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Hi, I'm Dan Gray for MPGomatic.com and I'd like to take a few moments to
talk about hybrid gas mileage.
We've made it a point to put the gamut of hybrid cars and SUVs through
exhaustive road tests. Our continuing goal is to examine the ability of
hybrids to meet or exceed the official fuel economy estimates when using
appropriate driving techniques.
While some folks have complained that their hybrid cars' gas mileage
falls short of the stated numbers, we found quite the opposite to be
true. We were able to meet or beat the estimates with every hybrid we
tested.
But here's the rub ...
Hybrid gas mileage depends largely on technique. If a driver fails to
use the tools at their disposal and drives in an inefficient manner,
they'll struggle to hit the numbers.
Truth be told, it can take some effort to beat the official gas mileage
estimates, no matter what you're driving.
This is amplified with a hybrid car or SUV, where the right techniques
can pay off with eye-popping numbers under the right conditions.
To achieve the best gas mileage in a hybrid, you'll want to use the data
provided by the dashboard to alter your driving technique.
When you minimize the pressure put on the pedals and maximize the use of
inertia, you're light footing.
Each manufacturer has a different approach to real-time fuel efficiency
display.
Lets take a quick look at the dashboards of three hybrid cars that
deliver the highest gas mileage results.
The 2010 Toyota Prius tops the charts with an estimated 51 city / 48
highway miles per gallon (MPG).
Although the center-mounted real-time fuel-efficiency display in the
Prius can draw the eye away from the road to a degree, our 55.1 MPG
combined results - calculated from tank fills - proved the capabilities
of a conscientiously driven Prius.
The 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid official ratings of 41 city / 36 highway
provide a hint of the car's potential.
Using the configurable (although somewhat distracting) Smart Gauge
dashboard display, we were able to easily trounce the estimates in the
Fusion Hybrid, scoring an average of 44.5 MPG combined. The Smart Gauge
display is an excellent training aid for light footed driving.
We found the 2010 Honda Insight to be conservatively rated at 40 city /
43 highway, and were able to easily trump the numbers with an average of
46.5 MPG combined.
The Insight's subtle glowing ambient meter surrounds the speedometer
allowing the eyes to maintain focus on traffic conditions. With a change
in color from green to blue, the driver instantly senses fuel
efficiency, without the need to draw attention away from the road.
Hybrids have been traditionally touted as shining over conventional
vehicles in stop-and-go traffic. But the benefits clearly carry through
to more open roads, when driven appropriately.
The Fusion Hybrid's ability to cruise under electric power at speeds up
to 47 miles per hour is a case-in-point. If you can adapt not just your
driving technique, but also the route traveled, you can achieve
remarkable results.
Although road conditions can prevent you from getting the optimum gas
mileage at all times, the more in tune you are with your vehicle, the
better the results.
Stay tuned for more videos on techniques and tactics that you can use to
dial up your fuel efficiency.
And for more reports and reviews, come to MPGomatic.com, where mileage
matters ...