Real Life Mpg Figures.

[bluenose1940]

Yes indeed there have been occasions when I have experienced very hot seats and steering wheel, not now that I own my SE-L though.

If we get a decent summer this year, I will do some checking out as my car is dark coloured and my wife's is light.

You make some interesting points in your posts. As they say, you learn something new every day.

[simonmark]

After visiting my local dealer once and the Nottingham once with the mid 30's mpg poser i have now decided to get shut of the car which is a real shame as it is a lovely car,the master tec insists there is not a problem with our car even though they could not achieve a figure higher than our maximum ,our neighbour is achieving 51mpg average and every owner i have come across have said they get 48mpg plus,i suspect they know full well our car is not performing as it should but they are stumped,i'm amazed that it is only 5mpg better than my porshce cayman!!!!,time to move on and not return to the brand..........

[simonmark]

I forgot to add that it is struggling to achieve 250 on a full tank...

[Wass]

After visiting my local dealer once and the Nottingham once with the mid 30's mpg poser i have now decided to get shut of the car which is a real shame as it is a lovely car,the master tec insists there is not a problem with our car even though they could not achieve a figure higher than our maximum ,our neighbour is achieving 51mpg average and every owner i have come across have said they get 48mpg plus,i suspect they know full well our car is not performing as it should but they are stumped,i'm amazed that it is only 5mpg better than my porshce cayman!!!!,time to move on and not return to the brand..........

I am amazed that these supposed professionals refuse to recognise that there is a problem especially since it would seem that they themselves didn't seem able to better your own figures. Given these facts, I doubt that i would be interested to continue with a marque who could appoint such a disinterested dealer. One would reasonably expect Lexus to issue you with an complimentary equivalent model while they brought in the necessary expertise to fully resolve the issue.

10 years ago, my dad had an issue in 2003 with a Rover 75 tourer and the Rover dealer immediately took it upon themselves to ensure that he was given a temporary replacement car which was newer than his and of similar specification until such time as they found the necessary expertise to solve the issue. A lot of people look down their noses at Rover group of old but it woould seem that your experience of Lexus gets nowhere near the service offered by a supposedly inferior company.

I have found that in my area local Lexus dealers vary in their performance. Lexus Hatfield are extremely good which I cant say about the lexus dealer which i drive past on my way to Hatfield.

[TheOldGit]

Nice reply Geof but those days are long gone.

Even the attitude of the dealers change unless they are selling you another model.

All aside though I pity the person who buys Simons car unless they sort it.

[mandon75]

I picked up my 2012 CT200h last Friday, having traded in my 2008 Prius with 100,000 miles on the clock (achieving 60mpg). The advertised 70mpg combined appealed to me as extra Mpg is always a welcome. Since driving my car I haven't exceeded 57mpg and have been looking for ways to improve it.

Having driven the Toyota Prius for many years I am familiar with the driving style required for efficient driving but non of that seems to be working with my CT200h.

I have read many pages online regarding driving techniques for the CT200h and found that I'm doing everything it says.

When experimenting with my Prius I initially found that driving at about 78 mph gave me a better mpg than at 70mph and had that confirmed by my local dealership as they had heard the same from other customers.

On Monday I travelled just over 200 miles to work and achieved 55.6mpg at 72mph. Tomorrow I am returning home and will try another style to try and achieve a higher mpg. I'll let you know how I get on.

[Mikeyb999]

I've done about 5K in mine since I got it at the end of April. I've tracked every tankful on fuelly.com and so far my overall average is 52.6.

Best on a single tank so far was 58.8. I could get a little better if Mrs B didn't drive it - she's a bit heavy footed and the average drops when she's at the wheel.

I drove from Bristol to London a few weeks back - over the 250 mile return journey I managed an indicated 72 which I was surprised at - mostly on cruise control at an indicated 70mph

You will never better, or even match the prius figures in the CT - its not as aerodynamic and I think its a bit heavier

[adnewton]

An hybrid really is no different to a convential vehicle. Use the accelerator and you use fuel. Use it hard, you will use more fuel.

Petrol power alone will give you 38-40mpg. The hybrid system will only be of benefit if you drive moderately - around town. On motorways, Battery will assist but power is via engine predominantly.

Engine only = 38-40mpg

Engine/ Battery = 50-60mpg. This depends on many factors as mentioned previously. I use normal mode, ECO will improve mpg IF you can tolerate the unresponsive throttle.

Mine has done 56k and average around 55mpg regularly.

[mandon75]

Thank you very much for your experiences of the CT. Today I drove from Portsmouth back home to Lincoln at a steady 65 mph most of the way and averaged 62mpg surprising myself.

Reading the comment above from MikeyB99, you've definitely thrown down the gauntlet challenging us all to beat 72.

So when I drive at 72mph I get about 55mpg and at 65 mph I get 62mpg maybe if I drive at 55mph I might get a better mpg but that isn't going to happen as I like to get home as soon as possible as I'm never back for long. Driving back down south on Sunday .

[mandon75]

I spoke to the salesman who sold me the car and even he said that the CT wouldn't achieve as high a mpg as the Prius (exactly as mikeyb999 said above, the car is less aerodynamic and heavier).

It isn't enough of a loss that I'm going to trade it back in as the luxury of the Lexus is so much better than the Prius.

[Goggy]

You are doing well with what you are achieving. I have owned my CT for 4.5 years and it can vary greatly depending on time of year and driving conditions. I am currently getting high 50's on most journeys, but I rarely get above 60. It is a lovely car, far more luxurious than the Prius. Just about to trade in for a NX, as I want a higher driving position. I will not get anywhere near the mpg I am currently getting, probably 40-43, or at least I hope to, it may be less from what I read. The mpg is not a big issue with me as I only do about 8k a year. It all depends what you want, I want a feel good factor when I sit in a car, I get that in a CT and will also get it in a NX.

[adnewton]

I have had it as low as 42mpg in the depths of winter...........

[KDS]

Just had best mileage result - filled up in Bracknell - drove to Caerphilly back to Dover and filled up again - cost £29.80 - journey Caerphilly to Ashford over 200 miles - part of above registered 71.7 on board - granted the damn motorways caused me to do a fair bit of cross country driving I was really surprised. Am getting high 6o's at the moment but I agree winter kills it.

[adnewton]

Honest John states the CT is the worst car for not achieving its published figures. He does say however that economy of around 55mph is very good for a car with 1.8L engine.

[mandon75]

I just arrived at work having travelled just over 200 miles averaging 78 mph and achieving 47.5 mpg.

I think I'm just going to have to come to terms with the poor mpg, other than that a very nice luxurious, comfortable and reliable ride :-)

[PaulWhitt20]

Try doing an average of 56 mph and see what you get. At high speeds the engine is purely on petrol and you are just lugging a heavy Battery around as ballast.

If you want to tare up the motorway and be economical get a diesel. Hybrids are better round town where it can use the Battery more.

Sent from my Iphone using Lexus OC

[Goggy]

Yes, my average on motorway journeys is low to mid 50's this time of year. Lot's of short journeys (shopping etc) it goes down to high 40's, but traveling on 'A' and 'B' roads at 40-50mph I can get to 60+.

[adnewton]

You need to be mindful that the car is designed for urban driving more than motorway as previously said. motorway driving uses more petrol and your mpg will suffer because of this.

Your mpg will also be affected by the weight of the car, tyre pressures, temperature of engine to name but a few. Also make sure you are not driving in B mode. I sometimes forget to switch back to D which also impacts on your fuel consumption. My driving is mainly in normal mode. Sport mode will also impact on your MPG.

If you're after a motorway Cruiser with economy - as said before buy a diesel.

I think we all know the government claimed figures for most cars are wildly inaccurate, so take what they publish with a pinch of salt and take arounnd 10-15 MPG of each figure.

[Goggy]

I find USA claimed MPG figures more accurate.

[Wass]

I find USA claimed MPG figures more accurate.

That's because american gallons are smaller than imperial gallons. The american claimed MPG figures are also optimistic.

I found that under ideal circumstances, it is possible to equal the claimed fuel consumption for real. I am not talking about equalling the figure on the on board computer, I am talking about tank full the tank full average.

The weather was still and warm but not so hot that I needed air conditioning, I was travelling on single carriageway rural trunk roads which were used by lorries travelling at 40mph max. There were very few opportunities to overtake and even if one could overtake, one would soon find another lorry to follow. The journey was a 37 1/2 mile commute to work and back ( 75 miles a day) and the time period was 7 working days. I had the tyres pumped up to 39 psi at the front and 37 psi at the back, I had also been running on the 0/20 oil as recommended by Toyota/ Lexus. The mode was set in eco and I knew the road extremely well and knew exactly where to glide in order to hit lower speed limits without using the brakes. I also knew the traffic light changing sequencing and sensing so I could usefully harvest regen braking when approaching the three sets of traffic lights along the route. I did not faff about with the 'B' position on the gear stick since I don't think this has anything to do with economy, I just use it instead of engine baking on steep hills so that i dont risk overheating the brake material. There were no steep hills on the route. There was just one infrequently used zebra crossing ( so no sudden need for braking.)

The experience was made interesting only by bloody-minded perseverance not to blast the throttle wide open in sport mode when the opportunity arose. The drive on those days was extremely tedious and boring but it made me realise how it might be if we get driver-less cars foisted upon us.

I didn't inconvenience any other road users since the lorries and whoever dreamt up the 40 mph speed limit for them ( on single carriageway roads where the speed limit is 60 mph for everyone else) had already done that.

It proved to me that the manufacturers got it right.... However it illustrates that the manufacturers do publish utopian figures. Had Bedfordshire council stumped up for a dual carriageway on the A428, I never would have discovered any of this.

[Goggy]

Nice read that. :)

Yes I did know the USA gallon is smaller. It's easy to calculate what the claimed figures would be and it turns out much closer to the real MPG than in the UK. A bit of a faff I know, but quite interesting to do. I know car makers in the UK are not solely responsible for the official figures, but they have not tried very hard to get things changed so that a truer MPG is published. I have heard that it will be changed at some point in the future, until than a lot of buyers are not getting what they think they will be getting. All a bit of a con really, but nothing anyone can do about it.

[Goggy]

I did a 76 mile journey today, most of it at 50mph on a motorway having lots of road works done, some at 70mph. At that speed my end of journey mpg was 65.5, a record for me.

[Seamaster]

Just completed my first 1000 miles.

Reported 64.5 mpg.

Pretty much what I used to get from my Prius.

[Mikeyb999]

Just completed my first 1000 miles.

Reported 64.5 mpg.

Pretty much what I used to get from my Prius.

I find the computer pretty optimistic - have you measured it fill to fill to get the real figure?

[Seamaster]

I used to use Fuelly in my Prius, so I know the computer is always going to overstate economy. Point for me is that it's on par with expectations.