So as much as I love my Maxima, I'm dying to have a 5 spd again (yeah, a manual swap has crossed my mind). I may keep an eye out for something else, so let me know what you like!
Only requirements are 4 cyl, 5 spd, mid to high 20's mpg, and a back seat. 2 or 4 door, American, Euro, Japanese, whatever. Don't want to spend more than a couple grand, and any basic bolt on options and junkyard part options are always a plus. Oh, and no engine swap ideas, I don't have a garage. 
And....GO!
Saab 9-5
Maxima sized but mpg in the high 20's off the 4cyl turbo.
Reasonably popular to find them with manual trans.
They made a turbo 6 but it is less desirable.
Late '90's escort? Festiva? Early '00's hyundai? Mazda protoge?
Mid to high 20s counts as econo?
Uhh, in that case, my LS1 Z28. Find 'em for 5 grand, meets all your other requirements.
Will wrote: Mid to high 20s counts as econo? Uhh, in that case, my LS1 Z28. Find 'em for 5 grand, meets all your other requirements.
Most mid -late 90s econo cars are only rated at high 20s MIXED EPA. the late 90s Z28 is rated at 19 combined.
Given the OP requirements... an Integra.
A1 GTI?
AE92 Corolla
Will wrote: Mid to high 20s counts as econo? Uhh, in that case, my LS1 Z28. Find 'em for 5 grand, meets all your other requirements.
I guess I should say mid to high 20's as minimum, or city driving. High 20's mixed, over 30 on the hwy for sure. I'm not necessarily looking for a 50 mpg Metro....although maybe I should!
And Z28 is DEF not the answer...
ransom wrote: A1 GTI?
Bingo!
E36 BMW 318 could work, depending on what these go for in your neck of the woods.
In Atlanta, any cheap Civic or Integra is going to be a rat, but things may be better where you live. An Accord or Legend might be a good alternative; those things seem to have been less riced or beat on here.
Otherwise, to round up the usual suspects - Mazda Protege, anything Saturn, Toyota Celica, or Ford Focus come to mind.
Swift gti if you can find one. Ticks all your boxes. Lots of fun to drive.
mid 20s hardly constitutes econo car in my book. You can do a e39 530i and meet that criteria (heck that is what I almost did).
I didn't mod it but driving dynamics wise my 2000 jetta is pretty nice to drive and being a TDI it knocks back 43+ mpg with the AC on at 80mph that's an econocar for me :P
Crx is still my go-to.
Ford Focus
Maybe useless info but i recently came into a 98 eclipse with n/a bolt ons and tein coilovers. Handled sweet and rode pretty well for coilovers, and i got 28mpg in it. Sold it to a friend for a friendly price.
Im not pushing the eclipse angle here but if you have any curiosity about it i might be able to address it.
I'd be all over a Mazda Protege, Ford Escort GT, or an early Sentra SE-R in that range.
Oh, I like the CRX mention but you get almost the same car with a lot more utility with those autoX proven 89-90 SI civic hatches
The Focus is pretty fun. Up the fun factor by getting the SVT suspension, available from Ford for a ridiculously cheap $300.
SERFTMFW
i seem to wind up with Cavaliers lately.. just got a stripped down 98 with the 200 backed with a 5 speed.. it's got some pep and only cost me $200.. i'm hoping it will be at least as good on gas as the 97 i had a few years ago, which i had up to 39.8mpg before selling it.. i find the cheap 5 speed Cavvies to be fun- but that's mostly because they are rolling piles of crap and i can beat them without mercy..
it's kind of an oddball, but i did like driving the 87 Celebrity 4 door that i borrowed for a while.. it is slow.. the 12 year old 13" tires on the front don't have any grip.. it is 3 different colors.. but it averaged 27mpg no matter how i drove it and that little 2.5 Iron Duke never failed to start.
Escort GT
had an '87, still regret selling it
the AutoPower cage is sitting on my porch
91 vthrough 96 escort gt. bp power. good mialege and 700 bucks gets u a dang fun suspension.
Can't believe that no one has mentioned the Isuzu I-Mark diesel. 
Followed closely by (Yeah, I don't care it doesn't count!!):
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