Prius Smoking occasionally

[PriusMoh]

Hello everyone

I recently brought a 63 plate Prius Hybrid Import 2 months ago.

I'm in the process of sorting all the niggly things wrong with it. 

Drives great, however recently especially now with the colder weather I've noticed now and again it starts smoking. Not sure why.

Is this due to condensation or the car dumping emissions etc - I've not had it serviced and someone mentioned it's probably spark plugs.

I've posted a pic, sorry doesn't let me post a video. 

When it goes nick into eco and ev it the smoke cuts and general driving and motorway it doesn't really smoke. More so I've noticed it first thing in the morning or when stationary and not in eco/ev mode.

Thanks

[Joseph D]

Are you sure it is smoke and not steam?  If it is steam, this would be normal on cold mornings.

[PriusMoh]

Not 100% sure but I've noticed my mpg has dropped too from averaging high 50s to mid 40s.

Mpg is increasing slowly but mog has dipped same time I noticed the smoking.

[TonyHSD]

This is not a smoke but steam.
More steam better fuel burning and cleaning from cat converter. 
Nothing wrong with it. 
 

[PriusMoh]

Okay so it's normal. Most of the time it doesn't do it but now and again it smokes quite a bit but drives fine

[taxidriver50005]

This looks normal to me, even newer corolla does the same, mpg drop is normal as temp drops because motor kicks in to supply hot water for cabin heater. 

 

[Toyota Auris hybrid 2017]

I am facing same thing.

did you find anything ?

[TonyHSD]

58 minutes ago, Toyota Auris hybrid 2017 said:

I am facing same thing.

did you find anything ?

It’s normal , this is not an issue and the only surprise here is that so many drivers find it strange. Every car does that, except electric ones obviously. 

[Joseph D]

It's normal if it is cold & humid outdoors and it is steam coming out the exhaust, not smoke.

Steam and smoke are two very different things.  One is normal, and the other is not.

[Cyker]

The mpg drop is just to the cold weather making the engine take longer to get to operating temperature (One downside of the near-diesel efficiency of the engine is, like diesel, it doesn't generate much waste heat so some efficiency is lost from heat getting soaked into the block to warm it up to operating temp).

The steam is a normal but interesting thing with the hybrids - Because they rarely run at low load, they produce noticeably more steam in cold weather than idling ICE cars as they are charging the Battery and generating heat for the cabin, but then they'll stop when the Battery has enough charge and the steam will also stop... until the Battery drains and the engine starts up again!