DBXL

Anybody drive primarily in Sport+ mode? I will likely drive mostly in the Sport+ setting and was curious of the hit, if any, to the mpg. Thank you.

kitlz

I'm on my second tank and averaging around 30 MPG even with the hills that make up half of my 5-6 mile commute. That's with eco mode on. It sure doesn't feel like it. Power is there. Sport mode will have to wait until I have more miles on the odometer.

TexasRxh

It just keeps getting better. Tank 5 averaged 32.3. Nice!

JosersRX

I'm lucky if I am able to hit 26mpg in the city on my 450H and I never driven it on any mode other than ECO

Any suggestions on how to hit 30mpgs?

FLYCT

Not much you can do.

I found that a lot depends on outside temperature, and trip length. Short trips and either extreme hot or cold temps kill MPG.

The other day I got in our 15 RXh after the car was parked outside where was 93 degrees. The interior temp was brutal.

Afer starting up the AC was blowing full blast. I looked at the instant MPG screen and I was shocked.. I was only averaging about 20 MPG at a steady 45 MPH. After about 8 miles the MPG slowly went up to 35-40 MPG at a steady 45 MPH. This was after the engine came up to temp and the AC wasn't working as hard to cool the cabin off. Average reading since fill up displayed 27.7 MPG

JosersRX

Thanks for your reply FLYCT... we haven't had many hot summer days in Chicago to test out your theory. I'm constantly in stop/go traffic, however. Maybe I'm not doing something right to achieve these very elusive 30mpgs that Lexus claims you get while city driving

ericsan13

Hey Jose, I feel your pain. I am getting 26.47mpg for my stop-and-go commute (4.4mi, 18 min each way) and 28.00mpg for road trips cruising at 70-75mph. Freeway is spot on at 28mpg, but city is nowhere near the 30mpg EPA estimate. Using 92 octane top tier costco premium gas most of the time.

kitlz

Do you have eco mode on? I've been averaging 30+ MPG during my short 5-6 mile suburban commute, half hills, which is appreciably better than my '10. It seems to drop a little the emptier the tank is. Last fill up was almost three weeks ago. I was getting over 31+ MPG when it was full or close to it. AC is electric so the mileage isn't impacted as much. In fact I've seen mine slowly rise while crawling in bumper to bumper traffic on a hot day years ago. AC wasn't blasting.

JosersRX

I'm pretty much stuck in heavy traffic all the time here in Chicago. Can't even really let the Rx's hair down and have a little fun with the Sport + modes. Not much room to drive at high speeds here. So maybe that is the key here Anita --are you in traffic or coasting in the burbs?... unlike what Lexus claims; the hybrid does better in cruising speeds rather than in stop/go traffic it seems

kitlz

JosersRX, I'm coasting in the burbs at speeds of 40 MPH or less. Five lights, a little over five miles. But the hills make up half of the commute. Shortest is 1/4 mile, the longest easily one mile. It's too early to try sport +. Plus the power is there in eco mode so I can see myself sticking with it. And I don't necessarily take it easy either. I have fun on the curvy hills

True, mileage is rated better in city than highway. On the '10, I found the highest cruising around 50-55 MPH on flat roads. On that trip I managed to hit 34.5 MPG. Don't give up just yet though. It does get better over time.

pdaeng

I can safely say that you drive in the wrong way.

turn on your energy screen then you will know when the ICE is on.
Try to let ICE turn on as little as possible.

In fact, my experience is that the mpg is the highest in heavy traffic. Can easily up to > 40mpg.
ECO mode helps a lot in this situation.
Another way to test is to turn on the adaptive cruise control at heavy traffic, let the system to drive, then you will see super good mpg in this situation.
(another way to show that you are not driving correctly)

No matter how much local or highway (at 70mpg), I can easily get ~30 mpg.
I drive a lot local as well as heavy traffic.

ericsan13

From reading prius forums, I learned that you do not want the ICE to turn on as little as possible. The ICE is most efficient during acceleration while the electric engines are most efficient when at speed and cruising.

JosersRX

pdaeng, first of all thanks for your assessing that I am totally doing it all wrong and for your suggestions on how to improve on my "technique". But seriously, if you are getting 40 mpgs on an RX, then you really deserve Lexus to feature you on a commercial

Secondly, I don't think turning on the cruise control in mad bottle neck traffic would be possible.
Lastly, are you also driving around with the windows down and no Heat-A/C and barely accelerating?

I don't have a lead foot at all, drive on eco mode all the time and the car just never gets anything better than 27mpg on a good day and I'm not the only one.

Curryolla

I saw this video on the 2016 Prius a couple of months ago to learn more about the RX hybrid (and Toyota hybrids).
It's a really looooong video...but has some good tips sprinkled in. More than that, I watched the conditions of the road and the hybrid power meter at the bottom. Seems like you should accelerate in PWR, coast in ECO below the middle line and regen for as long as possible. And, when coasting, keep the EV light on as long as possible. I've also been reading about "Pulse and Glide" techniques and "reading the road". So much to learn...

pdaeng

Gain the speed as soon as possible and then cruise using electric motor as much as possible. This is the way to get ICE turn on as little as possible. I do not know why you do not agree with me.