I will be going to college soon and I am looking for a car that is economic and does not use a lot of gas (gas prices are expensive!!!). I want to know when buying a car what characteristics to look for in order to see if a car uses to much gas. I know that big trucks need a lot of gas often. But in a regular small car, what info should I need to know? A car that I looked at said that gas mileage was 34 mpg city/40 mpg hwy. What does this mean? Also, do I need to check the engine? For example, 1.5L I4, 16 valve, 106@6000 hp. What do I need to look for in order to save gas. What are the best cars right now that do not use much gas, of good quality, and economic?