Prius camping???

[calicamper]

I think that is the point. Things are so skewed towards luxury and performance yet the market complains about fuel consumption being the biggest issue. We want our cake and eat it too.

I do think pre 07' diesel economy cars like the VW Tdi cars really had everything dialed in with performance and economy. That all died with the particulate cats and DEF came into the scene. On the gas side, I think late 90's is when we reached the peak before cars just jumped drastically in size. A slim car with good EFI and 5 or 6 speed transmissions is a good combination.

My 2001 subaru 5spd mt is no were as fast, efficient or as comfy as my 2010 Subaru but they are only 10hp different and shared the same engine family. The big change was large reductions in mechanical drag, cvt transmission and more advanced engine tuning creating a much lower rpm and flatter power curve. The old car best possible and rare occasion tank average was 28-29 mpg like 4 times in 180,000 miles. The 2010 does 28-32 mpg nearly every road trip.

 

[Skinny]

I think Subaru is the exception for some strange reason. My 07' Forester with a 5 speed will never get above 28mpg on a good day going down the highway. Mixed has been 20-24mpg average. The new models are into the 30's all day long. I guess you nailed it with reduced drag and better engine tuning.

What I don't get is a 2015 Toyota Yaris gets 37mpg on the highway. This seems to be way behind the technology curve. Cars bigger and faster of yesteryear did better than that. Lots of Corollas and Civics kicking around that spank that from 10 years ago. I guess it depends on the type of car.

 

[calicamper]

I think Subaru is the exception for some strange reason. My 07' Forester with a 5 speed will never get above 28mpg on a good day going down the highway. Mixed has been 20-24mpg average. The new models are into the 30's all day long. I guess you nailed it with reduced drag and better engine tuning.

What I don't get is a 2015 Toyota Yaris gets 37mpg on the highway. This seems to be way behind the technology curve. Cars bigger and faster of yesteryear did better than that. Lots of Corollas and Civics kicking around that spank that from 10 years ago. I guess it depends on the type of car.

Lol my very nerdy totally non car guy uncle complained about the horrid mileage his modern VW bug got. His equally non car nerdy brother responded with "Wada expect from a soccer ball shaped car?" Ha.. All of us were cracking up not all small cars have good shapes to address drag that zaps your mileage. Yaris is probably in that group regarding lousy drag coeficients.

 

[Skinny]

Plus driving a new VW Bug is even less manlier than driving a Subaru Forester

 

[calicamper]

Plus driving a new VW Bug is even less manlier than driving a Subaru Forester

No kidding the whole family gave him crap about his car. Thing was a pile of junk too, constant issues with it.

 

[Hondaslayer]

.

What I don't get is a 2015 Toyota Yaris gets 37mpg on the highway. This seems to be way behind the technology curve. Cars bigger and faster of yesteryear did better than that. Lots of Corollas and Civics kicking around that spank that from 10 years ago. I guess it depends on the type of car.

The Yaris is an economy car. It was built to a price point and as such will not have the newest tech in it. Could the Yaris get 45 mpg city? Sure, but then it would be pricier and people would just buy the Prius C instead

 

[Ziv]

The Prius is great for fishing trips on blacktop roads. I still get 36-38 mpg pulling this rig. I built this trailer a couple of winters ago. All aluminum and only weighs a little over 225 lbs without the RTT or water. Great combination.

 

[tanglefoot]

Nice combo, Ziv!

I'm a big fan of them. I've been driving a gen II for the past 8 years, and it's likely to become my only vehicle before long, as the truck under the popup camper is having all kinds of electrical gremlins and I don't think I'll replace it. Prii are definitely practical, and pretty rough n' tumble. The electric drive gives you 300 lb/ft at the wheels at any speed. I haven't gotten it stuck yet (I've gotten the 4wd stuck dozens of times--different terrain, but still!).

It's going to become my camper. I'll probably start out real simple and just sleep in the back but I just came across these hatch tents today and might grab one at some point:

www.habitents.com

I'm a huge fan of the cars though, especially the gen IIs. They fit all kinds of stuff, the features are nice, and I even really like driving it. It's gotta be about the easiest car to own, it's a good snow car (with decent tires), it's been getting 55 mpg in the winter/60 mpg in the summer, and you never have to take it for an emissions test in CO. I've gotten some of my best fuel economy on the highway--70 mpg for a few days of urban summer commuting one year. I admit I didn't like how they looked when the liftbacks came out, but I'm definitely hooked now.

 

[mdmead]

All of us were cracking up not all small cars have good shapes to address drag that zaps your mileage. Yaris is probably in that group regarding lousy drag coeficients.

I recently picked up an '09 Suzuki SX4 and for the size, you'd think it gets great mileage. People are shocked when I tell them I get about 28 mpg, which is what the window sticker said. Undoubtedly the AWD takes some of the blame, but a tallish, short vehicle just doesn't have the aerodynamics needed for great mileage. I love my little Suzuki, but I'm a bit jealous of big new Camrys getting better mileage!