Prius+ Vs Prius Gen 3 From 2009

[Joseph D]

Forgot to check the range after refilling but 49 quid for a fill from nearly empty is a refreshing change!

Ahh, Hehe. I remember my first Prius fill too. It still puts a smile on my face when I think back on it. I was also amazed that my tank was 20% smaller but I got significantly more miles from a tank compared to my previous ride, nice though it was - V6 3 litre Camry.

A suggestion, consider tracking your tanks in Fuelly (Fuelly FAQ) or similar site. If you're like me you'll find that you can glean all sorts of useful info about your car over time. I won't be offended if you don't feel inclined to use Fuelly, though, I know it's not for everyone.

[Grumpy Cabbie]

But if you do make sure you select UK gallons and mpg's as the US gallon is much smaller - 3.7 litres compared to our 4.54 litres.

[Ten Ninety]

Have you tried getting back into the Prius+ and adopting your new techniques there? I'd be interested to see just how much of a difference there is between the two in reality when driven in the same way.

[kithmo]

5 mpg.

[OldSkoO1]

The wife has already swapped out of the prius+ as it wasn't her car. However having driven it numerous times, admittedly without trying to avoid provoking ev i rarely managed to get to 70mpg.

The lifetime average of the car was 47mpg when I first got in it. I reset the trip b and after several journeys of experimentation I managed to coax about 68 absolute maximum over a full journey. That involved a lot of pulse and glide, plenty of coasting and limited speeds. The same route and the same techniques saw 78mpg in my gen 3 but avoiding provoking ev has added about 3-5mpg.

My wife managed 53mpg driven normally without any special techniques and I managed low 60s driven normally.

I know I elaborated but the previously poster said it all. I'm getting 65mpg on my work route average. The plus was 58-62.

Whichever way you cut it, an incredible achievement for such a large 7 seat / big boot car!

[OldSkoO1]

One thing I have noticed since getting this gen 3 2010 model is no ev logo.

I can't recall seeing the ev logo come up on the dash even when it appears the car is running on electric motor at low speeds.

Is this normal or should I be seeing an ev logo.

I thought it shows next to that hollow box that says Eco in it when you accelerate below the red pwr bar... Or do these 2010 models not have the ev logo?

Thanks

[Joseph D]

… can't recall seeing the ev logo come up on the dash even when it appears the car is running on electric motor at low speeds.

Is this normal or should I be seeing an ev logo. ...

You recall correctly, the EV logo only illuminates when you manually select EV mode by pressing the EV button. So, yes, it is normal and no, you shouldn't see an EV logo.

[OldSkoO1]

Thank you

Confused me as the wife's prius+ illuminated an ev logo when it auto switched to run on ev.

Thanks for confirming

[kithmo]

Thank you

Confused me as the wife's prius+ illuminated an ev logo when it auto switched to run on ev.

Thanks for confirming

Yes, I quite like that feature :)

[APS]

Agree - that is a great and simple feature. I thought all Prius did that but clearly not then. One for the wish list!

Sent from my iPhone

[OldSkoO1]

I realised today just how sensitive to conditions a super efficient hybrid can be.

Since getting the gen3 I have regularly seen around 63-65mpg on my commute with a perfect day and excessive hypermiling achieving well into the 70s.

Today it bucketed down with rain, tonnes of standing water, rain still pouring, lots of traffic too, very inconsistent speeds and economy fell by nearly 10mpg to 57mpg. Whilst still excellent I was surprised rain could have such a big affect. I reckon I lost a little to too much slowing down and speeding up

[Grumpy Cabbie]

Rain makes a big difference to mpg's as you're discovering. It isn't that hybrids are super sensitive, it's just that the same percentage loss is more noticeable. A 4 mpg loss at 30 mpg is an 8 mpg loss at 60 mpg. One isn't gonna notice a 3 mpg drop in a 2.0 petrol Mondeo, but you will notice it in a Prius - but only because you're now looking ;)

[OldSkoO1]

Of course yes that does make sense

Thinking about it, the drop is relative to the conditions. A 10% drop on my other car is only 2mpg and judging by the driving conditions I think I would more likely see a 20% drop so the prius actually did remarkably well.

I have also realised that for short journeys it probably isn't so good. It defiantly suffers that first mile, struggling to reach 30mpg. For the next few miles, totally possible to hit 40-50mpg but unlikely to hit 60+ mpg unless you are fully warmed and taking it steady on the a-roads and / or in and about town. Luckily my commute is perfect.

Even so in all conditions, for any duration it uses 3x less fuel than my jaguar. I get about 12mpg running my daughter to school down the road, prius does just about hit 40mpg. Remarkable really!!

[Ten Ninety]

Welcome to the world of high mpg and increased sensitivity to conditions! I was initially surprised at how much standing water is a drag, as well. The wind factor is also much more noticeable up at the rarefied end of economy figures. And - as you've found - the cold engine period can make a massive impact on short journeys. I once reset the trip computer after the engine had warmed up 3 miles into my commute. For the remaining 29 miles I averaged 92.5mpg on the MFD, compared to my usual summer average of around 80mpg on the display.

There is also the 'apparently completely random' factor which - after a year of trying to tie it down - still baffles me. On at least one journey each week I will find my average dropping by up to 10mpg for absolutely no discernible reason. There is no relationship to weather, temperature, congestion or indicated Battery charge level but the real-time mpg meter will be notably lower throughout the journey and the average for the journey will be hit. The only thing I can think of is some kind of Battery conditioning process that kicks in from time to time and puts extra drain on the engine.

Whatever the case, the advice posted by a long-term member on here a while back (not sure who, possibly GC) is definitely true: Individual journey averages are interesting but of no real value given the multitude of factors which come into play. The only meaningful comparison is over at least a full tank.

[Grumpy Cabbie]

Whatever the case, the advice posted by a long-term member on here a while back (not sure who, possibly GC) is definitely true: Individual journey averages are interesting but of no real value given the multitude of factors which come into play. The only meaningful comparison is over at least a full tank.

This.

[OldSkoO1]

I confess to now being obsessed with maximising mpg

As I said earlier it's like a game. I'm not driving carelessly or slowly, I'm following traffic but trying to use techniques as I go.

I'm observed the following, taking my daughter to school which is 1 mile away I just about get 40mpg

Journeys that are > 1mile and <10miles I get around 55mpg

Journeys >10miles I get into the 60+mpg range unless it's less than perfect conditions like rain, heavy traffic so ev drains etc.

Overall this last tank I'm averaging 61mpg but I haven't filled up yet so not calculated.,

I was hoping for a bit more as I like to push expectations.,I can exceed my other cars official average of 21mpg so I was hoping to break 70mpg but it's very very hard.

I has 1 other question, my car has the bumper sensors, I have reversing camera too but I don't appear to have the proximity beeping, are the bumper sensors just for the auto park or am I missing something to get them to beep whilst I park?

[Guest]

Mine is the other way round. I get the camera reverse bleeping and the sensor bleeping at the same time, but at least the parking sensors get more frantic as I near an object and eventually goes constant about 12 inches (30cm) away.

[Grumpy Cabbie]

It's not hard to break 70+ mpg. You just need the right conditions and right oil and tyres.

Seriously, if I can manage it anyone can. You won't manage it with hills or high speed driving though. Just keep it a steady 50/55 mph on the flat and you'll manage it and more. Honestly. Stick at a steady 50 mph and you'll manage 80/90+ mpg for the duration of that speed. If you don't then there's something astray. My old girl still does it even after a hard life.

[OldSkoO1]

I cheated a bit on a trip out today from Staffordshire into the Peak District, pretty hilly in parts and I reset the trip after the engine was warm, only because I did the same trip in the other car recently and reset the trip in the same place. Anyway, literally 69.9mpg by the time I parked up. I was tempted to drive around the car park just to get it to 70.

Very impressed because it was a real mix of 30mph, 40-60mph and 70mph dual carriageways.

The trip back I reset from the very beginning and got 65mpg.

I did observe something odd. I don't like to hold people up and of was doing 73-74mph on cruise. Incredible to see 50mpg on the instant mpg gauge going UP reasonable inclines. But most interestingly the car returned better mpg at 73mpg than it did when I tried to slow to. 68mpg.

I don't know whether it was an anomaly or whether there is something linked to engine rpm but there was a clear difference and 68mph is too annoying to others any how.

[johalareewi]

I has 1 other question, my car has the bumper sensors, I have reversing camera too but I don't appear to have the proximity beeping, are the bumper sensors just for the auto park or am I missing something to get them to beep whilst I park?

There might be an on/off switch for the rear sensors. There are some old posts on here that say such a switch was behind the rear light cluster. So pop off the inside cover for the rear light cluster and see if there is a loose switch floating around. If there is, it could well be the rear sensors on/off switch.

The rear sensors were part of a dealer fit option pack hence the random places for the switch if one was fitted.

[OldSkoO1]

Thank you i will take a look

Talking about dealer fit, is it possible to have the door cards replaced with the ones that contain the sun blinds?

Also on a technical point what is the best way to run your car in the morning from cold? I'm down a 1 mile stretch of road which is a 20mph road, perfect for EV mode. Should i run it on EV (flat ground), doing so makes it go from 80% to about 30%. Or should i use plenty of throttle to get the engine warmer sooner and glide more... doing this i only get about 30mpg vs 99.9mpg display on EV only, but do i have to pay back mpg for the Battery regen after coming off EV.

[Joseph D]

... Also on a technical point what is the best way to run your car in the morning from cold? I'm down a 1 mile stretch of road which is a 20mph road, perfect for EV mode. Should i run it on EV (flat ground), doing so makes it go from 80% to about 30%. Or should i use plenty of throttle to get the engine warmer sooner and glide more... doing this i only get about 30mpg vs 99.9mpg display on EV only, but do i have to pay back mpg for the battery regen after coming off EV.

Just to clarify, when you talk of EV mode, do you mean forcing EV by pressing the EV switch?

A note on terminology, it is confusing to talk of percentages when referring to the HV Battery. It is better to talk of how many bars. I'm presuming you mean 6 bars (80%) to 2 bars (30%).

Assuming the answer to the above question is yes, then my answer to your question is, it depends on what you have after the 1 mile stretch. If it is a longish downhill where you can do 30+ mph and providing you can start with a fully charged HV Battery, then it could be ok to force the car to EV on the 1 mile stretch, as long as you disengage when you get to the down-hill. Otherwise it is ill-advised to force the car into EV mode. Not only will you "pay the piper" by using petrol to replenish the HV, you will increase wear on the HV by having regular long discharge/recharge cycles.

The general advice is it is seldom a good idea to try to second guess the HV control system.

[kithmo]

The front bumper sensors on the corners of the bumpers are for the Intelligent Park Assist, where it finds a space as you drive by and parks the car in the space for you with you controlling the brake and gas.

[OldSkoO1]

Joseph yes it was me forcing EV by pressing the button. And also correct as you said around 6 bars falling to 2 - 3 bars by the time i get to the dual carriageway.

Perhaps it is better overall to let the car do its thing.

If i don't mess with anything, at 20mph it seems to tickle a long with about a 1/3rd of the HSI showing on the EV side but its running on ICE.. but i read this is inefficient at such light throttle. Should i accelerate faster up to 3/4 on the ICE side and just glide it.

It probably wouldn't matter i'm just obsessing... :)

[Joseph D]

Joseph yes it was me forcing EV by pressing the button. And also correct as you said around 6 bars falling to 2 - 3 bars by the time i get to the dual carriageway.

Perhaps it is better overall to let the car do its thing.

If i don't mess with anything, at 20mph it seems to tickle a long with about a 1/3rd of the HSI showing on the EV side but its running on ICE.. but i read this is inefficient at such light throttle. Should i accelerate faster up to 3/4 on the ICE side and just glide it.

I'm not too au fait with the Gen III HSI, but I don't think that is bad. Also, the trouble with that stage of your drive is it is going through its warm up cycle and there is not much you can do about it. The mpg's only look bad because you're going so slow. The good news is that it should be ready to go and give you good mpgs by the time you get to the dual carriageway.

20 mph is a stupidly slow speed (IMHO) and it would be hard to glide, but if you could be bothered you could try pulsing 2 mph above then glide to 2 mph below, which would be better. Might be fun to try.

It probably wouldn't matter i'm just obsessing... :)

It's a sad by-product of owning a Prius HSD. :)