Actual Mileage for Highlander Hybrid
Created August 16, 2005, at 11:01 pm by Anonymous
Notice that there is a topic for the Ford Escape Actual Mileage and was wondering if anyone would be willing to share their real world data on the Toyota Highlander?
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Gas Mileage.. ( CDN numbers ).
My latest numbers are:
8.58 l / 100 km
or
32.94 Imperial gallons per gallon
28.2 mpg ave. Too early to tell. The altimate test comes next week when we take it on vacation from vegas to minnesota via canyonland national park...joe
I'm only getting 26 MPG. But I have a teenage son who occasionally gets to drive it. All in all I'm a little disappointed with the mileage, but impressed with the vehicle in general.
I have also been getting only about 26 after about 1000 miles. I live in northern NJ, so I think that the excessive heat plus the hilly terrain contribute to my MPG.
Had HH for four weeks now. Forget about what you get on the first tank of gas, means nothing. Second tank of gas, I'm getting around 9L per 100km, give or take .5, in mixed city/highway driving, with the AC sometimes on. (26.something mpg.) Basically what I expected. I'm using 87 octane, cause that's what the owner's manual (not the dealer) says.
That's according to the computer. Some people are complaining about discrepancies between their calculations based on what they actually put in at the pump and what the computer says. I assume it's because gas you buy is volume adjusted for temperature, so buying a "litre" of gas does not mean you are actually buying a litre of gas.
I'm finding it pretty much impossible in city traffic to get it going from a stop without the gas engine kicking in. Instead, I've settled on getting it up to speed asap, then easing off the gas to let it run electric. Other experiences or thoughts?
Joe,
Does you HH have average gas consumption or you bassing this on the current consumption..
The computer shows average and current, but the current consumption is for the last 2 seconds, which is a bit useless, since that ranges from 40L/100km to 0, depending on what you're doing with the pedal. So I've been looking at the average consumption, which I reset every time I fill up. This took me a bit of hunting to figure out how to do -- using the display panel above the radio, you get it to display the average consumption, then press and hold the "info" button until it resets to 0.
Incidentally, if you don't reset the average, you can get pretty misleading information, since my HH got 13.5L/100KM on the first 100KM -- I think they were idling it at the dealer -- which skewed the average way up.
In terms of real-world mileage, I see there hasn't been a new posting in a couple of weeks. Anyone who has had a HH for several weeks or more care to share some mpg observations?
Thanks.
I've had mine since early june. It's the 4x4 limited version, and the mileage seemed to get better after the "break in" period...either that my driving skills improved. I get 29mpg to and from work, driving 50-60mph. The best I've encountered over a is 33 mph driving on backroads for about 30 miles with low rolling hills and occasional stops. The worst I've had is when speeding along at 75-85 mph, where it drops down to 22-24 mpg.
Dear People @ Hybrid Cars.COM,
How can I join the discussion forum ?
I have a question about the Highlander hybrid.
Has anybody exact figures on the emission level of this vehicle. I do not mean its a ULEV but the exact output of this vehicle.
I just recieved my new Highlander overhere in the Netherlands, It came from the USA, and Im going to have it EPA / TUV certified overhere.
From Toyota I only recieve the normal "from behind the desk" info that it complies to....
So if somebody can help me out it would be great.
Have a great weekend to all.
Best regards,
Martin J.M.Verschure
What does a non-hybrid Highlander get?
I don't find 8-9 l/100 km much to brag about. We have an old 4-cyl Honda Odyssey 7 passenger van (our third vehicle, only occasionally driven now that we have two VW TDIs), that can get around 9 l/100 km on the highway without any fancy technology besides a Honda 4-cyl, 2.3L, 150 hp VTEC engine.
It is a very practical vehicle, not too large, good carrying capacity for our family of 5. If car makers just made good efficient vehicles like that rather than going for the biggest all the time, we'd be in better shape, and wouldn't need fancy technology to make a oversized vehicle get the same mileage as one that is "right-sized". That, plus the European trend towards smaller-displacement engines.
Mike G.
I've had my HH Limited 4WD since mid-July and am getting approx. 26 mpg combined. I think my city mileage is worse than highway, as the only time I've broken 30 mpg was on the highway. I do live in hilly Seattle, but I was hoping for better.
I am grateful to be using less gas than my old '96 Volvo 850 Turbo wagon (17 city/ 29 highway) which my HH has replaced. I feel I've netted out better in terms of roominess, stability (with the 4WD which we'll use a lot skiing this winter), and power, all while getting better gas mileage.
That said, I would have gladly traded some of the horsepower for better gas mileage.
I have about 3000 miles on a 2WD Highlander Hybrid. I still consider this to be breaking in. I have driven mostly on the highway with the air conditioner on. I have to drive at near 75 to 80 mph just to keep up with the traffic in the northeast. Unlike most people I have been recording gallons and mileage for all my vehicles in a book for decades. Try 2,570 miles divided by the gallons used in 2,570 miles, that's accurate. (empty tank to empty tank). Based on an average for several months I am getting 24.5 MPG. I expect a slight improvement without the AC operating. The gas powered Highlander with the 3.3 liter six gets a true average of 19 MPG. I am very happly with the Highlander Hybrid gas mileage and performance. It is also fun to sit in traffic when the engine shuts off while Hummers waste gallons next to me. Most four cylinder powered cars really get about 26 to 35 MPG (except for AWD Subarus, expect 22 MPG). My 95 Corrola wagon automatic gets a true average of 33 MPG. That is quite good, but it is tiny when compared to the Highlander. The Highlander can also tow 3,500 pounds. The best my 1988 Ford Festiva ever got was 39 MPG with a 5 speed stick. Of course, that car was a deathtrap.
We've had our Highlander Hybrid since late July and have about 4800 miles on it. I'm currently averaging about 28 mi/gal. My driving is really combined city and highway. The owner's manual recommends premium gasoline. Can anyone comment on the difference in milage between regular (87) and premium (93) gasoline?
I have about 2700 miles on my HH and I'm getting about 28 in the city (chicago) and 28-30 on the highway.
I have had my HH since June, have a little more than 2000 miles on it so far.
I live in Los Angeles where the traffic is horrendous and there are lots of hills.
By using cruise control and going at 65 mph I can get 30 MPG highway. Any faster than 70 mph and the efficiency suffers.
My commute is only 5 miles; it is relatively straight and flat, and if I use the gas pedal to only accelerate up to cruising speed then feather the pedal to activate the electric engine I can get about 28 MPG city on a good day.
However, one annoying thing that really eats my efficiency is that the gas engine ALWAYS turns on right after I start, and won't shut off until I've driven about 2 miles or so. Because of that my actual end (total miles driven / total gallons used) MPG is about 26 MPG - this is actually about 1 MPG worse than the LED screen indicates (it says ~ 27 MPG).
Anyone have any ideas about how to shut off the pesky gas engine?
You won't find any better resource than this:
http://www.greenhybrid.com/compare/mileage/
Ray
You could just idle in your garage for a couple until the engine shuts down
I live in Los Angeles and drive about 105 miles roundtrip per day to work (yes it's a long drive and I go through a lot of books on CD).
I've had my HH since July and have almost 7,000 miles on it. I'm getting about 25-26 mpg without the A/C on and 23-24 mpg with it on.
Overall, I'm very disappointed with the mileage. Call me an optimist, but I was expecting a realistic mileage of 28 mpg.
Bought my '06 Highlander a month ago. Really disappointed n the MPG. Expected to get at least 30--getting in the low 20s. I know how to drive a hybrid--was getting 39-44 with my Civic Hybrid, but it was just too small. Tye engine is also excessively noisy at acceleration--sounds like it needs a tune-up. Tried running mid-grade w/o any affect. Hoping they come out with a conversion kit similar to what folks are doing in CA that will adapt it to run primarily on nicads for about 100 miles before recharge. If enough people push them, Toyota will see the potential profit and maybe do it.
I have had my new HH 2006 4wd for about 2 weeks and am very disappointed with the MPG. It is averaging 21.7, city and highway. I am using regular gas/87. This is my first H. any clues?
Disappointed in SoCal.
Karen
Wow, so many people expressing similar disappointments with the Highlander Hybrid. We are about 1500 mi into the vehicle, and getting NO BETTER than 20-24 mpg under a variety of all driving condition, with a very light touch on the gas pedal, so we rank as VERY DISAPPOINTED thus far. and this is is in flat Kansas, in moderate temperatures, not much AC or cold temps yet.
Well, just getting started but my experience has been better than some of the results seen here. I got to practice on my wifes Prius prior to getting my Highlander so that may be helping.
First tank, which I agree should be ignored, got an indicated 27.2 and calculated after fillup of 27.6. I prefer not to throw that one away.
Just filled up last night and attempted to implement some "pulse and glide" technique used in the Prius "hypremileage" marathon near Pittsburgh.
After 20 miles, I'm at 30.2 indicated. That's about 7 miles city and 13 miles highway. Time will tell if I can hold onto that number.
This is in the flatlands of Wisconsin at about 35 F with tires at 36 lbs.
alf
i'm actually pretty happy with my mileage. i'm close to my first 5000-mile maintenance. i usually get about 25.7 mpg, according to the computer. when calculated by myself between two fill-ups, it's more like 24.5 mpg. But I usually drive at ~75 mph whenever i can or am stuck in <15 mph stop-and-go traffice when i have to, during my commute on the bay are highways.
Follow up to the Higlander Hibrid at 30.2 mpg. I'm now at 31.4 mpg indicated.
What I did, was take my commute to surface streets, with a 45 mph average, rather than the 65 mph highway. It takes longer, 30 min vs 15 min, and adds maybe 15% in additional miles but it does improve the mileage.
Am I saving gas? NO. I'm sure the extra miles consume any savings achieved by the better mileage. So now that I have that out of my system, I can get back on the highway.
The first couple miles of the commute show an instantanious of 10 mpg and drag my indicated average down by 3-4 mpg. By the end of the 18 mile commute it works it's way back up.
I do find it easier to do the glide part of "pulse and glide" in the Prius. With the Highlander it is much more difficult to find and maintain that glide condition.
A follow up to my last entry, disappointed in california, I have now had my HH about a month. The mileage is getting worse, now averaging 20 mpg. Spoke to a representitive at Toyota who recommended that I take the car into the service department where I bought the car. The HH was taken in and deemed, met Toyota's standards. The representative is unwilling to do anything more. I am thinking about my options. I have worked hard for my money and feel taken advantage of and am thinking about taking action against Toyota. Does anyone know if a class action lawsuit has been started and if so, where I can learn about it?
I've had my HH 2WD just over 2 weeks. Current tank is averaging 31.3 mpg for 400 miles. But, I am forcing myself to drive for mileage.
I noticed something last week that I have not had an opportunity to validate but here it is.
I was traveling on the highway at 65 mph indicating about 30 mpg. (Lots better than my Suburban.) A few minutes later I was indicating about 21 mpg. IMMEDIATE CONCERN.
While trying to determine what might be wrong, I thought about the semi on my back bumper. I slowed to just under 65 mph and he passed. As soon as he got clear and I was in clean air my milage went back up to 30. I though drafting would actually help both parties, maybe not.
Disappointed in California,
If your serious, I think most states have a lemon law that might apply.
.I'm not so convinced on these cars anymore - ..I'm selling mine before there is a flood of them on the marke t - there's a lot of talk about HEVs not achieving...my other concern is what kind of driver I have turned into - its almost like the "perception" of driving a "high??-fuel economy car has made me drive like my grandmother!!!EEK! I'm gonna look into an E85-capable vehicle where I can enjoy power and pay the farmers for the corn to do it...not the folks creating these hype vehicles.
Disappointed in CA is becoming more and more disappointed with Toyota and the HH. There are now 3,000 miles on the car and the mileage per gallon is worse than ever, averaging 21.1. When the HH was taken in for service the mechanics said, give it some time, the mileage will improve ( I can't imagine how time would help this), how would they explain 21.1mpg?
I am serious about looking at my options and about taking some kind of legal action against Toyota, whether it will be arbitration or class action is unknown at this time.
KJN
The reason they tell you to gigve it time is in the hope you will begin to drive like some pokey person on the freeway - and thats not safe. Either that or Toyotas stuff is so sloppy it need tens of thousands of miles to break in - or they have poor quality control....right?
Although I have been a bit disppointed at the gas mileage.
I have saved about 340$ in gas if I still had my 97 pathfinder, this since the middle of June.
Why would my HH get better mileage on the highway (better is still not good) 23.4 than on the surface streets 21.2. This goes against how Toyota markets the hybrid technology. Something is wrong with this car. I am feeling duped and because Toyota will not take my concern about the car seriously I will seek legal action.
Disappointed in So. Cal.
KJN
Hmmmm. If I'm reading all these posts correctly (hope I'm not) I might as well stick with my 94 Mitsubishi Montero 4 wheel drive and be happy! I work in the alternative energy field and use it for it's actual intended purpose of hauling heavy stuff over very difficult terrain and the odd business trip out of the area. I use mid-grade or regular and get 19 to 20 with the later and 22+ with the former. Not too bad for an 11 year old vehicle. Off road the economy is strictly one of "scale", as in how much work it has to do in what terrain. ;-)
Also, and just to add a little fuel to the fire (so to speak), my question of hybrid technology in general is this: considering the expensive battery, the dainty driving and all the electronic gizmos (which will never go wrong), why is it a superior technology to direct rail injection bio-Diesel and/or low sulphur Diesel? Two different friends report getting >70 MPG freeway driving at > 70 MPH in two French rental cars; one Citroen and one Renault. 50 MPG city and 65 combined driving, and one drove like a local (madman) through the Alps! They also reported no visible exhaust smoke, very low to 0 odor and very peppy performance all the way around.
So, why can't we get these cars in the US? Are they dangerous in crashes? No, they both have very high crash test ratings. I'm beginning to feel that the American auto industry has a stranglehold on the automotive economy, right along with the oil boys. What a pity. And Detroit produces such garbage!
Blame the American market for not warming to diesels sooner. Biodiesel is an excellent solution, but people just shunned them earlier, and then Detroit simply did not try to integrate them into their fleet. As it is, I think only Volkswagen and other European manufacturers provide them here.
What exactly do you expect Toyota to do KJN? They never told you it would get 30 mpg, the government did. And when you read the EPA statements on the sticker on your vehicle you will see the little Your mileage may vary statement. Not everyone is going to get the estimates, you may just have a driving environment that doesn't allow you to obtain the estimates. Driving style can also have an impact, and you dont' have to drive like a granny.
I try to stay either at the speed limit or less than 5 over and try to minimize my accelerating and braking and can exceed the City EPA estimates for the Prius. It is possible to get worse city than highway, as the Toyota models do best with keeping a constant rate of speed. A lot of stop and go is bad for the overall fuel economy and takes work to overcome.
KJN it does sound like somethiong is not right with your HH. I can get 20 mpg pulling a 12 ft enclosed trailer at 55 mph. It's like your stuck in B mode or something.
I have an numerous expectations: that my HH not be TEN miles UNDER the ESTIMATED mileage,
that Toyota act RESPONIBLY and train their sales people not to reinforce the sticker mileage as an absolute, that if a Toyota corporate rep tells me they will be able to remedy the car problem following their request for me to submit 3 options to them, that the rep will follow through and NOT back out, I expect that when a Toyota service person tells me someting may be wrong with the car that they FIX it and not tell me to "break it in" and come back at 5,000 miles if it is still doing it. TI think that these expectations are not extreme, just normal consumer expectations.
I have numerous expectations: that my HH not be TEN miles UNDER the ESTIMATED mileage,
that Toyota act RESPONIBLY and train their sales people not to reinforce the sticker mileage as an absolute, that if a Toyota corporate rep tells me they will be able to remedy the car problem following their request for me to submit 3 options to them, that the rep will follow through and NOT back out, I expect that when a Toyota service person tells me someting may be wrong with the car that they FIX it and not tell me to "break it in" and come back at 5,000 miles if it is still doing it. TI think that these expectations are not extreme, just normal consumer expectations.
I have numerous expectations: that my HH not be TEN miles UNDER the ESTIMATED mileage,
that Toyota act RESPONIBLY and train their sales people not to reinforce the sticker mileage as an absolute, that if a Toyota corporate rep tells me they will be able to remedy the car problem following their request for me to submit 3 options to them, that the rep will follow through and NOT back out, I expect that when a Toyota service person tells me someting may be wrong with the car that they FIX it and not tell me to "break it in" and come back at 5,000 miles if it is still doing it. These expectations are not extreme, just normal consumer expectations.
Sorry about the entry being placed in 3 times, did not mean to do that
KJN~
I live in So Cal too. I have had my Highlander Hybrid since the end of July. I am getting about 27 -28 average and I drive mainly freeway 62 miles to and from work. Try relaxing when you drive and try the pulse and coast technic. It actually helps with stress relief.
Good Luck!
I am not trying to be overly harsh about your expectations and I understand that you are disappointed. Again, the estimates are from the government, not Toyota.
Salesmen should not be emphasizing them, but that is more likely a salesman issue than a Toyota issue as salesmen from all dealers should know better than to do that. Let's face it, most salesmen embellish one thing or another to get a sale. That is why it is important for an individual to be knowledgable.
Chances are that there is nothing wrong with your car, so they can't fix it. To make a customer feel better, they say they think something "may be wrong" and check it out. They find out nothing is, so all they can say is wait for the break-in period. It would be nice if car salesmen knew how to drive to get maximum mileage, but most of the public doesn't either (since most people don't even keep track of their mileage).
I wouldn't say that your expectations were extreme, just unrealistic. I mean unrealistic in holding car manufacturers accountable for everything a salesman says and to expect something to be fixed with a vehicle when nothing is wrong.
Try searching for tips on how to drive for fuel economy or find others in your area to swap info is your best bet IMO. There is a message board that may be helpful at http://www.hihychat.com/ .
I can get 25 to 28 mpg every tank. I drove from vegas to mn this summer and got 30 average the first 850 miles.Then on the flat driving at 75 mph i got 26 mpg.Have never gotten less than 25 ish...joe
local higher than highway is only true for limited stops and mostly cruising, if you read how those test were done. if you are driving on those crowded local streets at 25mph and have to stop at every traffic lights, you won't get very good MPG. Get on some local throughfair with 40mph speed limits and synchronized traffic lights, you'll get much better MPG.
also, if you are make many short trips, with a long stop in between, you won't get very good MPG either, because engine is burning gas to warm up.
Thanks so much for all your sugestions, it is appreciated. I have been doing pulse and go and reading up on best ways to drive, I will evaluate and see what happens.
I believe my expectations about the car and the company are justified and will continue to pursue a response.
KJN
KJN-
If you haven't figured it out yet, its TMCs mojo...sorry you got snagged
re KJN's disappointment -- I am having the same experience he is. Started getting 24 mpg, and now that the weather is colder just getting 20-22 mpg in mixed city/hiway driving with a light touch on the gas pedal. Also got the same response from the Toyota "rep", saying it should get better around 5K miles, but actually it is getting worse (now at 3K mi). Am considering seeking legal opinion re whether I have any options for recourse under the Kansas lemon law, esp. as I expressed dissatisfaction within 3 days of taking delivery on the car. Had hitherto been a satisfied Toyota customer for 25 yrs, but am very dis-satisfied with them now.
re Lemon Law options: I've downloaded the Kansas Lemon Law, and understand it is similar to that used by other states. It says, "If a motor vehicle does not conform to all applicable warranties, and the consumer reports the nonconformity to the manufacturer...during the term of any warranties or during the period of one year...the manufacturer...shall make such repairs as are necessary..." It goes on to say that if the repairs are not successful "after a reasonable number of attempts", the manufacturer shall "...refund to the consumer the full purchase or lease price...less a reasonable allowance for the donsumers use of the vehicle as calculated from the most recent edition of Your Driving Costs, publiched by the AAA."
I think (as a non-attorney) that the key question here would be whether the gas milage estimate on the sticker is an "applicable warranty". Although there are disclamers re the milage estimates, it does say in small print on the window sticker that "the majority of vehicles with these estimates will achieve between 26 and 36 mpg in the city, and will achieve between 22 and 32 mpg on the highway". I believe this (the range of expected mpg's) is a warranty, as it is on the window sticker and is a disclamer to the EPA estimate of 31 city, 27 highway. However, I would appreciate any legal expertise re whether this constitutes a "warranty" under the Lemon Law. We paid full list for this vehicle based primarily on the expected fuel economy, and now feel we were greviously misled by the sales staff at Molle Toyota of Kansas City, MO.
Hi,
I too have the Highlander Hybrid and get around 23 MPG. I am measuring this buy comparing miles driven with gas put in the car. Could the people who have been saying they are getting 27+ MPG please clarify whether they are using the "average" number from the computer or actual gas used verses miles??
Thank you,
Brent
I'm getting 27mpg freeway driving using the computer average. Now I'm curious and will do it the old fashioned way for a couple of tanks.
Most of my driving is shorter trips to town and back 45mph. For this I average 25.6mpg. I'm a notorious lead foot but I've trained my self to get up to speed, back off and let the electric motor take over. Sounds like I'm having better results than most.
I did a 64 mile running errands around the 'big city' day where I never went over 35mph and the computer said 31mph
Anyone parked their highlander for more than 2 weeks and still been able to start it? The manual says the batteries will drain, but I've got a 3 week vacation planned and want to know what to expect when I get back to airport parking!
I'm in the same boat with the dissappointed Milage people. After 3000 miles I average only 21 mpg...mostly country roads, winter northeast. Also like previous complaints the sales people and radio ads, all said it would be much higher. And there is certainly a limit to the driving modification required to eek out an extra mile or two. I'm hoping for better weather which may improve it..or maybe it's just not broken in......yeah, right #@*
I've had a 4WD HH since July and have recorded gallons and mileage on every fill-up. I've used a spreadsheet to calculate MPG for each tankful, the last four tankfuls, and since I got the car. My experience is that I was getting great mileage (29-31) until Oct. Then two things happened:
First, during Oct I co-incidentally took many highway trips that used entire tanks of gas and started averaging 25 (driving at typical Massachusetts highway speeds). Most of my other driving is around town (shuttling kids et. al.) and I'm very aware of how I drive now (heck, if nothing else buying this HH has made me a more conservative driver). I've noticed a DISTINCT difference in MPG when I need to go out on the highway.
Second, the weather started getting colder in New England and my mileage seem to be directly proportional to the temperature. The best I've gotten since Nov is 27 MPG and that was during an unseasonably warm patch in Dec. More often it's 23-26. On one recent, very cold day of highway driving I got my worst (22 MPG). Naturally, I'm very anxious to see how MPG improves with the warmer whether.
One more thought: it's my sense that the battery makes this a very heavy car (I regularly gain on cars coasting down a hill) and that means that one needs to be very aware of driving habits. Cars burn most gas when accelerating, particularly from a stop, and the heavier the car the worse that is. If I drove the HH impatiently like I did my bouncing old Jeep, I'd expect much worse mileage.
We've had ours for about a month, and put about 500 miles on it. Most of our driving is very short hops (<5 mi) on residential streets, max 30mph and lots of stop signs. Under those conditions, mileage is lousy, about 21-22. BUT! on the occasional longer trips on arterial streets ~40mph with fewer stops, I have gotten 5-minute averages of >50 mpg! I really think this is the kind of driving the HH was designed for.
What I'm wondering is, since everything is computer controlled, why can't the performance be tweeked for the type of driving one does? It seems like there is a lot of potential in the vehicle, but Toyota needs to do some more work to maximize real-world performance.
Yeah, Karl, that's just what I'm talking about. I think it has to do with the physical weight of the battery. Stopping and starting constantly means using serious engine torque often. Any type of engine would do poorly under those circumstances. I think the non-hybrid Highlander would get no better than 18 MPG with that type of driving, so maybe 21-22 is modest improvement. I think you're exactly right that driving at 30-40 MPH for, say, 20 minutes at a time (without stopping too much) is perfect for the HH because the gas engine can turn off while coasting, while still covering miles. Those conditions are when I get the best mileage, too.
As far as the computer optimization goes, I think the weight of the car is a big, basic problem in that regard (think of all the gas a smoke-belching semi uses to go from 0-10 MPH). Still, I think you're right that more could probably be done to force increased use of the electric power on those starts, even if it means draining the battery more quickly.
I just learned something else about winter/cold weather mileage: apparently, during the winter months here in the northern part of the country, the gas companies change the mixture of gasoline to include more alcohol. The reason, I'm told, is to prevent the gas from getting too cold and either gelling or freezing. Apparently old cars really need this help to keep running in the winter months, although newer cars - that use fuel injetion? - don't. The drawback is that this alcohol rich mixture burns faster and, thus, begets worse gas mileage. I'm told that the mixture changes back in April.
I live in Louisiana and I bought a HH back in October of 2005. I have 14000 miles on it already. I have driven it in many different situations. I don't know much about this computer everyone is talking about, but I am fairly certain my HH is only getting about 21mpg. On several occasions I have been trailing friends and have needed to refuel much sooner than them. My HH does not get any better gas mileage than the Ford Escape I traded in. The sad thing is I am paying 10000 more for it and I liked my Ford's body style more. I am paying a hefty monthly note. Any suggestions. Isn't it too early to try and trade it? I am very disappointed with the gas mileage.
I've had my 2WD HiHy since October and the best I've done is 23mpg. I calculate mileage using the manual technique - miles driven divided by gallons put in at fill up. I think the computer calculations are optimistic.
The mileage is better than my old RAV4, but not much. I'm waiting for the warmer weather to see if that helps, but I am disappointed as well. I was hoping to get 25-28mpg. I love the car's power and features but I wish I got better mpg.
I will start to do manual calculations too. However i am verry interested in adding a battery pack to my hihy. Hymotion is starting to do the Prius but said it will be latter this fall till they get to the highlander. So now i would like to find info on how to do it my-self. Search eng have come up with nothing. Can anyone help???
I recently bought a HiHy LTD 2WD with about 14k miles already on it. Drove it from Florida to Arizona and I observed from 23 to 27 MPG blazing accross the country nonstop at 80+ MPH. Coming out of the hilly part of Texas was the worst, mostly around 23. After all is said, I was happy with it costing me $225 to drive from FL to AZ. Since i've put on about 3k miles on it and still I am observing about 27-28MPG by manual calc. I find myself watching the Consumption page on the DVD Nav screen. Seems like stop and go traffic has the highest 5 min average gas mileage results. I also finding myself trying to get up to speed without the gas engine starting, but not if there is anybody behind me. Has anybody noticed a BAD wind buffet with only the back windows open? That so far is my only gripe. Also, I am very impressed with the acceleration capabilities of the vehicle. NJOY!
Bought my HiHy 4wd SR5 7/7/05. All driving so far has been in Minneapolis area and back and forth to NW WI (130 mi each way). Present ODO 8784 0n 3/19/06. Calculated mileage at each fill as follows:
29.2, 27.15, 26.62, 26.05, 26.64, 25.61, 26.56, 27.68, 26.97, 27.33, 26.91, 26.44, 27.46, 27.48, 29.70, 26.85, 23.79, 26.21, 24.93, 26.98, 26.84, 22.01, 26.12, 21.59, 22.43, 21.87, 20.97, 22.24, 21.74, 23.85, 23.49, 25.66, 23.21, 26.46, 21.30, 22.81, 27.04. The lowest numbers were during 0F weather and/or lots of short city trips <5 mi. where engine never reaches operating temperature.
Overall, about what I expected. See CU article on CAFE calculations.
That said, I would like to see an "economizer" mode selector switch option which would minimize gas engine use (and inadvertent excessive acceleration) by desensitising the accelerator pedal, with a "kickdown" override for emergency acceleration needs. I am certain this would allow much better mileage in town, with some sacrifice in tire-burning performance.
One more comment; my HiHy seems to have shipped with the cruise control loop totally de-tuned, as the accelerate response lags so badly upon reaching the end of a downhill stretch as to render it useless except on level ground.
I would like to see TMC address early improvements with software updates sooner than later.
SMM
Manual MPG 24.4 Dash readout 24.8 This is the results from my first cross check of mileage
My Highlander Hybrid now has almost 5000 miles on it. For the first 3-4 tanks of gas I got between 23-26 mpg. Since then, I've consistantly got at least 29 mpg. I attribute the increase to learning how to drive the thing. I am very happy with this mpg...I'm getting over twice the mpg than I got on my 1995 Ford Explorer. Getting good mpg is a learned skill....if one drives like they did in a non-hybrid, you will get lousy gas mileage.
Wow, you guys
I have a 4x2 06 4runner weighing about 4000 pounds - with a 4.0L alumnum engine. I have averaged 22.4MPG over 3200 miles (I drive somewhat conservatively). HOwever, with recent gas prcies I was thinking about getting rid of it right away and buying a HH but I guess maybe I should just stick with mine. I thought a HH might be getting 30+ mpg but I CANT believe(!) that some of you guys are getting less than 25 or even 22!!!!
Driving style is important, with 2000 mi we are averaging 29.1 MPG and that is very mixed driving and incluses about 100 miles of towing a 2400lb trailer. If you watch the battery/engine gauge while driving you can max the battery time. Even on the hiway at 65 you can feather the gas pedal (need a new name for that maybe, a power pedal perhaps) and catch even a slight downhill and let the battery take over for a 1/4 to 1/2 a mile or so. It's like playing a game, but it teaches you to drive the car to get maximum milage. We have checked the computer readout manually as well.
And that blows away the 15-16 MPG we were getting on our 97 ford explorer
I have one of the first HH's in South Louisiana. Actual calculated milage is a disappointing 24 MPG, and I'm a very careful driver. I think the gas engine kicks in too soon. It is probably the A/C that is hurting me. According to the display, for the times I've driven with A/C off the milage isn't much better.
Does anybody feel what feels like an engine miss at 40 MPH and light throttle? The dealer can't do anything because there are no codes but the technician does feel it. He filed a report with Toyota but hasn't got a response.
with the warm weather I am now getting 31 to 32 mpg and that's based on calculating it off of a fillup,the on board computer is genrally on or 0.5 mpg high
I have had the HH for only one week and only 125 miles - (averaging 26 mpg on stop and go traffic to work) but I noticed right away that the Navigation display with the computer calculated energy graphs et al really helps teach me how to drive the vehicle for optimal mpg! When people post their experiences they should note whether they have this option or not. Dealer mentioned that a former Prius owner averaged 28 -30 mpg on his new HH but another neew owner averaged much less. NOTE - the Display is standard on the Prius
Example: The dramatic impact of any heavy acceleration clearly becomes more noticeable. It teaches one how to get up to speed - then coast and glide.
I agree with the comment above that the car has sweet spots (depends on road and pitch/elevation) where it seems to pull itself along and coast at up to 60 mpg.
The real kicker will be when we can force them to give us the economizer button - let us hope it is sooner than later
Highlander gas mileage for a Year.
I have had my Highlander for a year now and here are the stats that I have accumulated. Sorry I use metric / Imperial gallons.
Liters / 100 KM : 9.29
Miles per gallon : 30.48 ( Imperial )
Kms driven : 17180.00
Avg Price of Gas : 1.03 $ / Liter
I have saved ~875 $ / year comparing it to my 97 pathfinder that I had. The increase in Gasoline prices helped here.
Given a 2000$ rebate from the government and the gas savings I will have recouped my costs in buying a hybrid in about 2 more years. Sooner if the cost of gas keeps going up.
Seeking advice on HiHy driving
Have had a 2006 HiHy Limited for ~ 3 months with 2,500 miles.
Average today is ~ 24mpg - highway is actually ~ 27.
The issue is that recently (ie - last two tanks), I have been getting considerable worse milage for city only driving, ~ 18 mpg. I have been running the AC higher (live on the very hot East Coast) and city driving is usually trips that are less than 1 - 2 miles each way.
Any advice to get back up to the ~25 - 26 that I was getting in the city on the first 2k miles.
Thanks
Washington, DC
Turn off the A/C, and watch your energy flow icons to keep it on battery as much as possible.
I am also disappointed in the mileage so far -- 22-23 mpg, mostly city -- but have only had it two weeks. Environmentally, does anyone know if it is still making a difference on emissions/global warming over a standard gas engine even with the poor mileage? In other words, even if the mileage isn't what's promised, am I still emitting less carbon given the fact that the gas engine goes silent frequently? Or am I actually doing more environmental damage than if I drove a standard gas engine (i.e., a smaller car) that got better mileage?
And I concur with others that if the 31 mpg/city estimate is based on a highly specific driving style, including
no A/C, little acceleration, etc., they at least ought to tell you that. Do the mileage estimates for standard engines make the same assumptions? I assumed it was an apples-to-apples comparison -- that I could drive this the same way I drove my old Jeep and get at least better mileage. I also understood 31/27 mpg to be an AVERAGE. If so many folks are getting below it, there must be someone out there getting above it. At a minimum, they at least ought to be able to produce one living human being who gets 31/27.
I understand it's an EPA estimate, but Toyota is using it in marketing materials to justify a $7,000 premium. They do say they don't guarantee it, which I understand -- but that doesn't mean they should be able to advertise a total fabrication.
My wife is the zen master of hybrid driving, she drives as she always has and we average 29-31 mpg of mixed driving, our last trip was up to the white mountains in NH 390 mi round trip, on highway, back roads and over the kancamangus highway. we went 60-65 on the hiway. 31.1 mpg ave
gradual acceleration and decel, and watch for spots you can coast on the battery.
Now that the A/C is off, we are averaging 33.5 mpg. With the A/C we were getting about 29mpg.
I have a 2006 Limited, Over the first 9000 miles the computer (having been reset twice) is reading 31.0 overall (last 3500 miles). We have done about 1000 miles on highway. I keep a log book of all expensises including gas. Adding up the gas and dividing into the miles gives me 29.3 mpg over all. My wife is the usual driver, her mpg to work and back 60 miles round trip, hilly, is a nice 32.6. The only highway confirmation was a single trip at about 24mpg on the NY Thruway Albany to Utica.
got the HHa year ago ... avg. 27.9 for the first few months... in the cold ...
now i get about 24.9 at best... even in the summer and now, no A/C ... with a/c it was down to about 22.
Half city and half hwy, every day .. about 100-150 miles a day
i have 18450 miles on it now ....
This is a big lemon ... check my other post for all the problems ive had
I bought the THH Limited in July and from day one have been getting around 23 mpg. I haven't bothered to take it back to the dealer because from what I am reading on the web, the EPA estimates are just blatent lies. I do about 50/50 city and highway each day and if the EPA estimates were correct I would be getting about 30 mpg. Based on my math, this EPA lie is costing each of us about $5,000 in extra gas purchases over the life of the car.
Don't get me wrong, I'm happy to drive a hybrid and I like having an SUV that gets good gas milage. I just feel I was cheated out of $5000 when I decided how much extra to pay for a hybrid.
My wife gets 28 to 30 MPG mixed driving measured by both the car's readout and actual milage you have to learn how to use the car and when you are cruising and level or any sort of decline you need to back off the gas and then feather the pedal and you will engage the battery, then you can coast engine off at 60 to 65 and use no gas, does wonders for the milage. Watch your gauge with the arrows and you'll learn how to max out battery usage.
Crossing the Kangamangus hiwat in NH (mountain road) it was so downhill that we got 40 mph and cruised it entirely on the battery.
What the car reads and what the NAVI system says do NOT equal. Are you "manually" calculating your miles using pen and paper to confirm your results? Neither I nor others do not see the concurrance as you claim.
We are getting 22-26 miles per gallon with our Hybrid Highlander here in Wisconsin. Most are city miles. We have had the vehicle for 1.5 years now. This is according the the vehicle computer. Like noted by another, we love the vehicle and are happy with it in general (nicest vehicle we've every owned), but would, of course, like to see even better mpg. We are waiting (impatiently) for a plug-in.
What mileage we obtain depends on where we are driving. When I drive around the village to go to a local restaurant or the pharmacy or deli, I use the back streets and press the accelarator so as to accelerate gradually. So for the mile round trip I am able to use the electric motor. In that situation, I'm not using any gas.
But when I am driving down the NYS Thruway about 70 miles per hour in heavy traffic the miles per gallon is much lower. I think with the Highlander, your MPG will depend on where and how you drive.
From my experience driving in and around New York City, on urban and suburban roads, I average about 28 MPG.
when we do pen and paper we get 1 mpg less
Had my Highlander Hybrid for two years now, averaging 24-25 MPH in varied conditions (New England summer/winter, in town and road trips). Kind of disappointed, but still better mileage than non-hybrid.
I'm averaging 29.5 mpg on my round trip to school once per day for the last month... It's about 10 miles of neighborhood driving and 80 miles highway driving total. If there is heavy traffic I see an increase of about 2-3 mpg with the best I've done about 33 mpg. I usually cruise at 75 mph on the open highway as well.
I accidentally bought the cheap low octane fuel the other day and noticed about a 2 mpg decrease in efficiency.
We've been very happy with our purchase and it's performance. We bought the 2wd base model.
I purchased 2006 HH Ltd. 4X4 and averaged 24.5 mpg over 8500 miles driven on regular gas (87) in warm weather and mostly freeway driving. I was disappointed with this result (and lack of leg room when driving on longer trips) so did trade it for a new Avalon Ltd. (which at least is more comfortable). I do feel, however, that Toyota overstated the mpg to be expected on the HH. I would not have purchased that vehicle had I not believed their hype...caveat emptor comes to mind now. I must admit that the Toyota dealer did give us a fair trade, better than expected for such a new vehicle traded in.
I owned my AWD HH for nearly a year now. Actual miles/gal is 27.0 after 10,000 miles driven. No matter how hard I drive it, the worst ever was 25.5 mpg in the winter. I drive 15 miles to work, nostly flat roads. 1/3 is city, 1/3 is country and 1/3 is Hwy 50 in Sacramento. Total MPG dropped 1/2 MPG overall in June during a 3,000 mile trip to Las Vegas and Los Angelas where the SUV was full of people, air on and driving 70 MPH in the desert. My summer mileage normally is 28.5 MPG (I got 26 on the trip). It is back to 28.5 again. I lose about 2 MPG in the winter and 1 MPG with the air on. I try to accelerate with the guage reading no less than 10 MPG on up to the speed limit. That is moderate acceleration. The vehicle coasts well so I get off the gas well before a stop sign or a stop light. If you are getting MPG less than 25 in the summer, then you are driving with a lead foot and too much last minute breaking. Or, possibly the battery was run down (at the dealer) and the computer lost its ICE program and needs to be re-set. Note that MPG is not so good the first 5 miles while the vehicle warms up. Hope this helps.
I think the mpg varies greatly depending on driving habits. If you go 62-65 on the highway you will get MUCH better mileage than at 75. If you do a little anticipation when approaching red lights you'll get much better mileage. If you can limit the number of 5-minute trips on cold starts you'll do much better.
People have differing hobbies: I recently sold my boat because I hated working on it, but some people love it. If you LIKE looking at the mileage display on the Nav system and trying to get good mileage, you can get it without being a slow rolling highway obstruction. But if that's not a fun 'game' for you, you won't get the kind of mileage that people get who enjoy working on it.
I get 28-29 whether city or highway or mixed in the summer (measured the old fashioned way), a little less in cold weather or when my wife is in the car and not content with 65.
I think the mpg varies greatly depending on driving habits. If you go 62-65 on the highway you will get MUCH better mileage than at 75. If you do a little anticipation when approaching red lights you'll get much better mileage. If you can limit the number of 5-minute trips on cold starts you'll do much better.
People have differing hobbies: I recently sold my boat because I hated working on it, but some people love it. If you LIKE looking at the mileage display on the Nav system and trying to get good mileage, you can get it without being a slow rolling highway obstruction. But if that's not a fun 'game' for you, you won't get the kind of mileage that people get who enjoy working on it.
I get 28-29 whether city or highway or mixed in the summer (measured the old fashioned way) with the 4wdi, a little less in cold weather or when my wife is in the car and not content with 65.
That's not quite what the EPA tells Toyota to put on the window sticker, but I'm happy with it.
Recent camping trip towing a 3000lb trailer we got 21.5 MPG towing.
I bought my 4WD 07 Highlander in March 07. It now has 14000 miles. My overall mpg is 27mpg. It runs about 25 mpg in the winter and 28 mpg in the summer. Best tank was 30 mpg (summer trip) and worst tank 24 mpg (winter time commuting).
All these are pen and paper calculations. The electronic readout runs about 1 to 1.5 mpg higher than my actuals.
I am very pleased since I was only hoping for 25 mpg overall when I bought it.
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