2011 Ford Fiesta SE Sedan

To put an automotive spin on an old axiom, 40 really is the new 30—in miles per gallon. What’s particularly remarkable is that this impressive highway-mileage figure is increasingly being achieved not only by hybrids and other alt-fuel cars—which post their best numbers in the city—but by regular gasoline-powered vehicles with relatively low price tags.

A look at eleven current and forthcoming cars that deliver 40 mpg highway reveals MSRPs ranging from $12,490 (for a two-door Smart car) to around $20,000 (for a four-door Ford Focus SE). With global turmoil continuing to push pump prices higher, it’s clear manufacturers understand they can boost sales by focusing on a statistic that for most of the past few decades was a non-issue for the American automotive consumer. In fact, Ford recently started running ads that specifically boast about reaching the 40 mpg mark.

“Even five years ago, consumers wanted horsepower and driving dynamics, but now we have rising gas prices,” says Tracy Handler, senior analyst at IHS Automotive. “In the end, even more than CAFE standards (federally mandated fuel economy targets) gas prices really drive what companies are doing now, because of what concerns their customers. So they’ve set 40 (mpg) as a target, mainly for advertising reasons, and are achieving it with innovations ranging from air-flow louvers with sensors to simply cleaning up the underbody for better aerodynamics.”

Here’s a quick look at models that deliver 40 mpg on the highway:

Standard Features

Anti-Theft & Locks

• Child Safety Door Locks Located On Rear Doors
• Power Door Locks Operated Via Remote and Internal Switch With Automatic Locking
• Vehicle Anti-Theft Via Engine Immobilizer

Braking & Traction

• 4-Wheel Anti-Lock Brakes
• Traction Control
• Front Power 259-mm Vented Disc and Rear Power 201-mm Drum Brakes
• AdvanceTrac(R) With ESC (Electronic Stability Control) Vehicle Stability Control System Operated Via Engine Power Reduction, ABS and Traction Control

Electrical

• Front Power Outlet
• Battery

Engines & Emissions

• 1.6-Liter Duratec(R), I4, Ti-VCT 16-Valve, DOHC, SEFI Engine; Front Mounted With Horsepower Of 119@6000 and Torque Of 109@4250, Alloy Block and Alloy Cylinder Head
• EasyFuel(R) Capless Fuel Filler
• Roadside Assistance Warranty For 60000-Miles, 60-Months

 Entertainment, Communication & Navigation

• Radio Antenna
• AM/FM Radio With 40-Watts and 4 Speakers Total; CD Player; MP3 Player
• Front Auxiliary Audio Input Jack

 Exterior Lighting

Quad Low and High Beam Halogen Headlights

Exterior, Design, Paint & Finish

• Front and Rear Body Color Bumpers
• SE Badging
• Metallic Paint (If Selected)
• Chrome Grille
• Front Air Dam

 Heating, Ventilation & Air Conditioning

• Rear Heating Ducts
• Manual Air Conditioning

 Instrumentation

• Message Center
• Digital Clock
• Tire Pressure Monitor
• Trip Computer
• Audible Warnings Include Belt-Minder(R) Seatbelts Unfastened
• Exterior Temperature Gauge
• Tachometer

 Interior Lighting

• Rear Dome Light
• Map Lights

Interior, Design, Decor & Floor Covering

• Carpet Located In Passenger Cabin and Trunk
• Front Carpeted Floor Mats
• Metallic Painted Trim Located On Instrument Panel and Steering Wheel
• Environment Keyed Molded In Color Exterior Door Handles

 Remote Controls & Remote Releases

Keyless Entry Operated Via Key Fob

Safety

• Passenger Airbag Cutoff Sensor Activated By Seatbelt Engagement and Weight
• Front Seatbelt Height Adjusters
• Passenger Airbag With Dual Stage Deployment
• Front Side Head Curtain Airbags
• Seat Mounted Front Side Airbags
• Rear 3-Point Center Seatbelt
• Driver Airbag With Dual Stage Deployment
• Front Pretensioners
• Driver Knee Airbag
• L A T C H
• Front and Rear 3-Point Seatbelts
• Crumple Zones
• Trunk Anti-Trap Device
• Side Guard Door Beams
• Emergency Fuel Shut-Off Device
• Front and Rear Automatic Locking Retractors

 Seats

• Rear 60/40 Split Folding Bench Seat With Adjustable Headrests
• Upgraded Cloth Seats
• Front Dual Reclining Bucket Seats, Driver Side Manually Adjusts 4-Ways Total, Passenger Side Manually Adjusts 2-Ways Total With Adjustable Headrests

 Steering

• Tilt Steering Column
• Power Rack and Pinion Steering
• Telescopic Steering Column

 Storage

• Glovebox
• 5 Front and 1 Rear; 6 Cupholders Total
• Front Door Mounted Storage
• Front Lower Console Storage Located On Floor
• Front Passenger Seatback Storage Pocket

 Suspension

• Semi-Independent Twist Beam Rear Suspension With Coil Springs and Shock Absorbers
• 22-mm Front Stabilizer Bar
• Independent MacPherson Strut Front Suspension With Coil Springs and Shock Absorbers

 Transmission

5-Speed Manual Transmission With Overdrive

Wheels & Tires

• SBRP195/60R15 BSW Tires
• Compact Spare Tire
• Steel Wheels, 15-In.

 

Windows, Mirrors & Wipers

• Intermittent Windshield Wipers
• Front Dual Vanity Mirrors
• Dual Body Color Power Adjustable Exterior Rearview Mirrors
• Rear Window Defroster
• Power Windows With Driver One-Touch Up and One-Touch Down
• Front Dual Sunvisors
• Tinted Glass