True story: In 1988, I bought my first new car - a Honda CFX-HF (stick shift). I CONSISTENTLY got 60 mpg on the highway - made a killing on business milage (well, not counting wear and tear on the vehicle). I traded it in 3 years later on a larger vehicle, but I kid you not I got gas milage like that.
I know that emission control systems are what decrease the milage these days, but it seems to me that the drop in milage is probably not worth the decreased emissions. Just my uneducate opinion, however...