Or any others? I've looked some at the honda fit and civic, VW Jetta as well. Cheaper is generally better, I definitely want to stay below $21,000 (although the Fiesta ST is looking very tempting, despite that I don't know how to drive manual transmission).
I commute 30-45 each way 5 days a week in Chicago, so some city and some highway parts both. Single, no family in the immediate horizon, so "fun-to-drive" is one of the biggest criteria for me, along with gadgets and comfort. And fuel efficiency.
BTW I'm looking at the Fiesta + Focus Titanium trim, probably the Golf S, and the Mazda 3 i Touring.
So, any suggestions or ideas?