In this article, they say the Prius gets “can save about 20% on fuel consumption.”
Well, I used to drive a four cylinder '93 Honda Accord, which was classed as “compact”, and, on my daily commute of mixed highway and city driving, I got about 28 mpg. That’s without the AC in this gawdawful hot weather, because the AC died a couple years before I got the new car. With my Prius, AC damn-well on, I get about 47 mpg (the computer tells me I get about 49 mpg, but it appears to be consistently off by about 1-2 gallons in the positive direction). My Prius has more passenger and cargo space than my old accord did. I’m using the AC over the same commute, and the milage increase over the Honda is about 68%. I routinely drive about 500 miles before having to refill the 12-gallon tank (which is never less than a gallon above empty when I refill). Where are they getting this 20% number? 20% better than a subcompact?
Another guy at work also has a Prius, and he is reporting much the same milage as myself. He drives more slowly than I do, typically, and is really getting more like 50 mpg, again a combined city-highway commute. In his old Camry he got about 25 over the same route, so he says. That’s a 100% increase over his last car.
So, Prius owners, perhaps there’s a misinformation campaign out there.
What are you getting for milage? Can you describe your typical commute?
Plus, comparing their mileage to a Honda Accord is also going to low-ball the improvement… to be fair, you should compare it to a station wagon or mid-sized SUV, in which case you’d probably be looking at several hundred percent improvement… my Volvo wagon gets 20 mpg…
Mrmmm…yeah, you’re right. If you have, as I suspect, and Honda Civic hybrid, and as there are conventional drivetrains available in a verson of you’re car, as well as a number of other models of car that are fairly comparable, that’s an interesting point of reference. The Prius is kinda sui generis presently, which makes such comparisons a tad more dicey. I probably should have titled the thread “Hybrid Owners…”
That’s true, but even my lowball estimate is bigger than a lousy 20% improvement over what I used to own. That said, I think my old Accord is closer in characteristics to the sorta-mid-sized Prius than, say, a Ford Explorer.
My mother’s owned one for well over three years now, and it’s always anywhere from 46-50mpg. Depending on traffic conditions.
At any rate, I wouldn’t put any credence into claims like “can save 20% on fuel consumption”. It depends on a bunch of things. If you have one, just appreciate the savings you are getting.
No I bought a Honda Insight back in 2000. Is in apearance a updated CRX.
So, it does not have a comparable vehicle without the hybrid tech in production.
You are correct Most hybrids are Toyota or using toyota’s design. To include the Ford and Lexus.
In 2000 I bought the honda because I prefered their hybrid tech which I found superior to toyota. Now 2005 Toyota has surpasses Honda in upgrading the technology and improving MPG and such.
ANyways my Insight averages 55 to 58 in the city, around 65 to 70 on the highway and have gotten as much as 85 MPG on a single tank of gas on the interstate.
I like my insight, butm if I were needing more room in the vehicle, would buy a Pirus instead of a Honda Civic hybrid.