I'd suggest you get the Elantra 1.8GLS. It looks and feels really upscale. Really very much bang for the buck. 150hp 1.8L engine can battle it out with most of the 2.0L compacts in the market too, and still be more fuel efficient.

Or, if you don't mind the old design, there's the Focus 2.0TDCi. Sure you don't get lots of toys, but then that's what Banawe is all about. What it does have are all the good qualities expected from a Euro hatch coupled with an excellent diesel engine paired with that gem of a dual clutch transmission. Its devilishly fast, even in stock form, and yet still extremely fuel efficient. It sips less fuel in km/L than all of the compact sedans in our market. And then the fuel it sips is P10/L cheaper than the fuel used by all the other compacts in the market too. This makes it equal parts ideal daily commuter and equal parts weekend/track day/vacation car. Only shortcomings I can think of are the higher maintenance costs as compared to its gasoline powered competitors and its apparent lack of space.