I've got a '99 Metro. Bought for $1000 in April 2014. Does 45MPG in the summer, 40MPG in the winter. City and highway are essentially the same MPG. No special hypermiling apart from "not driving like an ass." And my engine has borderline-minimum-acceptable compression, so it's truly far from ideal. I'm sure it could get 55MPG from the factory. EPA rating is hilariously low (34 city, 42 highway).
Apart from the clutch going out and the exhaust rusting to hell and needing some love, it's been a pretty great car! No features, so not much to go wrong!
I love parking my old clunkers next to the shiny I-have-a-big-penis-mobiles in the lot at work.