Stylish cars for first time buyers

LOS ANGELES, California -- One of the bigger difficulties any first-time buyer faces is purchasing a car that doesn't scream "first-time" to friends, relatives and co-workers, or indeed to the buyer each time they step into an ill-chosen purchase.

To break from the boring econobox, here are some of the more sculpted and stylish cars available for about $20,000 that will hold their looks for a long time and give a little bit of joy to a first-time owner.

Hyundai Tiburon

If you didn't know already, Tiburon means "shark" in Spanish, and it's not hard to see how Hyundai's sporty coupe can stalk the unwary first-time buyer and snare them quickly.

Like an instantly recognizable dorsal fin, the Tiburon in its third incarnation is perhaps the purest low-slung sportster that won't bust a first-time buyer's wallet, though it may chew a hole in the seat of their pants as they're pushed back into those tight-hugging bucket seats. The startling Hyundai-designed looks boast a touch of Italian styling uncommon for its bracket.

Mazda MazdaSpeed3

A bona-fide pocket rocket, any first-time buyer can put a fair distance between themselves and the pack in the MazdaSpeed3, part of the Asian carmaker's strategy to wrestle performance compact coupe sales from European carmakers.

This one isn't overbearingly dripped in trim or wings, but don't let any youngster tell you it doesn't have what it takes to make their peers jealous. The MazdaSpeed3 will storm from standing to a mile a minute in under six seconds and is said to hit 155 mph. Its secret is torque negation in the low gears -- and perhaps its 263 horses under the hood. Another hidden gem is its seven-speaker Bose stereo.

Pontiac G5 GT Coupe

Much like the fantastic Chevy Cobalt SS, its younger sister Pontiac G5 GT boasts highly sprung motoring at a price that appeals to the first-time buyer's wallet. The G5 GT has been tweaked just slightly from its sister SS -- like the difference between Ashlee and Jessica Simpson -- boasting a less horizontal grille and more sculpted valance. Both are reasonably stylish from the back and side and both leaving plenty room for aftermarket add-ons. A new grille entirely, like a Phantom, may just be what you need to set it off against the crowd.

The GT's inline-four 2.4-liter 173-hp engine -- 25hp over the base -- drives the front wheels to hit 0-60 mph in 7.5 seconds. Gas mileage is good and customer satisfaction ratings are off the hook.

Ford Mustang V6

A revamped chassis is the key to why Ford's Mustang has become an outstanding product at a price that's hard to beat. A tweak to the iconic lines for last year included a smaller back window and a longer, craggier front end.

Some might of course call us heretics for picking a V6 over the famous eight-cylinder included in the GT package but, to be honest, the V6 performs admirably, pushes out 210hp and emits a low-down growl that sounds wonderful. And it's still a Mustang.

Civic Coupe

A Civic hatch was my second car (after a very short-lived VW Rabbit). The coupe tested earlier this year brought back fond memories of the Civic's surprisingly roomy front cabin, its enjoyable handling and maneuverability, first-class economy and its sporty elongated hood and swooping back end.

Standard features include a 350-watt premium sound system, a touch-screen satellite-navigation system whose screen flips to reveal the CD player, and a slot for a computer memory card. It's also got a funky dash that spectrally lights at night -- what fun.

Scion xB

On the heels of its 2004 release, Toyota's hipster Scion brand has remodeled its boxy wonder this year, this time boasting more than a design nod to its parent company's FJ Cruiser. Wide rear pillars, wraparound headlights and bumper define the second-generation variant, which comes dripping with gadgetry inside, as well as leaving plenty of room for after-market customization.

This one turns heads while allowing you to pack five adults in relative comfort. Other notable features include a central console that fits in a DVD player alongside a backlit GPS sat-nav system that lights up in any one of 10 colors.

Honda Fit

A co-worker bought one of these after crashing her old and very badly beaten up Saturn on a left turn into oncoming traffic. Ouch. So it technically wasn't her first car, but for many buyers, it will be.

Energetic, filled with flair and boasting a vertical fold the length of its bonnet, the Fit looks the part as well as being colossally roomy inside for what you expect. You don't get a third row of seats in there but, with the back row folded flat, it almost lends you to believe it can become a camper.

Other great touches include an mp3 input jack and reclining rear-seat headrests, while gas mileage is, as expected, very good indeed. E-mail to a friend

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