As many Prius owners may know, the advertised gas mileage is not realistic/true.

I've found my mileage to be exactly opposite the rated expectations whereas I get better 'highway' mileage than while driving on 'city/surface streets'.

After owning this car for 8-years, my mileage is no better than when I first purchased it; I'd been lead to believe that after approximately 20-25 thousand miles, the mileage would likely improve, but that has yet to occur with over 40K miles driven.

My Prius is regularly maintained within recommended service intervals for oil/filter changes, as well as air filter replacements, etc..., but doing so has not improved the mileage.

I do not drive fast nor do I 'push the pedal to the metal' when leaving traffic lights or stop signs, etc..., so not sure why my mileage is not better, especially while driving around town, which is where most of my driving is done.

I also 'coast' as much as possible when approaching traffic lights and stop signs, etc..., but all to no avail.

I got this car in Fall 2013. It got 46 mpg hwy at first on first long turnpike trip. Then up and down hills and local in small town driving dropped to about 36. Now during the winter, last month or saw with very slow speed local driving, it's saying I'm getting 25 mpg. HELP! What is going on? Is the Hybrid system not working, the expensive battery not functioning? There are no indicator lights going on on the front panel at all. Is the mpg screen wrong or not functioning. I got the car to get the great 50 mpg that my father got on it and now all of this is happening. I do know how to drive it, with lightly pressing gas pedal, have air pressing of 42 in front and 40 in back, it has a new "regular" battery installed. I don't know what to do.

Update from Mar 20, 2015: Another cold winter in PA. Once again, in the fall I had 49 mpg and as soon as I had to start using the DEFROSTER for a few minutes to clear iced up/fogged up windshield, the gas mileage dropped to an average of 37 mpg - over 10 mpg less. If I do my one weekly few mile trip in town with stop signs, use the defroster, the mileage drops to the 20's for that trip. I found myself not using the Defroster OR Heater on some days when I was taking a little longer trip - round trip about 25 miles just to get better gas mileage. It's crazy for the gas mileage to drop that much just because it is winter and you have to use the defroster/heater.