Stay away from hybrids. They're cost efficient when they're running right, but the second something goes wrong with them, you will be paying out the ass for repairs, compared to a regular car. As a rule of thumb, I advise against small cars in general. Pretty much all Asian cars (Honda, Hyundai, Suzuki, etc.). Toyota and Volkswagon aren't too bad, either, but you really do want to keep safety in mind, and in the smaller cars, that's just not going to happen. I'd recommend finding a nice, used mid-sized car, like a sedan. They offer both affordability and safety. I'd rather have a car that sucks gas than one that's going to get me killed. I personally drive a Buick sedan and I love it.