Only getting 17mpg

[APIOQM]

I haven't tried the pulse and glide method, but I've been using old school hypermiling techniques to get 20+ per tank. I live in a hilly area and installed large A/T tires, both of which destroy the mileage. The folks getting 24 smartly kept their stock tires.

If you're starting on a flat surface and have no one behind you (and have massive patience ) you can accelerate using just the EV motor. You can easily get up to 7-10mph on EV, which I assume saves a lot of gas along with coasting in EV. For fun I've accelerated up to almost 25mph using just the EV motor. I wish ECO mode would allow slightly more aggressive acceleration in EV before switching to the engine.

Oh, and I have noticed a slight improvement in gas mileage after 2000 miles.

I'm surprised it can accelerate in EV mode at those speeds, and that is with large AT tires, correct? It seems like you can exploit EV mode better with the LC than with the heavier sequoia, despite the Sequoia being part-time 4X4.

 

[bennettlo]

I'm surprised it can accelerate in EV mode at those speeds, and that is with large AT tires, correct? It seems like you can exploit EV mode better with the LC than with the heavier sequoia, despite the Sequoia being part-time 4X4.

Yep, with very heavy E-load 275/70/R18s. It's laughably slow acceleration and it has to be flat. I don't recommend trying it with someone behind you or with a passenger, they will be angry

If nobody is behind me, I often use it up to 7-10mph though.

 

[APIOQM]

Yep, with very heavy E-load 275/70/R18s. It's laughably slow acceleration and it has to be flat. I don't recommend trying it with someone behind you or with a passenger, they will be angry

If nobody is behind me, I often use it up to 7-10mph though.

I'll have to run these tests with my 1958 on stock tires to compare.

 

[dato6966]

1958 Land cruiser (no mods) total average fuel consumption since I picked it up at the dealer has 9.6 L/100km over a distance of 1241 km (91 octane) which is 24.5 MPG - driving was done taking it easy on the first approx 530 km in city & rural traffic followed by a mix of highway at no more than 100 km/h and city with 2 to 4 adults aboard - oil change coming up at 1600 km. The last 370 km was on secondary highway at 70 - 100 km/h and achieved 7.3L/100 km which is 32 MPG - taking it easy with no hard acceleration

 

[tbounds02]

This might help.. as I have posted before. I guess it needs it’s own thread..

For some reason it's almost impossible for me to start off from a stop and not have the engine start almost immediately after take off. The only way i can keep the engine from starting and using only electric propulsion is to creep forward . that will get me rear ended or people honking their horn ,because i am driving so slow .
I do use the coast feature as much as i can .
My Tundra hybrid had better ability to run on electric longer and easier than LC .
I just took a road trip and avg 17.1 mpg mostly 4 lane and some 2 lane 600 miles round trip apprx 1500 miles on vehicle , 62 on 2 lanes , 75-79 on 4 lanes 17.1 mpg prem fuel .
My tundra avg 18.5 same trip .
24k miles
I hoping i will get improvements in mpg onLC with more mileage , it did on tundra . I don't see anyway to get 24 mpg .

 

[supraphonic]

New data point: While I managed around 21 on my road trip from Denver to SD on the 275/70R18 E-load BFG KO3s, I'm now down to around 18 in 50/50 mixed city/highway driving around town, doing my best to drive like a grandma. I've got just over 1400 miles on the clock and it went in for its first oil change at a dealer 150 ago.

The hybrid system virtually never engages from a standstill for me; unless I floor it, coming from a stop I'll see the turbo spool up but I get literally zero contribution from the hybrid system. Periodically the electric motor will kick in when climbing up a hill, and once I'm moving at 20-25 mph city speeds it'll switch to electric, but otherwise my hybrid system isn't doing much of anything at all. It's rare to see the motor shut down at stop lights too - I've tested it with the climate system on and off and that doesn't seem to make a difference.

I'm pretty close to reaching out to Toyota or taking it back to a dealer again, because it this point it just feels like something is wrong. I know better than to expect EPA mileage with upsized all-terrains on it, but not to this degree of variance.

I did hear a ton of noise climbing hills early on in my road trip that I'm pretty certain were coming from the hybrid vent fan, but that stopped after a while so I didn't think much of it after that, but maybe that's related.

 

[bennettlo]

New data point: While I managed around 21 on my road trip from Denver to SD on the 275/70R18 E-load BFG KO3s, I'm now down to around 18 in 50/50 mixed city/highway driving around town, doing my best to drive like a grandma. I've got just over 1400 miles on the clock and it went in for its first oil change at a dealer 150 ago.

The hybrid system virtually never engages from a standstill for me; unless I floor it, coming from a stop I'll see the turbo spool up but I get literally zero contribution from the hybrid system. Periodically the electric motor will kick in when climbing up a hill, and once I'm moving at 20-25 mph city speeds it'll switch to electric, but otherwise my hybrid system isn't doing much of anything at all. It's rare to see the motor shut down at stop lights too - I've tested it with the climate system on and off and that doesn't seem to make a difference.

I'm pretty close to reaching out to Toyota or taking it back to a dealer again, because it this point it just feels like something is wrong. I know better than to expect EPA mileage with upsized all-terrains on it, but not to this degree of variance.

I did hear a ton of noise climbing hills early on in my road trip that I'm pretty certain were coming from the hybrid vent fan, but that stopped after a while so I didn't think much of it after that, but maybe that's related.

My gas engine will always run for the first five minutes or so because the car is cold. Once it's warm, it shuts down at a stop unless the battery is really depleted. You have to BARELY touch the gas keep EV only. I assume most people wouldn't naturally give it such a slight amount of throttle.

 

[mayonayze]

You guys with poor mpg running the rear hvac? I had my daughter in the back for the first time today and it was the first time i had the ac blowing back there. Dropped from 25.7 to 25.2 … first real regression in mpg since i took delivery. Just another data point

 

[bennettlo]

You guys with poor mpg running the rear hvac? I had my daughter in the back for the first time today and it was the first time i had the ac blowing back there. Dropped from 25.7 to 25.2 … first real regression in mpg since i took delivery. Just another data point

I don't know! I'll be checking this today.

 

[TrailWhale]

You guys with poor mpg running the rear hvac? I had my daughter in the back for the first time today and it was the first time i had the ac blowing back there. Dropped from 25.7 to 25.2 … first real regression in mpg since i took delivery. Just another data point

Interesting, yeah I've been running full ac with kids in the back, and it's been pretty intense heat the past month (100+ every day for 3 weeks, cooling off a little now). Also seat vents too, so a pretty heavy load on the AC even with fans on low.

 

[Artsychick]

Same, I'm getting around 17 as well.

 

[ultane]

Just picked up my FE at the dealer today! Driving like The Car Care Nut describes, my MPG immediately rose to over 21 mpg on my 56 mile drive home, before falling somewhat when I ran into stop and go traffic in the final 12 miles or so. Can’t complain. (18” Michelins)

 

[DogStar84]

I’ve been calculating my horrible mileage myself. But it’s within 1/10 of the vehicles number.
I did a 200 mile all freeway trip today and got 18.2. That’s the best I’ve seen in my 5 full tanks so far.
Sure hope it improves as some reported. But most are getting low 20,s from day one.
Either I got a lemon or it’s crappy California premium gas.

 

[Impatient]

A couple of things I have worked out that improve the mileage;

(1) once you get up to the speed you want, which should be attained without gunning it, lighten your touch on the gas to lower the rpm’s as much as possible;

(2) coasting puts you in hybrid

(3) accelerating takes you out of hybrid but anywhere below 60mph you can maintain speed using the hybrid system IF you don’t need to stop by just barely touching the gas / this works where it’s flat

Anyway, using those three things I get around 20 mpg in a FE with the air conditioning going.

When I drive it with more accelerating, I am in the 17 mpg range.

 

[TakaraLC]

I get around 21-23 MPG in city (below 40 MPH) and 23-26 mpg on highway at 60-70 MPH.

Highway driving MPG however is very sensitive to wind. If you get moderate tp strong head wind, MPG will tank.

 

[oliver66]

Not sure what’s going on.
After almost 700 miles on my stock 1958 with the roof rack, I’m getting 24.1-24.4 (50/50 highway city)

May I know what tire( size, tire pressure, finer or more aggressive rubber) you are using?

 

[Markarian421]

May I know what tire( size, tire pressure, finer or more aggressive rubber) you are using?

Yeah personally I'd like if everyone posting here mentioned if they're running stock tires or after market. And 18" vs. 20".

 

[ultane]

I get around 21-23 MPG in city (below 40 MPH) and 23-26 mpg on highway at 60-70 MPH.

Highway driving MPG however is very sensitive to wind. If you get moderate tp strong head wind, MPG will tank.

Seriously, can I take driving lessons from you???

 

[Fort7365]

Yeah personally I'd like if everyone posting here mentioned if they're running stock tires or after market. And 18" vs. 20".

My average of 24ish is on stock 20s at about 40psi

 

[RUN-8]

This thread tells me all I need to know about the hybrid system. It’s a power adder and not a fuel economy enhancement.

As a power adder it seems to be lackluster based on acceleration numbers.

Between the poor acceleration compared to the LC’s stablemate the GX550, and the mediocre fuel mileage both get I’d rather have more power and a larger fuel tank.