hi!
I just bought a Honda civic 2001 2 dr LX .. and I love it a lot. Very.. very good gas/mileage too. I work in a Honda dealer as a mechanic so that helps
I recommend Honda to everyone and it's not because I work there, I work there because Hondas are good products and are very reliable. I also love BMW's but then again, be prepared for lots of $$$ ... replacement parts for BMW's aren't cheap...
For the echo, those are great cars also, but a friend of mine got one and his car takes more gas than mine but i don't know why. He also says that you need to keep your massage therapist's number handy with this car, as the suspension is very hard. I drove it and I loved it, but my friend don't...
My girlfriend's got a Hyundai Accent 2001, wich is also a good car but way cheaper than the two others. Remember, you pay for what you get, and this statement takes all of it's sense with hyundais. My girlfriend's car's now worth like 5000$ and mine still worth 13500$ , and both of our cars are 2001's. So if you wanna sell it someday then you might want to consider this point.
Subarus are great also, and I like mazdas a lot too. Especially the mazda 6 hmm... Remember to stay away from cavaliers, sunfires, and any Ford of Chrysler product. Not that I don't like them, but they're not reliable and you'll hate it as you'll always be at the garage. I got 2 chryslers, 1 ford, and I say : NEVER AGAIN!
if you got questions PM me, i'll be pleased to answer!
Cheers ! good luck!