LC250 hybrid real MPG (5 Viewers)

[manofthewoods]

It would be immaterial if the tested speeds were identical .
MPG tests are conducted at much lower speeds, ideal for getting the highest rated MPG.something like 45 or 50.
80 mph requires a huge amount of additional energy to maintain…air resistance quadruples when speed doubles.
Not arguing, just saying I’m not surprised by the results you saw.

You beat me to it.
Speed matters most, add in variables that decrease aerodynamics = larger efficiency hit.
Additionally, the same factors that increase the work (thus the fuel economy hit), also increase stresses in the drive train, which can/should be mitigated by more rigorous maintenance.

Full disclosure, after years of racing motorcycles. I now drive "conservatively."

I await my beating behind the MUD woodshed for confessing my gas saving blasphemy.

 

[ryanjl]

We'll see what the air dams and bike rack do. My guess is: not much.

The following is for future reference for anyone who may want to consider this issue:

In terms of the tires, there is not much in the 275/70/18 all-terrain world that is not an E-rated tire. In fact, Discount Tire lists no C-Rated tires in this size. The one D-rated tire is the Duratrac, which has sidewalls made of paper mache. The stated weight there is still 57.5 lbs, so it's not a whole lot lighter.

All of the BFG AT3, Falken Wildpeak AT/4, and Nitto Exo Grappler tires have stated weights right around 60 lbs. The Mickey Thompson Baja Boss is 66 lbs. The General Grabber ATX is 58 lbs.

Even the heavily street-oriented Michelin LTX A/T 2s have a stated weight of almost 61 lbs.

The one outlier is the Toyo AT3, which has a stated weight of 50 lbs. I'm curious of anyone who is running those what your MPG is.

 

[NinjahGoose]

We'll see what the air dams and bike rack do. My guess is: not much.

The following is for future reference for anyone who may want to consider this issue:

In terms of the tires, there is not much in the 275/70/18 all-terrain world that is not an E-rated tire. In fact, Discount Tire lists no C-Rated tires in this size. The one D-rated tire is the Duratrac, which has sidewalls made of paper mache. The stated weight there is still 57.5 lbs, so it's not a whole lot lighter.

All of the BFG AT3, Falken Wildpeak AT/4, and Nitto Exo Grappler tires have stated weights right around 60 lbs. The Mickey Thompson Baja Boss is 66 lbs. The General Grabber ATX is 58 lbs.

Even the heavily street-oriented Michelin LTX A/T 2s have a stated weight of almost 61 lbs.

The one outlier is the Toyo AT3, which has a stated weight of 50 lbs. I'm curious of anyone who is running those what your MPG is.

If you’re set on the 275/70r18 (same size I have on my sequoia) the only C load are Territory MT’s on Tire Rack. Since my Sequoia weighs so much, and I tow a boat, the E Load was a willing sacrifice.

 

[izzyandsue]

Got new Wildpeaks 275/70-18s E rated, roof rack, and steel full skid plates and down to 18 mpg from 22

 

[Rednexus]

It's already a "brick shaped vehicle" when it gets its "official" promoted MPG rating, so that's an immaterial consideration when we are discussing a difference in MPG between the promoted rating and what I'm getting.

So that leaves: (1) air dams; (2) tires; and (3) bike rack.

Sometime in the next month or two I'll have another highway trip. I'll throw the air dams back on and lose the bike rack and see how much that changes things.

Was it windy? I dropped to 13.2 mpg across western KS in my 470 last Saturday. We had sustained crosswinds from the SE coming back. We were crulsing 80 but the winds made it feel like we were cruising 100 mph. Once we passed Salina it slowly crept back up to 16 mpg. I-70 is downright terrible for wind.

On high elevation highways, it was getting over 20 mpg. 18 mpg from Creede to Walsenburg, including running Medano pass. Not bad for a 17 year old rig with a big, dumb NA V8.

 

[kboss21]

One way to increase MPG ive found. Utilize the electric torque more. When you reach desired speed, let go of your throttle fully and engine will stop (you’ll know when RPMs is 0). After that, feather your gas to activate only the electric boost but not enough to activate the engine (enable the electric boost monitor gauge so you can learn how much throttle to give without it activating engine). This 22 mile commute was half local and half highway, and no I wasn’t driving like a snail regular acceleration and highway speeds of 60 (nyc)

 

[ryanjl]

It was a little windy. There was a headwind. Wondered if that wasn't it, but the MPG on the way home was about the same.

 

[Rednexus]

It was a little windy. There was a headwind. Wondered if that wasn't it, but the MPG on the way home was about the same.

It's gotta be a wind issue. High speeds with wind will require lots of turbo boost to keep going. A small engine running with constant boost will get V8 fuel economy or worse. The hybrid powertrain is just about worthless on interstates in the plains when there are no downhills to coast on and no stops to make that would allow for regeneration.

 

[Corbet]

Has anyone noticed their truck “learning” your driving habits? I need to experiment some more but when I first got mine it would run electric only more on my way down to town. 13 miles and 1500’ down. Now it seems to downshift and keep the engine running to reduce my braking. Could all be in my mind. I keep mine in Eco for the most part.

Anyway I’m still maintaining over 20MPG driving it responsibly. Heavy on the go pedal reduces it dramatically. I’m also guilty of sitting and working in my truck at idle. That of course takes its toll on each tank. At 1800 miles now on the odometer. All “city” driving by Durango standards probably averaging 300lbs of cargo in the back plus me.

 

[1NTRANSIT]

I definitely believe there is a ‘learning’ period for this engine.

I’ve reset our MPG history every 4-500mi

First 500 was 13ish combined (this was nerve racking)

1k mi bumped up to 16ish combined (progress)

Did a break in oil change this week at 1590mi, most resent MPG at 18 combined.

First 75mi of combined after oil change and now at 21.5MPG. Very happy to now be in the 20+ club!

 

[ryanjl]

Has anyone noticed their truck “learning” your driving habits? I need to experiment some more but when I first got mine it would run electric only more on my way down to town. 13 miles and 1500’ down. Now it seems to downshift and keep the engine running to reduce my braking. Could all be in my mind. I keep mine in Eco for the most part.

Anyway I’m still maintaining over 20MPG driving it responsibly. Heavy on the go pedal reduces it dramatically. I’m also guilty of sitting and working in my truck at idle. That of course takes its toll on each tank. At 1800 miles now on the odometer. All “city” driving by Durango standards probably averaging 300lbs of cargo in the back plus me.

I noticed during my Colorado trip that the engine was running during sections I was going down steep grades, even at slow speeds. Compression braking must be programmed into the system.

 

[Corbet]

I noticed during my Colorado trip that the engine was running during sections I was going down steep grades, even at slow speeds. Compression braking must be programmed into the system.

If there is a fault to the truck IMHO it’s the lack of good compression braking. Downshifting the truck manually provides very little real engine braking on mountain grades. I’m fearing this a little with a trailer. And the computer seems conservative in how low it will let you downshift. It would seem the regenerative charging could also be more aggressive in this situation. Maybe a software update will improve it in the future. Switching to towhaul mode did not seem to change anything. Yet to do it with my trailer to see if the computer adjusts knowing it’s connected to a trailer.

 

[JakeBP]

I’ve logged about 850 miles on the 250, mixed driving. All but the first 100 have been on 275/70/18 KO3s. I’m at 19.3 MPG based on Fuelly. Just completed a quick Tucson-Phoenix-Tucson drive, cruise at 77 MPH for most of the drive, and got 19.3 MPG on the trip as well.

 

[jimmc1331]

Well I have been driving my new LC250FE for just over 4K miles. Overall mpg average is 20.7mpg. Love the car and currently trying to understand how to drive up the mpg a little more, however this is LC number 6 in my life and it is getting the best mileage of the previous 5; 1994, 1998, 2000(the best), 2015 and 2017. Car is comfortable and a blast to drive, bigger electric motor will go. Interestingly the VIN last 7 digits are 5000221. How many lower???

 

[Corbet]

First time towing this evening. Hauled a pair of Harley’s, Road King and a Sportster from Pagosa Spring to Durango. 55 miles. Not sure total weight but let’s say 2500-ish with the trailer. Definitely could feel it back there pushing on me. Honestly more so than I feel I would have with my 80. No passes just mountain foothill driving. Averaged 18.3MPG in tow/haul mode. Varied speed limits but 60 MPH would be the average. I did not baby it. Did some passing on double lane uphill sections.

 

[ryanjl]

As an update, I filled up with 93 octane on Thursday last week. Most "premium" around me is 91 octane, and 93 octane is near-impossible to find if you go further west than me. No bike rack on the back, but I still have not reinstalled the front lower rubber air dam things.

Just driving around on city street, stop and go driving since then. Using a really light gas pedal, but still keeping up with traffic. Maybe only 3 or 4 miles of highway.

Currently getting a little over 18 mpg on this tank, according to the carputer. Seems to keep creeping up, too.

I'll take that.

 

[Corbet]

Mine has seemed to increase a little after the 2200 mile mark. I'm lucky to see 91 around here. I reset at every fill up. Sitting at 21.7 with 153 miles on the tank. I'm currently net neutral with respect to elevation. Plenty of sitting at idle while I work in my truck. Or as in right now, while I post to MUD avoiding work.

 

[JakeBP]

I’ve logged about 850 miles on the 250, mixed driving. All but the first 100 have been on 275/70/18 KO3s. I’m at 19.3 MPG based on Fuelly. Just completed a quick Tucson-Phoenix-Tucson drive, cruise at 77 MPH for most of the drive, and got 19.3 MPG on the trip as well.

Update:

I’m nearing 1600 miles as I’ve been facilitating tons of sight seeing for family visiting from out of town. 91 Octane, 4 full grown adults, I’m nearing 21MPG now on each tank.

 

[Corbet]

After ditching the OEM tires for a set of 275/70r18 Toyo Open Country WLT1 snow tires I’m now below 20 MPG on the first couple tanks of gas. I was consistently 21+/- with the Michelins. Kind of a bummer.

Towed my overland trailer (2500lbs loaded) to Moab and back and only got around 14MPG. I did not reset anything while driving around the area without the trailer.

 

[Land Stalker]

Jesus, not to step on anybody's toes, but the 250's MPG sucks for what you give up. I get 17-18 MPG with my 200 HE running 33" Destination AT2s.

I've rarely had a genuine problem with Toyota's seeming obsession for denying the US market diesel variants, but in this case... I mean, come on. I know the 250 is aimed at new LC buyers, but throw 100/200 owners a bone here... why the hell would we give up a V8 for this marginal MPG improvement? Seriously, why?