as far as driving goes they're my two that I believe make a big difference.

[ph47mf]

thanks guys, all advice taken on board and will be tested!

grumpy you're right, i was being optimistic and i expected more from a hybrid. my friends are all like ''oh it will just be as fuel efficient as a regular diesel'' and they are proving me right so far. however it is true that if you look at it as a 5 seater family car mainly driven in town and still achieve 48mpg then in that sense, it's impressive. but i want 50mpg! ............

anyway this morning on the way to work, i thought the windscreen was a bit dirty so i used the washer jet and it squirted straight at a pedestrian on the driver's side. it goes without saying the lad with his suit on wasn't impressed. looks like it needs a bit of adjustment. :D

[Grumpy Cabbie]

lol sounds like they're adjusted correctly to me

Just as well it wasn't an burly builder with a short fuse.

[B&J]

Our first measureable full tank today after 397 miles from picking it up from the dealer, and we've recorded 52.13 MPG.

I'm pretty chuffed with that; it's short journeys into town and back (4, 5 miles each way) interspersed with about 4 motorway bashes of 26 miles each way.

I was pleased with my Honda Civic which, over the 4 year, 36000 (approx) mile life of the car, recorded 36 and a bit MPG overall, so this is an instant improvement. With the hints you've given us in this forum, I'm hoping to improve on that - but even if we don't, it's pretty impressive in my book.

And the car is so nice and quiet and comfortable as well

B&J

[Grumpy Cabbie]

I'm surprised nobody noticed my 30 minute A road run where I never got below 75 mpg average (see picture on previous page). Just chilling along with some smoothing tunes and taking it easy - 50 mph.

I'd like to see a similar sized car do that - whatever engine or transmission. Toyota say the car can do 74 mpg on the combined and in the right circumstances I'd have to agree. So despite some of the rattles and creaks I do still like the Prius.

[timberwolf]

I'm surprised nobody noticed my 30 minute A road run where I never got below 75 mpg average (see picture on previous page). Just chilling along with some smoothing tunes and taking it easy - 50 mph.

I'd like to see a similar sized car do that - whatever engine or transmission. Toyota say the car can do 74 mpg on the combined and in the right circumstances I'd have to agree. So despite some of the rattles and creaks I do still like the Prius.

As this was a thread about the Gen 2, I assumed you were just gloating at our expense.

[Grumpy Cabbie]

I didnt notice the sub heading. I was just trying to show the op that 48 mpg is unusual and that even a cabbie can, when they want, get great mpg's.

If wasn't a nose rub. If I was to do that I'd say so ;)

[timberwolf]

I didnt notice the sub heading. I was just trying to show the op that 48 mpg is unusual and that even a cabbie can, when they want, get great mpg's.

If wasn't a nose rub. If I was to do that I'd say so ;)

You took a photo of an mpg that you can only achieve when you weren't driving normally and in a later Prius model than the OP owns, and then post it as an example to illustrate that the OP's mpg is unusual.

[Grumpy Cabbie]

whatever :!Removed!:

[timberwolf]

whatever :!Removed!:

I'm not try to single you out. I'm trying to get across why I think it is important that members pay a little more attention to the generation of the hybrid technology. How would you feel if you were the Gen 2 owner and you had read the advice by a star poster that their mpg was unusual? Would you worry that your newly purchased 2nd hand Gen 2 was faulty?

[ph47mf]

don't worry, i always knew he was talking about a gen 3 anyway. and i know they are more economical and looks better but not better built may i add. 70mpg is impressive whichever you look at it, i can beat that only if i am going downhill without hitting the go go pedal

i suppose a 5 year old gen 2 with 50k on the clock doing 48mpg purely in town is not a bad feat. i just hope that's not all it can achieve as i haven't seen 50s or 60s as claimed by official figures yet.

i wish i can change the thread title so it no longer confuses people and make it like a blog sort of thing.

[Chris Dance]

Grumpy Cabbie was only trying to help.

The method of driving to get the best MPG is the same for a Gen 2 or a Gen 3. My sons has a gen 2 and is getting 58 MPG on his journeys mainly to and from the French Alps.

[kithmo]

I can compare Gen2 & Gen3 because SWMBO has a Gen2.

In the summer 90ish mile trip from Rotherham to Mablethorpe, A roads, driving up to the speed limits.

Gen3 - 74mpg

Gen2 - 65mpg

[Madasafish]

I have been contemplating a Hybrid but as my Yaris averages 56mpg around town, if I buy one, it will have to be a Gen 3..Either that or face an increase in fuel consumption...