Congratulations on your new TCH! I've had mine 2 weeks now. My wife drives our FEH, and my dad has a Prius!
The ICE will run until warmed up unless you stop for more than about 7 seconds. It warms up very quickly. I'm in San Diego and mornings are often 60F. I'm sure that helps somewhat.
The feedback from the instant MPG gage and hearing the soft whine of the regen when braking definitely make you more aware of what the car is doing. I admit to also paying more attention to how I drive and obessing a bit over the FE. Hard not to do when it's right on the dash.
I also bought the TCH over the Prius because of the features and confort. Don't get me wrong; I like the Prius, but I like the TCH more.
Suggestions for better FE:
1) Air up the tires to 42psi front, 40psi back. The ride is not any rougher, and the car handles better.
2) Don't try to accelerate from a stop on EV (ICE off) unless you are just moving between lights or stop signs on a level road. It is normal for the ICE to start right up when accelerating from a stop at typical rate.
3) Once warmed up, the ICE will stop almost instantly when coasting at speeds under 40mph. Take advantage of this by braking early and coasting up to red lights and stops.
4) EV mode has enough power to easily maintain 35mph on level or gently rising roads. Use EV mode if possible when driving around in residential areas before parking. The ICE will recharge the battery when warming up.
5) Accelerate with traffic or perhaps slighty faster than you normally would (assuming you are not used to driving a sports car!) until you are 3 to 5
mph over the speed you want to travel. Then back off until the instant mpg gauge reads 60mpg and slowly drop to the speed you want to travel over the next mile or two. I find I can often keep the mpg between 50 and 60mpg on level roads up between speeds of 40 to 70mph!
6) Anticipate traffic flow by looking ahead a 1/4 mile or more. Backoff the gas and avoid braking, or brake lightly for maximum regen when possible.
I'm getting 44mpg after 550 miles on my 2nd tank following these methods. I'm sure others will have more comments!