here are the L 100km/MPG ratings(city/highway) by Toyota Canada for the prius
4.0/4.2 (71/67)
But isn't it true that for the average driver who doesn't drive a hybrid any differently than a normal car will only get around 40 to 50 city?

 

You've got two generalizations and a 10+ MPG band, in one sentence. I'm not touching it.

 

I'll touch it...

First generalization: the average driver.
Second: hybrid. Are you talking about the Prius or the Lexus? Be specific.
Third: doesn't drive a hybrid any differently than a normal car.

When you buy a hybrid, one of three things happens (this is my theory):
1. You change your driving habits (to get the most out of your investment/use it for what it was intended/get the best mileage/etc).
2. You change your driving habits for a while, then go back to the old you.
3. You don't change at all.

Some people naturally drive in a way that saves Fuel Economy. They're not aggressive, don't speed, coast rather than brake, accel slowly, etc. Many of these habits are just common sense. These particular ones happen to aid in FE.

Others drive like Georgia idiots. I live in GA so I can say this with some authority. Pretty much the opposite of the above.

I drove a 99 Honda Prelude until three weeks ago when I got my Prius. I don't have to floor it, I drive more slowly, rarely above the limit. I'm less aggressive; more easygoing. And my FE is steadily rising. My worst tank so far is 42.5mpg, from driving the freeway at 85mph with the A/C on. My best is 48.8.

Read this forum. Look at the tank histories of the better drivers, like the one who has over 12k miles and averages 71.1mpg. Look at the histories of the worst ones, too. Remember that you can't compare apples to oranges and there aren't a lot of mileage databases for Hummer H2's, so it's hard to say what an average driver will do.

Personally, if you think you won't change your driving habits after buying a Prius, shouldn't you still be happy with 40-50? I'm getting almost 50 and I'm not satisfied, so I'm working on improving it.

 

I agree. I think the number one way to improve mileage, regardless if you have a Hybrind or not is to change how you drive. It is possible to meet and beat EPA figures if one learns to drive a Hybrid and I do believe there is an "art" or way to drive one to maximize mileage. I am on my 3rd tank in 1322 miles and my best mileage was 56 and my worst 39mpg. The 39mpg was my first time driving a Hybrid and I didn't know how to drive it. The best mileage was after I had some miles under my belt and had learned to drive it more efficiently. My 3rd tank (and mileage was down from my best) I offered to friends to drive my new Prius and they drove it like a traditional car-petal to the metal. Result-almost 10mpg worst from the prvious tank. Driving profile about the same so the only difference was two "in-experienced" hybrid drivers.

 

IMHO, I think, that if the normal people change their habits only a little (go slow, coast more often, brake little, maintain speed, no rush accel, etc), they will see a lot of improvement in their MPG figures. That will encourage them to refine their driving habits, and align it towards the particualr car that they are driving.

I am still on my first tank of gas, and I am getting 64.5 MPG .. a positive proof of a little effort goes a long way .. (in distance as well!!!

 

uh remember guys canada has different ways to test their cars. The way their rating system is setup is a bit different than Americans so think of it as EPA +10 percent or something whenever you read a Canadian label fuel economy sticker.

edit: blarg, actually the system is not that much different at all, just a few modifications, those are IMPERIAL GALLONS now that I took a closer look! http://oee.nrcan.gc.ca/english/index...=N&PrintView=N

Its very possible to gain 70 mpg(US) tanks with a prius and even more!

http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1224

the power of pulsing & coasting in action.

 

I believe the Prius is a superior behavior modification device. However, my girlfriend can't seem to avoid her aggressive driving tactics, even in the Prius. She continues to press the gas pedal when she should be coasting, she tailgates and passes people who are going too slowly for her taste, etc. The end result is she gets about 40mpg and I get about 51 mpg on average.

 

well even 40mpg is far superior to any other car of its size isnt it?

the only types that can come close to that are tiny ones like the smart, fit, yaris, and so on.

note: Canadian Prius's MSRP is $32,000CAD, and the american prius is about $24,000CAD. so , you could potentially sell to a canadian and have plenty of profit .

 

4.0/4.2 l/100km is 59/56 mpg respectively, in US gallons. 71mpg (using the gallon used in the database here) would be 3.3 l/100km, so your confusion is coming in from the fact that there are two different definitions of "gallon" being discussed.

 

i got it straight from here. i never realised before that 71mpg is not 4.0 litres.

http://www.toyota.ca/cgi-bin/WebObje...169040e%2ehtml