Yes.
Somehow this slips everyone's mind, but the numbers don't lie. You can look at driver results (like MINE, for example
), or just get EPA test results direct from the government.
http://www.fueleconomy.gov
Checking some out:
2008 Civic 4dr sedan:
Regular - 25 city/36 hwy
Hybrid - 40 city/
45 hwy (no comparison!)
2008 Altima
Regular - 23 city/31 hwy
Hybrid - 35 city/
33 hwy (close, but still better)
2008 Camry
Regular - 21 city/31 hwy
Hybrid - 33 city/
34 hwy
2008 Highlander 4WD
Regular - 17 city/23 hwy
Hybrid - 27 city/
25 hwy (quite close, but still better)
2008 Ford Escape FWD
Regular - 20 city/26 hwy
Hybrid - 34 city/
30 hwy
2008 Ford Escape 4WD
Regular - 19 city/24 hwy
Hybrid - 29 city/
27 hwy
HOW IS THAT NOT BETTER ON THE HIGHWAY?
Now it's certainly not AS MUCH % BETTER as is the CITY MPG. But to say there is no improvement is a LIE (except for maybe some of GM's offerings). I can only presume that nailing the gist of the (usually) limited improvement on the highway was the intent.