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Originally Posted by BAN SUVS
Downmarket.
Not true. Every year (well, with every new engine) the manufacturers get better and better at extracting more power from each mole of air-fuel mixture. why do you think we now have so many 250+ horsepower cars that get 25-30 mpg? Remember when 250hp was an unthinkable number for a "normal" car without a V8? Subaru went from turbocharged 1.8s that made 115hp to NA 1.8 that makes 118, 2.2 that makes 142, and 2.5 that makes 165+. Then there's the turbo EJ25 of the current generation. Combustion technology is definitely venturing into the land of diminishing returns as far as power and efficiency gains, but we haven't perfected it yet.
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But for the most part, waht you are talking about fractional or maybe single digit percentages at best. O2 sensors, Fuel injection, and distributorless ignition are probably the last things that might have been anywhere close to double digit percentages.
Variable valve timing, small turbos, and such have increased performance in smaller displacments, but if you put your foot in it, it will use more gas, period. I have imperical evidence that shows a 2.0l 250HP WRX making single digit MPG under severe driving conitions. Any other engine producing that HP under those conditions is likely to be using damn close to the same amount of fuel. A/F burned = power regardless.
A 93-94 Justy makes more MPG than anything currently available anybody has come up with, and it is hardly "modern" or "technical" it is just a small displacement low HP car.