Fuel efficient and safe but a little sporty.

I'd look at a Cadillac ATS. They received good reviews by have depreciated more than the equivalent German sport sedan. The 2.0 turbo can be had for under $20k

An Infiniti G37 or Q50 would be worth driving. I can say much about them, but always liked the G37 coupe.

If is coupe is an option look at the Hyundai Genesis coupe.

Mazda 6 - mid-size but sportier driving and looking. A little louder than a Camry, but perhaps that's less of an issue for mostly shorter drives. Meets your mileage. Extra safety available, such as blind-spot monitoring, which I've tried and it works well.

2017 Honda Civic - still roomy for family, 1.6turbo has some get up and go, handles well, easily meets your mileage and price goals. Excellent safety options available on all models.


VW Golf or Jetta. Roomy, comfortable, but sprightly performance. Both will make your mileage goals. Safety options are more limited.

I am also looking for something smaller as well.

Honda Civic 2016 Touring. Great mileage, plenty of power and sportier. The new civics are about 500 lbs lighter than the midsized sedan offerings which really helps performance. Hondas really hold up well.

Mazda 3 s Grand Touring. I really liked how this car drove very stable in the corners. Ride is firm I would suggest test driving one. The i model has higher profile tires which help make it ride a little better.

BMW 320i. This might be on the high end of your price range but it hits all of your checkboxes. a used CPO on a 2013-2014 model might be more affordable and 328s are pretty close in price used.

I'm kind of curious what you come up with as I went from a 96 Maxima to an 02 Acura TLS so we are in the market for a similiar car. You can read what I wrote, I would like to hear your thinking on the process.

http://www.truedelta.com/Replacement-for-2002-Acura-TL-Type-S/next-car-Q605&v=1

Your budget can get you some great cars that exceed your requirements!

The Honda Civic gets 31/42 MPG with the Turbo engine. I'd recommend the Touring because you get so many things for $26k. So it gets great fuel economy, has very good hadling for the class, and is a Top Safety Pick+.

The 2016 Toyota Prius Four is a great choice. I bought one fully loaded and love it. It gets 54 MPG, but I'm able to get 60 MPG. It is REALLY comfortable and has decent handling for a Prius. It is a Top Safety Pick+ and can stop itself if your about to crash. Fully loaded is about $32k. There is a $2000 cash back offer right now.

The Honda Accord is also a good choice, but doesn't get as good of MPG as the other picks. It is one of the sportiest family sedans available and the great handling doesn't come at the expense of ride comfort. It gets 25 MPG with the V6 and 30 with the 4 cylinder CVT. It is also a Top Safety Pick+.

As implied by previous suggestions, many cars fit your criteria. What do you like and dislike about some of the cars you've considered.

Depending on how and where you drive, 25 mpg should be easy to achieve in nearly any current four-cylinder car. I've observed high 30s and up in a number of current compacts. Even the latest 320-horsepower BMW 340i can get 30 mpg--unless you frequently use the available power, then it can get under 20 mpg.

Under $35,000 and smaller than 1980-1990's Japanese cars the Buick Verano would fit your criteria while offering Lexus LS-like quietness and smoothness. But the Verano never achieved $35K price tag. Our Verano 2.0T was $24K with 4,000 miles on it. It is the best place to spend a few hours of driving or all day the seats are so comfortable. So comfortable it is one car my dog would jump in the back seat and pass out!

Our Verano 2.0T would see 37 mpg with the cruise control set at 70 mph for 6 hours at a time. One of the best riding, subcompact cars for sale today.

The Buick Regal is another option that offers AWD. If you want to sit up higher the Buick Encore also offers AWD and Active Noise Cancelation for one of the quietest driving experiences in the subcompact cuv segment.