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After 6 weeks, i have some observations and maybe the pros can help me if i'm doing something wrong. One of my worst frustrations is the advertised up to 37 mph in EV mode. While that may be true once you get going, you can not do this from a dead stop without accelerating slower than a turtle. (Unless i am starting off downhill, then it is possible).

Next, the gas pedal is very touchy. if i'm coasting in EV anywhere below 37, maintaining speed always causes the ICE to start. (again, unless i'm going downhill).

My one triumph so far was driving around orlando for 3 days getting 41. then i filled the gas tank and the average dropped to 36.5. Bad gas? Extra weigh? i don't know, but it felt good for awhile.

I am also getting used to the CVT transmission. Maintaining a constant speed causes the rpms to fluctuate greatly. (and the mpg) The old MPV would hold a fairly constant rpm on hte highway unless the hill/mountain was huge.

Here's an update. Saturday the FEH had 175 miles on this tank with an average MPG of 31.7. We drove around town for 35 miles. At the end of the day, my average was up to 33.5. the way i did the math, says I was getting around 45-47MPG will driving around Saturday. I feel better about that. I just wish my wife had a longer commute than 2 miles.

Congrats on your purchase. Sounds like you have "the game" under control.

Your 2 mile commute has got to be playing a very large role in your struggle to get the mileage you were hoping. On longer around town trips, where the engine doesn't have time to cool down completely, I was seeing numbers in the mid to upper 40's all weekend. With three cold starts - on the way to work, the way home for lunch and the way home from work at the end of the day - I have a hard time keeping it much above 40mpg over the course of the week with the terrain here in WV.

All things considered, you're still meeting and at times exceeding EPA. How many miles do you have on it so far? Tire pressure? Did it come with the Michelins too? I've just cracked 1,000 miles and am hoping that 0-20 Mobile 1 oil change and some more break in time will bring the numbers up a bit closer to 50mpg.

I have just passed the 3000 mark so i hope it's still breaking in. I also just bought a tire pressure gauge and will check that also. I don't know if I can run 50 PSi like some have recommended but I'll make sure it stays up where it's supposed to be. Yes, it did come with the Michelins.

Many people are uncomfortable with very high tire pressures, including myself. You will get the most improvement for the first few psi increases, and the improvements decreases with further increases in pressure. My car recommends 32 psi and I run 35 psi. The reduction in comfort isn’t worth the very minor gains gleaned from going beyond that. (IMO)

I don't know if I can run 50 PSi like some have recommended ...

I didn't go directly to 50 psi at first either. I slowly increased it as I felt comfortable doing so. I was so accustom to the squishy feeling that the door-panel-recommended psi gave that it took a little getting used to. So I went to 40, then 44, and eventually to 50 as I became more acclimated to the change in handling, which I find much better now that it has grown on me.

One of my worst frustrations is the advertised up to 37 mph in EV mode. While that may be true once you get going, you can not do this from a dead stop without accelerating slower than a turtle.

Maintaining a constant speed causes the rpms to fluctuate greatly. (and the mpg)

The main advantage of building up your psi is the ability to "glide" longer without using the gas engine or the battery pack. I have found that the best results come from using the gas engine to get up to the best glide speed (35-40 mph in my terrain with my '07), going into EV mode, and then gliding as far as possible using the built up momentum. With practice and knowing my routes, I try to EV glide at least twice the distance as I traveled with the gas engine to get up to speed. Initially I was lucky to EV glide the same distance as the gas engine pulse, but over time I figured out how to use the hills and valleys to time my glides to better use gravity to my advantage.

I mainly use the battery pack during acceleration from a stop to gently get up to about 20 mph before tapping the gas engine on and pulsing up to 35-40 to start the EV glide loop over again. To help accommodate the people behind me during my gentle EV acceleration, I always make sure that I am completely ready to go. If I am the first one in line, then I actually start my light acceleration a half-second before the light changes green, this usually puts me even or ahead of the vehicle to my left during the EV acceleration.

Of course avoiding stopping is even better. On my 14.7 mile commute, there are 37 traffic lights and 2 stop signs. This morning, I stopped 3 times. I was able to do that by knowing the pattern of the lights, planning around them, and having a backup plan (coasting early for unexpected red lights for example). Some mornings I have to stop 6 times and my MPGs are reduced accordingly :(, but I can usually get 3 or 4.

The main reason to not use the battery pack more, is that the gas engine has to recharge the pack after you use it, so my theory is to use it for my worse MPGs (accelerating from a stop) and then leverage momentum and gravity as much as possible.

Your newer FEH may do better with different techniques than mine does because your gas engine is more efficient than my '07's, but I think the basic concepts will still work.

Good luck!

I think the only difference in the 2011 and my '09 FEH is you have an electric A/C compressor and no battery Aux A/C. If you run your cabin A/C, the load on the engine recharging the battery with MG1 (generator) will kill MPG.

Unless you are parking lot cruising, don't even think about accelerating in EV, especially from a stop. It is far more efficient using the engine for accelerating in the '09 and newer FEH than eating up the battery SoC in a very slow acceleration. The older FEH are lighter and can accelerate faster in EV to 30mph, but after that forget it and kick the engine On.

At least get your tire pressure to 44psi to save replacing them before 30,000 miles. At over $180 a pop plus mounting and balancing and tax, that will save you more than your bad MPG.

Your engine is already broke-in and it's the new tires and added weight of the rubber that's also holding your MPG back right now. That will not last long because low tire pressure will eat that rubber weight off real quick. Then you'll be back to new tires and worst mileage where you started.

Coast in EV only in neutral, because you have fuel-cut (DFSO) when the engine is running in "D". The rules for hypermiling changed starting in the '09 FEH, so the special techniques changed also. Forget about using "L" gear completely in the '09 and newer FEH and use the brake pedal lightly for regen in "D" when you need to slowdown.

Read up on CarlD's accelerator Blip to restart the engine at a stop or on the go when needing to accelerate. Never let the engine restart automatically if you want to save battery SoC and increase your MPG. This technique brought my '09 FEH into the 60mpg tank range and is very important to get great MPG.

GaryG