Need Advice. - Toyota Yaris Forums

Twistoffate0817 · 09-11-2011, 04:42 PM

Hello all,

I am now commuting to school three days a week and need opinions on which is better for MPG sake. I drive 50 mph all the way there. I have googled whether or not it was better to drive with the windows down a bit, or the air circulating from the outside with the window up and cannot find an answer that makes sense. My question is...is it better to drive with the window down a bit at 50 mph, or window up with the air circulating in from the outside? Which one will give me the best MPG? Does turning the fan on setting 1, 2, 3, 4 effect my MPG? Thanks!

Lil Abner · 09-11-2011, 05:18 PM

In my experience, running the air doesn't do anything for economy. And the fan speed doesn't control how much the AC compressor runs. It runs the same regardless of the fan speed.

sickpuppy1 · 09-11-2011, 07:52 PM

If your talking about just bringing in outside air, running the blower wont affect fuel economy at all. running with the window

SpaceShot · 09-12-2011, 09:13 AM

Either having the windows (partially) down or using the AC will take 1-3 Mpg off your trip average. Going with the windows up and the interior fan turned all the way up doesn't seem to have a measurable affect on trip Mpg.

Kal-El · 09-12-2011, 05:11 PM

Just be comfortable. If you're very warm or hot, put the AC on. The Yaris's AC is very efficient, unlike the old days when AC really drained power.

I never noticed more than 1 mpg difference. There's other factors that effect MPG more, like simply stop signs and red lights - they waste way more gas. Or even which way the wind is blowing which you can't control.

The difference in AC on vs windows down is extremely negligible.

malibuguy · 09-13-2011, 12:07 PM

windows up for me at speeds over 35mph

now sometimes if its very nice out, i'll drive windows down 60+...

Twistoffate0817 · 09-13-2011, 03:25 PM

I won't use the AC unless im doing highway because the AC makes my Yaris very underpowered and I have to push the pedal down hard for it to accelerate from a stop. I guess I will try using the air from the outside instead of having the window down a bit. :P

nessan · 09-26-2011, 03:36 AM

if you are going to open windows as alternative, then I would advice you to keep ac on windows greatly disturbs aerodynamics resulting in reduction in average,

daf62757 · 09-27-2011, 12:13 AM

You might want to also evaluate the terrain conditions. Driving 50 in hilly areas might actually use more gas than driving a little faster. You coast farther if you are going faster and you can go farther up a hill if you are going faster. I have found it to be a real art to squeeze out as much mileage as possible but if you drive the same route on a regular basis, you should be able to master the best speed even with the AC on. I would never put personal comfort over mileage in a Yaris. The difference is just not that great.

mr9865 · 09-27-2011, 02:41 AM

In my ECHO driving 50 mph A/C off got me 54mpg for my hwy trip, doing the same trip at 75 I got 43mpg. Driving slow does help!

eTiMaGo · 09-27-2011, 03:20 AM

only way to be sure:

1) drive 1 tank with windows down exclusively
2) drive 1 tank with windows up and AC on exclusively
3) drive one tank with windows down at normal speeds and AC on at highway speeds

Keep a log of your fuel consumption under all three scenarios and see which one makes the most sense in terms of economy and comfort :)

09-11-2011, 04:42 PM	#1
Twistoffate0817 My Little Blue Egg :) Drives: '09 3 door Yaris Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Voorhees, NJ Posts: 185	Need Advice. Hello all, I am now commuting to school three days a week and need opinions on which is better for MPG sake. I drive 50 mph all the way there. I have googled whether or not it was better to drive with the windows down a bit, or the air circulating from the outside with the window up and cannot find an answer that makes sense. My question is...is it better to drive with the window down a bit at 50 mph, or window up with the air circulating in from the outside? Which one will give me the best MPG? Does turning the fan on setting 1, 2, 3, 4 effect my MPG? Thanks!

09-11-2011, 07:52 PM	#3
sickpuppy1 Drives: 2010 Yaris Sedan Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Kansas Posts: 871	If your talking about just bringing in outside air, running the blower wont affect fuel economy at all. running with the window __________________

09-13-2011, 12:07 PM	#6
malibuguy Obsessed with 1.5L Drives: '10 PW Yaris Sedan Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Westminster, MD Posts: 907	windows up for me at speeds over 35mph now sometimes if its very nice out, i'll drive windows down 60+... __________________ -Greg...the Exhaust Freak. -10 PW sedan 107whp/110wtq, full exhaust, suspension bits, TRD LSD -06 Highlander 3mzfe Limited AWD -82 Malibu, 1uzfe swap -97 Tercel coupe, 1nzfe/4.31 -96 Tercel coupe, Turbo 5efe, autoX -96 Tercel 4dr

09-27-2011, 12:13 AM	#9
daf62757 Nothing beats a Toyota! View User's Garage Drives: 2013 Yaris 5 dr liftback Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Indianapolis, Indiana Posts: 564	You might want to also evaluate the terrain conditions. Driving 50 in hilly areas might actually use more gas than driving a little faster. You coast farther if you are going faster and you can go farther up a hill if you are going faster. I have found it to be a real art to squeeze out as much mileage as possible but if you drive the same route on a regular basis, you should be able to master the best speed even with the AC on. I would never put personal comfort over mileage in a Yaris. The difference is just not that great. __________________ Big Dave Indianapolis, IN Synthetic Oil....its in my car.....for at least 10,000 miles!

09-27-2011, 02:41 AM	#10
mr9865 $10.25/hr frying chicken View User's Garage Drives: 2012 Yaris L Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Green Bay WI Posts: 261	In my ECHO driving 50 mph A/C off got me 54mpg for my hwy trip, doing the same trip at 75 I got 43mpg. Driving slow does help! __________________

09-11-2011, 05:18 PM	#2
Lil Abner Drives: 2009 3dr LB Manual Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Dublin, Ohio Posts: 412	In my experience, running the air doesn't do anything for economy. And the fan speed doesn't control how much the AC compressor runs. It runs the same regardless of the fan speed.

09-12-2011, 09:13 AM	#4
SpaceShot Drives: 2008 Yaris 5 speed HB Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: NH Posts: 171	Either having the windows (partially) down or using the AC will take 1-3 Mpg off your trip average. Going with the windows up and the interior fan turned all the way up doesn't seem to have a measurable affect on trip Mpg.

09-12-2011, 05:11 PM	#5
Kal-El Drives: 07 Yaris S Sedan 5-Speed Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 2,179	Just be comfortable. If you're very warm or hot, put the AC on. The Yaris's AC is very efficient, unlike the old days when AC really drained power. I never noticed more than 1 mpg difference. There's other factors that effect MPG more, like simply stop signs and red lights - they waste way more gas. Or even which way the wind is blowing which you can't control. The difference in AC on vs windows down is extremely negligible.

09-13-2011, 03:25 PM	#7
Twistoffate0817 My Little Blue Egg :) Drives: '09 3 door Yaris Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Voorhees, NJ Posts: 185	I won't use the AC unless im doing highway because the AC makes my Yaris very underpowered and I have to push the pedal down hard for it to accelerate from a stop. I guess I will try using the air from the outside instead of having the window down a bit. :P

09-26-2011, 03:36 AM	#8
nessan Drives: Toyota Etios Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: US Posts: 6	if you are going to open windows as alternative, then I would advice you to keep ac on windows greatly disturbs aerodynamics resulting in reduction in average,

09-27-2011, 03:20 AM	#11
eTiMaGo vroom vroom View User's Garage Drives: lil red 5-door Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Bangkok, Thailand Posts: 7,744	only way to be sure: 1) drive 1 tank with windows down exclusively 2) drive 1 tank with windows up and AC on exclusively 3) drive one tank with windows down at normal speeds and AC on at highway speeds Keep a log of your fuel consumption under all three scenarios and see which one makes the most sense in terms of economy and comfort :) __________________ The price of freedom of religion, or of speech, or of the press, is that we must put up with a good deal of rubbish. - Robert Jackson Bye bye 1NZ...

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