Highway Handling (especially vs Civic Hybrid)

Not sure what you mean.

Those numbers seem correct +/- depending on overvall conditions. I can drive on my favorite backroads at 55mph and the MDF will hang out in the low 70mpg to high 60mpg range. Bumps or slight inclines can change the numbers briefly but they go right back. It's the starting and stopping that drops the average numbers so much and you end up with an average of 50-60mpg (most users who drive at the speed limits). I'd rock 60mpg tanks with ease if I didn't have to climb hills and use the freeway. Even then I can do some work and pull off 62mpg tanks but I have to avoid the freeway as much as possible.

 

I can't speak about the current Honda Civic Hybrid, but I did own a 2003 model (bought in July of 02) for about 4 and a half years before buying my Prius in Feb of 07.

I found the handling of the two cars to be about equal. The Prius is, however, more affected by cross winds, but the BT Plate corrected most of the problem. The Prius accelerates faster and maintains highway speeds much easier than the Honda did and has a lifetime mpg that is about 5 mpg better than the Civic.

The seats offer about the same amount of comfort on highway trips, ok, but not as comfortable as those in my Avalon. In the end, it is safe to say that I like my Prius much better than the first generation of HCH.