View Poll Results: Rate your Mpg's
Multiple Choice Poll. Voters: 169. You may not vote on this poll
What kind of mpg are you guys getting?
06-18-07, 01:08 PM
#16
Lead Lap
Join Date: Jun 2006
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Not sure what happened here.
We were at an average of 26 mpg when my mom reset it. I got into the car and she had driven 20 miles and averaged 19.1 mpg. I have since put 25 miles on it and am up to 21 mpg avg, but it goes up and then down, up and down again. Not sure why the change other than the car sat idle for 6 days, but the battery is fully charged and Im not even using the A/C. Any thoughts?
...Not that I ever trust the computer anyway.
We were at an average of 26 mpg when my mom reset it. I got into the car and she had driven 20 miles and averaged 19.1 mpg. I have since put 25 miles on it and am up to 21 mpg avg, but it goes up and then down, up and down again. Not sure why the change other than the car sat idle for 6 days, but the battery is fully charged and Im not even using the A/C. Any thoughts?
...Not that I ever trust the computer anyway.
I was thrilled!
06-18-07, 10:14 PM
#19
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Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: nj
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I cant figure out how you guys are getting this. I have tried everything and the highest I ever got (the car saying) was 20.7 (i calculated 20.33 on fill up). The car usually stays at 20.5. I have had it for a month and a half and have almost 1k miles on it. I have tried everything, being very light on it to giving it some gas and I can't get it higher than 20.5-20.7 How do you do it? This is an 07 RX400h
06-19-07, 05:27 AM
#20
jblackbelt,
~20.5 is very poor for this car. You should definately be doing better than that. However, you did state that you only have 1,000 miles on it. You should see an improvement after about 5,000 miles. Also, if you are just doing mostly very short trips, then your mileage will suffer. The first 5 minutes or so you will get poor mileage as the ICE needs to run longer to heat the catalytic converter to proper temp. Mileage will improve as you drive for about 10-15 minutes.
What kind of fuel are you using? Putting in regular gas (87 octane) will reduce your mpg. I have found a sigificant improvement in mileage by using midgrade (89); however, I have not found that using premium gas adds any additional improvement over midgrade.
On flat stretches of roads (or slight downgrades), try letting off the accelerator and then gently pushing back down until only the hybrid battery is used for acceleration. Anticipate traffic and coast when possible (e.g., when comming to a traffic signal, going downhill, etc.).
Even in the worst conditions, i.e., winter and with regular gas, I have found it difficult to get less than 24 mpg on this vehicle (I have the '07 400h as well). In spring with midgrade and no AC, I easily get 29.0 and have got as high as 32. Lately I've been getting around 28.5 with AC on most of the time.
~20.5 is very poor for this car. You should definately be doing better than that. However, you did state that you only have 1,000 miles on it. You should see an improvement after about 5,000 miles. Also, if you are just doing mostly very short trips, then your mileage will suffer. The first 5 minutes or so you will get poor mileage as the ICE needs to run longer to heat the catalytic converter to proper temp. Mileage will improve as you drive for about 10-15 minutes.
What kind of fuel are you using? Putting in regular gas (87 octane) will reduce your mpg. I have found a sigificant improvement in mileage by using midgrade (89); however, I have not found that using premium gas adds any additional improvement over midgrade.
On flat stretches of roads (or slight downgrades), try letting off the accelerator and then gently pushing back down until only the hybrid battery is used for acceleration. Anticipate traffic and coast when possible (e.g., when comming to a traffic signal, going downhill, etc.).
Even in the worst conditions, i.e., winter and with regular gas, I have found it difficult to get less than 24 mpg on this vehicle (I have the '07 400h as well). In spring with midgrade and no AC, I easily get 29.0 and have got as high as 32. Lately I've been getting around 28.5 with AC on most of the time.
06-19-07, 07:56 PM
#25
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Join Date: Jun 2006
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I do both, 89 octane. For highway driving I noticed it helps if you use cruise control. My car was in getting fixed, but now I have it back....well its not as much fun now that I had 2 days in the 400h.
06-21-07, 10:58 PM
#27
The thing that has helped my mileage most is to adapt my driving style to the Hybrid system. I use the power diagram on the Nav screen as a guide and try to keep it on electric power as much as possible. I use the ICE for acceleration, then try to maintain speed with the electric motor only. I also look ahead for areas where I can coast like a traffic light changing a couple of blocks ahead. When I really work it, my city mileage is just over 30, and when I drive it like my Infiniti coupe, the mileage drops to the low 20 range. On the freeway, speeds above 70 really cut the mileage due to the wind resistance of the boxy body. Around 70 I still get 25 - 27 Mpg. For long open stretches of desert where I drive 85, I get just under 20 mpg. Cruise control is not always your friend. In rolling hills, if traffic permits, I allow the speed to bleed off a little uphill, then let the electric motor help on the downhill sections. It is a little more work, but at $3 a gallon, it is worth it.
Steve
Steve
06-25-07, 10:06 AM
#28
Driver School Candidate
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Canada
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What's your MPG based on?
My basic background, been driving an IS350 since 06 and was outgunning everyone on the road, M3s eat my dust.
Got into a 400h two months ago so my son would fit into the backseat. It has 3000km on it, so below the 5K Miles break-in, and I am getting posted mpg
Guys, when you speak of MPG, are you using the Imperial MPG or American MPG, for instance, my consumption under the The Canadian Metric system is 9L/100KM, with the conversation that becomes 26 american mpg or 31 imperial mpg
the obvious answer is that you americans must be using the American MPG but then after reading the posts in this and several other forums discussing 400h mpg I am not so sure.
Please clarify,
anyways, I filled up yesterday and on a 20km trip on the highway doing 105km/h (cruise control is crucial), I am getting 7.5L/100, that is the EPA posted number or 31 american mpg, so it can be done.
on average I get anywhere between 8.4l to 9.6l for any tank, mind you I am only on my fifth tank of gas since I got the car.
AC is a big factor in consumption, no question about that.
and I don't really adapt to the Hybrid driving, I operate it like my IS, which surprisingly the 400h holds up most of the grounds.
Got into a 400h two months ago so my son would fit into the backseat. It has 3000km on it, so below the 5K Miles break-in, and I am getting posted mpg
Guys, when you speak of MPG, are you using the Imperial MPG or American MPG, for instance, my consumption under the The Canadian Metric system is 9L/100KM, with the conversation that becomes 26 american mpg or 31 imperial mpg
the obvious answer is that you americans must be using the American MPG but then after reading the posts in this and several other forums discussing 400h mpg I am not so sure.
Please clarify,
anyways, I filled up yesterday and on a 20km trip on the highway doing 105km/h (cruise control is crucial), I am getting 7.5L/100, that is the EPA posted number or 31 american mpg, so it can be done.
on average I get anywhere between 8.4l to 9.6l for any tank, mind you I am only on my fifth tank of gas since I got the car.
AC is a big factor in consumption, no question about that.
and I don't really adapt to the Hybrid driving, I operate it like my IS, which surprisingly the 400h holds up most of the grounds.
06-25-07, 12:16 PM
#30
Driver School Candidate
Join Date: Dec 2006
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My household owns two cars, a 2004 Toyota Prius and a 2007 AWD RXh, and I find that the RX is much more consistent on its MPG than our Prius.
I can get 50+ MPG on our Prius under certain conditions. Once did a 40-mile roundtrip Los Angeles-area trip with just me, AC off, and the car empty and returned 55 MPG! But if the Prius is full of people and/or stuff and I'm accelerating hard and the AC's on, fuel economy can easily slip below 35 MPG.
With our RXh, I'm finding its fuel economy to be much more consistent. When loaded up and accelerating hard, it can fall to 18 or so. When lightly loaded, AC off, windows up, and driving gently, she'll give me 30. But by and large, she sits at 23-27 MPG.
Given my driving style and habits, I'm overall averaging about 25 MPG.
Does anyone else share this desire: Golly gee would it have been good if Lexus included an "economy" or "fuel savings" mode! The car has so much power -- you owners who've stomped your right foot when the road is clear ahead of you, you know what I'm talkin' about! -- that it's really a shame not to have the driver option to lessen the power to gain economy. There are certainly trips and drives when you want the full power that the RXh has on tap (wonderful...), but there are also trips and drives when I could do with 1/3rd less power in exchange for greater fuel efficiency.
How about a button that allows me to cut HP and/or drive further on the batts, in order to increase the fuel efficiency? Given the amount of power on tap in the car, such a setting option makes a lot of sense.
Power on!
TwoHybrids
I can get 50+ MPG on our Prius under certain conditions. Once did a 40-mile roundtrip Los Angeles-area trip with just me, AC off, and the car empty and returned 55 MPG! But if the Prius is full of people and/or stuff and I'm accelerating hard and the AC's on, fuel economy can easily slip below 35 MPG.
With our RXh, I'm finding its fuel economy to be much more consistent. When loaded up and accelerating hard, it can fall to 18 or so. When lightly loaded, AC off, windows up, and driving gently, she'll give me 30. But by and large, she sits at 23-27 MPG.
Given my driving style and habits, I'm overall averaging about 25 MPG.
Does anyone else share this desire: Golly gee would it have been good if Lexus included an "economy" or "fuel savings" mode! The car has so much power -- you owners who've stomped your right foot when the road is clear ahead of you, you know what I'm talkin' about! -- that it's really a shame not to have the driver option to lessen the power to gain economy. There are certainly trips and drives when you want the full power that the RXh has on tap (wonderful...), but there are also trips and drives when I could do with 1/3rd less power in exchange for greater fuel efficiency.
How about a button that allows me to cut HP and/or drive further on the batts, in order to increase the fuel efficiency? Given the amount of power on tap in the car, such a setting option makes a lot of sense.
Power on!
TwoHybrids
There is a mod to run on batts only for speeds up to 37-40mph. There is a company that offers lithium-ion batts. There are only three draw backs: 1)You'll void your warrenty, 2) It will set you back $12,000, 3) Last but not least you'll have to install them your self with the instruction manual. There is no one out there that will commercially install it!
