2012 Subaru Impreza Sedan 2.0i Premium
Price: $19,795.
Fuel economy: 27 mpg city and 36 mpg highway.
To squeak under our $20,000 price ceiling, we chose the sedan version of the 2012 Subaru Impreza. It stands out as the only entry with standard all-wheel drive.
Most of us could live with the Impreza 2.0i, but for the Premium's extra $1,300 cost, you get cruise control, alloy wheels, Bluetooth connectivity and an upgraded audio system with iPod integration.
Subaru used the 2012 redesign of the Impreza to squeeze more mpgs out of the engine and provide passengers with a bit more room. It has 12 cubic feet of cargo space with the second-row seat in place.
As priced here, the new 148-horsepower, 2-liter, four-cylinder engine powers the wheels through a continuously variable automatic transmission.
Standard features include air conditioning, six air bags, full power accessories, remote keyless entry, tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, trip computer and a six-speaker audio system with CD player.