You gotta do the math...
when I was shopping for my latest vehicle and considered what kind of mileage range I should be looking at, it was kind of surprising what difference 5 mpg REALLY cost over a year.
I drive 120 mile round trip to work each day so mpg IS a consideration, no doubt.
But simple calculations at $4 a gallon showed the difference of 5 mpg was less than a thousand dollars a year.
Comparing safety, comfort, and ride of a 20, 25, or 30 mpg car is a WIDE range for $1000 to $2000 of gas a year.