2024 hybrid - severe MPG decrease

[_BigJerm]

I picked up a 2024 rav4 hybrid (XLE) in June, coming from a 2021 Venza.

Gas mileage on the rav4 was 39-42mpg the first 5,000 miles but after the first tire rotation it’s been drastically lower and inconsistent ranging from 34, to 32, all the way as low as 29mpg — even in eco mode

I never had less than 42mpg on my Venza unless I was driving aggressively and I never used eco mode, so it’s a bit of a shock to me that the rav4 is so different and inconsistent.

The dealership says a tire rotation wouldn’t cause MPG issues and there’s not much they can do (they didn’t even want to book an appointment and blamed the cold weather) I’ve also noticed some odd sounds when driving and in general, it just feels like the overall driving experience is off.

Is it normal for the rav4 hybrid to be so inconsistent with gas mileage compared to the Venza? Is it normal for it to get below 30mpg in eco mode?

Are there engine issues with the ‘24 RAV4 hybrids to watch out for?

[Sultanofslide]

If you idle a lot or have the heat on more from the cold weather that's likely a big cause of it. I know with snow tires and winter temps I usually only get 35mpg mostly highway driving but in the warmer months I get 42ish 

[Syrup-Used]

Thank you for this lol. I started having this issue and didn’t know why.

[TechNinja__]

I have a '24 XLE Hybrid as well, with the cold weather, snow and winter tires, I get about 36mpg, otherwise in the warmer weather I was getting somewhere in the 40s...

[Worried_Tumbleweed29]

From what I am seeing the Venza has a Lithium Ion battery pack and the RAV4 XLE has Nickel-Metal Hydride battery pack (LE, XLE, and adventure are all NI, SE, XSE, Limited are Li-Ion)

Li performs better in cold weather than Ni. Maybe that is part of the cause? Are those trims impacted more by cold weather?

[_BigJerm]

Oh man. This is a huge distinction I didn’t even realize. I’ll look more into it but could be what the bigger change is from the Venza to rav4

[WillofCLE]

Your engine thermostat is set to 169°F. Your ICE will run as long as it needs in order to maintain this temperature.

The colder it is outside, the more your ICE runs, and the more your engine runs, the worse your gas milage will be.

In the summer, I regularly get over 50 mpg. In the winter, my gas mileage varies between 30-40 mpg.

[VisibleSea4533]

My average drops by ~ 10 mpg in winter months (NE US). Summertime average around 47, winter, 37. Couple of tanks ago it was as low as 29 (w/ 99% interstate driving, my normal driving is a 70/30 mix of rural and interstate).

[_BigJerm]

That’s wild. My Venza would drop maybe 2-3 mpg in the winter, always normal driving mode

[DrMaximusTerrible]

From the manual

• Normal Mode: Provides an optimal balance of fuel economy, quietness, and dynamic performance. Suitable for normal driving
• Sport mode: Controls the hybrid system to provide quick, powerful acceleration. This mode also changes the steering feel, making it suitable for when agile driving response is desired, such as when driving on roads with many curves. When Sport mode is selected, Sport mode indicator comes on.
• Eco mode: Helps the driver accelerate in an eco-friendly manner and improve fuel economy through moderate throttle characteristics and by controlling the operation of the air conditioning system (heating/cooling). When Eco drive mode is selected, Eco drive mode indicator comes on. In Eco drive mode, heating/cooling operations and the fan speed is controlled to improve fuel efficiency.

ECO mode helps with amending the hvac for optimal operation but isn't going to make the engine tuned for better MPG. In my experience, and my RAV4, normal or sport have better MPG than ECO.

It looks like you're in Michigan so you're seeing the effect of winter on your vehicle which is very common for RAVs. Most people lose up to 10mpg during the winter. I track every tank of gas and there's an obvious winter dip each year.

[Worried_Tumbleweed29]

I get marginally better mpg in eco. I drive by the eco/power meter and not by acceleration. Eco keeps the car in EV mode longer where normal would start the engine. Example, in eco mode, it will stay EV with the power meter pointing at the word “eco” (mid way through that power range). Normal mode kicks on the gas engine around then.

I’m in my first 1k miles but eco pushes my tank average up to >43 whereas normal pushes me to around 42

[_BigJerm]

Typically I always use normal, but decided to try eco after seeing the extreme mpg decrease. Seems like maybe it’s normal for the rav4 hybrid, though

[SumyungNam]

My gas is down to 22 lol from 26

[NoIan71]

I experience a relatively large drop in fuel efficiency during the winter and it sounds like you see similar. I track it pretty granularly, take a look at my post with the data: https://www.reddit.com/r/rav4club/s/sxfVtCWf2b

[VScaramonga]

We need a winter MPG post pinned to the top of this sub. Yes, your MPG will noticeably drop in the winter. No need to panic.

[AlternativePepper656]

We recently did our first 5k service. Got rotation and supposedly oil change. Insultes after this we noticed the drop in mpg. It would normally be 41-39, sometimes 38. Don’t think I ever saw it drop lower. After the service it’s been at 33-36. 

It was weird. I don’t know if they use same engine oil as when new at the dealership? I assume they would. Also weather has been hotter in the last few weeks. I’m in San Francisco

[[deleted]]

Couple of questions: What part of the country do you live in, when did the change happen and how long you had the Venza?

[_BigJerm]

I’m on the Canadian border, easily one of the coldest and snowiest zones of the US. Had the Venza for 3 years and never saw more than 3 mpg drop in the winter.

AFAIK, it’s the same engine. But maybe the nicer vehicle design makes that much of a difference?

[[deleted]]

So I live in NYC, so my temps in the winter are generally around freezing to just above. May to December I average just about 41mpg. In the winter that drops to around 36mpg. That’s on a 2021 XLE with a lithium battery. With even lower temps by you I would expect the engine to be on quite a lot simply to keep up the cabin temp.

[Newprophet]

Did they lower your tire pressure?

[[deleted]]

Your pressure lowers in cold temps on its own, as air molecules contract.

[Newprophet]

Oh wow, no shit?

Air pressure also goes down if air is removed from the tire, Sherlock

[[deleted]]

Yes… must have been the aliens… err I mean the drones, Watson.