My Escape has huge blind spots, but the rear-view mirrors have built-in blind spot mirrors. :)
How you drive has a lot to do with mileage. I've gotten an extra 2 mpg or so just by modifying my habits a little. (And I could probably improve even more if I weren't chronically late! :)
The other...
If you're mostly going to be on the highway, a hybrid won't save you much gas these days. I think a Prius is rated around 48 mpg, while a car like a Civic or Mazda3 will still crack 40 mpg but will probably be a lot cheaper and more fun to drive. (Granted, I haven't driven a Prius in about a...