[TXwaterdog]

Originally Posted by Dave's Civic Duty

Lisa's commute is mostly hyway.

I have 2300 miles on my 2012 Focus and it's a mix. I get 38mpg all day long. If i'm crawling along in traffic I still get +34mpg. When I'm on a constant level highway I have seen as much as 52mpg but I haven't taken any trips yet. one's coming up for Thanksgiving...

Originally Posted by Arragonis

Kia, Proton and Hyundai are all worth a look - the quality is pretty good. Focus is also good.

How about a Fester (Fiesta) or a Yaris ?

Yaris was basically a joke to drive but it is much cheaper. The Fiesta is a contender and I'd compare it directly with a new Corolla. Although I'd suggest the completely new Fiesta over the 10 year old Corolla design. And that brings up something.. the Corolla should be rolling out a new design in the next few months it might be worth waiting for.

Kia and Hyundai can't compare with Ford, Honda, Toyota, GM and Nissan- there's just much better cars out there. Granted Hyundai now has a great build quality and a good warranty but I still wouldn't buy one.

If money isn't a big concern perhaps the new Fiat 500c is worth a look. She'd feel like a pampered rockstar in it while she saved gas... It's based on the Ford KA which is getting great reviews across the pond.

Again, I highly suggest driving the 2012 Focus.. It puts a smile on my face everyday. (When you test drive it be sure to turn OD off for autos when putting the petal to the metal that way you can feel all 160hp).