Edmunds.com | Inside Line | Auto Observer Your Account | Help | Directory
You are here:
![[F]](http://a332.g.akamai.net/f/332/936/12h/www.edmunds.com/media/townhall/webxicons/site.gif){kind=small}
Forums
Hatchbacks Toyota Yaris Toyota Yaris Real-World MPG
472 messages, Last post on Oct 23, 2009 at 11:40 AM
You are in the Toyota Yaris Forum. Your Host is pf_flyer
|
OK...so we have the two extremes identified. (This is how my wife argues too.) There are hyper milers and the kid with the Corolla. What about the normal guy? The guy who needs to get to work on time, and does not want to spend an hour saving a gallon of gas? This guy needs to stop listening to those who claim that they will get better than sticker mpg.
|
|
|
Replying to: psulions (May 16, 2008 8:03 am) Great point! That is the "ability" thing, we don't all have. Many don't even have the ability to drive an "economy car". They feel they must have the fastest or the biggest thing on the road. Those that do get the slower more economical car simply don't have the ability or the will to take advantage of that car's potential. We all have the opportunity to save gas. We don't all have the ability to learn how to not tail gate, not wait until the last minute to use the brakes. We can't master how to time traffic lights, and go easy on the throttle from stops. All these things burn extra fuel, are harder on brakes and tires, and won't add or subtract much time for the commute. For me personally it doesn't make good sense to drive a tiny low powered car and achieve the same mileage as a larger faster one. Therefore I try to get the best mileage possible from whatever I'm driving. Keeping traffic conditions in mind. Consider the guy with the Corolla. He left those traffic lights the same time as the rest of us and he had to stop at every one. The rest of the cars moved through them without stopping and burning the extra fuel. Corolla boy was doing 3 no-no as far as fuel economy is concerned. 1. Accelerated hard from the light. 2. Had to get moving from a stopped condition, which is hard on fuel. 3. Accelerated way longer than necessary , then having to brake hard. Occasionally there is a car that simply will not get the mileage it should. Occasionally there are cars that get better than "average". But for all cars, the driver has the opportunity to extract that car's potential. . The person that pays attention to those things will get the mileage, save the money, and get there just as soon in the normal commute. On a 30 mile commute of Pure Highway, the person driving 75MPH will get there in 24 minutes. The one driving 65 will take 3.7 minutes longer. The guy getting 35 mpg is getting 20% better mileage than the one getting 29 mpg.. In effect, in todays world he is paying say $3. 79 for the gas to go that 35 miles. The 29 mpg driver will pay $3.79 + 20% or $4.54. Which is better? Many will make an extra fuel stop or drive an extra distance to save 3 cents per gallon. I will definitely apply some fuel saving techniques to save $.75 per gallon. In a traffic commute, it didn't take any more time. On a highway commute I spent 3.7 minutes extra. I get 20% better mileage than my wife driving the same car in same conditions. She feels the need to challenge every traffic light, curve and stop sign. I don't. The car I normally drive is a Pilot. She normally drives a CR-V. At 30K the tires on the Pilot are at about 40% remaining. We just spent $500+ replacing the tires on her CR-V. At 32K miles. The old ones were shot. Not only is she spending $4.54 for fuel we can add the price of a new set of tires and upcoming brake replacement. Different strokes. !  Kip
|
|
|
|
|
Replying to: psulions (May 16, 2008 8:03 am) There are hyper milers and the kid with the Corolla. What about the normal guy? The guy who needs to get to work on time, and does not want to spend an hour saving a gallon of gas? This guy needs to stop listening to those who claim that they will get better than sticker mpg." I would argue the average guy is exactly who should be listening. There are far more of them than the other two groups you mention. Small incremental changes in driving habits add up and can make a difference in overall fuel mileage in your current vehicle, no matter what it is. On a side note, my 15 mile commute takes an additional 3 minutes driving 60mph on the highway section vs. the 80-85mph that I used to do. A nice Yaris 5 speed is starting to sound nice.
|
|
|
Replying to: jsmith1975 (May 19, 2008 9:53 am) On a side note, my 15 mile commute takes an additional 3 minutes driving 60mph on the highway section vs. the 80-85mph that I used to do. A nice Yaris 5 speed is starting to sound nice. Very nice post.... Right On! Let me share from experience that I too, had a talk with myself and began driving 60 to 65mph in my new Yaris 2dr hatch and I'm not only enjoying the increased savings in fuel, but find I arrive at my destination feeling more calm. In addition, one other "rule" I decided to obey was to decide to do less lane changing. Thereby reducing the possibility of an accident. This too has brought a completely different experience once I allowed a couple of weeks to adapt to it. Now, I'm here to say that your "a nice Yaris 5 speed" comment is right on target. I am enjoying mine more everyday, as I pass the very gas station that I used to stop at weekly. Even more humorous, and satisfying was the comment by the owner the last time I filled the Yaris.....My I haven't seen you in awhile? To which I bit my lip until I drove out onto the street and began to laugh in satisfaction and sheer contentment. This is the best investment I've made in a long time.....
|
|
|
Replying to: psulions (May 16, 2008 8:03 am) Actually it's easy to exceed the fuel economy numbers printed on the new car price sticker. It's all in how you drive and where. It's important to remember that the EPA fuel economy numbers are the result of testing in a lab. Not driving the car in real world conditions. Thus vehicle aerodynamics are left out of the equation. When actually _driving the car_ the shape and coefficient of drag play a major role. Then we have the styling and overall "looks" of a car are which are quite deceiving. A perfect example of this is my 2008 Yaris 2 door hatchback. Most people will agree that the big bulbous front end, results in a lot of drag. You'd be wrong, by a wide margin. Most people looking at a low, sleek tapered nose, like on the front of my very aerodynamic Mercedes AMG SL 65 Roadster would result in a lot less drag than the Yaris. They'd be wrong. Here are the true numbers (lower is better) .28 CD for 2008 Yaris 2dr Hatchback (all for the low low price of $14,800) .30 CD for 2008 MBZ SL 65 AMG (all for the not so low price of $192,000) Now, obviously I did not buy the Mercedes for it's fuel economy, I'm simply using it as an example of how well Toyota has a handle on the aerodynamics of it's cars. Thus providing every opportunity for the owners to obtain some very good results in the mileage department.....
|
|
|
Replying to: podred (May 19, 2008 11:29 am) I'm sorry but you tell me what you are saving after you spend the three hundred bucks for the miserscan and the K&I filter not to mention the time wasted on all of this plus driving slow! Timing red lights, coasting to a stop, installing springs in the back of your garage so you can capture the wasted energy of parking your car at night. (good grief)
|
|
|
Replying to: podred (May 19, 2008 11:29 am) The ratings are not calculated at high speeds, and drag is exponential. My Honda Accord Sedan 4cyl gets the same mileage at 80mpg as my Yaris Sedan - and it weighs a third more. Yaris is blunt in front and steep in rear. Toyota blew it in this area. Regardless, I'm sure they were not concerned with the 80mph driver in this class of car. Your Mercedes is engineered to outperform the Yaris if you apply the handicap considering the difference in class. Yes, I know I could just slow down. |
|
|
Replying to: podred (May 19, 2008 11:29 am) I agree with you 100%. However, there are people that simply do not have the ability to do that.  Sad but true! Kip
|
|
|
Replying to: kipk (May 20, 2008 4:05 am) The intrinsic cost are often overlooked by people who are focused only on the gas gauge. Negative externalities are also ignored. There are other people on the road. Again....sure you can do it. But does it really make sense?
|
|
|
Replying to: psulions (May 19, 2008 4:41 pm) Timing red lights, coasting to a stop, installing springs in the back of your garage so you can capture the wasted energy of parking your car at night. Very funny.... but you must be drifting off into another land. At no time did I say that I made any modifications to the car other than to install the electronic readout, which is no different that those cars that come from the factory with trip computers. I happen to be having fun with all this, sorry to have lightened up your serious negative side. I will leave you alone to stew.....
|
|
You are here:
Forums
Hatchbacks Toyota Yaris Toyota Yaris Real-World MPG
New? Join Now!
Forum Tools
Search Forums
Browse by Vehicle
2010 Toyota Yaris
Browse by Board
Browse by Topic
Today's Chats
