When I purchased my new Prius two in the final four days of 2011 I was getting 47 mpg. Since then after the engine has some mileage on it I would get between 50 and 55 mpg depending on the weather and how I use the car. For the year 2014 I would get an average of 51 mpg. I would drive 70% city and 30% highway. I seldom would go on the highway over 65 mph and 10 mph over the city limits.
I seldom use the brake pads to stop the car. I use the electric motors to stop the car. The computer will determine if I need brakes or motors or both to stop the car by how hard I depress the brake pedal. I would estimate I use the regular brake pads 10% of the time. A bonus for using the motors is it also recharges your main battery.
It is not the car it is how you stop. If the car is quiet you can hear a decreasing whine from the motors. With my car I hear a clunk when the regular brakes are activated.
