There's nothing like a new set of wheels to celebrate the transition between school and the real world. And there are a number of youthful yet sophisticated vehicles out there that are perfect to commemorate this moment. So whether you're a very generous parent buying a very nice gift for your cum laude kid or a young professional trading a mountain of homework for a mountain of student loans and a company job, here are 10 excellent cars to suit your budget and your style.

1. Ford Escape Hybrid: If you think that space-efficiency and fuel-efficiency are mutually exclusive, you may need to do a little more research. The handsome new Ford Escape Hybrid offers both in fair measure, and as such, becomes the SUV that even the former president of the campus greens can love. And with 65 cubic feet of cargo space packed into a compact body, could there be anything better suited to help you move out of the dorms?
   
   
2. Honda Civic: Even if you hated civics class, it's hard not to like the user-friendly Civic from Honda. Available as a coupe, hatchback or sedan, the Civic is a thoughtfully designed, easy-to-drive car that will appeal to both the college set and the grad set. On the list of Civic virtues are class-leading fuel-efficiency, strong crash test scores, near faultless build quality and proven reliability. It's also a perennial top pick in our Editors' Most Wanted Awards voting.
   
   
3. Kia Sportage: Kia clearly did its homework when redesigning its Sportage cute-ute. Indeed, after a two-year sabbatical, the model reemerges as a stellar little car-based trucklet offering everything people love about other small SUVs like the Honda CR-V for a couple grand less. Even better, the Sportage blows the curve with standard stability control, six airbags and a decade-long drivetrain warranty. You don't have to be an accounting major to understand why we put it on this list.
   
   
4. Mazda 3: Say hello to the class hottie: the sexy Mazda 3. In the sub-$20K set, perhaps only the Scion tC rivals the saucy Mazda 3 in looks. But whereas the tC has the inherently clean lines of a two-door body, the Mazda 3 turns heads in spite of its more practical four-door sedan and five-door hatchback designs. Regardless of which you choose, each Mazda 3 offers a techno-chic interior with a great warranty, a zippy motor and scintillating handling.
   
   
5. Mercedes-Benz C230 Sport Sedan: Too early in your career for a Mercedes-Benz? Actually, with a base price under $30K, the Mercedes-Benz C230 Sport Sedan is not much more expensive than the average new car sold in America. Sure, it's a starter Benz, but it's still a Benz, which means that it comes with a generous amount of creature comforts, proven safety technology and genuine autobahn breeding to keep you from being late to the new job. And when Mercedes-Benz says "Sport Sedan," it means it: handling is tight, steering is direct and the supercharged motor is a joy whether paired to the five-speed automatic or six-speed stick.
   
   
6. Mini Cooper: Landed a great new job in the heart of the city? No car is easier to park than the 12-foot-long Mini Cooper. And the hatchback's available extra-large sunroof makes for easy viewing of that corner office you're soon to snag. In spite of its diminutive size, however, the Cooper offers a surprising amount of interior space that is matched by stellar safety features and truly amazing handling. Indeed, there may be no better car for the urbanite.
   
   
7. Scion xA: Whereas Scion's boxy xB may have been the perfect ride for the pre-grad, the mechanically identical xA wraps all that spunky goodness in a curvier, decidedly more mature wrapper. The extremely low price of admission and stellar fuel economy also make the xA a good match for new grads who may be neck-deep in student loans.
   
   
8. Scion tC: Don't let its sport coupe stance, spacious four-adult interior and BMW-esque headlights fool you: the Scion tC is as affordable as a Toyota Corolla, but about 10 times sexier. It's also about 10 times more fun, with a 160-horsepower engine, slick transmissions, road-hugging suspension and responsive brakes. Even better, as with any Scion, you can dress it to the nines with warranteed accessories. If you're just out of college, but haven't given up on having a good time in your car, this may be your ride.
   
   
9. Toyota Prius: Summa cum laude? Phi Beta Kappa? Well, no need to drape any cords around your shoulders to prove how smart you really are; just pulling up in the Toyota Prius, the most celebrated hybrid ever, will gain you all the respect you deserve. Its Hybrid Synergy Drive powertrain delivers astonishingly high fuel economy while producing astonishingly low tailpipe emissions, making it perfect for any new grad who loves the color green — whether in his wallet or the environment.
   
   
10. Volkswagen Jetta: Like the grad who followed the "six-year plan," the all-new VW Jetta took its sweet time coming to market. But the Jetta has finally graduated — into an adult car. Having corrected many of the faults that were excusable for a kid's car (including its cramped backseat and weak base engine), the 2005 Jetta comes to work with dressier clothes, rock-solid stability out on the road and a huge trunk. Thankfully, there is still some spunk left, in the form of a torquey five-cylinder motor and an available six-speed automatic transmission.