12/07/2008 21:16. By HOWARD WALKER, Special Sections correspondent, The Tampa Tribune

Kicking off a new column, Tampa-based automotive writer Howard Walker zeros-in on the cars that are great on gas and low on price.

Honda's Civic sips gas like a 4-year-old sips a spoonful of cough medicine. With a lot of reluctance.

Pour a gallon into the Honda's tank and it'll swish it and swirl it, and eke it out for 36 miles on the highway.

Fill up its 13.2-gallon tank and it'll run for 480 miles that's from Tampa to The Big Easy before it needs topping.

And that's with the regular Civic LX sedan I've been driving. Opt for the gas-electric Civic Hybrid and you're looking at a miserly 45 highway miles to the gallon.

That would take you all the way to Georgetown, Grand Cayman. If the Civic could float, that... // Tampa Tribune