I don't know what you want to spend, but you could buy her a Corolla. They are well put together, reliable, and a good commuter car. The 9th generation is the biggest, which is a 2003 or newer. It is the safest, and it gets the best fuel economy with the best power. The 8 generation which is a 1998 to 2002 is a good choice also. It is slightly less powerful, but is a smaller car, and so it all washes out.
The 9th and 8th generation come in in three trims. The CE is the base, the 'S' is a joke, so avoid it unless you like economy cars that pretend to be sporty, and the 'LE' is the cream of the crop.
If you don't want to buy a car that new, you can buy a 7th generation. It was the 1993-1997 model. It had different engines than the later models. You want the 1.8L, not the 1.6L. That means you need to find one that is a DX model which is the top of the line for those years.
It may also be possible to find a Chevrolet Prizm, which is really a Corolla. It was made between 1998 and 2002. It is just as good as a Corolla but has lower resale value because it is a Chevrolet. Might be a good deal if you can find one.
