29.5 mpg

[doublewam]

My first tank in my brand new 2009 Yaris automatic got 29.5 mpg.

This driving mostly out of traffic but 80% backroads, (not highway).

Does this sound right? I was expecting more. I wasn't hot-rodding it either.

[daf62757]

It will get better. Read all the posts on this website gas mileage and you can't help but come away with great ideas that will increase your mileage.

Keep in mind, if you want to drive the speed limit, or above, your mileage will be under 40MPG, but I think 38MPG while driving 70 MPH is fantastic!

[auxmike]

Don't feel bad.
After a year, I've not topped 32MPG. I also have the A/T LB.
Good luck and enjoy your car!

[scape]

I ran the AC for a whole tankfull once, drove a bit aggressively, and my mileage was around 28. now I run the AC sparingly and drive aggressively and get 34mpg. do you run the AC much?

[Loren]

Driving habits are a funny thing. A lot of people (probably most people) aren't really driving efficiently, even when they THINK they're not driving aggressively. It all has to do with our habits. Things like trying to maintain a constant speed over hills instead of allowing the car to slow down a bit, or like mashing the gas to pass another car instead of just slowing down by a factor of 2 mph and just following them, or subconciously speeding up when there's a car creeping up beside us on the interstate.

WITHOUT giving up the air conditioning, you can make some very subtle changes to your driving habits and easily see in improvement of 10%. (bringing you from 29.5 up to 33) Without trying much harder, you could see an additional 10%. (bringing you up to 36) And, if you get serious about it, there's still another 10% beyond that. (bringing you up to 38-40 mpg) If you get really crazy, beyond that first 30% of improvement from "typical", there's yet another 10-20%. It's true, you could see an additional 50% more mpg than you are right now. From almost 30mpg to at least 45mpg. And it's all in how you drive the car.

Read up on the "hypermiling" tips, there is much to be gained. As a bonus, you'll find that you become a much more aware driver and more relaxed behind the wheel.

[roxy1]

Originally Posted by Loren

Driving habits are a funny thing. A lot of people (probably most people) aren't really driving efficiently, even when they THINK they're not driving aggressively. It all has to do with our habits. Things like trying to maintain a constant speed over hills instead of allowing the car to slow down a bit, or like mashing the gas to pass another car instead of just slowing down by a factor of 2 mph and just following them, or subconciously speeding up when there's a car creeping up beside us on the interstate.

WITHOUT giving up the air conditioning, you can make some very subtle changes to your driving habits and easily see in improvement of 10%. (bringing you from 29.5 up to 33) Without trying much harder, you could see an additional 10%. (bringing you up to 36) And, if you get serious about it, there's still another 10% beyond that. (bringing you up to 38-40 mpg) If you get really crazy, beyond that first 30% of improvement from "typical", there's yet another 10-20%. It's true, you could see an additional 50% more mpg than you are right now. From almost 30mpg to at least 45mpg. And it's all in how you drive the car.

Read up on the "hypermiling" tips, there is much to be gained. As a bonus, you'll find that you become a much more aware driver and more relaxed behind the wheel.

that says it all. for little money, you can get the Ecometer (~$60, i think) and you will learn quickly which habits are killing your FE.

http://www.yarisworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=18650

[Loren]

Really, you can get that first 20% without spending ANY money. Beyond that, the feedback of some FE monitoring helps A LOT.

[R2D2]

Very good advice above!

We may not be able to change the environment we drive in but we can change how we drive in it. I thought I was an efficient driver until I bought an ecometer and started following the hypermiling tips that BailOut posted here. By my third tank I had picked up 5.5 mpg. It's actually been quite fun trying to improve mileage.

Most also report significant gains as the vehicle breaks in.

R2

[Sandwash]

I've had my '09 3-door liftback with manual trans for 6 weeks now, and having driven 2300 miles i've been noticing increasing improvements with latest calc being 36 mpg. And, this is in so. Arizona which includes much rural driving at 75 miles per hour and a.c. blasting full-on with outside fahrenheit temps of 103 degrees.

[maximapitko]

36-40mpg all day every day since day one. It doesn't seem like the AC affects things much either. Once I was runnning late fopr a wedding in ND so I ended up driving 202 miles in 1hour 50min-keeping it at 114mph(just before the limiter kicks in). With crazy head wind and 4 people in the car I got 19.8mpgs :)

[Yaris Hilton]

Using the brakes wastes fuel. Every time you touch the brake pedal, you're taking kinetic energy you built up by burning fuel and converting it to waste heat. If you're accelerating and braking for curves, holding speed downhill with brakes, or of course having to make stops, you'll see your mileage go down.

[b_hickman11]

Originally Posted by doublewam

My first tank in my brand new 2009 Yaris automatic got 29.5 mpg.

This driving mostly out of traffic but 80% backroads, (not highway).

Does this sound right? I was expecting more. I wasn't hot-rodding it either.

Whats the air temp. where you live?

[Astroman]

I couldn't break into the 30's for a while. I had a part of the plastic under the engine that had come off partially, acting like an air brake. 3-7mpg improvement when I dremeled off the bad piece. Also have an '07 auto liftback.

[auxmike]

Originally Posted by maximapitko

36-40mpg all day every day since day one. It doesn't seem like the AC affects things much either. Once I was runnning late fopr a wedding in ND so I ended up driving 202 miles in 1hour 50min-keeping it at 114mph(just before the limiter kicks in). With crazy head wind and 4 people in the car I got 19.8mpgs :)

Are you serious?
That's pretty hard to believe. I'd think the tires would blow after a few minutes. Also, with 4 people aboard?
Where the heck can you drive like that mile after mile???

[Loren]

Originally Posted by auxmike

Are you serious?
That's pretty hard to believe. I'd think the tires would blow after a few minutes. Also, with 4 people aboard?
Where the heck can you drive like that mile after mile???

North Dakota, pay attention.

[auxmike]

Originally Posted by Loren

North Dakota, pay attention.

LOL.
Hey I'm from the NY metro area, gimme a break Loren.
Trying that stunt would be just impossible here at least!

[YotaYaris]

Your MPG's are a little low but you can bring them up. It just all depends on how high you want your MPG's to get. Read the "hypermiling" tips , as Loren stated. Then pic what works for you.
My average stays between 38 and 42 MPG's.
I only use 3 or 4 rules.
#1) Slow Down: I try to drive between 55 and 65MPH, and coast as much as possible(dont use the brakes so much, as stated above)
#2) Air Pressure: I use 40 PSI in my tires, that combined with the lowering springs makes for one stiff ride, but both of them improve MPG's
#3) Plan/Combine Trips: I do this to the extreme. I try not to travel during traffic times or when its so hot that I must use A/C.

Hope this helps. Trust me read the "hypermiling" tips .

[Astroman]

How's the condition of your air filter? My LeBaron had a mouse nest in the stock airbox, didn't find out about it until it got sucked into the throttle body, with the throttle wide open. Also keeping the exterior clean and waxed can help.