6
EPA Mileage Estimates & Fuel Economy
(continued)
Expected range
for most drivers
22 to 30 MPG
Expected range
for most drivers
20 to 28 MPG
Your actual
mileage will vary
depending on how you
drive and maintain
your vehicle.
Typical EPA Mileage Estimate data found on vehicle window sticker
(Sticker and figures for AWD model)
-
Figure 1.
Why you may not achieve the EPA estimates
Because the EPA fuel economy estimates are derived in ideal laboratory
conditions, they are just estimates, which may not reflect real world conditions.
There are many factors which may cause your actual mileage with the
RX 400h, or other vehicles, to vary from the EPA estimates:
•
Quick acceleration and heavy braking may reduce mileage by as much as
33% in highway driving and as much as 5% in city driving.
•
Driving at highway speeds above 60 mph. (The maximum EPA highway test
speed is 60 mph, the average speed is 48 mph)
•
Driving on hilly or mountainous terrain and unpaved roads. (EPA tests
assume flat roads.)
•
Short trips cause the engine to run more as a percentage of driving,
as it warms the emissions system.
•
Carrying extra weight or towing a trailer. (The EPA test assumes only
300 lbs. of passengers and cargo.)
•
Cargo racks. (Vehicles are tested without cargo racks, which can increase
wind drag.)
•
Poor maintenance. (Vehicles tested are in top condition.)
•
New vehicles. (Optimum fuel economy may not be realized until the
engine is "broken-in," which may take up to 5,000 miles.)
•
Some fuels contain less energy than others. Using oxygenated fuels or
reformulated gasoline (RFG), for example, can cause a small decrease
in fuel economy.
(Source for above information: www.fueleconomy.gov)
HYBRID OVERVIEW
RX 400h
