Why get a 500 when you can get the original?
I guess it does have 4WD for a reasonable price. But to my eye it looks just like a VW Passat.
You can get a 2.0 L TDI engine with the Passat and get 27/38 EPA MPG.
(There's also the new Jetta, but the TDI isn't available in it yet, and it's probably still a little smaller than the Passat.)
A GLS TDI Passat has a MSRP of $25,660 according to [link|http://www.vw.com/passat/|VW's web page] (not it's not very friendly to Mozilla and may require IE). They list the 500 SE (FWD) as having a MSRP of $22,165. A 4WD Passat is available too, but not with the TDI. You'll probably have an easier time getting a deal on the Ford, but you shouldn't need to pay list on the Passat either. (But finding a TDI Passat may be very difficult.)
There's a Passat wagon too.
Luck with the search!
Cheers,
Scott.
(Who is still very happy with his 2004 Jetta TDI Wagon.)
