no tanks under 40 MPG in a year

[50MPGDream]

I just wanted to pat myself on the back for not having a tank under 40MPG in the past year :biggrin:

[dvlnblkdrs]

congrats.. my highest is 36.. thats was right after my speeding ticket.. :laugh: with that tank i got so many dirty stares(for doing 75 on the fwy in the right ln)... you and the other hypermilers... i give u guys props!

[Woody_Woodchuck]

Great accomplishment Aaron! Your next goal is how many 50 mpg tanks in a row? Mine to have ONE 50 mpg tank! I figure if I can do that I’m going after Voodoo22’s 50 mpg tank streak.

[stripey]

50 mpg - awesome! But anything below 40 has to mean you're either doing a stack of town driving or thrashing it to bits on the motorways (sorry, US buddies - freeways!).

[BailOut]

Well done, Aaron! :clap: Now raise the bar and begin your new challenge. :smile:

[Syroyizhka]

whats the best formula to find out how many mpg you get? any good strategies?

[firemachine69]

I'm lucky to break 30mpg, unless I have a very unusual long trip, and the girlfriend doesn't drive the Yaris. :laugh:

[rningonfumes]

1. Fillup, reset Trip A or Trip B.
2. Next fill up (at least down to half tank), divide total on Trip meter into gallons added.

Rinse, repeat for at least 3-5 times and take the average to get the Average MPG.

[stripey]

whats the best formula to find out how many mpg you get? any good strategies?
Always fill the tank full and either do the maths with a pencil, or set up a simple spreadsheet programme to show

Distance between fills divided by fuel purchased.

Do this over several fills and you'll get a more accurate figure.:smile:

[twowheels]

I just wanted to pat myself on the back for not having a tank under 40MPG in the past year :biggrin:

I've been wishing for that, but I'm consistently getting 37 - 39 with mixed driving, though mostly highway. I got 47 the other day, but I think the wind was in my favor because the best ever before that was 41. I've only got about 6000 miles on mine, so maybe it's partially just the tight new engine, but even on my frequent trips at 55 MPH on the open road I barely hit 40. Do you have a scanguage? I've been wondering if there might be a different speed where the engine is operating in a more efficient range... perhaps going 60 or 65 would be more efficient even w/ the greater wind resistance? (5 speed manual, 3 dr, 2009)

[voodoo22]

That's awesome. You have some serious discipline and are taking real advantage of your car:bow:

[stripey]

I've been wishing for that, but I'm consistently getting 37 - 39 with mixed driving, though mostly highway. I got 47 the other day, but I think the wind was in my favor because the best ever before that was 41. I've only got about 6000 miles on mine, so maybe it's partially just the tight new engine, but even on my frequent trips at 55 MPH on the open road I barely hit 40. Do you have a scanguage? I've been wondering if there might be a different speed where the engine is operating in a more efficient range... perhaps going 60 or 65 would be more efficient even w/ the greater wind resistance? (5 speed manual, 3 dr, 2009)

Oh heck I've just realised that you guys are all talking in US gallons and I'm not. Sorry! :redface: 40 mpg for you guys is 48 mpg in England!

So my 44 (English) gallons is about 36.6, which is my all-time average, though this year (since September) I have it up to 46 mpg (=38.3 mpUSG).

Better this year with a policy of slow acceleration and keeping it to a steady 55-60 on the motorway, also using brakes as little as possible, just slowing down with the engine. It might be possible to get 50 mpUSg but the car would get much less use to achieve that.

[twowheels]

So my 44 (English) gallons is about 36.6, which is my all-time average, though this year (since September) I have it up to 46 mpg (=38.3 mpUSG).

Better this year with a policy of slow acceleration and keeping it to a steady 55-60 on the motorway, also using brakes as little as possible, just slowing down with the engine. It might be possible to get 50 mpUSg but the car would get much less use to achieve that.

Yeah, the US gallons vs. whatever you call your gallons is often confusing. I'm also assuming that you have the 1.3 L engine that we can't have.

[deerebilt]

I bought a 2008 yaris sedan s 5spd last march i now have 19000 mi have never got below 40 mpg. my last two tanks have been 50 mpg. the last 2 days have got 51. i have a scanguage ii that i installed a month ago it really helps by adjusting cruise 1 or 2 mph depending on temp and wind.

[Pitt Yaris]

I haven't done the math, but I usually fill up at the blinking light with around 335-345 on the trip. I usually put in around 10 gallons so I guess I get around 33-35 mpg?

[DefStarYaris]

Wow, 40+ mpg is something I haven't been able to do yet. I do about 95% city driving though and get consistent 34-36 mpg tanks so I guess I'm not doing too bad. My goal is to get to 40 just ONCE.

[stripey]

Yeah, the US gallons vs. whatever you call your gallons is often confusing. I'm also assuming that you have the 1.3 L engine that we can't have.

OK "Imperial" sounds like a throwback from about 1900 when there was a British Empire!

Yes, it's a 1.3: what do you guys have, the 1.5? Couldn't get that when I bought the Verso.

[voodoo22]

OK "Imperial" sounds like a throwback from about 1900 when there was a British Empire!

Yes, it's a 1.3: what do you guys have, the 1.5? Couldn't get that when I bought the Verso.

In North America the only engine available for all Yaris is the 1.5l.

[nsmitchell]

What kind of driving do you do mainly? I can't get 40 except on highway trips doing about 55MPH. City driving is about 30 to 35MPG on cool days. Less than 30 on cold days. You are in Illinois where it is much colder than Virginia. How do you do it? You must be a hypermiler extrodinaire. :biggrin:

[SpaceShot]

Actually your route can make a big difference in Yaris mileage. I commute 62 miles each way with the middle 3/4 being freeway and fewer than 6 stop signs or stop lights at either end. And for the little bit on either end that isn't freeway, it is mostly back roads or 2 lane where the Yaris can hit its optimum efficiency around 40-45 Mph.

Keeping the tires fully inflated and a K&N filter help some. Having a scangauge helps to remind me to back off 1 notch of throttle on the 2-lane, but it is hard to be consistent with that around town on weekend errands and so forth.

Thus I can keep it to 40-44 Mpg on my commute, just being conservative and not really `hypermiling'. Running errands around town (and not watching so closely) drops it down to 34 or so.

[stripey]

[QUOTE=SpaceShot;279846]Actually your route can make a big difference in Yaris mileage. I commute 62 miles each way with the middle 3/4 being freeway and fewer than 6 stop signs or stop lights at either end. And for the little bit on either end that isn't freeway, it is mostly back roads or 2 lane where the Yaris can hit its optimum efficiency around 40-45 Mph.

QUOTE]

Is this a known fact about 40-45 MPH? Presumably in 5th on level roads with a gossamer touch on the accelerator pedal.......

[rningonfumes]

Yes, 40-50 is the magical number for most cars, 45 for the Yaris. After that range, you start to battle wind resistance and the power needed after that begins to triple. So you need to accelerate (takes up power ) and then keep a constant pace, how fast the pace you want to keep the car at is how much more you will put in...

Note that the power needed to push an object through a fluid increases as the cube of the velocity. A car cruising on a highway at 50 mph (80 km/h) may require only 10 horsepower (7.5 kW) to overcome air drag, but that same car at 100 mph (160 km/h) requires 80 hp (60 kW). With a doubling of speed the drag (force) quadruples per the formula. Exerting four times the force over a fixed distance produces four times as much work. At twice the speed the work (resulting in displacement over a fixed distance) is done twice as fast. Since power is the rate of doing work, four times the work done in half the time requires eight times the power. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drag_(physics) (go down to where where it talks about power)

[SpaceShot]

According to the scanguage, I hit peak instaneous MPG between 40-50 on the country 2 lane from the office to the freeway. Which verifies how I `feel' the engine is doing.
With a fair amount of low rolling hills one can more easily use a light touch on the pedal in combination with the terrain to keep the vehicle moving along at a steady speed with less fuel.
If you don't have a scanguage, backing off to just under 3K RPM should be pretty equivalent. It takes some practice not to be lazy and just keep your foot down no matter how the road conditions are changing in front of you.

[stripey]

Had a good day today, doing about 43-44 mpUSg mainly along motorways staying close behind Continental lorries doing between 50 and 60 mph. But it's slowly numbing my mind!

[voodoo22]

Had a good day today, doing about 43-44 mpUSg mainly along motorways staying close behind Continental lorries doing between 50 and 60 mph. But it's slowly numbing my mind!

While going slower can seem boring when you're used to driving faster, try to keep your mind active by paying more attention to your surroundings and trying to anticipate what others may or may not do so that you stay safer and also never have to use your brakes. I drive in heavy traffic on my hwy commute and hardly ever use my breaks anymore. The upside to this is you're safer and more prepared, but you're also saving gas, because when you're coasting up on slower traffic at hwy speeds, your car goes into DFCO and doesn't use any gas. You're also saving wear and tear on your brakes.

Also, please make sure you are not tailgating any vehicle for yours and others safety sake.

I don't have a scan gauge, but for my commute of 52kms each way, I am usually able to keep my speed between 50-55mph and easily get over 50US mpg or over 60Imperial mpg on entire tanks. There's no trick to it, you can easily get these sorts of numbers too. I find for our sedan, it's important to keep from going over 90km/h or 55mph. I try to keep it closer to 80km/h or 50mph when possible.

[rningonfumes]

I find for our sedan, it's important to keep from going over 90km/h or 55mph. I try to keep it closer to 80km/h or 50mph when possible.

For the longest time, I've been trying to figure out how you got the extra 2-3 mpgs over me!.... I do 55mph, but I spike over it according to the traffic flow (mostly when merging).

[50MPGDream]

sorry, haven't been plugged into the web much this week (crunch time on a project at work)

Thanks for all the words of encouragement and support, there were a few tanks where I was rushed or the weather was bad that I thought were going to throw me.

As to what I have done to get good MPG, keeping to speed under 55, easing into the throttle, and doing my best to time lights is all, no FASing, no P&G, no drafting, I don't always face out when I park (I would, but my garage is usually pretty full when I get there, and choices are limited as to where to park)

My current commute is 21 miles with some stop lights that are somewhat predictable and I am at off peak time for travel (read: I go into work at 3PMish against traffic, and I go home around the time the bars are closing... not a whole lot of traffic going anywhere at that time)

[voodoo22]

For the longest time, I've been trying to figure out how you got the extra 2-3 mpgs over me!.... I do 55mph, but I spike over it according to the traffic flow (mostly when merging).

I hear you on merging. In the rare instance where I do have to spike over 90km/h it's on merging to stay safe, but once I've merged and am in the right lane I almost never have to go over 90km/h and will go a little slower if traffic permits.

In the winter I go much closer to 80 than 90, but in the summer I find myself often going closer to 90km/h. I guarantee you that if you made 55mph your max and tried to bleed it down to 50 when safe that you'd pick up those extra few MPGs.

[firemachine69]

13K miles later, I'm still waiting for a 40mpg tank. :bellyroll:

[andaconda]

I am amazed! Still breaking it in easy, nothing over 3k on tach, and only 800 miles on it.
First fill up - 46mpg. Topped off the tank (price of gas is going up another dime) this time 48mpg. Boy is the EPA ratings way off on this car!

[rningonfumes]

No, I would say EPA rating is "dead-on" for the average driver. If you don't really try in the slightest, you'll hit epa ratings. You don't really have to be a hypermiler to better the epa ratings at all but folks don't realize it.

[twowheels]

Got a pic of my trip ODO at 93 miles w/ a "full" tank today... 48.98 MPG on my usual 200 mile route. With the improving weather, a few extra PSI in the tires, and additional break-in on the drivetrain the mileage has been improving drastically!

So close... I was hoping for 50!!

The other day I hit 46.5, but realized I'd been driving in 4th instead of 5th out on the open road for quite some time not really paying attention. :-(

[Yaris Hilton]

No, I would say EPA rating is "dead-on" for the average driver. If you don't really try in the slightest, you'll hit epa ratings. You don't really have to be a hypermiler to better the epa ratings at all but folks don't realize it.

That's right. The older (pre-2008) EPA ratings were optimistic for most folks and take some effort to achieve, but aren't too hard.

As for the "mind-numbing" aspect of driving more slowly, I saw a good quote the other day:

"Don't try to make good time. Try to make time good."

[TheRealEnth]

i get like 20-30mpg... 30 if im lucky

[Yaris Hilton]

Yeah, that EPA "average driver" city rating is 29 MPG. Lots of folks will do worse. Playing the "stoplight Grand Prix" will really pull you down.

[rningonfumes]

I am amazed! Still breaking it in easy, nothing over 3k on tach, and only 800 miles on it.
First fill up - 46mpg. Topped off the tank (price of gas is going up another dime) this time 48mpg. Boy is the EPA ratings way off on this car!

In reading your post once more, I'm sorry andaconda, I didn't mean to depreciate your accomplishment at all. I meant purely to point out the EPA ratings. Even with the older EPA numbers (as pointed out by Yaris Hilton), you've blasted them out of the waters.

46 mpgs is great!...>I Had 45mpgs my first tank. Matter of fact, getting 45mpgs right off the bat was what fueled my new found thirst for mpgs which lead me to google and thus the term "hypermiler." The rest was history.

[TheRealEnth]

yeah but... average for me is like 22... sometimes i get 18 -.-.... and im not grandprix'n.... I accelerate normally. You cant take ur sweet time and have like 80 cars behind u being like WTF... Yeah i admit i drive a bit hard but it shouldnt account for so much mpg -.-...... every1 that gets 40+ is like .. either crazy or never goes past 1.5krpm which means they dont ever go past 10mph =D

[brainless twit]

I'm really surprised that more people aren't getting 40mpg and above. I drive 80 miles round trip to work, on a 2-lane road with lots of curves and hills averaging 60-65 mph (sometimes 70 if I'm running late). I make a few short trips in town every week - a couple miles to the grocery store or my parents' house. I've never tried to drive differently in this car, I just drive the way I normally do. Since my 5000-mile oil change, I've been getting 42 mpg consistently. Prior to that I was getting about 37. I always get at least 460 miles out of a full tank.

[nemelek]

I just wanted to pat myself on the back for not having a tank under 40MPG in the past year :biggrin:

I am 10 days of owning the Yaris for a year. Only once was I over 40mpg. When people say highway driving they need to qualify their speed. The speed limit is 75 where I live. That means that I am doing 80 and only getting 37 mpg on the highway.

[Yaris Hilton]

Every time you touch the brake pedal, you're taking kinetic energy that you got by burning gasoline in the engine, and turning it into waste heat. Total loss. As my dad always said, the brake pedal should be labeled "Press Here To Drain Gas Tank." Anytime your engine is idling, you're burning gas at 0 MPG. Real stop-and-go city traffic is horribly inefficient. Nobody's going to get 40 MPG in a Yaris doing that.

[voodoo22]

I'm really surprised that more people aren't getting 40mpg and above. I drive 80 miles round trip to work, on a 2-lane road with lots of curves and hills averaging 60-65 mph (sometimes 70 if I'm running late). I make a few short trips in town every week - a couple miles to the grocery store or my parents' house. I've never tried to drive differently in this car, I just drive the way I normally do. Since my 5000-mile oil change, I've been getting 42 mpg consistently. Prior to that I was getting about 37. I always get at least 460 miles out of a full tank.

A big part of the reason you're able to easily break the 40mpg barrier with no effort is the length of your commute, which allows your engine to warm up and run at optimal efficiency. From what people with scan gauges have told me, it takes the Yaris about 24km or 15 miles of hwy driving to reach optimal operation temperature. That means you're running your Yaris at optimal temp for about 62% of your commute. According to those numbers I am running our Yaris at optimal temp for about 53% of my commute. The major factor controlling our MPG is the speed we drive, but people driving much shorter distances or city driving, may never have a chance to reach this leaner burn state.

[voodoo22]

Every time you touch the brake pedal, you're taking kinetic energy that you got by burning gasoline in the engine, and turning it into waste heat. Total loss. As my dad always said, the brake pedal should be labeled "Press Here To Drain Gas Tank." Anytime your engine is idling, you're burning gas at 0 MPG. Real stop-and-go city traffic is horribly inefficient. Nobody's going to get 40 MPG in a Yaris doing that.

You can do it, but you have to be driving a manual and you have to put a lot of effort into it. There's people out there who can even break 50mpg in cars like ours under conditions like these, but it requires a lot of effort.

[andaconda]

Almost 2 years now - and the worst I have gotten was 41mpg in Seattle traffic.

[scape]

these topics crop up once in a while, good to see other's mileage. mine has diminished a bit. but i also treat my car like ... well just not like it's new. i still average around 34, even during the winter :( which i thought i'd get near 40 with no ac, going 55-60 to work, which id say is rather ideal speed. im not too concerned tho, i can whip around a corner and smile, so maybe its worth it :)

[3dr5speedblk]

Not really trying, Think i'm doin 35ish, Stlil new 5K on the clock,
I just like to wind it up and roll!This thing rolls nice at 75-80MPH
I think with the warmer weather and good gas I'll hit 40+
4 dollar gas here soon!! Remember when gas was only $4 Bucks a Gallon?!:frown:

[severous01]

50 mpg - awesome! But anything below 40 has to mean you're either doing a stack of town driving or thrashing it to bits on the motorways (sorry, US buddies - freeways!).

always 80mph with the ac on....and i'm doin about 37 average. still pretty good. time is money here so, i think i'm doin ok.

[birdman]

If I ever move to a lower altitude without a bunch of steep hills the I'm confident I could get those numbers too.

[bentjazz]

I must be doing something horribly wrong. I have my tires inflated to 41 psi, drive an average of around 58 mph, and the best tank I've gotten is 32.2 mpg. It's pretty depressing, actually. Particularly reading all of the posts from those who get high 30s/low 40s. I still have only around 1,650 miles on my lb auto Yaris, so I don't know if these numbers will stay where they are or improve as the car ages. I'm regretting not getting the sedan. I thought since the lb weighed less, fuel efficiency would be better. I never factored in aerodynamics. Naive on my part. At any rate, hopefully my numbers will improve as time progresses. I'm pretty bummed at this point, but shouldn't be since the fuel efficiency standard is 29/35 for my Yaris. But with all the hardcore high fuel efficiency stories on this site, who wouldn't be depressed if they aren't getting the same?