What is the best car out there with great mileage?

Very soon -- could be one week, could be two years -- I will need to shop for another car. (Current car is 2000 Chevrolet Malibu LS with 158,900 miles. Still runs reasonably well. Routine maintenance is done on it frequently,i.e., oil changes every 3500 miles, tune-ups every 60,000 miles, serpentine belt replacement every 60,000 miles, among other things...still has original factory alternator. Only "major" fix on it so far has been replacement of worn-out water pump which cost $590 at dealer. I plan on driving this car until it gets too expensive to fix or its computer brains are fried.)

On next car: prefer 35 miles or more to the gallon ... my budget is only $10,000-$12,000 at the very most. I need something that will last me at least 200,000 miles (I drive 60 miles to and from work, four days a week). My first blush was to get a motor scooter, but too dangerous for major highway (and what if there's lightning outside?)

your 35 mpg is a bit optimistic

get a new Honda Fit $15,400

any used car that cost $12K would be pushing it to last 200,000
miles with out some repairs

the manual Fit get 34 avg, the auto 32

it's a small car and won't win any drag races but compared to a scooter it's a Cadillac.


btw:
avoid the Toyota Yaris
noisy engine, bad brakes, unstable at Hwy speed.

I saw a new Toyota Yaris for under 12k. Or you could look at a used Honda. These cars are known to run a long time. I think that the Yaris will hold it's value over a Honda fit over the long road because Corolla is redesigned and really expensive now. I really think you want a Yaris.

I'm not sure about the gas mileage stats... but Subaru Impreza is a great car. Subarus last 300,000+ miles! They're relatively small, so I would think the gas mileage for a regular impreza would be decent.

check out the smart car just released in the US this year and gets 40+ mpg its at the top of your budget but you would be buying it brand new

Why not an electric car?

toyota pyrus is 48mpg city and lasts about 300,000 by the way its about 13,000

My parents just baught a new hybrid, since gas prices are rising steady and are probably going to get up to $2 then a hybrid is a great way to save money and great mileage. They are pretty cheap too a small (but nice) hybrid is about 14,000 to 15,000 so if you can get that extra 2 or 3 thousand dollars then you will save up alot of money in the long run. Just my opinion though, not worth buy a bigger car or truck when you will be paying $80-$100 dollars on gas everytime you go to the pump.

A good used 1st-gen Prius (the one that looked like the Echo) will get good mileage and not break your budget. Same with a used Insight, though those are pretty rare. And if you're used to the Malibu, the tiny Insight might be a lot less car than you're looking for.

VW makes a diesel version of everything they sell, I think, and they all get great cruising mileage, if you don't mind driving a diesel. Your driving habits would have to change. There's plenty of broken-in ones to be had, and they tend to go a loooong time.

Try hypermiling the Malibu. Go to Ecomodder.com and CleanMPG.com for ideas and tips. I bet you can get it over 30mpg, easy.