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I'm going to be going to King's Canyon this weekend, and am wondering what is the best way to deal with long, steep, winding roads?

If you own a Prius, the question will be taken out of your hands. In that car, on long hills, the engine cannot keep up with the needs of the car, and re-charging the battery. You'll find you just slow down to around 40mph without doing anything, and you'll have no choice in the matter!

Otherwise, generally engines run more efficiently at a single RPM, so find a speed you can maintain where your engine is not lagging and isn't changing gears often.

This in addition to all the usual things -- tire pressure, avoid loads that present air resistance etc.

I'm going to be going to King's Canyon this weekend, and am wondering what is the best way to deal with long, steep, winding roads?

I deal with the same sort of terrain. I would recommend DWL going uphill, and increase your speed just before the big/steep ones to try to avoid downshifting for as long as possible. Coast downhill NICE-on coasting , but on the really steep ones, do it in gear to kick in DFCO if you car has that feature. By the way, if your car manual says that it is safe for flat-towing (all 4 wheels on ground), consider FAS instead for the downhill coast. Don't slow for turns, except just enough to be safe, to preserve momentum. Think of all this as an old-fashion rollor-coaster ride slide uphill and letting it go downhill.

I have always wanted to go to King Canyon, but it's a bit far for me. I hear it is quite beautiful. Have a great trip!

My experience (in an Insight) is that going faster up the hills actually gives better mpg, because it keeps the engine revs up to where there's enough power to stay in a higher gear. But of course this is going to depend on your car's engine & gearing.

That's identical in the 5speed '94Saturn-like vehicles.

Sorry I'm late to this thread.

As you approach hills, get your speed up, even a bit more than your usual pace. As the slope pitches upward, don't lose any speed. Losing speed at hill's bottom is worse than encountering hill with little speed. As you get to the steepest part of the hill, lose speed slowly & evenly till at hilltop flat, you are going a bit slower than your usual pace. Slowly bring your speed up to normal while on the hilltop flat.

If the hill descends immediately, don't gain speed with your engine. Let the descending hill give your speed back to you.

This entire procedure is called flattening out the hill.

Avoid as best you can, accelerating up a hill. If you must accelerate up a hill, turn the a/c off. Turn the a/c off on most hills. Keep a/c off as long as you can bear it. Accelerating on hills & accelerating on hills with a/c on, will kill your MPG quicker than anything.

If you own a Prius, the question will be taken out of your hands. In that car, on long hills, the engine cannot keep up with the needs of the car, and re-charging the battery. You'll find you just slow down to around 40mph without doing anything, and you'll have no choice in the matter!


Gotta love it when people regurgitate the BS they pick up from others who have no first-hand knowledge. This is a fine example.