Hmmm That could explain it. Just found out my tire pressure was 29, 28, 30, and 33. Kicked them all to 40. Lets see where we get.

 

Did you have a 5-speed or automatic Escort? A quick check of fueleconomy.gov shows 28/37 for the manual (avg of 32.5mpg) and 25/34 for the automatic (avg of 29.5mpg). Now since you said you averaged about 24mpg, that would be 81% of EPA for the automatic or 74% of EPA for the manual.

Now both the 5-speed and CVT Civic Hybrid have a combined average around 48, so let's do the comparison:

48 * 0.81 = 38.9mpg
48 * 0.74 = 35.5mpg

It would appear that based on your previous car, once we adjust the scale to your past history of real world FE versus EPA numbers, you're still pretty much in the target range. As others have mentioned, driving technique plays a role, as does A/C usage. Anyway, I don't want you to feel too bad about your current FE. It would appear that your results are in the expected target values. Most folks just don't compare their FE to the EPA numbers until they buy a hybrid, so if they were getting below EPA before, they didn't know.

 

I'll add one footnote - I make a point to move along with traffic when I'm in it, however you'll find you can still do some smart things that don't make you an imposition on others. I don't like getting honked at, and where I'm at you'd best move along with the others. When I'm by myself on the road, I'll go out of my way to be gentle with the gas.

 

Three miles to work only gives time to get car barely warmed up. The gas usage is not good on a cold engine. This short distance drive is one of your problems you cant do much about. My wife takes short trips and the gas mileage in anything she drives is very bad.