I don't want to pay for maintenance (ie oil changes, etc.).
I need good gas mileage for a 24mile daily round trip commute.
It needs to be safe (ie, airbags everywhere, and good ratings).

I looked at the Hyundai Elantra...but I feel like I might be missing out on some brands I don't know about....
For instance, I see the VW Passats can be leased for under $200/month and that's a larger car and higher class than the Elantra....

I'm just getting confused now, and I need some advice from the OKP family.