July 4th Special: Six U.S. cars that get more than 30 MPG combined

If your workplace is anything like ours, it seems that while you're at work, most of the rest of the United States has taken the entire week off to celebrate Independence Day.

For our own celebration, and with a friendly nod to our defeated British colleagues, we thought it would be appropriate to highlight six different vehicles from U.S. carmakers that get more than 30 mpg in EPA combined fuel-economy tests.

The list includes two subcompacts, a compact crossover, a compact sedan, a mid-size sedan, and a luxury mid-size sedan. And only three are hybrids.

All of them are built in North America, if not necessarily the U.S.--we've noted the ones that are assembled in Mexico.

2012 Ford Fusion Hybrid: 39 mpg combined

The hybrid Ford Fusion mid-size sedan, launched in 2009 as a 2010 model, has always been a favorite of ours.

It's roomier than the Toyota Camry Hybrid was at the time, it got much better gas mileage, and the Fusion Hybrid has a much more elegant dashboard and information display.

This is the last year for the Fusion Hybrid you see here, as it's being replaced by an all-new global design for 2013.

That new 2013 Fusion will come with a variety of fuel-efficient powertrains, including a pair of EcoBoost turbocharged four-cylinder engines, a hybrid version, and even a plug-in hybrid model to be called the Fusion Energi.

Meanwhile, there are still 2012 Ford Fusion Hybrid models at local dealerships, and it's well worth test-driving one. Even if you've never before considered an American car.

If it makes a difference, the current Ford Fusion is actually assembled in Hermosillo, Mexico.