To be honest, if your are getting mpg out of the 1.6 like that, then there is either something wrong with it, or she is ragging it when your not there lol
I used to get an average of about 39 out of mine, with K-Tec Cat-Back Sports exhaust, 16" 195 tires, and I definitely didn't drive it like a pensioner. Foot down as much as possible for the noise of the exhaust, and because I could and still get good mpg.
As for comments about them being poorly specced, mine was no worse than a 172 in that department. Had Digital CC, electric sunroof and windows, cd player etc. The sports dont really have much more in a lot of cases.
At the end of the day, you buy what you want and afford.
I would agree with comments about trying to find a dci 100 though. Same uprated arbs and suspension that the 1.6 has compared to the 1.2, similar performance (the 1.6 is 110bhp) better mpg, and with a remap, probably better and faster to drive than the 1.6.