Here’s Why Your Mileage May Vary (A Lot) from the EPA Estimates To learn more about the EPA tests, please read Car and Driver: The Truth About EPA City / Highway MPG Estimates | PriusChat.
funny, but in the 30 years i've been buying new cars, i've had no trouble getting the sticker mileage or better. i guess i'm in the minority? when we got our 04 prius, i was getting 55-60 mpg right off the lot. when the changed the testing and lowered the prius sticker mpg estimate, my mpg's stayed the same. how odd! of course your mileage will differ, no matter what testing they do, that's going to be the case.
FWIW, my lifetime average is ~45 mpg. It was ~46 when I was working and had a longer commute w/a bunch of highway. I can only get a tank >=50 mpg if I keep my speeds on the highway <70 mph for a whole tank. I don't think CA formulation of gas is doing me any mileage favors.
