I suspect I've been driving with an eye to mpg even before gas prices spiked. My other car is a Sebring convertible - a 2001 with a 200HP v-6. It has an instantaneous read-out of mpg, and with that as I guide, I tend to get 22-23 city & about 29 hiway. One thing I've noticed about the Sebring is that it has almost no engine braking effect. So, it will "coast" forever without going into neutral. Just more work on the actual brakes when needed.
yeah- the prius isn't the slowest car i've driven. However, it feels really weird sometimes without gears. You got 30mpg in a v-6 taurus? that is pretty good. We got 19.x at best in our pathfinder- 15 in the city. NOT GOOD! Now our relief at the pump has arrived :)
Bought mine on March 23 '09. Replaced a Ford Taurus, so it was quite a change. I liked the Taurus, but it was getting older & costing more to maintain. I can't criticize the Taurus on mpg. When I was careful, I reached 30 mpg in steady hiway driving -- not bad for a 200ph v-6 with automatic. I actually didn't buy my Prius -- instead, it's on a five-year lease. If it proves to be a good one, I'll buy it out at the end of the lease. If it has lemon-qualities, I'll turn it back in ... nice to have an "automatic buyer" for it. So far, mpg hovering around 44-45, but I'm still learning. And, the AC imposes a hit I can see on the screens (eg, battery drain). I don't find the Prius acceleration lacking -- works well for me.
how long have you had your 09? we just got ours. i'm getting into the handling actually. Not that is is a total hot rod. But compared to a pathfinder we just had...the prius feels like a hot rod to us. ;)