[noteaplease]

We picked up a new 2019 XLE Hybrid over the Labor Day weekend, and until last week we were seeing 38/39mpg average on a tank.

It went in for the 5k mile service last week and I noticed over the weekend that all of a sudden fuel economy is abysmal. I just completed a journey averaging 21mpg.

Is there something the techs could have turned off or disabled during the service which could account for this? Any other likely culprits?

 

[toyodaornot]

So you drove roughly 200 some miles on a tank or are you judging by a short trip? I can easily get 20 mpg going up hill in short trips

 

[rav4awesomeness]

I hear ya...
But the 5000 is nothing...
Just a tire rotation, basically...
Should take 30 minutes...
I really doubt they would update ECU settings, SW, etc...
No reason to .....

 

[RAV4h XSE]

Need more details on the driving that yielded the lower MPG, including whether that’s trip average, tank average, or? I can do a short trip and it’ll be like 27 MPG. Short trips don’t count.

 

[RussC]

I would track fuel consumption to miles driven.

The dash readout average mpg could be off.

 

[paperboy]

I don't know where you live, but my previous Camry and my RAV seem to be very sensitive to air temperature. They just don't like cold weather and express their displeasure by using more gas.
Has anyone else noticed this?

 

[Waycan]

I have to agree with paperboys post.

I also bought my XSE on labour day weekend and have noticed the drop in fuel economy. My fuel economy has dropped about 1 l/100kms since the cold weather started. From mid 5’s when it was warm to mid 6’s now. Everything I find online refers to the use of your cabin heater. The more heat you ask for in the cabin the more the engine has to run to produce it. I notice that my batteries are now more often than not near full charge but the engine still runs to maintain temperature. Local Temperatures have been hovering just above freezing which makes me wonder what will happen when the real cold temperatures come.

One website I found stated a 30% drop in fuel economy for hybrids at -7C as compared to 24C. They suggest using the seat heaters more and keeping the cabin temperature cooler.

If anyone has any other tricks I’d love to hear them.

 

[RussC]

I see a 10% drop in fuel economy when the temps drop into the low 40s or 4 Celsius

The winter blend fuel is also part of the problem.

If you have access to ethanol free fuel you will see an improvement in the winter milage.

If you have heated seats leave the temp low 60s, wear a coat and use the heated seats.

Russ

 

[Sunken]

Cold weather, winter gas and winter tire here. Went from constant 41mpg to 28mpg for the pass 2 tanks. It pisses me off, but I'll live with it. The wife keeps the temps at 24 degree Celsius in the cabin so here why. I noticed that I can barely make it to 20km/h before the ice kicks in where in warmer temps I can easily reach 50km/h before the ice kicks in.

My Civic has seen the 38mpg go to 29mpg has well so it's normal in my head.

 

[Lowcountry Rav]

Not sure if you were with the car the whole time at the dealer, but if it sat idling for a while with a/c or heat on, that can affect overall mileage pretty drastically. Of course for that much it would need to idle for a very long time I suppose?

 

[MrMichael]

Yup the cold weather kills the fuel economy. Its easy to see that the heat forces your engine to run also. I was sitting in a parking lot. On a warm day the engine will shutoff. On a cold day with heat on the engine runs. Check it by turning HVAC off. The engine will shut off also. Turn it back on and the engine turns back on. What I've been doing now is using heated steering wheel and heated seat and only turning on the heat when I really need it. I was running 41mpg during summer but now I'm down to 37. Not a huge drop but still a drop.

 

[internalaudit]

Do yours all have the active grill shutter? I put make shift grill blockers on my 16 RAV4H and I'm getting around 30.5 MPG and this is the second fill up in the cold winter-like weather.

 

[toyotadude]

All ICE and hybrid cars have reduced fuel economy in cold weather.

Our 2005 Sienna gets ~21 in the Summer. 16-18 in the Winter, depending on temp.

2010 Prius gets 48 in the Summer, 44ish now. In the worst part of the Winter, it will get 40.

Our 2020 Rav4 is too new for us to know yet.

 

[cjecpa]

I got my RAV4 hybrid on June 23rd currently at 11,500 miles. During the summer and early fall average around 40mpg. Now with the colder weather I am averaging 35mpg. There has been times if I fill up at a station in town and drive a short distance the mileage will be really low but once I drive longer distances that seems to correct itself. How many miles were you driving and type of roads to get the 21mpg?

 

[Dtox]

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says conventional summer-blend gasoline contains 1.7 percent more energy than winter-blend gas, which is one reason why gas mileage is slightly better in the summer.

Tires also lose air pressure in cold weather, so make sure they are "topped off" for maximum mileage.

 

[Jims19Rav4]

I live in Northern Vermont and was really excited when I got 50mpg on a 100mile round trip on a 60 degree day this fall. This was on rolling road, lots of cruise control between 35 and 50mph. Since then, winter has arrived with a vengeance and I'm now getting 28-32mpg. Most of my trips are 4-5 miles and with temps below freezing the engine runs constantly.
I guess I never thought about it prior to purchase, but I'm ok with it .. makes sense.

 

[rav4awesomeness]

I live in Northern Vermont and was really excited when I got 50mpg on a 100mile round trip on a 60 degree day this fall. This was on rolling road, lots of cruise control between 35 and 50mph. Since then, winter has arrived with a vengeance and I'm now getting 28-32mpg. Most of my trips are 4-5 miles and with temps below freezing the engine runs constantly.
I guess I never thought about it prior to purchase, but I'm ok with it .. makes sense.

wow, 50 MPG is awesome...
My high was 45,
that is Great !!

 

[YVRav4]

We picked up a new 2019 XLE Hybrid over the Labor Day weekend, and until last week we were seeing 38/39mpg average on a tank.

It went in for the 5k mile service last week and I noticed over the weekend that all of a sudden fuel economy is abysmal. I just completed a journey averaging 21mpg.

Is there something the techs could have turned off or disabled during the service which could account for this? Any other likely culprits?

We picked up a new 2019 XLE Hybrid over the Labor Day weekend, and until last week we were seeing 38/39mpg average on a tank.

It went in for the 5k mile service last week and I noticed over the weekend that all of a sudden fuel economy is abysmal. I just completed a journey averaging 21mpg.

Is there something the techs could have turned off or disabled during the service which could account for this? Any other likely culprits?

my last tank average was best ever: 4.5 L/100km or 52mpg

since last week as the temp dropped by 4-5 C my average mpg dropped to
5.3 L/100km or 44mpg

I might not even get to 900km on current tank vs 1000km last tank.

Not complaining , I fully expect further reduction

 

[Dtox]

If I remember correctly, the 2019 gas Rav4 went on sale in November of 2018, but Toyota waited to release the hybrid until early Spring of 2019. This is the first winter anyone has had experience driving them. Did Toyota sales materials include any warning that the MPG would drop so dramatically for such a long portion of the year (November through March)?

Also I wonder now if it was a coincidence that they didn't release the hybrid model in the winter time.

 

[CFike]

Cold weather, winter gas and winter tire here. Went from constant 41mpg to 28mpg for the pass 2 tanks. It pisses me off, but I'll live with it. The wife keeps the temps at 24 degree Celsius in the cabin so here why. I noticed that I can barely make it to 20km/h before the ice kicks in where in warmer temps I can easily reach 50km/h before the ice kicks in.

My Civic has seen the 38mpg go to 29mpg has well so it's normal in my head.

Ouch, too bad you had to ditch the ICE. In warm months I was getting around 37, now it's probably around 34.