The EPA has revised their gas mileage measurement process, bringing hybrid MPG estimates down quite a bit. It doesn't match up with my experience, though.

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When I first got my 2004 Toyota Prius, I got around 45MPG. My previous car, a 1994 Honda Civic, got aroudn 32MPG -- I was happy with 45MPG. As I drove the Prius, I started to get a feel for when the engine would turn on during my daily routes to work, stores, etc. I was then able to figure out how and when to let up on the acceleration ("gas") pedal, as well as when and how to press down on the pedal. Coasting to a slow down/stop when seeing a red traffic light or brake lights of cars ahead and using cruise control on the highway helps a great deal, also.

After about a year I was, and still am, consistently getting 50MPG. I drive up to San Francisco from Mountain View twice a week, on average. I drive down to San Jose from Mountain View nearly every week day to pick up our dog from daycare . (We put him in daycare while our house is still being worked on .) My current client is in Mountain View, so my current commute isn't bad, and I ride my bike once or twice a week. Even when I worked in SF, San Mateo, etc, my mileage didn't vary by much. I don't drive like a senior citizen, I keep decent pace with traffic on the freeway, and accelerate up hills all the time. The Prius has a good amount of engine power, and it is often the case that I am getting up a hill easier and faster than non-hybrids around me.

The old EPA mileage for the Prius was 60/51/55 (city/highway/combined). The new EPA estimated mileage is 48/45/46. While the old measurement was a little high, the new one is a little low. In my experience, the reality is in the middle: about 50MPG overall.

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