I've had my Prius for about a month now and have not reset the mileage meter. Originally the displayed MPG was about 42 MPG and then started dropping. It is now at 39.<br>Has anyone else seen this behavior? I wonder if the batteries are failing.<br>Does anyone have driving tips to improve MPG: fast braking or slow braking recovers more energy?

How many miles? I can manipulate mine by trying to drive higher or lower than the average. Of course, I have to drive farther with the higher mileage as my total is higher. I thing regeneration is great, but what it means is that I had to use that energy in the first place. It is better (IMO) to watch the MPG bar than to try to get stars. I find if I drive very aggresive, I am rewarded with more stars, but less mileage. I find I get the best mileage if I watch my speed, and then let off the gas until I am sustaining my speed. I can get the meter to 60 or 70 around town this way.<br><br>Jim

I think you are right. The same driving habits that get you better MPG in a conventional vehicle will also get you better MPG in this vehicle. Regeneration isn't 100% efficient, so avoiding wasted inertia is important to avoid.<br><br>p

&lt;&lt;&lt;<br>I've had my Prius for about a month now and have not reset the mileage meter. Originally the displayed MPG was about 42 MPG and then started dropping. It is now at 39. <br>Has anyone else seen this behavior? I wonder if the batteries are failing. <br>Does anyone have driving tips to improve MPG: fast braking or slow braking recovers more energy? <br>&gt;&gt;&gt;<br><br>I've seen an MPG drop since the weather in SF Bay area got colder. My commute is short, and on a cold morning the engine barely has time to warm up. I think this explains my drop off in MPG. On longer trips, things seem about the same as before.<br><br>I've seen no really scientific discussion of driving techniques for best MPG, but from my experience and what people say I gather the following:<br><br>1. Accelerate normally and get to cruising speed. Treating the throttle like an eggshell doesn't help, as the car seems to do its best when cruising at steady speed.<br><br>2. Not sure about braking, but I think slow is better. It seems that the car uses regenerative braking where possible, and it adds in normal (i.e. wasteful) braking as required.<br><br>Also, the longer you run w/o resetting the mileage meter, the harder it will be to judge the MPG effects of changes in your driving.<br><br>Bob F

Bob F said:<br>&gt; 1. Accelerate normally and get to cruising speed. <br>&gt; 2. Not sure about braking, but I think slow is better.<br>&gt; Also, the longer you run w/o resetting the mileage meter, the harder it <br>&gt; will be to judge the MPG effects of changes in your driving.<br><br>This completely matches my experience, too.<br><br>The mileage indicator is most useful to me on individual trips, either each way or round trip. I usually reset it at the beginning of each half of my commute, and see how high I can get it for that trip. If you do this, you will quickly see how different the mileage is depending on the length of your trip, hills, traffic, etc.<br><br>We see such mpg variation among Prius owners because we all have different types and lengths of trips. Ordinary cars are so inefficient that they get pretty much the same mileage everywhere. Our efficient hybrids expose the fact that different kinds of trips really do take different amounts of energy, depending not just on distance, or city/highway, but terrain, weather, and other things.<br><br> --Mike

Check the air in your tires. Should be done every week or so. The right pressure is critical.<br><br>GCKorn

The driving technique of prompt acceleration to cruising speed and slow slowing has yeilded my best mileage. Accelerating slowly does not make use of the electric boost available to you and results in driving more distance at the lower mpg.<br><br>As for the Odometer and computer resets... I've set ODO A to track miles between services, ODO B to track miles between fills and the touchscreen to track my daily trips. <br><br>I tend to drive fast on LA freeways and streets and have had the last three tanks register 42.6, 44.3 and 46.6 mpg.<br><br>I also agree that the more stars I get, the more aggressive my driving style is.