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We traded our n54 135i on our X1 35i. It's heavier and has the N55 and awd, but surprisingly drives very much like the 135i, gets slightly better mileage and hauls the dog easily. Our kid's due in January and I think the X1 should work great for all of that.
But sticking to your budget and adding the option for my preferred transmission, a manual, the GTI is a great choice and something I've personally considered, if the GTI was a bit too high strung, the GTD supposedly will one day show up over here. The new F55 five door Mini Cooper is smaller and pricier than the GTI, but I still like the idea. The Mazda 3s is finally available with a manual and I like the wagon styling. Worth considering a Focus ST or Fiesta ST too.
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