MPGs - Many People Griping - A Foundational Knowledge Primer To Assist in Better Efficiency

[Stage7]

Straight cruise control works much better than adaptive which just tailgates the vehicle in front of it and flucuates with them. I shut it off ALWAYS.

Yes, I don't like how the adaptive cruise control slows down so much around curves. It overcompensates IMO.

 

[TrailWhale]

Straight cruise control works much better than adaptive which just tailgates the vehicle in front of it and flucuates with them. I shut it off ALWAYS.

Adaptive set to the max distance is a very comfortable following distance. Nobody would ever consider that to be "tailgating"

A little while ago I really appreciated it when driving through the entire Salt Lake City region of I-15 during a pretty busy time of day. Hopped into the HOV lane, set the speed to a max speed I'd be comfortable with, and just let it ride. It was the most peaceful busy section of interstate I've ever experienced.

The added safety blanket when on long drives on 2-lane highways is also quite nice.

Personally, I go as far as to say that I think there is little to no reason to ever NOT used adaptive... but again, i'm a max following distance kind of guy. The cruiser is pretty smooth and efficient when it has the space in front of it.

 

[Sugarloafer80]

Adaptive set to the max distance is a very comfortable following distance. Nobody would ever consider that to be "tailgating"

A little while ago I really appreciated it when driving through the entire Salt Lake City region of I-15 during a pretty busy time of day. Hopped into the HOV lane, set the speed to a max speed I'd be comfortable with, and just let it ride. It was the most peaceful busy section of interstate I've ever experienced.

The added safety blanket when on long drives on 2-lane highways is also quite nice.

Personally, I go as far as to say that I think there is little to no reason to ever NOT used adaptive... but again, i'm a max following distance kind of guy. The cruiser is pretty smooth and efficient when it has the space in front of it.

Do that in the northeast and a semi will pull in front of you. Forget every other punk in his tuned to oblivion old german uber tank. It is only as good as the driver in front of you. I have been teaching HPDE for 20 years and one of the first habits we have to break is staring at the bumper in front of us instead of looking as far ahead as possible. Adaptive is the cause of the ever increasing accordion affect we are experiencing on the roads today. I can see far in front of me and move easily in and out of traffic with little to no change in speed majority of the time. Not being harsh here. Being real. Adaptive is fabulous for folks with less than great anticipatory skills. It is definitely better than the folks that can't maintain 5mph let alone 10mph. It is great for the sheep following the herd. Before some of you ignore me again, how many of you have taught these skills??? The road needs a few rams.

 

[TrailWhale]

Do that in the northeast and a semi will pull in front of you. Forget every other punk in his tuned to oblivion old german uber tank. It is only as good as the driver in front of you. I have been teaching HPDE for 20 years and one of the first habits we have to break is staring at the bumper in front of us instead of looking as far ahead as possible. Adaptive is the cause of the ever increasing accordion affect we are experiencing on the roads today. I can see far in front of me and move easily in and out of traffic with little to no change in speed majority of the time. Not being harsh here. Being real. Adaptive is fabulous for folks with less than great anticipatory skills. It is definitely better than the folks that can't maintain 5mph let alone 10mph. It is great for the sheep following the herd. Before some of you ignore me again, how many of you have taught these skills??? The road needs a few rams.

I don't live in an area with excessive traffic where this is a concern to me. My city and the areas I travel to are peaceful. I'm peaceful. I hope you manage to find peace too, in particular as an instructor. I drive with my small kids and instead of cursing at other cars I take it easy and say "what's the rush?" - my kids are my students and I hope they also can drive in peace and with empathy when so many people on the road seem like they are in a last man standing fight to the death everyone is your enemy cagematch.

When someone pulls in front of me because I left a nice big gap there, that's great, because that's why there was a gap. Everyone on the road benefited from that gap existing because that vehicle was safely able to change lanes. If someone pulls in front because they are simply impatient, then i shrug it off, fall back a bit and make a new gap. What's the rush?

Adaptive cruise control is great for driving the highways and interstates where I live, it has nothing to do with inattentiveness or anticipatory skills. To me it is finding peace and acceptance. I did a 13 hour drive this past Sunday through rural BC/Washington/Idaho and I gotta say, the adaptive cruise was my most valued feature of the vehicle. There is no weaving in and out of traffic on two-lane mountainous highways. You pick your speed and if you catch up to someone doing 2mph less than your speed, that's your new speed. Embrace it.

 

[EOD Guy]

Adaptive set to the max distance is a very comfortable following distance. Nobody would ever consider that to be "tailgating"

A little while ago I really appreciated it when driving through the entire Salt Lake City region of I-15 during a pretty busy time of day. Hopped into the HOV lane, set the speed to a max speed I'd be comfortable with, and just let it ride. It was the most peaceful busy section of interstate I've ever experienced.

The added safety blanket when on long drives on 2-lane highways is also quite nice.

Personally, I go as far as to say that I think there is little to no reason to ever NOT used adaptive... but again, i'm a max following distance kind of guy. The cruiser is pretty smooth and efficient when it has the space in front of it.

I'm a Min following distance kind and I too believe there is little to no reason not to use adaptive. I have found that when approaching slow L/H traffic that refuses to move right, I simply press cancel and resume when past the self-appointed traffic warden. If someone comes up on me fast from the rear, I move to the R/H lane and not be part of the problem

 

[Sugarloafer80]

99% of the time, if I am not passing, I'm in right lane. Problem I had in my RR is it is so damn quiet and smooth, you could be set to do 80 in Maine, next thing you know it you are stuck behind a troll doing 65. I would much rather sense the closure rate and act accordingly, if a left lane hog is there, I just merge right and go around the.......may pull back in front of them and then right signal again for the educational purposes....amazing how often they will then move over. So many distracted drivers out there it's scary.

 

[Doggman1525]

The psychology of traffic is fascinating....and terrifying

 

[ultane]

BTDT…

 

[Sugarloafer80]

LOVE IT!!!!

 

[Sugarloafer80]

That’s a great observation, and it actually reflects what traffic engineers describe with terms like car-following theory, headway management, and the fundamental diagram of traffic flow. When cars follow too closely, small speed changes turn into waves of braking and accelerating that spread backward through traffic, a phenomenon called capacity drop. This doesn’t just hurt fuel economy but also makes congestion worse overall.

Put simply, leaving more space between you and the car ahead lets you drive more smoothly without constantly hitting the brakes or throttle. That saves fuel because your engine isn’t working overtime to keep adjusting. It also helps everyone else on the road by preventing the chain reaction of stop-and-go driving. Your anecdote about using adaptive cruise control on its widest setting is a perfect example of headway management working as intended. It’s not just better for your MPG but for the whole flow of traffic.

I’m not a traffic engineer, just a massive nerd who finds obscure topics like this one fascinating and research-worthy.

Such a Utopian desire that few city drivers or those in aggressive states will ever comprehend....they think getting in front of you saves them 1 second..

 

[Stage7]

Such a Utopian desire that few city drivers or those in aggressive states will ever comorehebd....they think getting in front of you saves them 1 second..

Yes, they get to stop first at the next light and drive away first to pass others so they can stop first in front of them at the next next light.

 

[b407driver]

My 5th Gen 4Runner got ~2 to 3 MPG less than advertised, I was OK with that. The LC250 gets 6-7 less, I'm not so OK with that, out of principle as much as anything (Premium fuel for no good reason not withstanding). I wouldn't trade back to the 4 liter and poorly-specced transmission, nor would I want the 13 MPG of the GX (in CO). I do feel that Toyota got me on this one.

 

[Nuke]

My 5th Gen 4Runner got ~2 to 3 MPG less than advertised, I was OK with the. The LC250 gets 6-7 less, I'm not so OK with that, out of principle as much as anything (Premium fuel for no good reason not withstanding). I wouldn't trade back to the 4 liter and poorly-specced transmission, nor would I want the 13 MPG of the GX (in CO). I do feel that Toyota got me on this one.

I read one post of a review (controlled, not an individual) wherein the GX and LC were equal MPG at highway speeds. For sure the GX is an economy loser in city driving. However, the reviews are in agreement, the GX powertrain is much smoother than the LC. As a low-miles retiree, 4K/year, tempted!

 

[Sugarloafer80]

Ahhhh but that grille....

 

[Nuke]

Ahhhh but that grille....

I concur, but at least it is better looking, admittedly subjective, than the new 4Runner.

 

[Rocinante]

I have gone over 7,500 miles in 5 months in mine. I’m going up into the mountains, road trips, trails, lots of city driving, and still averaging over 20, usually 21ish. That’s with 255/75r17 geolander M/Ts, roofrack, and awning. With the rtt it drops into 16-18 (average), still way better than the 4runner. I’m also running lighter wheels, I believe they’re 28lbs each. The bigger wheel setups are adding mass and a spirited right foot is the main cause imo. Highway mileage is brutal though.

Definitely wish it had a larger tank!

 

[Radams]

even holding at 70 mph for 300 miles of hilly interstate, i was averaging 23.5 mpg - and while using adaptive cruise.

What drive mode were you in? normal or sport?

 

[ultane]

What drive mode were you in? normal or sport?

Welcome to the asylum.

 

[Jack_]

Yes, they get to stop first at the next light and drive away first to pass others so they can stop first in front of them at the next next light.

A tastelessly modded Ram p/u did that yesterday morning. Then, after his lane slowed he ended up behind me again. When I was turning in to a business's small parking lot I had to wait for an oblivious driver backing out and blocking me. When I did turn in he floors it and lays on the horn. Honking while driving away? Why? As if to say "and here's one for the road dammit!"

 

[justaprado]

What drive mode were you in? normal or sport?

always ECO, unless i'm feeling sporty.