25 Votes

2007 Toyota Prius: Real-World Mileage

Agent009 submitted on 10/23/2006 Official Bell & Ross Timestamp: 3:04:59 PM

57 user comments | Category: Spy Shots | Source: | SOURCE: blogs.cars.com

Tell someone you drive a Toyota Prius, and they might conclude you also enjoy tofu scramble and "West Wing" reruns.

Rest assured, I have no idea how tofu ever got scrambled, and I’m no "Wing"-man either. But I did get considerable seat time in a 2007 Prius Touring Edition last week.

The Prius has been praised for bringing hybrid technology to the masses, but many have criticized its real-world gas mileage, which is nowhere near EPA estimates. I averaged just 34 mpg in a 104-mile week of frugal, A/C-free driving. That’s a far cry from the car’s window sticker, which reads a lofty 60 mpg in city driving and 51 mpg on the highway. New EPA regulations for the 2008 model year are reportedly going to lower mileage estimates on hybrids by roughly 30%.

More photos in our auto show photo galleries...

Auto Show photo galleries!!!! Click here

Read Article

About the Author

"If everything seems under control, you're just not going fast enough."
— Agent009 (View Profile)

User Comments

34 mpg isn't worth the sacrifice of having to drive that.
— Autoegr525 (View Profile)

Posted on 10/23/2006 3:13:48 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 5

How many times have I said that hybrids get very inflated EPA ratings that are actually much lower in real life?
— chewy (View Profile)

Posted on 10/23/2006 3:20:22 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 4

WOW If that's true, that's a big passiv for Toyota!

Than I'll take new European Honda Civic 4-doors HYBRID!!!
— OBSERVER1984 (View Profile)

Posted on 10/23/2006 3:25:14 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3

Btw that's an idea. Make a comparison between 2007 Prius and 2007 Euro Civic Hybrid!!!
— OBSERVER1984 (View Profile)

Posted on 10/23/2006 3:27:47 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3

Contrary to what you guys might think, I don't hate hybrids, but with a 30% decrease in the EPA test milage (as the article suggest) they will appear a lot less spectacular, that is all that I have been saying.
— chewy (View Profile)

Posted on 10/23/2006 3:43:07 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 4

Will- you will like this link

http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060424/FREE/60417021&SearchID=73244466514443
— IamEvilHomer (View Profile)

Posted on 10/24/2006 2:38:42 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: -1

I own a Prius and a BMW 540iA. I am telling you that I got 45mpg average since new. It has more than 14K on the odometer now. Most owners get upper 40s mpg. If you drive very very carefully (by learning the SKILLs), you can get 50s for long commutes. My commute is only 15-miles. I am very happy with what I get. BTW, I don't drive like gramma, either. I keep up with SF Bay Area traffic.

Don't believe those auto-testers' MPG. Trust the real owners.
Go to PriusChat.com to see real world mileage people are getting. If your commute is less than 5 miles in distance, you could get 30s MPG. The hybrids need to warm up to be efficient.

BTW, the Prius suspension sucks. Other than that, it is a great commute vehicle.

— ceric (View Profile)

Posted on 10/23/2006 5:54:27 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1

The prius gets much better millage in the city but give me a TDI any day

my dad has the new jetta TDI and he gets almost 50 mgg driving up the mountians each day to work
— IamEvilHomer (View Profile)

Posted on 10/24/2006 2:41:38 AM | | Votes: 2

Yes, if you want to drive very carefully like Miss Daisy you can obtain mid 40's to mid 50's in MPG. And your just one person. I would probably guess that 60-70% of Prius owners actually get that milage where as the others are getting low 30's to high 40's.

It's just not worth it. Thankfully Honda came out and offered a Hybrid car with some sort of interior and driving ability instead of that shoebox the Prius.

Give me a 2.0T or similar type engine that gets me in the high 20's and I'll be happy. Low 30's on the highway.
— Mark (View Profile)

Posted on 10/24/2006 7:08:19 AM | | Votes: 2

The Prius Would Loose Horribly

My Brother Uses a 2006 Golf 2.0GT TDI and regularly reaches 60Mpg
— I95SPEEDINGTICKETS (View Profile)

Posted on 10/23/2006 5:56:04 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2

well, most ppl bought them in the dc metro area for access to the hov lanes
— luvmybmr (View Profile)

Posted on 10/23/2006 6:10:10 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2

That is messed up, California has this also, it just creates more traffic. BTW Will, the new (coming in a year or so) VW Jetta 2.0 TDI with at least 140 hp will definately get above 34 mpg in real-world fuel economy.
— chewy (View Profile)

Posted on 10/23/2006 7:23:59 PM | | Votes: 2

but luv, that's going to change for next year. Hybrids won't be excluded from ticketing on HOV.
— Mark (View Profile)

Posted on 10/24/2006 7:09:37 AM | | Votes: 2

well thank god i didnt buy one.. it was inevitable, we all knew the hov thing wasnt going to last for that long neway. too bad for lexus sales. as for bmw ..
hip hip hooray!!!
— luvmybmr (View Profile)

Posted on 10/24/2006 3:56:41 PM | | Votes: 1

Hell I get that in my 02 Honda Civic EX coupe if I drive leisurely with the AC on.
T
— TauronLB (View Profile)

Posted on 10/23/2006 6:43:05 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2

Amazing, he journeyed 104 whole miles. Incredible. Atleast the guy admitted he had the A/C on.
— huu76 (View Profile)

Posted on 10/23/2006 7:26:54 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1

OH, no A/C. I think I'll believe Consumer Reports, Consumer Guide, Popular Mechanics and Road & Track first.
— huu76 (View Profile)

Posted on 10/23/2006 7:30:24 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1

I find that hard to believe, I've owned many Toyota/Lexus brans with 4, 6, and 8 cylinders and measured the mpg on all and they come very close to what the manufacture sugests.
— Designer1 (View Profile)

Posted on 10/23/2006 7:38:36 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -1

Hopefully you wont get stoned! :(

But what you said is 100% true. They'll ignore the numbers, or call them "insignifcant" or go completely off topic and start talking about how "Lexus is a Toyota!"

You know, the usual...

— Anthony (View Profile)

Posted on 10/23/2006 10:02:26 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 4

I'm so tired of that bs.

To be fair though, you Toyota and Lexus guys do talk alot of smack about reliability, even though you actually have the right to do so in your case.
— Anthony (View Profile)

Posted on 10/23/2006 10:06:45 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 4

That 1.5-liter engine is obviously a little underpowered when it comes to highway driving. There, the engine struggles. Hence the Prius not reaching its claimed fuel economy.

Driving style is also important. Knowing how most Americans drive, I am not surprised the Prius doesn't reach its full potential.
— BMW530i (View Profile)

Posted on 10/23/2006 9:16:31 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -1

530i,
The 1.5L is still better than Citroen's hunk of junk 1.0L, the same Citroen acclaimed by the Europeans as being the "greenest" company...in Europe perhaps.

Remember Honda's 1.6L engine? The Prius isn't that much heavier than a Civic.
— huu76 (View Profile)

Posted on 10/23/2006 9:33:00 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2

ricemaster visit this link

http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060424/FREE/60417021&SearchID=73244466514443
— IamEvilHomer (View Profile)

Posted on 10/24/2006 2:42:23 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1

huu76,

Why are we comparing the Citroen engine here? Who cares about their 1.0 engine? It's probably fitted to a lighter car than the 1.5 engine in the Prius.

That said, I THINK the 1.5 gas engine of the Prius struggles to move the car when on the highway. That and driving style and conditions are the only explanations I can think off.
— BMW530i (View Profile)

Posted on 10/24/2006 5:27:05 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: -1

It looks like hybrid lowers seem to ingnore real people driving hybrids and getting poor milage (decent milage but extremely poor compared to the grossly overinflated EPA numbers) Here is an article that compared fuel economy over a ONE year span with many miles, cars and drivers, in the real world mixed driving. Guess what? Hybrids once again post numbers WAY below the EPA ratings.

http://auto.consumerguide.com/Articles/index.cfm/act/featuredarticles/article/FA_CG_FUEL_CHAMPS.html
— chewy (View Profile)

Posted on 10/23/2006 8:34:12 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0

You missed my mentioned Consumer Guide up above. This is the 3rd time someone has referenced this link, and again the Prius was removed from the testing because it was "TOO" good. 45mpg real world, listed as a compact but near interior space of a mid-size. Please look at that article again.
— huu76 (View Profile)

Posted on 10/23/2006 9:30:33 PM | | Votes: 1

can wait to see the first diesel hybrid.
— tecnopolis (View Profile)

Posted on 10/23/2006 8:52:25 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3

Thats BS,Someone is out to get Toyota,and give them a name!Was this study made by a German auto maker?
— 2JZSoarer (View Profile)

Posted on 10/23/2006 9:17:30 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0

Still, 45 for the Prius is WAY smaller than the EPA overestimates. That is my entire point.
— chewy (View Profile)

Posted on 10/23/2006 9:41:25 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0

Please get over the EPA.
— Anthony (View Profile)

Posted on 10/23/2006 10:00:44 PM | | Votes: 5

Well, that is my main complaint. With real numbers hybrids would be a lot less impressive. There would be much less smug in the world as well.
— chewy (View Profile)

Posted on 10/23/2006 10:09:38 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -1

Yes, but normal car milage will drop in between 10-20% (stuff like displacement on demand on the higher 20% side) Hybrids will drop at least 30% on the new EPA test. This has been proven in the real world driving many times.
— chewy (View Profile)

Posted on 10/24/2006 3:43:59 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1

The 1.5 may be adequate in horsepower, but it probably lacks torque. Let's face it, you won't be extracting much torque from a 1.5-l engine. Torque is essential to quicker acceleration and thus BETTER FUEL ECONOMY.

Who cares aboutt the supposed smoothness or refinement of this engine? It can be the smoothest 4-cylinder in the world but that will have zero effect on the fuel economy.

IMHO, the gas engine is underpowered, plain and simple.
— BMW530i (View Profile)

Posted on 10/24/2006 5:33:07 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0

The 1.5 may be low on torque, but that's what the electric engine doubles as. The advantage is that the electric engine doesn't eat up fuel when it does run, unlike a larger displacement gas engine.
— huu76 (View Profile)

Posted on 10/24/2006 7:02:11 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2

The Prius is just a stripped down Lexus full of D batteries. Fill your Lexus with batteries and see what kind of mileage you get. ;)
— CBR2200 (View Profile)

Posted on 10/24/2006 2:14:58 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: -2

The comment about fuel is totally true..... For every single vehicle out there! The EPA estimates will be revised, and you'll see them drop on every car. So to take shots at just hybrids is taking a shallow view on everything. Furthermore, hybrid owners don't buy the cars to save money on gas, that's just a minimal added bonus. They buy them because it's environmentally responsible. When those vehicles are putting out 70% less emissions then regular cars, you'll just be doing something considerate for your children. The resale value is higher, the batteries are environmentally benign, and you do get a nice tax credit as well.

About the torque, if you read up and do a little homework, you would know that because of the CVT transmission combined with the electric motor(s), they deliver almost 100% of their torque immediately, so you don't have to wait for the RPM to spin up. It disspells the stigma that they are under powered. I have driven the prius, the honda accord, the RX400h, and the GS450h hybrids; and they all keep up with, and up with (and in the Lexus cases) beat all average cars on the road. So the torque arguement is invalid and faux!
— Lordvader (View Profile)

Posted on 10/24/2006 3:31:17 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3

Hybrids will get a much bigger drop (if the EPA actually designs a test that follows the real world)
— chewy (View Profile)

Posted on 10/24/2006 7:56:57 PM | | Votes: -1

It may be a bigger drop, but in the end hybrids will still get better mileage and emissions, and the fuel will cost less too.

On the flip side, if you happen to want performance, you get more of it for the same or even less gas. Currently there's nothing to compete against a hybrid Accord and Camry.

But when the new EPA ratings come out, we'll all have to find something else to fault hybrids on right?
— huu76 (View Profile)

Posted on 10/24/2006 11:20:26 PM | | Votes: 2

I should clarify, my previous post was directed at straight diesels.
— huu76 (View Profile)

Posted on 10/24/2006 11:21:18 PM | | Votes: 1

Diesels will get equal/better fuel economy, with equal/better perfromance with just about the same emmisions.
— chewy (View Profile)

Posted on 10/24/2006 11:29:31 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: -1

Whatever.
— chewy (View Profile)

Posted on 10/25/2006 1:30:09 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0

if any of you guys BOTHERED to read the comments below the review, less than 1 in 10 prius OWNERS claimed to also get as low as 34 mpg.

the remaining 9/10 say they AVERAGE about 48 mpg+. the range seemed roughly 45 - 53, with some approaching 55 mpg on a regular basis on trips.

bottom line: the article is either total BS, or the reviewed is totally INCOMPETENT as an econo driver.
— XYZZ (View Profile)

Posted on 10/25/2006 7:42:57 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1

reviewer, that is.
— XYZZ (View Profile)

Posted on 10/25/2006 8:53:55 AM | | Votes: 1

Add your Comments

Images hosted in your AgentSpace can now be posted in the comments section using the following syntax (case matters): [img]IMAGE URL[/img]
Example: [img]http://agent001.myautospies.com/images/sample.jpg[/img]

Email Me When Someone Replies To My Message

2007 Toyota Prius: Real-World Mileage

About the Author

User Comments

Add your Comments

Submit an article

Photo Galleries

Cars

Autoshows

Latest Articles