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
Hybrid Vehicles Toyota Highlander Hybrid Toyota Highlander Hybrid MPG-Real World Numbers
417 messages, Last post on Oct 16, 2009 at 11:34 AM
You are in the Toyota Highlander Hybrid Forum. Your Host is pf_flyer
|
Replying to: jaredjo (Jul 17, 2007 7:45 pm) That area is very hilly, with a lot of small streets and gerzillion street lights. Too many street lights close to each other makes it tough. If there is no traffic, we can use electric to move from light to light, if there is traffic, I have to get rolling and the gas engines kicks in but then I can coast earlier too as the car coasts well. One trick I have used whenever I am the first car or if there is no traffic, I would quickly pick up speed from stop to 25 or 30 and let it coast to the next light. This is possible for most of the lights in that area. Some half-block ones are impossible so I do not bother. The quick start burns little gas and the coast recharge the car batteries so it can be used later to cruise on electric-only in slow traffic or from light to light. I do this a lot in Oakland Chinatown area (dim sum runs  ). Another trick is to get up to speed and depending on traffic condition, gently press down on the accelerator so the needle stays near the top of but inside the zebra region ('06 version). This either kicks in the electric-power only to keep the momentum going or even if the gas engine kicks in, it runs at low RPM and uses less gas. I notice the HH seems most efficient at around 30-MPH when cllimbing a hill. On-board MPG read-out often returns 10+ MPG at this speed even up some rather steep hill. I do not lose much at the final tank computation. You can see if this is possible in the hills you have to negotiate. If possible, use of momentum helps too. Another owner who posted here shared this trick last year. As you head downhill to a dip before the next hill, use the accelerator to maintain or increase momemtum safely downhill as you enter the dip and as you climb, give it a little more power and then ease off and reduce power as the car reaches the peak for another downhill run. The goal here is not to maintain a set speed to the top but use no more power than absolutely necessary to reach the peak for the next downhill. Of course, the car will slow as it climbs and approaches the peak while you reduce power. You will have to decide how slow before it becomes unsafe or impractical. You may have to do this a few times to learn to time the easing off process just right. Too slow, you will end up having to step on it half way up to give more power, this will burn more gas. Too fast, and the car will rocket to the top in a blink , so it will take some practice. Each hill is also different so it will take a few runs to get the hang of it for each hill. It usually takes me 5 to 7 runs to get the right feel. Same trick for when you start from a stop to climb up a hill. Gauge the climb and power needed and traffic condition so you can give it a go and then ease off as it slowly nears the peak. On some hills, the climb is so steep, all bets are off, so I just move at a reasonable speed to climb. The quick start works well if you are the lead car because the HH will move off real quick and reach posted speed half way up while the other cars are still laboring up the hill. By the time you slow enough at the peak, they will barely be catching up, then it is all downhill again at safe posted speed. So you can save some gas and not block traffic. All these of course assumes safe speed only, either below speed limit or at posted speed. Sorry it is long winded but hopefully, these are tricks that can help you a bit. It actually is impressive you can get 22 MPG on the HH in that area. As it breaks in more, may be 5000+ or 7500+, you may start seeing 24-MPG on occassion. Given that terrain, it will be interesting to see if it can ever get 26-MPG. I may be going up into Montclair again next week, will see what mileage I can get. |
|
|
2006 AWD HiHy 13,700 miles 95% highway Now consistently getting more than 30 MPG for the last 2 months. I noticed that in some city trips I can get as high as 40+ MPG. I am very happy, it is much better than the mileage of my previous 2000 and 2005 Hyundai Elantra's. Mark |
|
|
Hello, I have a new 2007 hybrid 6 cyl 2WD which has close to 5000 mi and it is very annoying to have the car shake/jolt when the gas engine engages or disengages!! If i come to a full stop in traffic the car shakes when the engine goes off...as if the car behind you bumped into you!! And as bad... when I take off slow... it jolts again as the gas engine kicks in?? In taking off it feels as a transmission jumping into gear would. Now I believe this has to be the gas engine, but not really sure? Is this something that is normal for toyota hybrids?? I do not remember the test ride SUV riding like that or I would not have bought one. .... thanks for any help or thoughts, especially if others have seen this. |
|
If you are a long-term hybrid owner, our Senior Editor, John O'Dell, would love to hear from you! A short email with your maintenance experiences and concerns would be great. Please send to John at jodell edmunds.com by close of business Wednesday, August 22, 2007. Be sure and include your Forums username.
|
|
|
Replying to: pf_flyer (Jun 12, 2006 5:18 pm) Thank-you.
|
|
|
Replying to: slouf (Oct 11, 2007 9:16 pm) Was it suddenly colder last week? |
|
|
Lots of us here in Canada are buying used cars in the U.S. with the stronger $C and cheaper prices (about 25-30% discount, more on higher end cars). I bought a 2006 HH Ltd. (40,000 miles on it) in Baton Rouge and drove it to Calgary, Alberta in 3.5 days, about 2,600 miles. Interstates all the way, serious headwinds from the west and north for about 30-40% of the time, average speed probably 60-65 mph, lots of 75 mph. Back home, added up the gallons and divided by miles and got 23 mpg. A little disappointed, but no real frame of reference. Question - how do you know exactly how many gallons you've used ? I would like to run the tank down to know for sure but then I'd risk running out of gas. Is there an indicator of how much gas I've used or what's left somewhere that I'm missing ? |
|
|
Replying to: mesadog (Nov 01, 2007 2:45 pm) You simply fill the tank all the way up to the pump shutoff, then run the tank until it gets to "E". At that point, return to the SAME pump and fill up the tank. BTW, if you had "serious"headwinds and you were doing 75 MPH, you might have had an actual speed of 90 MPH affecting the cross section of the HH. That will cut down on MPG with such a high profile vehicle. |
|
|
I know the '08s are just now hitting the showroom and the dealers are basically not discounting the price, but for anyone out there, what have you been getting for gas mileage both highway and city in the new design? The sticker says it's rated at 27 city and 25 hwy. Has anyone been close to this rating? I will be doing mostly highway driving and am trying to validate whether a hybrid would be worthwhile since the regular gas model is rated at 23 on the hwy. My guess one would be do better with the Hybrid with combined city/hwy driving. Any feedback is appreciated! Thanks. |
|
|
Replying to: hotch41 (Nov 11, 2007 8:20 am) My daily commute is about 2/3's two lane highways (40-55 mph), with some stop and go, and 1/3 freeway driving. The round trip is about 26 miles total. I'm almost through the first tank and the average has been steadily rising since I got it and is now at 25.0 mpg. That includes the dealer introduction to the vehicle in which the system was left on for about an hour with the engine cycling on and off as it saw fit and a few mornings starting up from below freezing with the vehicle left outside for the night. So far, I'm pretty impressed with it, including the mileage, which should continue to go up as the engine breaks in over the next few thousand miles. Good luck with your decision. |
|
You are here:
Forums
Hybrid Vehicles Toyota Highlander Hybrid Toyota Highlander Hybrid MPG-Real World Numbers
New? Join Now!
Forum Tools
Search Forums
Browse by Vehicle
2010 Toyota Highlander Hybrid
Browse by Board
Browse by Topic
Today's Chats
