Get thee to a pre-owned Honda!
You know those “I know someone who loves a Honda” commercials? Well, that’s me, my mom, my grandma, my step-dad, and both step-brothers. Seriously. The other cars that are owned by other family members are newer, but still run nicely.
My mom’s car (and mine, we share) is 12 years old and still runs like a dream. There have been very few issues.
A note on the Civics: if you are tall, make sure you test-drive it. The height of the car can be problematic for taller people.
Also, for “cool” factor, the Honda 2-door coupes are awesome and very cool looking. Here’s an 06 Accord Coupe.
If you want something sportier and don’t mind pre-owned, a 4 or 5 year old Nissan 350Z can be had for under $20k.