Lease vs financing a newer vehicle?

The bad: my credit score is 529 which is very low and I have a repossesion of a car on my credit in 2008 . And at that time I was not working I was only a nursing student struggling to pay my bills. The Good: I am now working for a state prison as a registry nurse ( Lvn ) and independent contractor making very close to $30/hour. I have about $4000 saved up toward a down payment for a car. I have been researching Honda and Toyota on the internet and honda has a special going on where as I could put down about $2300 and lease the car for about $209/month for a 2011 Accord, I thought leasing sounded good as I was given the option to buy the car at the end of the lease and not much is required to lease only the $2300 and not much attention is on the credit score. I really need a car with a strong engine as I will be commuting 6 hours on the weekends from work to visit family. My grandmother has excellent credit and has offered to cosign for me but said I can only get something really cheap like a Kia Rio :-( I looked at the 2011 Kia Forte, Hyundai Elantra and the Ford Fiesta and I'm consiidering those cars as well so that I can just have a nice car with features like bluetooth technology and satelleite radio 0, power mirrows with out paying an arm and a leg but I really need power, durability and good gas mileage so I am leaning more towards Honda or Toyota..... any advice? Oh and. Buy the way I don't have a bbunch of kids just 1 10 yr old little boy andi live in Central coast California Near Montery California and could put down as much as $6000 for the car if I had to. Thanks for the advice in advance!!!!