Getting back to the original question for a second, I think this
EPA page says a lot (click on the second tab, all years).
Of the top ten mileage cars of all time offered in the US, only three have been made in the last five years. At that, they take a lot of technology to get there with all three being hybrids. There is no question in my mind that those three are a hell of a lot safer and more comfortable than the others, which are mostly sub-2000 pound tin boxes with tiny motors. However, I'm not sure we have to go to the extreme of a 3,100 pound car to get safety and comfort. Who said I wanted comfort anyway?
I still think GM and many of the other manufacturers are missing the boat. There is a segment of the population that would still kill for a 50+ mpg car that skips some of the creature comforts and compromises somewhere in the middle on safety. Hell, people are buying Smart cars, so seriously, it's clear some people aren't focused on the safest car in the world. You stick a Honda motor in that Fortwo and I don't see why it wouldn't top 65mpg without even hypermiling it. For that matter, I'm not sure how in the hell something that small with a mere 1.0 liter engine can get mileage as low as 40mpg?
Anyway, I feel your pain. As I look at my options for my next car, the list is shorter, not longer than I had in 1990. The uber-high mileage cars of the 80s and early 90s are getting miled out and reliability still ranks high for me, so as I look at 2000 and newer cars, my pickings are slim. I'm just hoping some new options will appear on the horizon soon. Otherwise I might be forced into a Prius and that makes me sad.
