Originally Posted by DakarM
yes and you've just proved my point. you have to drive like a granny to get anywhere near the advertised mpg.
this is direct from my old neighbor who had the 1st gen prius which he sold for the 2nd gen. not sure which state you're in but if you drove to vegas from LA you'd be going through some serious mountain ranges. I find it hard to believe (not impossible but not likely) that you were able to get 50mpg.
but again this isn't my own speculation but from another owner.
No, I disproved your point. I said in my original post that I don't drive it like a granny. My other car is a base RSX and though I don't drive the Prius like the RSX, I'm able to drive the Prius almost like a normal car with a slight change in driving style. No hard accelleration unless absolutely necessary and a lot of cruising at speeds on flat surfaces.
I live in Los Angeles and I drove to Vegas and got 50 MPG going to Vegas and 52 MPG driving back. There are a lot of hills but you make up for it by coasting down the hills. I don't think 70 mph is driving slow.
I know another Prius owner who lives in an area where there are a lot of hills and they only drive city but they get only 42 MPG. So it does depend on the terrain and how you drive but there are Prius owners who actually get 55+ MPG but they really do drive like a granny.
I guess the Prius isn't for everyone but everyone that has driven mine was surprised at the feel of the car and the overall quality and ride.