Safe, fuel efficient, under 10k? I'd go with a midsized sedan like a 2008+ Accord, 2008+ Fusion, or 2007+ Camry. For a bit less safety but better mileage, 2006+ Civic. As brewer noted, you can get even more safety from minivans, but, of course, you pay for it from the fuel economy standpoint.
I'd stay away from the Volvos as they'll cost more to repair than they did to buy within a few years of ownership. Ditto with Volksagens; the Jetta and Passat are great cars from a safety standpoint, but they tend to have a lot of problems from the reliability standpoint that leads to their having rather low resale values.