I have done some calculations

[acdii]

Based on my past 3 hybrids, I have been able to determine cold losses. Each car got a certain MPG during the summer months, and a low point in the winter. Subtracting the low from the high gave me the amount each car dropped, which worked out to roughly 13%. My 2010 high average is spot on combined at 39 MPG, winter low is between 33-34 MPG. Which is a hair over 5 MPG, or 13%. My Camry and Prius were right in the same ball park. so taking that percentage, what we should be seeing in the cold weather is roughly 6 MPG.

 

So those of you who are driving in the cold north, should expect anywhere from 39 to 42 MPG, those in milder temps, 50-70* should be 42 and up. If your numbers fall below this per tank, then most likely it is one of three reasons, A: You have a lot of short trips that dont allow the car to fully warm up, need to drive at least 10-15 miles in order to gain the Hybrid efficiency, B: you dont know how to drive it just yet(very small number here) or C: there is something wrong with the car.

 

In my case A: 34 miles each way daily, B: 4th Hybrid, yes I know how to drive it, and C: Hell yes something is wrong.

 

 

In any case, now you have a baseline based on 4 different Hybrid vehicles, and over 100K miles driven between them, 3 of which have met and exceeded EPA at some point.

Edited January 22, 2013 by acdii

[jeff_h]

so taking that percentage, what we should be seeing in the cold weather is roughly 6 MPG.

 

Pretty close to my what my recent trips show, though you'll likely scoff at what we call "cold" in VA. One day last week my afternoon commute was 49.8 MPG with temp around 45-50... today it was 44.8 MPG with temp at 23, with same trip and very similar traffic and same driving behavior. So if the temperature got down to what you would call "cold", I guess it would take a hit of a couple more MPG or so, hopefully not more.

 

I do think there's something wrong with your car, but the cold is definitely a factor too. Yesterday I took a trip for 57 miles (was not the normal commute) and when it was 20 degrees in the morning my MPG was 38.9 -- coming back when it was about 40-45 degrees, I had my best ever MPG trip at 51.1.

[GrySql]

It's 75 degrees here in the afternoon, my overall mileage since they did a 'hard reset' to the system is 37.3 mpg.

Tomorrow I have a 200 RT mile commute into the bowels of Los Angeles, we'll see what that nets.

[GrayStrider]

I knew you'd get better mpg in the summer months, but that's a pretty considerable amount. I've had a few great trip segments here and there, but overall, I'm still under 37 MPG after 3000 miles.

 

I'd recommend everyone use FUELLY and copy the script into their signatures here - it's great to see what MPG people are really getting, and over how many fuel-ups as I look through the forums. I also use an Android app called aCar to track my mileage on my tablet. It will also help you keep track of service you have done on your car. There's a free version, plus a pay one. I decided to buy the full app after using it for a couple of weeks. It gives you lots of stats in addition to your mileage, and much of it can be in graph format.

 

Part of the issue with our MPG is I do a better job driving hybrid than my hubby does, but he does most of the driving as we work at the same school site and I make a better passenger than he does ;)

[hybridbear]

Sounds right on with what I have noticed...35 MPG on this tank when in Minneapolis our temps have been hovering between -15 and 20 above the last two weeks. Our driving is almost all city and short trips. Rarely do we drive more than 10 miles without stopping and having the engine cool all the way back down before we start again. One note, on one highway trip traveling for work 60 miles one way I managed to get 39 MPG when it was -10, albeit going 55-60 MPH. The same trip at 40 degrees was 49 MPG. Big difference from temperature right there. On those two drives the wind was only different by a few MPH and coming across from right to left at 20-25 MPH.

 

When in California on vacation I got over 50 MPG around the city and on the highway as can be seen in those few high tanks on fuelly...

[acdii]

Stop, you guys make me want to cry! :(:::::

[Fynack]

Sounds right on with what I have noticed...35 MPG on this tank when in Minneapolis our temps have been hovering between -15 and 20 above the last two weeks. Our driving is almost all city and short trips. Rarely do we drive more than 10 miles without stopping and having the engine cool all the way back down before we start again. One note, on one highway trip traveling for work 60 miles one way I managed to get 39 MPG when it was -10, albeit going 55-60 MPH. The same trip at 40 degrees was 49 MPG. Big difference from temperature right there. On those two drives the wind was only different by a few MPH and coming across from right to left at 20-25 MPH.

 

When in California on vacation I got over 50 MPG around the city and on the highway as can be seen in those few high tanks on fuelly...

Im in virginia and last week we had 2 60 degree days in a row and I still wasnt able to achieve 40mpg. You must live a very level city/county/state because I can see that 47mpg is obtainable but only on a level road at 25-45 mph but any deviation from that and you can forget about it. My coworker with his prius gets 48.5mpg and he doesnt even think about it while im driving looking at the speedometer then looking to maintenance EV mode. Its distracting and an annoyance but Id gladly do it if i could get the mpg that was advertised. Also if the 2013 Avalon Hybrid lives up to the 40mpg I may switch to that rather then feel ripped off.

[hybridbear]

Stop, you guys make me want to cry! :(:::::

 

Sorry. I hope you can get your FFH fixed soon, or get a new one under Lemon Law guidelines if Ford won't help you. Have you tried calling Ford Corporate's Customer Service line and asking for a Zone Manager? That might help escalate your issues above the local dealer

[jeff_h]

Im in virginia and last week we had 2 60 degree days in a row and I still wasnt able to achieve 40mpg. You must live a very level city/county/state because I can see that 47mpg is obtainable but only on a level road at 25-45 mph but any deviation from that and you can forget about it. My coworker with his prius gets 48.5mpg and he doesnt even think about it while im driving looking at the speedometer then looking to maintenance EV mode. Its distracting and an annoyance but Id gladly do it if i could get the mpg that was advertised. Also if the 2013 Avalon Hybrid lives up to the 40mpg I may switch to that rather then feel ripped off.

 

You weren't able to get 40 MPG on those warm days? I got 51 and 52MPG on those days on the drive home, and part of it is on Rt 7 just a bit east of you. It's not the flat roads that are needed as the car will tend to stay on the verge of going into EV but doesn't... it's the nice rolling hills like on Rt 7 that tend to work best for me, as the ICE runs on the uphills and the downhills are all EV and takes the average up. The same goes for I-95 from Springfield southbound, it's not flat but gradual uphills and downhills, and that tends to work much better than flat roads.

 

I got the car with 38 miles on it and the lifetime MPG said 27, I haven't reset it as I wanted to see how high I could get it, today on the way home made another tenth and it's now at 44.4 MPG lifetime and a few miles away from 3,000 miles. Today's drive home at 49.9 and that was down from 51 yesterday. To get the good MPG takes a light foot that's for sure, but no different than when I had a Prius.

[hybridbear]

Im in virginia and last week we had 2 60 degree days in a row and I still wasnt able to achieve 40mpg. You must live a very level city/county/state because I can see that 47mpg is obtainable but only on a level road at 25-45 mph but any deviation from that and you can forget about it.

 

I've found that the FFH does better on hilly highways than flat. On our road trip to Cali I tracked elevation as it related to our gas mileage and found that when we drove on flat highway with minimal hills the ICE almost never turned off. That led to lower gas mileage than driving through gentle hills where the beginning and ending elevation were the same.

 

For example, on my trips referenced above I am going up and down a lot on gentle hills but my elevation at the beginning and end of trip are pretty close, there's about a 50 ft overall climb in the 60 miles. That seems to be the sweet spot for this car on the highway because on all the downhills I'm in EV mode and on the uphill sections the ICE kicks on and recharges the battery while operating in its most efficient range under a higher load.

[hybridbear]

You weren't able to get 40 MPG on those warm days? I got 51 and 52MPG on those days on the drive home, and part of it is on Rt 7 just a bit east of you. It's not the flat roads that are needed as the car will tend to stay on the verge of going into EV but doesn't... it's the nice rolling hills like on Rt 7 that tend to work best for me, as the ICE runs on the uphills and the downhills are all EV and takes the average up. The same goes for I-95 from Springfield southbound, it's not flat but gradual uphills and downhills, and that tends to work much better than flat roads.

 

I got the car with 38 miles on it and the lifetime MPG said 27, I haven't reset it as I wanted to see how high I could get it, today on the way home made another tenth and it's now at 44.4 MPG lifetime and a few miles away from 3,000 miles. Today's drive home at 49.9 and that was down from 51 yesterday. To get the good MPG takes a light foot that's for sure, but no different than when I had a Prius.

 

Funny how we were typing the same answer at the same time. When my page refreshed with my post yours appeared right above it :hi5:

[acdii]

Sorry. I hope you can get your FFH fixed soon, or get a new one under Lemon Law guidelines if Ford won't help you. Have you tried calling Ford Corporate's Customer Service line and asking for a Zone Manager? That might help escalate your issues above the local dealer

Yes, and have her extension, but she never answers the phone so it goes to voice mail. Guess I need to call three or four times a day.

[Fynack]

You weren't able to get 40 MPG on those warm days? I got 51 and 52MPG on those days on the drive home, and part of it is on Rt 7 just a bit east of you. It's not the flat roads that are needed as the car will tend to stay on the verge of going into EV but doesn't... it's the nice rolling hills like on Rt 7 that tend to work best for me, as the ICE runs on the uphills and the downhills are all EV and takes the average up. The same goes for I-95 from Springfield southbound, it's not flat but gradual uphills and downhills, and that tends to work much better than flat roads.

 

I got the car with 38 miles on it and the lifetime MPG said 27, I haven't reset it as I wanted to see how high I could get it, today on the way home made another tenth and it's now at 44.4 MPG lifetime and a few miles away from 3,000 miles. Today's drive home at 49.9 and that was down from 51 yesterday. To get the good MPG takes a light foot that's for sure, but no different than when I had a Prius.

 

Jeff_h what packages/options do you have for your car?

[jeff_h]

Jeff_h what packages/options do you have for your car?

 

SE Hybrid (17" wheels) with 505A luxury package, tech package, reverse sensing, navigation... and three sets of sub-par floor mats.

[Fynack]

SE Hybrid (17" wheels) with 505A luxury package, tech package, reverse sensing, navigation... and three sets of sub-par floor mats.

 

Thanks for the information. My car is almost the same except I have the 18" wheels, and the Lux Assist Package which includes Lane Keeping, BLIS, Auto High Beams and few other things. I may try to turn all those things off and see if I see a difference.

[acdii]

What you could do is see what your actual engine temps are by going into diagnostic mode. Press and hold the left OK button when you start the car, and you will see the maintenance screen show up. Scroll through until you find the temp screen, it will be in C, so you will need to convert it for us who are old school. Drive it and keep an eye on the temps and see how high and low they go. You may have the same issue mine does where it doesn't get hot enough.

[hybridbear]

<blockquote class='ipsBlockquote'data-author="acdii" data-cid="42108" data-time="1360354105"><p>

What you could do is see what your actual engine temps are by going into diagnostic mode. Press and hold the left OK button when you start the car, and you will see the maintenance screen show up. Scroll through until you find the temp screen, it will be in C, so you will need to convert it for us who are old school. Drive it and keep an eye on the temps and see how high and low they go. You may have the same issue mine does where it doesn't get hot enough. </p></blockquote>

 

What else can you do in diagnostic mode?

[MXGOLF]

I'm in the same boat. Crappy mileage. 32 mpg. All short trips to work, the store, the gym. I drive like a grandma and it's the same. I watch the gauges too much and think I have good touch on my right foot. Pretty much the opposite of the way I used to drive. The dealer keeps telling me to wait for 5-6000 miles for it to break in. Why are a lot of people getting 40+ right out of the gate?

[acdii]

I'm in the same boat. Crappy mileage. 32 mpg. All short trips to work, the store, the gym. I drive like a grandma and it's the same. I watch the gauges too much and think I have good touch on my right foot. Pretty much the opposite of the way I used to drive. The dealer keeps telling me to wait for 5-6000 miles for it to break in. Why are a lot of people getting 40+ right out of the gate?

Noted in BOLD is the reason. These cars hate short trips. My 2010 is the same way, need to drive at least 10 miles to get anything decent in them. Under that and you would be lucky to get 27 in it. For short trips, the Energi makes the best hybrid. Since you are on the upper west, in colder climates, it tends to do poorly too, especially when new. The longer the trip the better.

 

What can do is find the exact build date to see if yours is falling into the same build range that a few of us are in that all have the same issue. Go to the etis.ford.com site and enter your VIN, it will give you the build day, day/month/year. If it is the last week of October, you are one of us.

[hybridbear]

Noted in BOLD is the reason. These cars hate short trips. My 2010 is the same way, need to drive at least 10 miles to get anything decent in them. Under that and you would be lucky to get 27 in it. For short trips, the Energi makes the best hybrid. Since you are on the upper west, in colder climates, it tends to do poorly too, especially when new. The longer the trip the better.

 

What can do is find the exact build date to see if yours is falling into the same build range that a few of us are in that all have the same issue. Go to the etis.ford.com site and enter your VIN, it will give you the build day, day/month/year. If it is the last week of October, you are one of us.

 

Agreed. We would have bought an Energi for this very reason, all our trips are short trips, but living in an apartment we have nowhere to plug in :(

 

In the summer you should see your mileage improve on the short trips because the ICE will warm up faster and stay warm longer.

[wailer]

Up until a week ago I was having my doubts about the 47/47 mileage claims. I have heard and read various estimates of "break-in" mileage needed to get the best mileage, as all the components learn and talk to each other. While I was skeptical, I have noticed an uptick this past week in mileage during local trips. I have about 2800 miles and have seen a dramatic increase in my individual trip mileage, and a gradual climbing of my overall mileage over the last seven days. I managed 46.5 this afternoon. Over the past week I've noticed most trips have been in the 41+ range, so maybe there is really something to there being a period of improving efficiency. Not one trip this week has been under 40 mpg and the temps here in the DC area have been low 30's on my 15 mile drive to work and in the 40's going home. Hopefully I will see the my Average mpg (38.9) start to rise into the 40's as well. I don't really care if I don't average 47/47, but would like to see the mileage be somewhere close to that. I'm curious how many miles those coming up short have on the odometer. Hopefully things will get better for you soon! :)

Edited February 9, 2013 by wailer

[lolder]

Here are my observations of negative effects on mileage after 3 1/2 years and 50K miles in a 2010 FFH:

1. Temperature- 2 mpg loss for every 10 º F. lower temperature.

2. Speed- 6 mpg loss for every 10 mph speed increase.

3. Wind- 3 mpg loss with every 10 mph headwind

4. Weight- 1 mpg loss for each additional 100 lbs.

5. Rain- up to 10 mpg for heavy rain.

6. Air conditioning- as low as 1 mpg to as much as 10+

7. Noisy Roads- 1 to 3 mpg.

8. Headlight high beams- 1 mpg

9. Tire Pressure- 1 mpg per 3 psi lower.

 

All that being said, my lifetime mpg in ideal South Fl. is 41 mpg.

 

If you drive 80 at night near freezing against a gale and torrential rains on a bad road with your family, you'll probably run out of gas at the end of the block.

Edited February 10, 2013 by lolder

[hybridbear]

Here are my observations of negative effects on mileage after 3 1/2 years and 50K miles in a 2010 FFH:

1. Temperature- 2 mpg loss for every 10 º F. lower temperature.

2. Speed- 6 mpg loss for every 10 mph speed increase.

3. Wind- 3 mpg loss with every 10 mph headwind

4. Weight- 1 mpg loss for each additional 100 lbs.

5. Rain- up to 10 mpg for heavy rain.

6. Air conditioning- as low as 1 mpg to as much as 10+

7. Noisy Roads- 1 to 3 mpg.

8. Headlight high beams- 1 mpg

 

All that being said, my lifetime mpg in ideal South Fl. is 41 mpg.

 

If you drive 80 at night near freezing against a gale and torrential rains on a bad road with your family, you'll probably run out of gas at the end of the block.

 

Great information, thanks! I'll watch for similar results with our 2013

[hermans]

Up until a week ago I was having my doubts about the 47/47 mileage claims. I have heard and read various estimates of "break-in" mileage needed to get the best mileage, as all the components learn and talk to each other. While I was skeptical, I have noticed an uptick this past week in mileage during local trips. I have about 2800 miles and have seen a dramatic increase in my individual trip mileage, and a gradual climbing of my overall mileage over the last seven days. I managed 46.5 this afternoon. Over the past week I've noticed most trips have been in the 41+ range, so maybe there is really something to there being a period of improving efficiency. Not one trip this week has been under 40 mpg and the temps here in the DC area have been low 30's on my 15 mile drive to work and in the 40's going home. Hopefully I will see the my Average mpg (38.9) start to rise into the 40's as well. I don't really care if I don't average 47/47, but would like to see the mileage be somewhere close to that. I'm curious how many miles those coming up short have on the odometer. Hopefully things will get better for you soon! :)

I had 25 miles on mine the day I picked it up. The next day I took a trip to Fairfax, VA - down 95 and 495. I got 45.6 on the trip down and 43+ on the trip back. I've never owned a hybrid before, so I was pretty impressed. I live in Southeast PA and it has been cold here.

[wailer]

That is REALLY good! I now have 4500 miles or so, and I'm averaging about 39mpg. I occasionally hit the low 40's but that's it. Maybe in-town is killing it. Or my new 235/45 - 18" tires on my oh so slightly wider wheels??? I've only seen 45.5 one time on the narrower 225's. I try to pulse drive as often as I can, but it seems it's up-hill both going AND coming from work!

~Wailer