Auris Hsd Techniques To Maximise Mpg

[smuddell]

I took delivery of my new Auris Hybrid 3 weeks ago - my first hybrid, and my first Toyota!!!

So far I am a little disappointed in the MPG - I realise it is very unlikely I'll achieve the official figures, but I'd hoped to achieve low to mid 50's around town, and easily 60+ on the open road. Currently I'm getting mid 40's around town, and low 50's on the open road!

I'd greatly appreciate it if any tips could be given for driving techniques I can use to improve my fuel consumption.

[Mistermena]

I took delivery of my new Auris Hybrid 3 weeks ago - my first hybrid, and my first Toyota!!!

So far I am a little disappointed in the MPG - I realise it is very unlikely I'll achieve the official figures, but I'd hoped to achieve low to mid 50's around town, and easily 60+ on the open road. Currently I'm getting mid 40's around town, and low 50's on the open road!

I'd greatly appreciate it if any tips could be given for driving techniques I can use to improve my fuel consumption.

Welcome to TOC

I'm getting that kinda milage out of my Avensis T-180 estate! Hows the tyre pressure? As to driving techniques do you drive with a heavy right foot? Or do you think the car needs to go bacj to Mr T for a look see?

[Grumpy Cabbie]

Tyre pressures are especially important in hybrids. Check and make sure they are spot on. A couple psi down on one tyre does make a surprising difference.

Also, contrary to a 'normal' car the hybrids are more economical in summer. By more I mean about 10-15% more even using a/c. You should easily get 55 mpg in town and 65-70mpg on a run. In winter the engine runs more to provide warmth to the heater. If you are feeling brave you could switch off the climate control or reduce it siginificantly and see if that makes a difference to your economy.

One final point, it takes a wee ajustment in your driving style to get the absolute best out of the Toyota hsd. Get familiar to the guages and you will find your mpg's increase without affecting your performance or speed.

[cuius]

I'm just about to switch to the same car (subject to Spanish local government bureaucracy regarding a subsidy) from a 2.0 petrol automatic. I've averaged 38mpg with the latter, so low 50s will be a good starter

[Hybrid Harbour]

In order to maximize the fuel economy, you need to drive economically.

Engage Eco mode and try and keep the economy gauge in the first two green sections, you should never dip into the power section.

Anticipation and reading road ahead is the key to good economy, everything should be done smoothly.

My fuel consumption round town hovers around 67mpg with high 50's even on the motorway at 70mph.

Remember that all official figures are done in a controlled environment at optimal temperatures on a rolling road. Real world figures will always be different due to the huge number of variables.

If I cheat the system and reset the trip with a warm engine I can do a local run of 7 miles at 78.5mpg, and no, its not down hill all the way....:)

[Grumpy Cabbie]

If you try you really can squeeze some amazing mpg's out of the hybrids. I have the gen3 Prius which is pretty much the same running gear as the Auris hsd and at a steady 50 mph on the motorway construction zones I can get 75-80 mpg. The best mpg run I managed was last summer where I returned 91.1 mpg over 11.4 miles between Alwoodly in Leeds and Harrogate (up and down hills). I don't wish to repeat this as I would die of boredom trying, but it shows that that you can achieve silly mpg's out of an automatic petrol car that can carry 5 adults and do 0-60 in 10 seconds.

[cabcurtains]

If its new then it needs a few more miles on it before you can expect a full set of results, the poor thing is still bedding in :)

[ashpole]

If its new then it needs a few more miles on it before you can expect a full set of results, the poor thing is still bedding in :)

Agreed. Mine took two to three thousand miles to achieve its first sign of loosening up, and it continues to loosen.

If you're doing short runs or have (like me) traffic lights when you first start out in the morning, try putting the HSD into ECO mode - that will encourage the engine to cut out and not keep goings just to keep you warm!

[r04drunner1]

If you're doing short runs or have (like me) traffic lights when you first start out in the morning, try putting the HSD into ECO mode - that will encourage the engine to cut out and not keep goings just to keep you warm!

+1 re ECO mode.

Also it helps to turn the climate control system off when stationary (if you can put up with the cabin cold for a few minutes). The Internal Combustion Engine will more readily cut out. You can manually switch the c/c on when the car is moving and the ICE has fired up anyway to drive the wheels.

[Parts-King]

I have just swapped out of a Prius to an Auris Hybrid, the averge MPG is around 52 displayed on the OBC. My FD used it before me and the average was 44

As mentioned above, it will do far better in the summer and when it is run in which could be several thousands of miles

Kingo

[timberwolf]

I have just swapped out of a Prius to an Auris Hybrid, the averge MPG is around 52 displayed on the OBC. My FD used it before me and the average was 44

As mentioned above, it will do far better in the summer and when it is run in which could be several thousands of miles

Kingo

What is the OBC? Is it a generic term, e.g. On Board Computer or a Toyota Auris HSD specific bit of kit?

[Jan&tone]

I have just swapped out of a Prius to an Auris Hybrid, the averge MPG is around 52 displayed on the OBC. My FD used it before me and the average was 44

As mentioned above, it will do far better in the summer and when it is run in which could be several thousands of miles

Kingo

What is the OBC? Is it a generic term, e.g. On Board Computer or a Toyota Auris HSD specific bit of kit?

OBC = hybrid user-speak for on board computer...

[timberwolf]

I have just swapped out of a Prius to an Auris Hybrid, the averge MPG is around 52 displayed on the OBC. My FD used it before me and the average was 44

As mentioned above, it will do far better in the summer and when it is run in which could be several thousands of miles

Kingo

What is the OBC? Is it a generic term, e.g. On Board Computer or a Toyota Auris HSD specific bit of kit?

OBC = hybrid user-speak for on board computer...

Thanks.

I've never used it, and I drive a hybrid, but maybe I'm not a hybrid user-speaker, anyway it sounds very old fashioned to me...

[Parts-King]

I must have been in quick type mode too, FD = Finance Director

Kingo

[timberwolf]

I must have been in quick type mode too, FD = Finance Director

Kingo

Ooh, I had guessed that one correctly. Ta.

[smuddell]

Thanks everybody for your tips so far! I look forward to a few months time when I've done a couple of thousand miles and we have summer weather, hopefully I'll then get much better results! I did do a 5 mile trip this week while the engine was fully warm, and scored "Excellent" when turning off the power!!! But my overall average since refuelling on 28th Dec is sitting at 46.5mpg, assuming my OBC is accurate!!!

I checked my tyre pressures and all were near enough spot on!

Just a couple of other questions on the same topic :

1) The only advice the salesman gave was to "feather" the throttle, in other words once going a steady speed, to maintain speed lightly press the throttle, then release, press, release... Do other drivers use this technique, and is it more economical than keeping a steady light pressure on the throttle?

2) Braking : what is the most efficient way to approach a junction? I mean to maximise charge put into the Battery? Is it best to anticipate well in advance, and decelerate while barely touching the brake, or keep going steadily closer to the junction, and brake harder?

Thanks again!

[zetor]

Don't forget to use the "B" postion when going down hills this helps braking and puts a bit more energy back into the Battery.

[Sagitar]

Don't forget to use the "B" postion when going down hills this helps braking and puts a bit more energy back into the battery.

Sorry, but I think that is wrong. It's my understanding that the "B" uses the engine like an air pump in order to dissipate unwanted energy. In other words it throws energy away.

The following is a quote from another thread on this topic.

"Regenerative braking occurs when pressing on the brake pedal gently, up until the hybrid Battery is fully charged. Once the Battery is full (all bars full up green), the Prius computer switches to using mechanical braking only. On very long down hills, this can cause the mechanical brakes to overheat and lose effectiveness.

The B position makes the hybrid system use engine compression to slow the car, which saves the brakes, just like on a regular car with an automatic transmission.

Only use the B position when the Battery charge indicator is full up green. Using it during normal driving simply adds wear-and-tear to the engine and reduces gas mileage".

[zetor]

Seems there are several explanations exactley what the "B" position does but yes you are correct that it's mainly to slow the car and not so much putting energy back into the Battery although it has been noted in other posts that some energy can still charge the Battery, this thread does give a better explanation.

http://www.toyotaownersclub.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=119988&st=0

[Sagitar]

Seems there are several explanations exactley what the "B" position does but yes you are correct that it's mainly to slow the car and not so much putting energy back into the battery although it has been noted in other posts that some energy can still charge the battery, this thread does give a better explanation.

http://www.toyotaown...pic=119988&st=0

The Prius is very clever and in my experience always does its best to use energy efficiently. But some people have clearly got the impression that engaging "B" when going down hill will maximise Battery charging. I just wanted to make it clear that it is not the case. Whatever complexity we impute for the engagement of "B", its key function is to use the engine as a brake and thereby to throw away energy in heating the air that is pumped by the engine. Consequently, there is always less energy available for Battery charging when "B" is engaged than when it is not.

[Grumpy Cabbie]

Sagitar is correct. I know if I go down a long hill in D drive the HV Battery will be totally full at the bottom. If I use the B brake option, then when I get to the bottom of the hill the HV Battery is often 7/8 bars. This is good as you don't want to continually over fill the Hv Battery, even though I am aware that it is still far from full despite the indicator showing this.

[johalareewi]

The hybrid system is pretty clever and will do a sort of auto B mode if going downhill and the Battery is full and the main brakes aren't doing enough.

[timberwolf]

<snip>

Just a couple of other questions on the same topic :

1) The only advice the salesman gave was to "feather" the throttle, in other words once going a steady speed, to maintain speed lightly press the throttle, then release, press, release... Do other drivers use this technique, and is it more economical than keeping a steady light pressure on the throttle?

<snip>

From time to time, I'll try to adjust the accelerator pedal by lifting off a little and then re-apply the pedal to a position a bit higher than I had it set before, to see if I can drop the rpm or induce the engine to switch off. If I'm successful then I don't need to change the accelerator position again until my speed drops off (hopefully it does this slowly if I'm on a level road or going down a slight slope), or the road starts going up and in that case I have to apply more accelerator because otherwise I'd slow down a lot.

What you sacrifice is a slight drop in speed and then possibly a gradual drop off in speed if the road is fairly level. I guess it is sort of like a (very) mild pulse and glide, but you are not trying to pulse and then glide between an upper and lower speed limit or purposely trying to set a glide going with no ICE or electric assist.

I don't do enough mileage to know whether it saves much, but I think it ought to save some if you can get the engine to switch off and be going at nearly the same speed. I can't see how keeping a constant accelerator position would save fuel over inducing the ICE to switch off earlier?

[GreenJuice]

From time to time, I'll try to adjust the accelerator pedal by lifting off a little and then re-apply the pedal to a position a bit higher than I had it set before.....

It is a widely recommended technique and also in the Manual. I think it helps and do it instinctively now.

http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-iii-2010-prius-main-forum/89960-after-reaching-speed-what-does-taking-foot-off-accelerator-do.html

[timberwolf]

Thanks for the confirming that, I don't think the Gen 2 Owner's manual has that tip (at least I couldn't find it in the 2007 USA pdf version). I'm sure I must have read about it somewhere though.

I wonder if Toyota already knew it could be induced in that way by the driver, or if it was a case of some owners discovering that they could make the hybrid system do that?