Coming from a Prius background, where hypermileing is the norm, I am experimenting with +5 PSI front and +3 PSI rear tire pressure. It's early, but I am noticing a + 2 MPG (33 MPG) with normal city driving. On the Highway, I got 33 MPG on a 100 mile stretch @ 75-80 MPH. I am kind of worried about exceeding the 40 PSI Max as indicated on the tire. Anyway, I will continue playing around with tire pressure. Next move is to raise the rear tire pressure to +5 PSI as the front.

 

I came from a Civic hybrid background (2002, so way back when hybrids were actually new). I've found the 450h to be very capable of good mileage with proper driving techniques. My last tank was 32.7 (might be my best tank so far) over 400+ miles. But the weather here has been fairly ideal for good mpg.

I will usually run my tires higher than recommend, but I'm always concerned about the limit. Usually will stay 3-4 psi under that to be safe. Normally I go with about 35-36 psi all around.

 

My first hybrid was a 2006 RX400h. Just upgraded from my 2012 to a 2019. No surprise that each generation gets more efficient, but the 2019's efficiency has exceeded my expectations. My first tank that came with the car I averaged 32.5MPG (445 miles filled up with 13.69 gallons, exactly what the car's computer said) 50/50 local/highway drives. ~200 miles into my first refill, the average is currently at 34.2MPG, 75/25 local/highway drives.

I add +2 PSI as well, 35psi cold all around, which was what my car was delivered with.

 

First 3.4 Miles were all downhill avg 99 MPG. The rest side streets with rolling terrain. Front and Rear Tires 38 PSI Cold. Still going to play around with tire pressure. Will go down to 37 PSI for all tires.

 

Why don’t you test it UPHILL - that’s more real world, not downhill. No one cares about going downhill & I’m not saying that to insult you.

 

Quick little update from my last refill, which was at 34.2MPG after 184 miles of 75/25 local/highway drive. After that, I made a 120 mile highway round trip on a very hot day with AC on the whole way, the computer's averaged dropped to 32.8MPG. I filled it up at 425 miles with 12.8 gallons after couple more trips down and back up i80. 33.3MPG, better than what the car said. Amazing.

 

All of this talk of 34 - 40 mpg is hogwash. That’s not real world. This is real world actual mpg, driving a 450h NORMALLY & getting 24 mpg highway. Speed limit is 75 mph on flat, level highway.

 

Fortunately, your real world is not representative of everyone's real world.

 

Why are some people getting 22 mpg and others 32 mpg? I'm only interested in buying the hybrid if I can get +30...I'll just keep my Highlander if 22 is the best the 450h can do.

 

You ask a great question! Since you live in Texas, you know our weather, traffic & road conditions. To be as honest as possible in answering your question, the probability of achieving 34-40 mpg on a consistent basis is going to be a single digit number. My 6.2L Camaro V-8 gets better & more consistent highway mpg than my 450h. I ran this thread by a Lexus service advisor & he laughed. His reply was that the manufacturers use the absolute ideal conditions for testing. Some even remove mirrors to reduce drag! Toyota & Lexus vehicles use the same engines & drivetrain. Your Highlander is about right. Here is what I got out of a loaner GX 460 with a 4.6L V-8 on the highway in Texas:


Not bad for a 4.6 V-8 in a heavy SUV

 

If you want an average of what the majority of drivers are getting on this vehicle, go to fuelly.com and see what drivers are averaging over thousands of miles. Anyone can post pictures of incredibly great mileage or low mileage under certain conditions.

 

Keep in mind that the 2019 mpg is horribly skewed by a guy on here claiming 40+ mpg. You can see by all the other averages that is NOT the norm. Mid 20s is going to be your median number.

 

If you are constantly doing > 75-80 mph, there is absolutely no reason to go electric or hybrid. At those speeds, electric motors are highly inefficient and in the hybrid's case, it's basically turned off and acting as dead weight. That is not real world for a hybrid. It's the equivalent of driving your big V8 Camaro in rush hour traffic downtown and doing 5 mph. How's the "real world" mileage of your Camaro then?

 

I’m not “constantly doing > 75-80 mph” as you seemed to indicate. Texas is wide open country & cities are VERY far apart. Highway speed limits are from 65 to 80 mph. Our urban streets are 25 to 45 mph. The RX 450h hybrid motors cut off after about 30 to 35 mph, rendering they system useless at higher speeds. I drive in combined conditions with the majority being highway miles. Even driving in urban stop & go traffic, my 450h has never even come close to the advertised 30 mpg city mpg. My Camaro gets pretty impressive city mpg for a 6 speed manual with 455 HP (about 13-15 mpg). What’s different about these cars is the Camaro gets as good or better than the advertised mpg rating. The Lexus is not even close. We had a VW GTI & it got better than the advertised mpg rating. Toyota is not known for stellar mpg on their bigger vehicles. They over exaggerate most mpg scores. I wouldn’t have a problem if they lowered the numbers, because that’s what MOST people get. My service advisor said I was doing quite well on the 450h. 90% of people are not going to routinely try to hypermile. If you want that, buy an ugly Prius. I bought the 450h for luxury & utility when I want either. That is real world use, not this foolishness of driving around on back roads doing 40 mph or 50 mph on the open highway. People like that become a hazard, as they impede traffic flow by being far below the posted speeds of normal traffic.

You should read up on what’s been happening with various Tesla vehicles in testing. Consumer Reports found them somewhat unreliable. TFL found they are pretty worthless when trying to drive long distance where mountains are involved. My wife’s friend said her boss spends a huge percentage of his time trying to figure out if his Tesla will make it from charger to charger for his trips. What a waste of time! Recently, I visited a Texas Tesla dealer & the lot was full of hail damaged Teslas waiting for parts for months! All of this has changed my perspective on electric & hybrid vehicles. If you just drive within an small urban area, they are great. Outside of that, they are worthless.

 

@gadgetman1 I can't possibly know your driving habits or conditions and I don't doubt there are people who can't get close to the EPA rating, but because you can't get the advertised MPG you accuse others who do a hogwash. I've owned 4 Lexus hybrids, still have 2 (the other being a CT). I routinely get 10% or more over the EPA estimate. I will say that if I constantly drive aggressively, yeah MPG will tank. Funny you mention Tesla. I also have one, a dual motor. In spring and summer time I average 220Whr per mile, which beat the 310 mile rating which is based on 240Whr/mile. In the winter time it takes a huge hit because of the resistive heating system, going to 300 or more watt hour per mile.

CT200h: