S44

That's a valid point, but there's also a tremendous amount of risk involved with buying a used car. It could have been in a major accident and be passed off as pristine, despite the huge loss you would be dealt by buying an accident-ridden car. It could have certain features not working...like maybe the airbags were taken out and never put back in...or electrical problems...or a poorly cared for powertrain (though that's less of a problem these days). And, as an aside, you can NEVER blindly trust CarFax..my parents' Lexus was in four accidents--that's four police reports, four trips to the collision shop--and yet NOTHING shows up on CarFax or Autocheck.

Personally I love the Mazda3...but its major draw is its sportiness and that doesn't seem to be one of your priorities. If you like the sporty feel to the point where you are in love with the Mazdas, take a look at the Mazda6 (probably the 4-cyl i to keep it in your price range). They are amazing cars, loads of fun to drive, but they're at the end of their produce cycle and selling really slowly--just have a look at the amazing incentives. On my dealer's lot, there are still tons of '06 leftovers. Oh, and it comes in a hatch version taht looks identical to the sedan, or a wagon if that's your thing.

The Hyundai Sonata that someone mentioned would be an excellent choice based on your listed priorities. It's comfortable, great value, well-built, powerful V6/economical I4, roomy, very safe, and has that crazy warranty.

Honda Accord is another great choice...quite similar to the Hyundai, but more fun to drive and less depreciation...although its starting price is higher.

Stay away from the G6...it's a subpar car and depreciation is killer.

I love the Subarus, but living in CA will mean that all AWD will really do is add weight and hurt fuel mileage.