Get a 1980 to 1985 used Mercedes Benz diesel sedan. Good mileage, runs great should be inexpensive (44,000 to $6,000) and if in good condition, looks great. And if you have the will, you can make your own bio-diesel for less than a dollar a gallon.
Ditto. I have a 1983 Mercedes 300D I got for 300 bucks, then put 1200 bucks into all new brake pads, rotors and some lines. It's my backup car. 27 MPG.
I have a 227 mile daily round trip commute through the wilds of New Hampshire, through Franconia Notch every night.
My 2012 Ford Focus with 6 speed auto trans (gets 2 MPG better then the standard), gets 38 to 40 MPG, using Amsoil Synthetic lubricants and additives, of course, 25,000 mile oil changes.
The Focus does well in snow and on ice, with traction control, studded snow tires and anti-lock brakes.
My previous commuter was a 2008 Ford Focus.
If the snow is going to be really deep, I take our 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee, which also has traction control, stability control, anti-lock brakes full time four wheel drive and studded snow tires.
Should things get really bad, our 1966 Mercedes Unimog 404 easily handles 3 feet of snow and just about anything else you throw in its way.
The last few nights have been blizzards, especially in the notch, with packed snow that's almost as bad as ice. The Focus behaved as if it was dry road.
NEVER, EVER again ANY GM or Chrysler product. Sorry about the Jeep, I'm embarrassed to drive it, but I got it so cheap I had to.