They both look nice to me, the Scion xD is a model we consider as we try to replace our totaled Vibe. Roof and bike racks are very nice to have, but can be bought used. I wouldn't let the tints and fancy radio add to the price. I'm not sure how to price out the difference in miles, but I saw MMM figure it at $0.10/mi. in one of the car-related posts. We've been hearing pretty good things about the Ford Focus and they're relatively cheap around here. The Vibe / Matrix is great. Depending on how much driving you have to do, a Prius may be good. It looks like you have some pretty good choices in your area.