What's Your Mileage?

I've noticed that a lot of new car ads mention the purported mileage of whatever model they are touting: I.E. "The new Belchfire 6000 (props to AutoExtremist)  gets the best mileage of all SUV's over 6000 lbs when ordered without A/C and when pointed downhill with the wind in the sails.

My own car, which was built back when one airbag was a big deal and crash tests were less lax gets about 36 MPG city and 45 highway since it weighs about three pounds and is made of tinfoil and fond hopes.  Even with that my urge to drive to Santa Barbara for lunch has been curtailed.  I wonder that the spectre of $5.00 a gallon gas has been brought home to us all, and that has breached a psychic levee for us as a nation; the price of oil has dropped, and gas in LA has dropped to under $4.50 a gallon.  That price could go further south (and since it's an election year no doubt will), but I find myself acting as if that $5.00 gas is an ever present threat: I want to see cars that get at least 30 mpg city before I would buy; my previous fantasy cars have gone from a Z-4 to a Smart Cabrio.  The last time I filled up my lilliputian gas tank cost $34.00.  Which sounds like nothing to the owner of a Hummer, especially since I was on fumes, but I remember when it was less than half that.  My bill at the grocery store has doubled too.  Oddly, my salary has not.  Has yours?

Image: cars.com