Bye, bye comfort and luxury

I have to buy a new (used) car. My 2001 Ford Explorer is getting way too expensive to fill up -- I'm going to hit $75 a tank with gas approaching $4 a gallon. Did I mention it sucks down petrol at the rate of about 14 miles a gallon in the city?
I'll probably be driving back and forth regularly to see Nicholas after I go to law school, which is a 175 miles one way. So I'm opting for an economy car.

A part of me died to write that.

You see, I thought I had given up little cars for good when I bought my honking SUV two years ago. My 6'2" frame fits inside it comfortably. I can haul stuff. I can stomp on the gas and it moves. It's fun to drive in the snow. When I commuted back and forth to the suburbs every day, I drove a Hyundai Accent and then a Saturn SC2. While the Hyundai was acceptable because it had some headroom, I hated the Saturn because it was too low slung.
But the cold, hard reality is that I'll need a commuter car again to trek between Iowa City and Rockford. Blecch. Here's the hatchback I'm considering, a 2005 Kia Rio Cinco.
There's pros and cons to this deal. Here they are...
What I'll get:
Twice the gas mileage.
Warm feelings knowing that my carbon footprint is diminished (yeah, I wasn't really losing sleep over that one anyway).
A CD player that works consistently (who cares, all my music is MP3s now anyway).
What I'll have to do without:
Cruise control
Power windows
Tilt steering that actually accommodates my frame.
Power door locks
Stretching out my legs while driving.
Power mirrors
Acceleration
Power seat adjustment
Cargo room and a roof rack
A quiet, smooth ride
Antilock brakes
Less expensive insurance rates
Enjoyable driving