When I do that type of driving in my Mariner Hybrid, my Average MPG is in the low-mid twenties assuming I am not running AC. My normal routine involves a 3.5 mile trek across downtown Philly to drop my wife at work and my son at daycare. 15 minutes from a cold start. Then 15 minutes back across town. Then I go back into the house, get ready for work, and take a 5 minute trip to the office. Then there is usually another 5-10min trip to run errands or grab lunch, then 15 minutes back to daycare. Then 15-20 minutes home in rush hour traffic. In the 9 months we've had our MMH I have never once averaged below 22mpg for even part of a tank. While that is a far cry from the 33mpg the EPA tests list, its still 50% better than your civic despite being a 3,000lb AWD SUV. If I never drove a mile on the highway I would estimate my mileage would be about 26MPG overall, and about 24mpg in the dead of summer with AC usage and 24mpg during the coldest part of the winter with required heat usage.

I think the Prius is probably the best Hybrid for your driving patterns. Try to find a local company that rents Priuses and try one for a day. Either that or go to a local Whole Foods supermarket and wait in the parking lot. There is a 100% guarantee that there is at least 1 Prius parked in the lot. When the owner comes out ask him what he gets driving around town! Try posting over in the Prius section and ask the owners over there what kind of mileage you can expect given those conditions.

-Tim

2006 Mercury Mariner Hybrid AWD
Black with Pebble interior
Premium Package with Nav & Moonroof



Current ODO: 26,152
Typical Drive: 20 min crosstown in heavy traffic (3.5mi there and back twice a day)


532 Gallons of gas saved
That's 10,642 lbs less CO2 emitted