I was driving today with a friend in the car, who'd never been a hybrid before. He asked about the MFD, and what it was showing. I explained that it provided feedback -- both instant, over time, and for the life of the fuel tank -- about the fuel consumption of the vehicle.

He replied that he thought it was neat. I said it was neat, and very interesting to have that instant feedback on how your driving habits are impacting your vehicle's consumption. But that it also has its frustrations... most notably right now, as my tank mileage suffers at about 6.3 L/100 after 150 km of mostly short trips on this tank. It's a mixed blessing, having that kind of feedback.

I wonder how many drivers, regardless of what vehicle they drive, would be lining up outside their dealership and screaming blue murder if they knew exactly how their vehicle was performing compared to the ridiculous "mileage" numbers published by the government, both in the States and in Canada.

Me.... I just look forward to this weekend, when I have the chance to go for a nice four or so hour-long drives on the highway. I never thought I'd say this again after moving from the '01 to the '04... but I really look forward to seeing a "5" as the first digit in my fuel consumption number again....

May will come soon, right? :unsure: