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Toyota Highlander Hybrid MPG-Real World Numbers

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#353 of 417 Re: Toyota Highlander Hybrid 2008: Cold Weather Issues [akdeedee] by jrak Feb 02, 2008 (10:27 pm)
Replying to: akdeedee (Feb 01, 2008 9:36 pm) I'm in Anchorage and get 27 MPG on my 2006 Highlander Hybrid in the warmer months and 17 MPG in the cold months, a 37% decrease in fuel efficiency.   The decrease in mileage in the cold months is supposedly due to numerous factors including winter oxygenated fuels, snow tires, heating up the car before driving, using the heater on high while while driving, decreased traction from slippery/snowy roads, or not topping off tire pressure in cold weather, and decreased performance of the hybrid battery in cold weather. All these factors would be expected to affect a non hybrid car equally except the effect of the temperature on the cold hybrid battery. Of course this is all anecdotal and not backed up by any real data, I don't think anyone has done a study on it, if Toyota has they're not talking.   So the question is how much of the decrease in mileage is due to impaired performance of the hybrid system in cold weather. I have friends with a non hybrid 2005 Highlander who claim they get around 17 MPG all year round but they don't have a cumulative gas mileage readout as in the hybrid so they are guessing. I was never aware of this magnitude of winter fuel economy loss before I had a hybrid but I didn't have a fuel mileage gauge before either.   I think this is an important piece of information for those of who live in the arctic and want to decrease our vehicle emissions all year round not just in the summer. Toyota's hybrid market is so small here it's probably not important enough for them to study.   Maybe we need an Alaska hybrid users group to explore the question of whether the additional expense of a hybrid makes sense in this climate given current hybrid technology. Replies to this message: highmn (Mar 15, 2008 8:23 pm)
#354 of 417 Re: Toyota Highlander Hybrid 2008: Cold Weather Issues [jrak] by highmn Mar 15, 2008 (8:23 pm)
Replying to: jrak (Feb 02, 2008 10:27 pm) We live in Minnesota. We received our new 2008 Highlander Hybrid at the end of January during a cold snap (daily high temperatures below 10 degrees F). As the temperature has slowly increased during the last month and a half, we've watched our average mileage increase from just over 20 mpg to about 26 mpg. The Highlander definitely seems to get better mileage when the weather is above freezing. It spends much more time in EV mode when it is warm.
#355 of 417 Re: Toyota Highlander Hybrid 2008: Cold Weather Issues [akdeedee] by 2008highlander Mar 17, 2008 (11:43 am)
Replying to: akdeedee (Feb 01, 2008 9:36 pm) Just picked up my 2008 HH and I have been averaging around 20 - 22mpg over the first 1000 miles. Replies to this message: mevander1 (Jul 14, 2008 3:06 am) stevedebi (Jul 14, 2008 12:12 pm)
#356 of 417 Re: 2008 real-world numbers? [febrile1973] by toyohh08 Mar 17, 2008 (2:23 pm)
Replying to: febrile1973 (Dec 20, 2007 11:46 am) We bought our iced amethyst HH08 limited AWD last November 2007. Our average mpg? 24-27 mpg...my worst mpg was 22 and my best was 28mpg . Our current odometer reading is around 3700 plus miles . We lived in Bay Area... Replies to this message: t_mooney (May 10, 2008 12:14 pm)
#357 of 417 Spring-time followup by muce1998 Mar 20, 2008 (10:53 am)
Following up on my previous post (346) - we're creeping out of winter now (hi's in the upper 40's) and the fuel economy is jumping back up - just got 27 mpg after a winter low of 22. I did some experimenting in the last couple months - heater use only accounted for a negligible increase in gas usage. The engine controller tries to keep the temp in the normal range, regardless of heater use or throttle demand. Next winter I'll experiment with using a cold front (block the grille) to see if I can keep the engine warmer... For now, looking forward to seeing how many 30+ tanks I can string together.   stats: 07 HH AWD, 20k mi, 30mi commute (mostly hwy, lite traffic). best tank: 32, worst: 22
#358 of 417 Cold weather and hybrid Highlander by columg Mar 26, 2008 (10:08 am)
I live in MInnesota. Noted poor mileage performance of hybrid in cold weather. Does the same thing happen to non hybrids? Would I be better off to forego the hybrid for best environmental impact year around? Joe.
#359 of 417 cold weather, bad mileage by marshalljay May 07, 2008 (7:38 am)
columg -   dunno bout you, but all of my vehicles get worse mileage in the winter - I live in Iowa, so have much the same weather as you. My Tundra pickup goes from 17-18 mpg summer to 12-14 mpg in the winter. I'm driving an 06 Highlander Hybrid - well broken in with 55k miles, and while it gets as low as 22 mpg in the winter, now that winter has finally broken, I'm getting astounding mileage.   I have been getting consistent 27-28 mpg tankfulls; but now that gas prices have become ridiculous, I have started driving slower on trips. That has paid a huge premium; just by slowing to 65 for my Interstate driving, I've noticed that the battery is operating a lot more; I'm also seeing concrete results at the pump - last fill got me 31 (!) mpg. Subsequent refill still came in at 28 - so probably a valid reading.   Slow down a touch, and these hybrids are great - the electric motor just doesn't have enough power to deal with the wind resistance at high speeds, and consequently, mileage suffers. Replies to this message: tourguide (May 21, 2008 3:47 pm) cdptrap (May 21, 2008 9:38 pm) stevedebi (May 23, 2008 11:32 am) monte8 (May 25, 2008 5:25 pm) tourguide (May 25, 2008 8:03 pm)
#360 of 417 Cold weather gas milage by monte8 May 07, 2008 (12:04 pm)
All cars suffer from this problem.   I live in NE North Dakota. Much colder than Anchorage, AK (I lived there for 3.5 years), but warmer than Barrow, AK (3 years there).   My prior car was a 1998 Ford Contour w/2.5L V6. My gas milage dropped about 35% in the coldest part of the winter with the Contour. I saw a similar drop with my '08 HH. Installing a block heater helps a lot. But when it drops to -32 F, it takes time for the engine to warm up to efficient operating temperatures. BTW, I do not let my car sit and run to warm up, except for extreme cold weather (fogged/iced windows are dangerous), so I do not waste gas that way.
#361 of 417 Re: 2008 real-world numbers? [toyohh08] by t_mooney May 10, 2008 (12:14 pm)
Replying to: toyohh08 (Mar 17, 2008 2:23 pm) My 2007 gets about 25 mpg overall. The limiting factor is that I commute 5 miles each way to work everyday and mileage for the first 6-8 minutes is poor because it's warming up and the gas engine stays on. I did a "Sunday drive" of about 100 miles once, keeping not higher than 50 mph and really working at top mileage and got 32 mpg according to the computer, which usually is not optimistic by much. I would call that an upper limit and maybe a little unrealistic to expect under any real conditions. But when you're on 50-55 mph speed limit roads and you obey the limits and drive carefully, 27-28 seems repeatably doable. I can't stand to drive my non-hybrid anymore.
#362 of 417 2006 Toyota HH 2 FWD mileage - Scangauge II by sebemismnusa May 16, 2008 (1:07 pm)
There are mileages numbers on a 2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid front wheel drive, as measured by a Scangauge II , calibrated as best I can (enter in actual gas used during fillups). Almost constant driving one person and luggage, from Minneapolis, MN to Oshkosh, WI 30 MPG Summer 27.5 MPG Add a second person and more luggage Going speed limit on major roads   Mixed driving (city/highway)  23 to 25 MPG Driving in Minnesotan winters drops to, sometimes slightly higher 25 to 30 MPG Driving in "warmer" months - (closer to 30 MPG if I can "drive for mileage)   Driving habits: I monitor the air pressure in the tires; the Scangauge II is in gauge mode most of the time (watch engine RPMs, throttle position, engine load, and timing). Highest even seen - 32 MPG in mixed city/highway   To get these numbers, I need to drive, watching ahead for stoplights, slowing down before. Unlike other cars, I gently "ride" the brake, which initially kicks in the re-generative braking. I tend to gradually accelerate, except for unusual traffic conditions. Kicking in the turbo mode of the HH dramatically reduces gas mileage, although useful when merging into heavy highway traffic. Out, Scott

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