i just bought my daughter a 2000 Corolla for her first car. $3200, low km auto with a RWC.
If you want to spend a little more, you can pick up a 2005 Kia Cerato with low kms for under $7000. Well optioned, reliable, very good cars. Kia is owned by Hyundai, they share a lot of parts so are just better looking (and IMO better built) versions of the Accent family.
If you want to stretch the budget a bit higher, you cant go past a later model Corolla or a Mazda.
How many doors does she want? I get that she wants small, does it also need to be practical? Does it need necessarily need to be fairly new? Perhaps an MX5 or an RX7? Or a hot little older Mini?