I was looking at new cars a while back, and was interested to note the progression in price vs what you get. Pretty much found that if there are say, 4 trim level, the value of the upgrades declines inversely proportional to the price gain.
One (minivan, iirc) I was looking at was about $30k for the base model. Going to $32k got things I might actually use (like remote unlock, better seating configuration, etc), then quickly goes up in price but adding useless crap like TVs, leather seats, navigation systems, and gigantic alloy wheels (which, of course, cost 2x to replace when the time comes). Topping out around $50k for a minivan. A blinged out minivan, but still...
I'm happy with my '08 Honda Fit. Fits the kids and groceries just fine, and the fuel economy is high, maintenance, and insurance are low... hope it lasts at least 10 more years!