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Toyota Camry Hybrid MPG-Real World Numbers

988 messages,  Last post on Jun 09, 2013 at 7:57 PM

You are in the Toyota Camry Hybrid Forum.

What is this discussion about? Toyota Camry Hybrid, Fuel Efficiency (MPG)

Messages Page 99 of 99

#979 of 988 Cold weather affects MPG by larsb

Mar 27, 2013 (7:00 pm)

For those who are expecting year-round consistent MPG performance from their TCH, let me inform thee thusly:
 
It Ain't Happnin.
 
I have owned a 2007 TCH since June 2006 (almost 7 years, wow !!) and I can tell you that cold weather negative affects hybrids, as well as most non-hybrid cars.
 
Short trips don't get the catalytic converter warmed up enough, and the HSD system in the Toyota hybrids will not function at full efficiency until the engine is warmed up well.
 
You can Google the myriad of reasons why cold weather kills MPG, but in hybrids it's more of a problem. You just have to deal with it.
 
Enjoy the year-round AVERAGE MPG more, and worry less about cold weather MPG.
 
Happy Hybriding !!!

#980 of 988 Dramatic drop in Cruising Range by moviefan

Mar 28, 2013 (4:51 am)

HI all.
 
I first purchased my 2012 XLE Hybrid on Dec. 31st 2012. It had 100 miles on it. I filled it up like 4 times since I bought it. The first 2 tankfuls when I filled up showed a cruising range of 610-620 miles; give or take. The next two showed around 521. On fueleconomy's website it shows a full tank mileage at 612 which is right on with my first couple fill-ups.
 
I called my Toyota service guy and he said it could be many things--the car learning my driving habits and gas companies starting to switch to the non-winter blend of gas. I know cold weather affects mpg, but the weather hasn't gotten that much colder from Dec. to now here in Chicago. When I did the math on my last fill up, my mpg coincides with the 521 range so I guess it is correct. It just seems like such a dramatic drop in range from the first two fill-ups.

#981 of 988 Re: Cold weather affects MPG [larsb] by millese

Mar 28, 2013 (6:51 am)

Replying to: larsb (Mar 27, 2013 7:00 pm)
This makes sense, unfortunately..... we have cold winters here and still are, as we speak. I've noticed that when I do a highway trip (usually 1/2 hr to an hr), then drive on side roads, my mpg gauge shows around 40 - 41 mpg average which is much better than I usually get without any highway trips. I'll wait for spring/summer to see if my average goes up.

#982 of 988 you think you're getting bad mileage by cjw522

Apr 18, 2013 (12:44 pm)

I bought a 2011 Camry hybrid in 3/11. I was getting average of 40 mpg in good weather and about 30-35 in colder weather the first year and a half. In 11/12 I noticed a major drop to 17 mpg! I figured I had calculated wrong and calculated again the next time I filled up. Still 17 mpg. I went to my dealership in 2/13 and was told "the computer on the car says nothing is wrong." Isn't that when humans are supposed to take over? Guess not. The service manager, who is always nasty and adversarial, was yelling in my face, and I told him to literally and figuratively back off. He said it's because it's cold out. I told him it was a very warm winter. He said "I beg to differ." It's a phrase he uses a lot. I'm in Chicago, which had its 10th warmest winter on record in 142 years. And I was getting in 30+ mpg the winter before which was much like this past winter. I called a national Toyota number. I was told to keep a journal of fill ups and mileage for two months, and a district manager would come take a look. That two months is up and I have called the dealership (Unfortunately, that's how it works. I have to work through the same dealership who blew me off.) My mileage goes up and down. As low as 15 mpg today, and as "high" as 27 mpg last week. It still is so low it doesn't even register on the Eco Level display on the dashboard. My 2004 non-hybrid Camry gets 27 mpg. Something is very wrong, and it's not just because it was winter.

#983 of 988 2007 CH going strong by vtsteve2

May 03, 2013 (5:18 am)

I also might note that if you read all the messages until around page 98, most are positive, and the mileage posted seemed reasonable. That's right around the time that a certain couple of cars were being blasted for mileage claims. This is my recent experience with our old CH, the first CH produced. I've driven this car a fair amount, but never this long a trip. Indeed, the average MPG drop for our cold weather months is around 2-4 mpg. Once it got over 50 degrees this spring, the mileage went up rapidly, even before I took the aggressive snow tires off.
 
Remember this, I live in the hills and mountains. We had a 290 mile plus trip, 3 interstates, up steep and rolling grades. We left at 7 AM for a training appointment in Connecticut.
 
At the end of the day, I had achieved 37.6 mpg on the "liar" meter. Tank was reading roughly half.
 
I filled the car at 510 miles, and put 13.4 gallons in it. I typically fill after the shutoff, which in this case was an extra .7 gallons.
 
On the way back, it's more uphill and steeper grades, and I was in more of a hurry to get home. The end reading at my driveway was 36.7 mpg.
 
My driving style is fast, but conservative on gas. On the way down I went 70/75. On the way back I went 80/85, down to 70 uphill.
 
Now tell me about the EPA stickers and how cars react. I didn't baby it, but I don't drive like a dead weight either. I have no problem getting 36 combined out of this old car at all. There is one company who's cars I have driven where the spa ratings are so off as to be pretty ridiculous, total fabrications actually.
 
I tire of the "you need to know how to drive" excuses. Yes, many people keep their foot on the gas too much. But not testers that are trying to achieve a figure and due their best to practice it.
 
The new Camry Hybrid should be doing much better than this car, especially in the around town loops. Again, no problem meeting or exceeding their sticker ratings. Only one brand consistently fails by a huge margin to equal their epa ratings. (that I know of).
 
There is a definitive contrast in both the tone and the MPG reports this year versus the previous SIX years on the Camry Hybrids. There is also a huge difference between the tone and MPG reports on the Ford hybrid forums this year compared with previous years. But there is one thing that makes sense. People are in fact buying a tons of Fusion and CMax hybrids because of the 47/47/47 sticker ratings. As always, your mileage may vary

#984 of 988 Re: you think you're getting bad mileage [cjw522] by moviefan

May 03, 2013 (6:45 am)

Replying to: cjw522 (Apr 18, 2013 12:44 pm)
I'm in Chicago too and my 2012 TC XLE hybrid had less than 1000 miles on it in February when the mpg was only in the upper 20's. My next tankful I was averaging in the mid-30's. This tank so far I'm averaging 40. Just keeps getting better. The other day when it was 84 I ran the air for the first time and I was thinking ok, the mpg is going to suffer a bit. Nope. Still averaged low 40's on my commute home.
 
As I probably posted here before (too lazy to research it so forgive me if I'm being redundant) I was in the market for the 47/47/47 Ford but man, it was so uncomfortable to drive. From the huge side pillars to the center console to the radio/nav unit. I love almost everything about my Camry (sunglass holder is useless and the inside moon roof cover is cheap and there's no tray in the armrest) and I would GLADLY trade the few mpg difference for the comfort of my XLE. Field of view is great, sound system is fantastic, ride is great, mpg's are great, etc. etc.
 
On another note, my front windshield, besides the 6" down from the top, seems like it has no tint whatsoever. I look at other cars and the windshields seem to have at least a little tint to them. My looks too clear. Anyone else notice this? Or is it just me? I know you can't tint your windshields, but it seems others come a little darker from the factory.

#985 of 988 2013 Camry Hybrid XLE by rickpoole

May 21, 2013 (7:49 pm)

We got our Camry Hybrid on 3/31 and have averaged slightly over 40 MPG for the first three tanks (39, 41, and 41). Now that it is warming up and we're having to use the A/C we expect it to go down a few MPGs.

#986 of 988 Re: 2012 Toyota Camry Hybrid XLE [endonurse] by pbgoesedmunds

Jun 09, 2013 (7:34 pm)

Replying to: endonurse (Mar 19, 2013 5:11 pm)
Our 2013 TCHxle is a BIG disappointment for us. We have purchased new toyotas since 1986 and, currently, own a 2006 Prius hybrid as well. I am ashamed that we did not do more homework on this model before purchasing, but we TRUSTED TOYOTA. Our TCHxle is achieving at best 35 mpg, but mostly 24 mpg and this is unacceptable for us given the expected 38 highway and 40 city.
Toyota has not replied to ANY of our queries and has not offered any advice or recourse for a RECALL or CAL. This decent thing for a ONCE GREAT corporation would be to admit their faulty product line and reboot on behalf of all the customers. We chose Toyota on this purchase and are extremely disappointed and wish we had our 2001 Solora back, because it consistently achieved 28_mpg in 12+ years of ownership.

#987 of 988 Re: 2012 Toyota Camry Hybrid XLE [pbgoesedmunds] by vtsteve2

Jun 09, 2013 (7:55 pm)

Replying to: pbgoesedmunds (Jun 09, 2013 7:34 pm)
I can't imagine getting 24 mpg out of the new CH. I took one out for a test drive before I bought my Prius V, and did an easy 38 mpg which included stop and go plus our usually hilly interstate. We currently have 36 mpg tank ave on our 2007, which includes a lot of city driving.
 
There could be something wrong who knows. but I'd suspect driver problems as well. My current tank on my Prius V is 42.5. Nothing special for driving, learn to coat (as people should learn with all cars), prepare for stop lights, and take your foot off the gas for awhile when you don't have to be pushing. If I can get 38/39 out of our 2007, you can certainly get more out of the new one.
 
I don't envy the dealers.

#988 of 988 Re: 2012 Toyota Camry Hybrid XLE [pbgoesedmunds] by moviefan

Jun 09, 2013 (7:57 pm)

Replying to: pbgoesedmunds (Jun 09, 2013 7:34 pm)
Sorry to hear about your experience. My last tankful was 35 and the one before that almost 39. I think this last tankful was a little lower because I didn't baby it as much. But overall, upper 30's for me.

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