I used to drive Mazdas off the assembly line as a temp job when I lived in Michigan. They're great little cars. They ride nice and they're comfortable space wise.

I've seen the Smart Car and am very impressed with it. It's a 2 seater (which is what I need considering I throw alot of my stuff in the back seat, which in general makes my car a two seater). The basic Smart Car price is $10,000. If you want air conditioning and a radio, it'll cost you another $2,000. The gas mileage is amazing.

Good luck. I'd recommend the Mazda in a heartbeat. Another car that is good is the Kia. I've had my car for 7 years now and with the great warranty it has, I recommend it to anyone.