Best overall car to get?

My mom is shopping for a newer car. It doesn't have to be brand new, a few years old is good, with low mileage. She wants something thats good on gas, reliable, sporty, comfortable and up to $30,000. She has been looking into the Nissan Altima, which I agree with her. My dad says go for a Chevy Equinox, which I think is a terrible choice. I have always been drawn towards foreign cars, myself. I loved my Mitsubishi Eclipse GS-T. Any opinions on what she should look into? She is getting up there in age and this may be the last car she buys on her own (with the money my deceased stepfather left her)