I bought my Hyundai Elantra used. It is a very reliable car. Mine has 190,000+ miles on it, and it still runs well. The interior is very comfortable for road trips. Freeway driving will get you almost 30 miles per gallon. The exterior is a simple, no-frills design perfect for commuting. The trunk has plenty of space for luggage or grocery bags. Seats fold down if you need to access the trunk from inside the car. The fold down feature also lets you haul longer items live Christmas trees or 2x4s.

This car purchase was a huge update for me as I traded in a 1997 Toyota Camry.