is something wrong with my Toyota Prius 2006??

Question

My Prius performs a meager 33 mpg avg in the city (NYC). That´s 50% off from the EPA rating of 60 mpg... On the highway it does 45-50mpg.
Does anyone have the same problem?

I am conservative with the gas pedal and try to be as fuel efficient as possible, but in the city it seems impossible to get over 33mpg.

Answer 1

Try staying light on the throttle from stops, this will allow the electric motor to run more often than not increasing the fuel economy. Even if the gas motor runs at lower vehicle speeds it is not always running to power the vehicle but usually to recharge the (traction) battery.
Check out some Prius forums, it is my understanding that there people out there so obsessed with the mileage of their Prius they actually take there right shoe off for better acceleator "feel".
I do not recomend this however as it could be dangerous and is actually illegal in some places.
Always bear in mind that this is not by any means a conventional vehicle and requires a different style of driving.
Try checking out EPA.gov on the internet to see how they arrive at their figures for fuel economy as the window sticker numbers are not issued by the manufacturer but rather the EPA.

Answer 2

I also have an '06 Prius. Our overall mileage is 45 MPG. I have read that the EPA rating used in advertisements is often under idealized circumstances and that your actual mileage won't necessarily be as good as claimed. It's more of a yardstick than a guaranteed value.

Your MPG should be higher in the city than on the freeway. While you are driving, why don't you check the power output monitor screen every now and then to see how your hybrid system battery is charging? If your hybrid battery does not have enough juice, then the engine will run more often to charge it.

One more thing, do you always have multiple devices on while you are driving? (Examples: headlights, heater or a/c on High, CD player...)

Also, when you are driving in stop and go traffic, how hard are you accelerating? If you drive your Prius like a Mustang and hit the accelerator hard, your mileage will be as bad as that of a Mustang. Try accelerating slower. I noticed on the energy monitor screen that while I am accelerating, even when accelerating slowly, the MPG drops to 11-15 MPG and that when I stop accelerating, the MPG stabilizes at 45 MPG.

I hope this helps. If not, then take at look at your User's Manual. If that still doesn't help, then you can call your dealer for advice (especially if you purchased the extended warranty service: I did!!)

Answer 3

Hybrids as well as most petrol cars don't reflect EPA ratings in real world driving conditions. Most Prius owners average about 40-50 mpg depending on driving conditions. 33 is quite low, however maybe the car still needs to be worn in. Also cold weather cold also have an effect on your gas mileage.

Answer 4

This is common on these vehicles. Hybrid's are way over rated.

To get decent mileage with a Prius

Coast when ever possible

Be VERY light on the throttle.

Avoid coming to a complete stop when possible

Drive the posted speed limit.

Driving the way they recommend driving the Hybrids, you would get good fuel economy with any car.

The way the EPA calculates fuel mileage is very outdated and inaccurate. The vehicle is basically placed on a treadmill and driven at a constant speed with no accessories running.

The manufacturers don't want this changed because the window sticker shows the vehicle gets better fuel economy than it really does. They just add the disclaimer that "Your mileage may vary"

Answer 5

You may want to bring this question to the forums at priuschat.com. However, two things I know can effect MPG are the oil level (check that it does not go above the 'full' mark) and the tire pressure.

33 is really low. You should be able to get at least 40 without trying.

Also, how long is your typical commute? Shorter trips tend to result in lower MPG as well.

Answer 6

I do agree with the first answer in having it checked, but I suspect the problem lies with how fast you go. To my understanding, in lower speeds the Prius goes with the electric system and in higher speeds it switches over to the gas system because the electric can no longer keep up. If you are hitting the gas too fast or too hard for too long then it is staying in gas mode and not using much of that mileage in the electric side, so you aren't getting the mileage you should because it is being eaten up in using the gas system too much.

Answer 7

I have read that the milage with the Prius varies per vehicle. I would have it checked by the dealer - especially if it is still under warranty - just to be sure nothing is causing the low milage. If they cannot find something wrong, there is really nothing you can do.

Answer 8

in the city there is traffic and while the car is running you are wasting gas still even if you are easy on the gas pedal that is why you get better milage on the highway

Answer 9

DON'T buy American. American cars are crap. Your much better off staying with a Toyota

Answer 10

yeah it's a toyota. buy american.