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2008 RX400h AWD

MPG 21.9

Location Las Vegas, NV

Current temp: 102

85% city

Average MPH - 55

Gas : 91

In the cooler months I got about 22.3. The absolute best I can do now that I'm frequently using the air conditioner is 21.9.

How are you guys getting such great mileage out of this vehicle???

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2008 RX400h AWD

MPG 21.9

Location Las Vegas, NV

Current temp: 102

85% city

Average MPH - 55

Gas : 91

In the cooler months I got about 22.3. The absolute best I can do now that I'm frequently using the air conditioner is 21.9.

How are you guys getting such great mileage out of this vehicle???

Hi gryphix,

The greatest MPG killer is short trips ... those short trips will kill more than a lead foot on the accelerator. The lead foot is simply a learned habbit that can get corrected. But the ICE simply is NOT as efficient as when it's up to operating temperature. You'd be lucky to average even 25mpg if a moderate portion of your trips are under 5 miles. That said, Toyota does sell an electric block heater (ebh) that makes a big difference for us on BOTH our hybrids. Example: Without block heater on our prius, our 1st five minutes will average about 20mpg. WITH the ebh, the 1st five minutes go up to 50mpg. Similarly on the 400h, the first 5 minutes w/out the ebh, it will get 14mpg. Using the EBH gets the 400h's first 5 minutes up to 29mph or more. This helps even in the summer ... much less the winter. And when I do the math, the 65 or 75 minutes of electricity (we use a timer to energize the extension cord) to warm the block is less costly then the gas we'd have used.

Better mpg's don't come naturally, either. It takes effort & practice.

Good luck!

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2008 RX400h AWD

MPG 21.9

Location Las Vegas, NV

Current temp: 102

85% city

Average MPH - 55

Gas : 91

In the cooler months I got about 22.3. The absolute best I can do now that I'm frequently using the air conditioner is 21.9.

How are you guys getting such great mileage out of this vehicle???

Hi gryphix,

The greatest MPG killer is short trips ... those short trips will kill more than a lead foot on the accelerator. The lead foot is simply a learned habbit that can get corrected. But the ICE simply is NOT as efficient as when it's up to operating temperature. You'd be lucky to average even 25mpg if a moderate portion of your trips are under 5 miles. That said, Toyota does sell an electric block heater (ebh) that makes a big difference for us on BOTH our hybrids. Example: Without block heater on our prius, our 1st five minutes will average about 20mpg. WITH the ebh, the 1st five minutes go up to 50mpg. Similarly on the 400h, the first 5 minutes w/out the ebh, it will get 14mpg. Using the EBH gets the 400h's first 5 minutes up to 29mph or more. This helps even in the summer ... much less the winter. And when I do the math, the 65 or 75 minutes of electricity (we use a timer to energize the extension cord) to warm the block is less costly then the gas we'd have used.

Better mpg's don't come naturally, either. It takes effort & practice.

Good luck!

FYI, I stumbled upon this GREAT install guide for the EBH. It looks fairly easy and straight forward:

http://www.greenhybrid.com/wiki/index.php/...on_Instructions

MY only problem is my RX is parked outdoors with no easy access to a power source. But I might

just be tempted to run an extension cord for it.

I am surprised it makes that much difference even in summer weather. I would think the catalyst

would take as much time to get up to temp as the coolant. Guess that is not so.

From a post:

-----------------------------------------------------------

And it IS a Toyota part, from Toyota of Canada. Have your dealer check at Toyota Associated Products.

You can view the parts online, but you have to be a dealer to order from them.

It's Pyroil Engine Heater 644, SKU: 001130021300644

-----------------------------------------------------------

/Steve

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  • 2 weeks later...

Year: 2008

Make: Rx400H

MPG: 28.3

Location: Los Angeles

Current Temp: 70 F

% City Driving: 70%

% Highway Driving: 30%

Average MPH: 45

Gas Type: switch between plus and premium every tank stop

AWD/FWD: AWD

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  • 1 year later...
I know people have started this topic already, but the info provided were not complete and a lot of things were not factor in. Perhaps there are some new info people would like to share regarding their MPG.

Please share the following (RX400h/RX350/RX330):

Year:2007

Make:RX400H

MPG:27.6

Location:Fort Mill, SC

Current Temp:75

% City Driving:40%

% Highway Driving:60%

Average MPH:

Gas Type:87

AWD/FWD:AWD

Just for fun using real light throttle and being careful to coast to known stops, I got 33.8 MPG on a 15 mile city leg with 87 octane gas. Wow!

Here is mine:

2008 RX400h

MPG: 25.2

Location: Minnesota

Temp: 35-45 F

% City: 20%

% Highway: 80%

Average MPH: 55-60MPH

Gas: 91

AWD

By the way, does anyone know the speed you need to drive in order to consider city driving?

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Have you noticed your hybrid(Toyota) making unusual sounds after it is parked. Guess what! The Toyota Hybrid system has a thermos storage system that pumps hot antifreeze into an insulated (Thermos style) storage tank that keeps the fluid hot for up to 8 hours. When you restart your Hybrid, say maybe 2 hours later the pump pumps the hot antifreeze back into the radiator so you have almost instant warm up of the gas engine. I guess a block heater would help for an overnight park but short (under 4 hours) of parking probably wouldn't need a heater. B)

Luke

Wow! Thanks for your extended analysis, I guess you must be a big fan to Toyota & Hybrid to own both the RX400h and the Prius.

snip . . .

I'm having an AWD, it's so helpful here in MN because of the snow.

One thing I forgot to add in, what type of gas are you using? (91, 89, 87).

Btw, do you use the Prius mostly for highway or city driving? I commute 70 miles round trip per day to work (80% highway). I wonder if I should get the Prius or just a Camry 4 Cycl since I use freeway a lot.

The Prius is about 50-50 city highway, most of the time with a car pool person.

By the way, for Cold weather driving? Get yourself an Electric Block Heater (EBH), you'll never regret it. The EBH install isn't so complicated that you can't do it yourself, with limited tools & mechanicle skills. If you have decent skills you can knock it out in less than 2 hours. They'll REALLY boost your mpg's in the winter, especially on short trips, like when your average trips are under 10-15 minutes. Plus, the EBH will let your cabin heater come on extra quick as an added benefit. Nice on those sub ZERO days!! They're only $70 or so from Toyota (interchangeable with the Hy-Hi SUV) Dealer, and on line maybe a little less. Put it on a timer for maybe 90 minutes before your trip starts & you're good to go.

Enjoy

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According to:

http://www.greencarcongress.com/2008/11/lexus-announces.html

The RX450h uses exhaust heat instead of coolant storage.

The exhaust heat recovery system used in the RX 450h is simpler and less expensive to construct than the coolant heat storage system (CHSS) uses on Toyota’s current Prius, which employs a stainless-steel 3-liter coolant heat storage tank, two electric coolant pumps, and a motorized coolant valve assembly to carry out similar functions.

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Year: 2010

Model: RX450h

MPG: 28.4

Location: California

Current Temp: 50-80 F

% City Driving: 30%

% Highway Driving: 70%

Average MPH: 37

Gas Type: 91

AWD/FWD: AWD

I've gotten as much as 36 mpg when I drive carefully in mixed highway and urban traffic. I'm pretty sure I could get over 40 on country roads if I drove under 40 mph and there weren't many hills.

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Have you noticed your hybrid(Toyota) making unusual sounds after it is parked. Guess what! The Toyota Hybrid system has a thermos storage system that pumps hot antifreeze into an insulated (Thermos style) storage tank that keeps the fluid hot for up to 8 hours. When you restart your Hybrid, say maybe 2 hours later the pump pumps the hot antifreeze back into the radiator so you have almost instant warm up of the gas engine. I guess a block heater would help for an overnight park but short (under 4 hours) of parking probably wouldn't need a heater. B)

Luke

The RX400h doesn't have anything like this. The Prius has this (I think).

The RX450h does have some sort of new exhaust heat recovery system or something as someone already mentioned.

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The only explanation for a drop in mileage when you switch from 87 to 89 octane is perhaps the 87 is pure gasoline and the 89 octane is 10% ethanol. Ethanol is an octane booster and may appear in higher octane fuels as a result. B)

Year: '08

Make: RX 400H

MPG: 23

Location: Hawaii (oahu)

Current Temp: 72 F

% City Driving: 70

% Highway Driving: 30

Average MPH: 35-40

Gas Type: all 3 with No change in the MPG or Performance that I could see

AWD/FWD: Front Wheel Drive

A note on my horrid mileage. I live on top of a Mountain. Coming home my mileage drops every time. When leaving the house the car gets warm about the time I get to the bottom of the Mountain.

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