[irishjuggler]

I am looking at getting a Toyota or Honda.

Their stuff ain't perfect either. A couple years ago, I replaced by 15-year-old GM vehicle with a new Honda Civic. It's okay, but I've had a couple of minor issues with it, and it actually gets pretty lousy gas mileage -- far less than what was promised on the sticker. Frankly, I'd love to trade the Civic in for a real American car like a Cadillac CTS if I had money to burn.

[Spktyr]

What year Civic, what config, and what are you getting by way of mileage?

Also, the EPA test is just a guideline against a standardized test to give people some benchmark as to what to expect from a car. A lot depends on driving habits, patterns, use, and other individual factors. For example, I drive fast, but usually manage to better the EPA numbers. My friend drives about as fast and can never seem to be able to match the EPA numbers... on the same exact car I was driving 10 minutes before!

[jveritas]

You could have bought a used Cadillac CTS 2005 model with 30,000 miles for $ 15,000 which is the same price as your Honda Civic.