Not Happy With Lexus' Mileage And Attitude

[DavidN]

Bought new a 2012 450h last year, have driven normally in the 12 month time period with mileage in the low 20s v. the estimated 30 on the sticker for city driving. Most of us know there will be disparity between what is on the sticker and "real world" mileage but, 8 miles difference is a bit larger than one can reasonably expect. The government is supposed to be monitoring and checking these estimates now so I was confident of a more accurate reading.

It has been mostly city driving with two longer trips.

I contacted Lexus to express my disatisfaction and they responded with what I will term "customer service BS" much to my surprise. I told them in my response to add our name to a list of those owners serverly displeased as this moves along as I am confident there are many others similairly unhappy.

This is our 12th Lexus and I have always been pleased with the vehicles and the service and I have to consider this experience an anomoly. If are also displeased with this vehicle and it's mileage let's join up here and put some pressure on Lexus to resolve the matter.

Suggestions.

[BobBass]

The only way you're going to get even close to the EPA mileage is to use every hypermiling trick in the book. My '08 400h averages about 23.5 summer and 22.5 winter on regular and "mixed driving."

i could certainly increase that by using premium and driving "gently," but I'm too cheap and impatient to do that.

The members on here that claim high 20s/low 30s must be driving under different conditions and better high-mileage skills than me,.

[maseace]

The outside temperature, type of tires and tire pressure, length of commute, and hills make a big difference in MPG with this SUV.

[KeyKeeper]

May be a stupid question, but are you using synthetic oil? Prem fuel? All filters replaced like they should? I cant speak for the newer cars (that should easily get better mileage than my oldie) but Im averaging 23mpg with mainly city driving. 99gs with a ton of miles on it as well. I dont drive light footed either...

[BobBass]

The other thing is when you tell people you have a HYBRID and then "break the news" that it only gets 23 mpg, they are always shocked. I just tell them that if it was the gas version, I'd be lucky to get 18 under the same conditions.

Unless your powertrain is a de-tuned 4 cylinder engine and willing to put up with 0-60 times ~12 seconds, a 4,500 lb, vehicle will not achieve these 30+ mpg figures. That's how Mazda does it with the new SkyActiv CX-5. Every review I've read mentions how sluggish it is. NO THANKS!

And, I don't know if the manufacturers use 10% ethanol gas for testing or not. That's another fly in the ointment.

There will surely be others who will chime in and say they're getting high 20s/low 30s and I don't dispute it. Not in my conditions or driving patterns.

Bottom line for me - this is one of the finest vehicles I have ever owned in practically all respects (not counting the handling) and I'd rather have it that way than be able to achieve high gas mileage.

[RX400h]

Consumer Reports gets 26 MPG with the RX450h. We average 25 in our 400h. This is about the same das mileage as a VW GTI gets and that car weighs 3000 lbs.

As Bob mentioned, a 4500 lb vehicle is a 4500 lb vehicle. The fact that it can accelerate to 60 MPH in under 7 seconds is remarkable!

By the way, Bob, I test-drove a 2014 Mazda 6 (2500 cc SkyActive engine that runs on regular fuel), last Saturday. The route that this dealership (and Mazda engineers, according to the salesperson) have mapped out, includes rough roads, tight curves, and a few highway miles. The EPA numbers are 26 city and 38 highway for the automatic tranny that features paddle shifters on the steering wheel. HP output is about 180 and the car weighs 3200 lbs. Yes, our Lexus is faster but the Mazda 6 is not exactly a slouch. Its handling is very impressive and the ride, firm but comfortable. The Grand Touring version I drove was loaded with everything, including lasers that work with the cruise control, warnings for when a car is in your blind spot (audible and visual in side view mirror) and the blinkers are on, and a warning if you are backing out of a parking spot and a car behind you is approaching. My cost would be somewhere in the neighborhood of $28K - tempting but at 16 ft in length, it will not fit where my current Mazda resides. I also drove a 2600 lb MX5 which gets lower gas mileage than the much larger and heavier 6. The difference, apparently, is new vs. old technology.

[maseace]

Show me another luxury SUV that has the MPG and performance of the RX hybrid!

[Lesux]

FWIW, I have a 2009 RX 350 and I carefully monitor my mileage when driving on highways. I use highways as a reference because I can drive at the same speed (cruise control) for hours and it makes comparaisons reasonable. I was shocked when my MPG dropped by 20% because I removed the Michelin LX4 tires and installed the Cooper Discoverer winter tires.

There was no snow yet. It was a clear road with nice weather. I drove at the same speed than with the Michelin. And I drove 480 miles. There is no mistake in my calculations. I lost 20% of my usual MPG only because of the tires!!!

P.S. I didn't buy those tires, they came as extra with the vehicle when I bought it in 2011. I still have the original Michelin as I only have 24,000 miles on the RX.

[DHENRY]

We consistently average 23.7 MPG in 'city' driving on the '08 RX400H.

Over the road, 75-80MPH w/some mountains, it's 24 all day.

Interesting to note that our friend w/his '08 RX350 is fortunate to hit 17MPG in town driving.

Considering the Lexus' 'mild hybrid' configuration, weight and comfort, and acceleration, we're happy as clams.

The highest in-town I ever achieved was 41MPG, driving like it's a Prius in a fuel-economy run...not realistic in the real world.

Our '11 LS460AWD averages 17'6MPG in routine daily use, with highway driving ranging from 24 to 28.2 MPG.

The big beast does much better than we expected, and the RX is about where we figured it would be.

Don

^_^

[rcomeau]

Hi,

Sorry you are not happy. I have a 2010 RX450h (just turned 3) and my lifetime average is 9.0. It fluctuates between 8.8 and 9, depending on the season. I live in Montreal and I get lower mileage in the winter. I have done 3 summers and 2.5 winters, so 9,1 is probably more accurate. I do mostly city driving with long hauls to NY and Boston. I think this matches my previous Ford Escape Hybrid and is obviously better in every other respect (quiet, comfort, power etc...).

[volosong]

My car is an '06 RX400H. I have found the energy display has created a "game" for me when I drive. I try to maximize my mpg as I'm driving. It has been a real education. As most of us know, the worst fuel consumption is when accelerating from a full stop. In anticipation of that, when I see a red light ahead, I'll let off on the gas pedal way, way before I approach the intersection, in hopes that it will be green when I get there, and thereby not having to brake to slow the vehicle. Also, I've become sensitive to the slightest grade in the road. This might come from being an avid cyclist (bicycle) where any hill is noticeable on a bike.

I keep all my gasoline receipts. It is not easy to segregate city from highway driving, as a tank of gas will entail both environments. I live in an area where I do little city stop-and-go driving and most of my highway driving is over a mountain road for a work commute.

For the past several years, I've averaged between 25 and 26 miles per gallon, pretty much every tank full. I am very satisfied with this figure. This is with premium 91 or 92 octane fuel. I usually leave my hitch mount bike rack on the car all the time and don't know how much that would affect the average mpg figures.

- - - - -

I have one situation where I'm really happy with the mpg as displayed on the monitor. If I were to fill up the tank, baby the car back home, drive to work the next morning, also really driving conservatively and babying the car as much as I can ... when I pull into the guard check station at work, it will show right at 30 mpg for the 50 mile commute. This is going over the mountain, but I also drop from 2,500 feet elevation where I live down to about 1,500 feet elevation. However, when I get home that night, it will only show about 27.5 mpg for the out-and-back commute. Yeah, it's a "game".

[RX400h]

Try using midgrade. We average 25-26 without being ultra-conservative with our driving. During Winter months, I often run with regular and get the same mileage.

[volosong]

Doesn't the manual recommend premium fuel?

Anyway, I've found that Costco has the least expensive gas, (except for Arco, which is garbage fuel), and most Costco stations only have two grades, regular and premium. Not sure of the octane rating for the Costco regular, 88 or 89 I think. Most of the Costco stations in California have 91 octane premium, but I did notice on my Easter road trip to WY, MT, and ID that the Costco stations in that area have 92 octane premium. Costco also gives 1% back at the end of the year if you use their AMEX card, making the cost even less expensive.

I'm satisfied with my fuel consumption and don't mind paying extra for premium.

[RX400h]

According to our 2006 RX400h owner's manual:

Select Octane Rating 87 (Research Octane Number 91) or higher.

What fools many people about this statement is that our gasolene pumps do NOT display Research Octane Number (RON). Rather, they display an average of RON and Motor Octane Number (MON) [(RON+MON)/2].

Essentially, then, you do NOT need to use 91 octane as stated on the pumps. Your 2006 RX400h will "potentially" produce more power with higher octane, but only if you accelerate aggressively. Otherwise, you are wasting your money.

I would, however use 91 octane in a very warm environment, such as Arizona or Nevada when Summer temps can climb to 100 degrees F. Conversely, during very cold temps, I'm sure any grade would provide more than adequate performance.

[volosong]

Just wanted to give an update on switching from Costco premium to Costco regular grade gasoline. (In California, there are only two grades of gas available at Costco). For the past month, I've been running regular exclusively, (about five or six tanks full). Fuel consumption appears to be the same, or slightly higher. Available power if fine, but again, I don't "hot foot" it at all. About the only difference I can sense is that there seems to be a slight bit more compression. My commute goes over the mountains and I use "B" on the downhills so that I don't need to use the brakes as often. On the flats, when spying a stop sign or red light ahead, and I let my foot off the gas, it seem to have a bit more compression slow-down power.

I might put a tank of premium in once or twice a month, but otherwise, I'll be running regular. That is, until the next time that I have to tow my other car to the shop for repair.