Even with the price of gasoline approaching four bucks a gallon, automotive fuel still isn't as expensive as designer water or a grande latte at Starbucks. Then again, no one consumes water or coffee at the rate of a car engine swilling dinosaur juice, and it hurts to leave ever growing chunks of one's paycheck at the pump every month. However, there are choices out there that can increase the reach of your petro-dollar without compromising the pleasure of driving or settling for a car the size of Paris Hilton's doggy.
When compiling this list, we arbitrarily drew a line at 35 mpg or better on the EPA highway cycle. From that high-mileage list, we culled a group of candidates that also had the ability to hold our interest in two other critical areas: driving and technology.
Honda Civic DX: 30 city/40 highway
No car list is complete without a Honda on it, and the all-new Civic fills the role most capably, with a much improved platform and an uprated base 1.8-liter engine that still delivers excellent mileage. Now 140 horsepower (up from 127), the four-cylinder isn't nearly as frugal as the Civic Hybrid's gas-electric powertrain and its 49/51 EPA rating, but an entry-level Civic costs more than $7,000 below the hybrid, and in this case our wallets win out over our environmental conscience.
Mazda 3: 28 city/35 highway
We've always liked Mazda vehicles for their "European" character, and this small four-door sedan would be right at home on the streets and highways of Germany. Not only is it fun to drive thanks to the base 148-hp 2.0-liter, excellent brakes and crisp handling, it's got the look of a car from much further upmarket. Lots of standard features, lots of style, lots of miles between fuel stops and lots of driving enjoyment.
Mercedes-Benz E320 CDI: 27 city/37 highway
This handsome sedan is just the first of a hoped-for multitude of Mercedes-Benz diesels that are huge hits in Europe, thanks to a tantalizing combination of economy and performance. If you don't care about coaxing max mileage from the turbocharged six-cylinder, it will power from zero to 60 mph in just 6.6 seconds. It also will run all day at autobahn speeds without stopping for a refill every couple of inches on the map. Once the sulfur in U.S. diesel fuel is lowered to mandated limits, expect Mercedes to move quickly, and strongly, in this direction with all its vehicles. Hydrogen power for everyone, after all, is a very long way off.
Mini Cooper 1.6: 28 city/36 highway
Just backing out of the driveway feels sporty in a Mini. When it's powered by the 1.6-liter four that's the smallest of its engine options, the Mini matches its high fun factor with frugality. Social responsibility has rarely provided such a payback. Appropriately the most efficient of the so-called "mini-compact" class of cars, the Mini stormed its way to success at the same time giant SUVs were peaking in their popularity. Guess which of them is still going strong? Small on the outside and big on the inside, the Mini's appeal should only strengthen as more Americans discover small can be a big deal.
Pontiac Vibe/Toyota Matrix: 30 city/36 highway
These stylish five-door hatch-wagon twins offer amazing utility for their size and prices, with the Corolla-based platform providing a solid, expensive feeling base for the economical powertrain. The Toyota-built 1.8-liter four-cylinder found in the pair puts out around 130 hp, which won't win many stoplight derbies, but it will perform credibly in the midpack scramble while returning better-than-average mpg. Small on the outside and big on the inside with an economical engine at an affordable price: a winning formula.
Toyota Prius Hybrid: 60 city/51 highway
To play the hybrid game correctly, expect to be bullied by everyone else on the road except for other hybrid owners, and tell everyone you'll always run just a little bit late, because you're more interested in how many miles you can get out of a tank of gas than being on time. It takes a singular approach to derive driving enjoyment from light throttles and sedate speeds, but Toyota has built just the machine to make it happen.
Volkswagen Golf TDI: 37 city/44 highway
Forget about slow and smelly. VW's 1.9-liter turbocharged diesel four-cylinder is a gem of efficient power production. It's one thing to get good mileage, but it's also comforting to know the car has enough power reserves to get where you want to go quickly, even if it's climbing a mountain pass. The engine's 105 hp doesn't seem like much, but with 184 lb-ft of torque at only 1,900 rpm, the TDI pulls strongly enough to keep up with traffic that's burning a lot more fuel. Until diesel fuel gets cleaned up in 2007, however, five U.S. states prohibit sales of new diesel-powered cars. Sometimes living in California does have its drawbacks.
Of course, you can avoid gasoline prices altogether by purchasing a natural-gas vehicle, converting your engine to run on used cooking oil or, if you're pals with someone in the government, grab one of the rare hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles now being fleet tested.
And as summer approaches, we hate to say, you're going to need a plan.
When compiling this list, we arbitrarily drew a line at 35 mpg or better on the EPA highway cycle. From that high-mileage list, we culled a group of candidates that also had the ability to hold our interest in two other critical areas: driving and technology.
Honda Civic DX: 30 city/40 highway
No car list is complete without a Honda on it, and the all-new Civic fills the role most capably, with a much improved platform and an uprated base 1.8-liter engine that still delivers excellent mileage. Now 140 horsepower (up from 127), the four-cylinder isn't nearly as frugal as the Civic Hybrid's gas-electric powertrain and its 49/51 EPA rating, but an entry-level Civic costs more than $7,000 below the hybrid, and in this case our wallets win out over our environmental conscience.
Mazda 3: 28 city/35 highway
We've always liked Mazda vehicles for their "European" character, and this small four-door sedan would be right at home on the streets and highways of Germany. Not only is it fun to drive thanks to the base 148-hp 2.0-liter, excellent brakes and crisp handling, it's got the look of a car from much further upmarket. Lots of standard features, lots of style, lots of miles between fuel stops and lots of driving enjoyment.
Mercedes-Benz E320 CDI: 27 city/37 highway
This handsome sedan is just the first of a hoped-for multitude of Mercedes-Benz diesels that are huge hits in Europe, thanks to a tantalizing combination of economy and performance. If you don't care about coaxing max mileage from the turbocharged six-cylinder, it will power from zero to 60 mph in just 6.6 seconds. It also will run all day at autobahn speeds without stopping for a refill every couple of inches on the map. Once the sulfur in U.S. diesel fuel is lowered to mandated limits, expect Mercedes to move quickly, and strongly, in this direction with all its vehicles. Hydrogen power for everyone, after all, is a very long way off.
Mini Cooper 1.6: 28 city/36 highway
Just backing out of the driveway feels sporty in a Mini. When it's powered by the 1.6-liter four that's the smallest of its engine options, the Mini matches its high fun factor with frugality. Social responsibility has rarely provided such a payback. Appropriately the most efficient of the so-called "mini-compact" class of cars, the Mini stormed its way to success at the same time giant SUVs were peaking in their popularity. Guess which of them is still going strong? Small on the outside and big on the inside, the Mini's appeal should only strengthen as more Americans discover small can be a big deal.
Pontiac Vibe/Toyota Matrix: 30 city/36 highway
These stylish five-door hatch-wagon twins offer amazing utility for their size and prices, with the Corolla-based platform providing a solid, expensive feeling base for the economical powertrain. The Toyota-built 1.8-liter four-cylinder found in the pair puts out around 130 hp, which won't win many stoplight derbies, but it will perform credibly in the midpack scramble while returning better-than-average mpg. Small on the outside and big on the inside with an economical engine at an affordable price: a winning formula.
Toyota Prius Hybrid: 60 city/51 highway
To play the hybrid game correctly, expect to be bullied by everyone else on the road except for other hybrid owners, and tell everyone you'll always run just a little bit late, because you're more interested in how many miles you can get out of a tank of gas than being on time. It takes a singular approach to derive driving enjoyment from light throttles and sedate speeds, but Toyota has built just the machine to make it happen.
Volkswagen Golf TDI: 37 city/44 highway
Forget about slow and smelly. VW's 1.9-liter turbocharged diesel four-cylinder is a gem of efficient power production. It's one thing to get good mileage, but it's also comforting to know the car has enough power reserves to get where you want to go quickly, even if it's climbing a mountain pass. The engine's 105 hp doesn't seem like much, but with 184 lb-ft of torque at only 1,900 rpm, the TDI pulls strongly enough to keep up with traffic that's burning a lot more fuel. Until diesel fuel gets cleaned up in 2007, however, five U.S. states prohibit sales of new diesel-powered cars. Sometimes living in California does have its drawbacks.
Of course, you can avoid gasoline prices altogether by purchasing a natural-gas vehicle, converting your engine to run on used cooking oil or, if you're pals with someone in the government, grab one of the rare hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles now being fleet tested.
And as summer approaches, we hate to say, you're going to need a plan.
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