I used to drive relatively conservatively in my non-hybrid but didn't do anything special to get better fuel economy. My average was 30mpg even and my best road trip was 36mpg. After purchasing a ScanGauge (installed right on top of the dash so I don't have to look down) and learning from the pros, my efficiency has improved by roughly 25% overall. Some commutes are over 40mpg and my last highway trip in decent weather was nearly 44mpg over 120 miles. So that's an example of what can happen when you drive a conventional car with fuel economy in mind, especially on the highway.

Re: The "letting the car drive me" thing, I guess I look at the the other way around. I could just accept the fuel economy that my car wants to give me and leave it at that. Instead, it's my choice to make it do what I want. To each his own.