Back in November we bought a 4wd FEH. We thought it would be a great way to do our 5-10 mile commutes to work and tool around the city while saving gas and the environment. We read all the great reviews about how the FEH was averaging high 20 to low 30 mpg.

We didn't take into account where we live and how one must drive the hybrid to get the most out of it.

We live at the top of a three-quarter-mile long hill. In the mornings, when we coast down the hill - the car isn't yet warmed up. So the engine never shuts down and we can't go into EV mode. Thus, not a ton in the way of fuel savings.

The middle part of my 7 mile commute to work is relatively flat, but since the car still isn't warmed up, we once again don't get the fuel savings of EV mode.

The last several miles of the commute is up a slight hill. The FEH is warmed up by this point, but since it's uphill, the ICE kicks in at 5 miles per hour. I only go into full EV mode while sitting at stop lights.

So basically, going to work I get about 15-18 mpg no matter how I adjust my driving style. Going home is even worse. I don't get into EV mode at all the first half of my trip home. And just about the time the car is warmed up, I have to climb a very steep hill that kills my gas mileage.

So we bought this FEH and after several thousand miles, and countless adjustments to our driving styles we sill have an SUV that gets about 21 mpg overall - between city and highway.

Honestly, if I had known this going into it, I wouldn't have bought the FEH. I would have bought a regular SUV that got 18 mpg and I didn't have to drive like a granny or worry how much I'm running my defrost. Until significant improvements are made down the road, I don't think I would buy another hybrid again. It's just very disappointing to know that I spend several thousand dollars extra for a feature that really doesn't work the way it was advertised.

Most people here love their FEHs, but I thought I'd mention that they're not for everyone, and they're not really as good as everyone claims.