stock 97 ex sedan here
with the cel on (so no vtec), and the motor running like shit i still get 28-30 mpg no matter how hard i drive
when it was running well and i drove nicely i got 32-34 mpg, but never any better than that

slightly off topic, watched the vid of the m3 vs prius around a test track, prius was driven balls out, m3 just kept up behind it, m3 got better mpg

definitely something to think about