You’ll find a few cars with a premium feel and great gas mileage in the $20,000 to $30,000 range. The 2010 Audi A3 TDI and 2010 Volkswagen Jetta TDI are powered by a modern diesel engine to achieve mileage ratings above 30 mpg; 30/42 mpg city/highway for the Audi and 30/41 mpg for the Volkswagen. Mercury’s 2010 Milan Hybrid can also be added to the list with its 41/36 mpg ratings.
Choosing a diesel or hybrid also means you’ll receive a tax credit from the government. The diesels each get a $1,300 credit while the Milan’s is $850. Those credits should make the Audi’s $29,950, Mercury’s $27,855 and Volkswagen’s $22,660 starting prices easier to swallow.
Audi is obviously a luxury make so it’s not hard to believe that their A3 would fit your needs, but Volkswagen also offers a premium feel in its Jetta. The Jetta’s interior has a high quality feel that helps justify its higher asking price compared to the competition. For 2010, the Mercury Milan is all-new and is the premium offering to the Ford Fusion. While not a full-fledge luxury car, the Milan does have some interior highlights in the form of an advanced instrument display as well as voice-activated Sync entertainment system.
You can also go for the gasoline versions of the A3 ($27,270) or Jetta ($17,605) at a discounted price but also with lower fuel economy ratings. The A3’s mileage is 21/30 mpg with the standard manual transmission; the Jetta is 22/30 mpg.
Others that fit into the mix are the 2010 Acura TSX and 2010 Volvo S40. The TSX is rated at 21/30 mpg with manual transmission; its base price of $29,310 comes extremely close to your $30,000 cap. The S40 starts at $26,200 and has mileage ratings of 21/29 mpg with the standard manual transmission.
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