We will publish the results of our latest Shootout of compact cars Monday. Experts from Cars.com and USA Today took five cars that seat five, cost under $20,000 and get over 35 mpg highway and pitted them against each other in a series of tests, including a mileage challenge.
Over the course of a 161-mile route of mixed city and highway driving, the redesigned 2012 Honda Civic won out with an average 36.8 mpg. This bested the 2011 Hyundai Elantra GLS by 2.3 mpg; the Elantra has a better EPA rating of 33 mpg combined city/highway versus the Civic’s 32 mpg.
The 2012 Ford Focus, 2011 Chevy Cruze and 2011 Kia Forte followed with observed mileage of 33.5, 33.2 and 30.6 mpg, respectively.
Come back to Cars.com and KickingTires on Monday to see which one of the five took the overall prize as the best high-mileage car for less than $20,000.