The competing Honda Civic Hybrid works a little differently: The electric engine kicks in for more power on hills or when you put the pedal down for sharp acceleration. The Honda is rated at 46 mpg for city driving, 51 mpg on the highway. Honda's two-seater hybrid Insight, both lighter and less practical than the Civic and Prius, gets the highest mileage ratings--61 mpg in the city, 68 mpg on the highway. In all these cars, both gas and electric engines shut off at stoplights or other full stops. Once you get used to that total mechanical silence during red lights, driving a hybrid is much like any other car.