By all accounts, the Ford Mustang has had one heck of a run. The Mustang’s arrival in the 1964 model year brought on the pony car era, and while performance has always been at the forefront of the car’s appeal, gas mileage in the smaller displacement versions made a bit of hay over the years, as well. Although easily overlooked, the Mustang’s gas mileage ratings set a remarkable high point for fuel economy in 1983, touching the 40 mile per gallon (MPG) highway mark when fitted with the stingy 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine.
While the Mustang’s gas mileage ratings dropped considerably (or perhaps more realistically), a four-banger could be found under the hood of the entry-level ‘Stang for another decade. 1993 marked the last year for the 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine, with a still respectable 30 MPG highway.
The Ford Focus competes with the Honda Civic, Chevy Cobalt, Toyota Corolla, and Mazda3 among many others in the red hot small car market, and is available as both a four-door sedan and two-door coupe.