Somewhat disappointed

[YarisOwnersDad]

I just returned from a trip in which I logged 962.2 miles on 23.735 gallons of gas, for an overall average of 40.54 MPG. I was expecting higher MPG than that, since it was almost entirely Interstate cruising.

OK, tell me if you think I should have done better on MPG given these facts:

1. The car is an 09 Yaris sedan with auto tranny

2. I used the A/C all the time on this trip.

3. I keep my tires at the recommended cold inflation pressure and do not over-inflate to get higher MPG.

4. I had two 44 lb sacks of dog food that I picked up early in the trip in the back seat. (I would not be coming back through the town where the pet food shop was located during regular business hours, so I had to pick up the dog food at the front end of my trip and carry it around in the car for the rest of the trip.)

5. I used cruise control set for between 65 and 70 MPH, depending on where I was.

6. The car had about 7500 miles on it at the start of the trip.

So, do you guys think I got the MPG that I should have expected to get under the conditions as described above, or should I have gotten higher MPG?

I really thought that I would get 44 or 45 MPG.

Yes, I know I could have slowed down to 55 MPH and gotten way better gas mileage, and I could have done this or done that, but that is not the question. I'm only asking for opinions about whether or not I got the MPG I should have gotten for the conditions I have listed.

Tom

[thebarber]

40mpg seems about right for highway at 32psi tire pressure + a/c

[tomato]

I think you got a pretty good MPG considering these conditions.
I get low to mid 30's (city driving though)

[BailOut]

The dog food alone sucked away 1 MPG, so with the a/c, higher speed and lower tire pressure I'd say 40 MPG was normal.

[Loren]

Yeah, 40 is about right for those conditions.

[Altitude]

Sounds about right to me too. I did a 1700 mile (one way trip) this summer in an LB MT doing 75/80 with AC and averaged 35. I had hoped for more too but as you indicated 55/60 is the magic number for best MPG in the Yaris.

[kuyachris84]

that's not bad... id say wut u got is expected

[kac]

I agree with pretty much everyone else here. Shouldn't be dissapointed with those numbers at all. It's above EPA estimates so you should be happy with it. BUT if you're still dissapointed, drop some weight, add some air pressure, and slow down a little, then enjoy the gains. Rock On!

[TLyttle]

Seconded on all that.

[YarisOwnersDad]

Thanks, Yaris Buds.

Obviously, I am not out to get every fraction of a mile out of a gallon of gas, or else I would slow down and would shun the use of the A/C. I want to get the best mileage I can get while driving the speed limit and using the A/C when it is needed.

I forgot to mention that for about half of those miles on that trip I had a 120 lb passenger, so I had about 200 lbs of extra weight, counting the two bags of dog food.

Thanks for your replies, Peeps.

Tom

[thebarber]

its surprising how much speed, weight, a/c and tire pressure make a difference in the yaris mileage sometimes...

mainly speed though (er, but i wouldnt know about a/c since i don't have it)

[R2D2]

Identical to what I've observed also-hard to get great mpg over 60.

Driving on highway with AT, AC, tires at 44 psi and keeping to 65 mph I can only do about 42 at best. 55 I can get much better.

R2

[Cosworth]

I just returned from a trip in which I logged 962.2 miles on 23.735 gallons of gas, for an overall average of 40.54 MPG.

5. I used cruise control set for between 65 and 70 MPH, depending on where I was.

Tom

Well, it's probably about average. But, what kind of terrain did you drive the car? If it's going up a mountain and back, it's probably very good. But, if you drove on flat surface for ~960 miles, then you should've been able to do much better.

[YarisOwnersDad]

Well, it's probably about average. But, what kind of terrain did you drive the car? If it's going up a mountain and back, it's probably very good. But, if you drove on flat surface for ~960 miles, then you should've been able to do much better.

I meant to include the terrain as one of the conditions that I listed, but I forgot.

The terrain was about as flat as it gets. Most of those miles were in Illinois.

Tom

[advocate]

Here's what I like to do: I turn on the AC to generate cold air and then after a minute or two turn it off. The air remains cold for about a minute and I turn it off when it becomes too warm. I wait as long as I can until the car becomes too hot to be comfortable again and then I turn the AC back on!

Also making sure the AC is cooling you off and not the needless parts of your Sedan will help. I would close the unused vents for sure, and the back ones if there are any (I drive a liftback so I don't know if the Sedan has rear AC vents).

[b_hickman11]

I just returned from a trip in which I logged 962.2 miles on 23.735 gallons of gas, for an overall average of 40.54 MPG. I was expecting higher MPG than that, since it was almost entirely Interstate cruising.

OK, tell me if you think I should have done better on MPG given these facts:

1. The car is an 09 Yaris sedan with auto tranny

2. I used the A/C all the time on this trip.

3. I keep my tires at the recommended cold inflation pressure and do not over-inflate to get higher MPG.

4. I had two 44 lb sacks of dog food that I picked up early in the trip in the back seat. (I would not be coming back through the town where the pet food shop was located during regular business hours, so I had to pick up the dog food at the front end of my trip and carry it around in the car for the rest of the trip.)

5. I used cruise control set for between 65 and 70 MPH, depending on where I was.

6. The car had about 7500 miles on it at the start of the trip.

So, do you guys think I got the MPG that I should have expected to get under the conditions as described above, or should I have gotten higher MPG?

I really thought that I would get 44 or 45 MPG.

Yes, I know I could have slowed down to 55 MPH and gotten way better gas mileage, and I could have done this or done that, but that is not the question. I'm only asking for opinions about whether or not I got the MPG I should have gotten for the conditions I have listed.

Tom



what was the average outside air temp. during the trip?

[YarisOwnersDad]

Temps were probably 60°F for the lowest and 85°F for the highest. Most of my driving was done during the warmer part of the day, so I would guess the average would be close to 80°F.

Tom

[thebarber]

a/c on at 80F? you made of butter? lol

[TheRealEnth]

lawl

[YarisOwnersDad]

a/c on at 80F? you made of butter? lol

I guess I am more of a cool weather person. So what am I doing in western KY???? :eek:

Actually, a good portion of the time the A/C was on was because I was in defrost mode to keep the inside of the windows and windshield from fogging up. It was VERY humid, even foggy outside for part of the trip. When I tried to go get out of defrost mode, the windows would immediately fog.

Tom

[thebarber]

I guess I am more of a cool weather person. So what am I doing in western KY???? :eek:

Actually, a good portion of the time the A/C was on was because I was in defrost mode to keep the inside of the windows and windshield from fogging up. It was VERY humid, even foggy outside for part of the trip. When I tried to go get out of defrost mode, the windows would immediately fog.

Tom

i was just bustin' your balls

i dig, humidity sucks...but its been a dry summer in southern ontario

[supmet]

When I tried to go get out of defrost mode, the windows would immediately fog.

I hope you realize if you never had the A/C on in the first place they wouldn't fog, and if you left the A/C off for more than 2 minutes it would take care of itself...

User created self sustaining problems ftw.

[YarisOwnersDad]

I hope you realize if you never had the A/C on in the first place they wouldn't fog, and if you left the A/C off for more than 2 minutes it would take care of itself...

User created self sustaining problems ftw.


Not so sure about that. Have you ever experienced the extremely high humidity of the Midwest? It SUCKS. The dew point is much higher around here than what you are accustomed to, I'm sure, since your sig says you are in southern CA.

It was in the very early hours of the morning, while the outside temperatures were still in the low to mid 60s, when I was using the defrost mode.

Tom

[supmet]

Not so sure about that. Have you ever experienced the extremely high humidity of the Midwest? It SUCKS. The dew point is much higher around here than what you are accustomed to, I'm sure, since your sig says you are in southern CA.

It was in the very early hours of the morning, while the outside temperatures were still in the low to mid 60s, when I was using the defrost mode.

Tom

I've lived in wisconsin, and my mom lives in chicago. Dew point/humidity is only really an issue because you are creating a difference in temperature between the water molecules in the air and your windshield.

edit: I've pretty much driven the gamut of humidities, from death valley and vegas to the midwest. The A/C has never been "required" to keep the windshield from fogging. You're making a cold windshield with the A/C, which INCREASES condensation. Having a windshield the same temp as the outside air creates the least amount of condensation, regardless of humidity.

[talnlnky]

I think the OP's car is on par. I noticed you had it on cruise... if you had any significant down hill portions (long distances) of highway, then I'd say take it out of cruise.... unless the auto can manage DFCO in cruise control.... Can it? I dunno, I don't have an auto, it wouldn't surprise me though if you had to be out of cruise.

In my car this is a huge difference in speed/economy once you get over 50-55mph. and REALLY big once you hit 70mph.

[tomato]

the AC seems to make a difference as well. Other posters have reported lesser fuel economy while using the AC in other threads. :iono:

Still, 40 MPG is really good IMO! Hope the OP isn't thinking of trading in already :wink::smile:

[alch3miss]

Sounds pretty normal, all things considered.

[YarisOwnersDad]

I've lived in wisconsin, and my mom lives in chicago. Dew point/humidity is only really an issue because you are creating a difference in temperature between the water molecules in the air and your windshield.

edit: I've pretty much driven the gamut of humidities, from death valley and vegas to the midwest. The A/C has never been "required" to keep the windshield from fogging. You're making a cold windshield with the A/C, which INCREASES condensation. Having a windshield the same temp as the outside air creates the least amount of condensation, regardless of humidity.

Sup:

I think I caused all of this confusion by the way I worded the post when I said the A/C was on all the time. When the defroster is on, the A/C compressor is being used, so I count that the same as using the A/C as far as the effect on MPG.

We both know that condensation occurs when the glass is at a temperature lower than the dew point of the air in contact with it. From the way I worded my post, you apparently thought that the reason the glass was colder than the dew point temperature of the air in the cabin was because I had been using the A/C. That was not the case. The glass temperature was just naturally cold because of the outside temperature. This was before sunrise, and the outside air was probably in the low to mid 60s.

Tomster

[minicorolla]

I quit using the speed control. much better mileage after that. feathering the throttle, coasting downhill, sometimes draft behind trucks but way back 'cuz it's not safe and can't see what's on the road coming up. Try it. Helped me out.

[Yarold n Kumar]

I think it's hilarimous that the title of the post contains "disappointed" and you're averaging 40 mpg. Just goes to show what some solid engineering can do to raise expectations. I've got to say, I'm disappointed if I ever get below 36 mpg, and that's a thought I never would have had before I got this car.

yarii ftw

[YarisOwnersDad]

I think it's hilarimous that the title of the post contains "disappointed" and you're averaging 40 mpg. Just goes to show what some solid engineering can do to raise expectations. I've got to say, I'm disappointed if I ever get below 36 mpg, and that's a thought I never would have had before I got this car.

yarii ftw

That's the truth! How can I be disappointed with 40.5 MPG? That truly is a testimony to the super fuel efficiency of the Yaris.

Tom

[Woody_Woodchuck]

Hey Tom. I live in a pretty humid area and do this for the windshield fogging in that situation of cool mornings. Mornings, when I first start out I will turn to defrost heat full and fan full. It will fog worse for a minute maybe two then defog itself. I also usually need to have the windshield wipers on while warming the windshield. I turn the fan off, leaving it on defrost mode and then set the temp to center (pointing straight up). You don’t want the temp too low because, well, you know. If condensation starts I play with the fan settings, usually 1 or 2 does the trick. Sometimes I have to turn the heat up a notch. Seems the trick is to just keep a small flow of air going to the windshield, having the fan off but in defrost position will do this.

On those really hot humid mornings, 85 F, 99.9% humidity, crack the drivers window one and a half cranks, passenger side one full crank down. Follow the above procedure (yes I know it is making the car hotter!) but when cleared you can turn on the AC. Sometimes I can get away with just the drivers window open, sometimes I need both cracked a bit to get circulation going. Later in the day no need to have the windows cracked open but something about the mornings it needs it. I’m thinking it has to do with moisture already being inside the vehicle and I need to get rid of it.

[YarisOwnersDad]

Thanks, Woody.

Isn't it true that whenever the switch is in the defrost position, the A/C compressor is on? If so, then we might as well have cold air and be comfortable, right?

I could be wrong about that. Woody, or anyone else, is what I said above true or not?

Tomster

[Woody_Woodchuck]

Could be but I do not notice the huge (6 to 8 mpg) drop in mileage with it in that position compared to when I actually have cold air blowing out. Even with the fan on there is no noticeable difference in mileage, only when I hit the AC button. Mine is in the defrost position most of my driving time and I have a pretty good mpg average.

[Lafiro]

LOL, haha nice one!

Actually even at 70degrees here in NYC like last night, had to have the a/c the entire time because humidity way very high, windows would fog up quickly if not.

I usually have a LOT of traffic, lots of stops and goes because of stop signs every block pretty much, and some nice 70mph highway driving at times, hard acceleration(meaning shofting at 2-3k rpm) not abusing it... I usually come out to 27-29mpg average. This is not really dependant on temperature or a/c usage, and I have 17" rims with 205 tires. Probably around 34psi.

[Lafiro]

oh, shooooot, edit again:

I just changed my oil to 5w-20 royal purple with k&n filter. I will also be pushing the PSI up to around 40. Lets see what happens in the next few tanks!

[Lafiro]

Thanks, Woody.

Isn't it true that whenever the switch is in the defrost position, the A/C compressor is on? If so, then we might as well have cold air and be comfortable, right?

I could be wrong about that. Woody, or anyone else, is what I said above true or not?

Tomster

Yes, the a/c is engaged and the a/c is on, even if its hot air. The cold coils remove all the humidity from the air.

Maybe with the defrost option set, the a/c does not stay engaged as often as if the a/c was turned on, on purpose? Thus it will be on less of the time, saving on gas?

I really can't say, don't know if anyone could answer that one correctly either.

[b_hickman11]

I've lived in wisconsin, and my mom lives in chicago. Dew point/humidity is only really an issue because you are creating a difference in temperature between the water molecules in the air and your windshield.

edit: I've pretty much driven the gamut of humidities, from death valley and vegas to the midwest. The A/C has never been "required" to keep the windshield from fogging. You're making a cold windshield with the A/C, which INCREASES condensation. Having a windshield the same temp as the outside air creates the least amount of condensation, regardless of humidity.

I can you never been to Texas. With 100% humidity the windows will fog up from your breath. So it's not always caused by just using the ac.

[Woody_Woodchuck]

That is exactly why my windows are down a little, to circulate air. In the summer it is what I do right after getting in, before the key is in the ignition. It seems easier to prevent it from happening than to clear it up after the fact.

I can relate it to winter driving up north. You were either a cold windshield person or a warm windshield person. Granted some days you had no choice but to defrost all the ice. I was a cold windshield guy. Cold windshields would not melt falling snow and therefore not ice and not need scraping unless the roads were slushy and splashing on the windshield. Any fresh fallen snow could be cleared with a brush or the wipers. Just keep the vent window open (yeah, this was a while ago) to circulate your breath and prevent fogging. Run the defroster on low and cold to prevent warming the windshield. Warm folks would need to run the defroster and anytime they stopped for more than an hour because the precipitation would freeze and need to be scraped and defrosted. Any water vapor in the car would be drawn to the colder windows and need to be scraped.

[Kaotic Lazagna]

Seems pretty good to me.

[roadrunner]

"Isn't it true that whenever the switch is in the defrost position, the A/C compressor is on? If so, then we might as well have cold air and be comfortable, right?"

If the lowest knob is on cold, and the middle knob is on defrost, and the top knob is off, NO AIR IS RUNNING. :smile:
If the lowest knob is on cold, and the middle knob is on defrost, and the top knob is 1 or higher, THE AIR IS RUNNING. :eek:

[Lafiro]

As long as the knob isn't on the defrost position, or the a/c botton is pressed, the a/c compressor will not engage when the fan is turned on, like you said roadrunner, setting 1 and up, lol.

You can purposely leave them both on that position, but leave the fan on 0/off, and the a/c compressor will never engage.

But, I do wonder though, why is it as soon as you switch the dial to hot, within seconds, if you have the vent's open, you will feel the hot air. And if you change it back to cold, it will almost immediately switch back to cool air/outside temperature or inside for that matter.

Maybe someone could help me understand how the heating works, and what happens with the car when the dial is turned to the red for heat.

[1stToyota]

I just returned from a trip in which I logged 962.2 miles on 23.735 gallons of gas, for an overall average of 40.54 MPG. I was expecting higher MPG than that, since it was almost entirely Interstate cruising.

OK, tell me if you think I should have done better on MPG given these facts:

1. The car is an 09 Yaris sedan with auto tranny

2. I used the A/C all the time on this trip.

3. I keep my tires at the recommended cold inflation pressure and do not over-inflate to get higher MPG.

4. I had two 44 lb sacks of dog food that I picked up early in the trip in the back seat. (I would not be coming back through the town where the pet food shop was located during regular business hours, so I had to pick up the dog food at the front end of my trip and carry it around in the car for the rest of the trip.)

5. I used cruise control set for between 65 and 70 MPH, depending on where I was.

6. The car had about 7500 miles on it at the start of the trip.

So, do you guys think I got the MPG that I should have expected to get under the conditions as described above, or should I have gotten higher MPG?

I really thought that I would get 44 or 45 MPG.

Yes, I know I could have slowed down to 55 MPH and gotten way better gas mileage, and I could have done this or done that, but that is not the question. I'm only asking for opinions about whether or not I got the MPG I should have gotten for the conditions I have listed.

Tom

Seems low to me.

I drive 65-70 mph everyday

Tires always @ 32 psi

A/C used everyday this summer

Haul about 45 lbs of dachshund and tools around everywhere I go

Round trip to work is 45 miles, mostly highway, with 11 of those miles being city driving, with 17 stop signs or lights to deal with, and I average between 41-44 mpg all the time, unless I buy crappy Phillips gas during the winter and then I'll go below 40 mpg.

[YarisOwnersDad]

Yeah, I didn't think 44 or 45 MPG would have been too much to expect under the conditions I listed. Take away your 11 miles of city driving, and you would be up in that range.

Tom

[R2D2]

Hang in there Tom! Our Yarii are young and breaking in! My Yaris is putting up better and better numbers all the time. The folks getting big numbers have some miles under their belt and I'm convinced this is a big factor. Upping the tire psi to 44+ also makes a big (and free!) difference.

If you can get an ecometer or scan gauge they can really help "train" your driving for best mpg. These things + eliminating idle time are the biggest factors IMO.

R2

[1stToyota]

Yeah, I didn't think 44 or 45 MPG would have been too much to expect under the conditions I listed. Take away your 11 miles of city driving, and you would be up in that range.

Tom

I could probably do it with a SC or Kiwi meter, just change my driving habits a bit...I'd still always stick with 32 psi though, for my old bone's sake, and the fact that the vehicle's placard says so...even the fine printing on my Eagle LS sidewall says don't over inflate or under inflate and to follow the placard recommendation, so that's what I do.

[R2D2]

oh,
I just changed my oil to 5w-20 royal purple with k&n filter. I will also be pushing the PSI up to around 40. Lets see what happens in the next few tanks!

Just curious if you meant K&N oil or air filter?

Royal Purple 5W-20 is a very good choice IMO-very good TBN retention if your going to extend your drain intervals.

R2

[YarisOwnersDad]

It's all a matter of priorities.

Those who place MPG at the top of the list feel that it is worth it to increase tire pressure, slow way down, shun the use of their air conditioners, and use all of the tricks to maximize MPG. That's fine, if that's what they want to do, and no one should tell them that they are wrong to do those things.

In my case, however, I am only willing to do my best to get good MPG while maintaining the recommended inflation pressure in my tires, driving the posted speed limits, using my A/C when it's needed for my comfort, and slowing down well ahead of time when approacing a red light, so that I might not even have to stop before the light goes green, and the stopped cars have moved on.

Maybe I will never see the mid 40s for MPG on long trips or break the 40 MPG barrier on my daily commute, but I know how I could do it, if I ever change my priorities.

I was just thinking that I might have hit 44 or 45 MPG on my recent trip, even driving the way I did, but it didn't happen. Not a biggie. As has been said in this thread already, nothin' wrong with 40.5 MPG.

Tomster

[Lafiro]

Thats pretty much it. I memorize roads, stop signs, and stop lights, so I almost never have to stop much, but like I said, city driving kills everything, and stop and go on the "highway" is never helpful.

Oh, that K&N filter was oil. Still using stock type air filter. Don't know if it will help if I change that out for something else. If so, please let me know because it needs to be changed within the next oil change.

Actually I was really surprised, I filled my tank yesterday, mind you I only changed to 5w-20 recently, inbetween this tank. And I got an average of 30.5mpg!!!!! For me thats great to see for the conditions I see.

[R2D2]

The only air filter besides the stock dry fabric I would run would be the AFE Pro Dry. I bought one for my wife's Rogue and it is of outstanding quality. It cleans by vacuuming to (claimed) 96% of it's original airflow. They are available from Auto Anything and maybe other places. I haven't decided if I'm going to get a Pro Dry or just change my OE style often. The OE looks like a pretty good design IMO.

I'm not comfortable with oiled media due to the risk of MAF contamination-though some have used them without apparent issue.

The K&N oil filters are of excellent quality and have a great reputation +RP should be a great combo for you.

R2

[b_hickman11]

The only air filter besides the stock dry fabric I would run would be the AFE Pro Dry. I bought one for my wife's Rogue and it is of outstanding quality. It cleans by vacuuming to (claimed) 96% of it's original airflow. They are available from Auto Anything and maybe other places. I haven't decided if I'm going to get a Pro Dry or just change my OE style often. The OE looks like a pretty good design IMO.

I'm not comfortable with oiled media due to the risk of MAF contamination-though some have used them without apparent issue.

The K&N oil filters are of excellent quality and have a great reputation +RP should be a great combo for you.

R2

Or you can save a bunch of money and just use the Super Tech filter from Wal-Mart. They are a lot cheaper and made by the same folks that make the K&N.

[R2D2]

You are correct-last I knew both were made by Champion Labs. However that is where the comparison ends. Cut them apart and you will see what I mean.

R2

[b_hickman11]

There was a link with pics on here a while back where someone did just that and there wasnt much difference between the 2.

[Lafiro]

Might as well take two or three layers of screen mesh (the kind to keep the bugs out), and use that as an air filter....... lolol

[b_hickman11]

Might as well take two or three layers of screen mesh (the kind to keep the bugs out), and use that as an air filter....... lolol

lolol....who's talking about air filters?