i would maybe try a Tercel or Echo. Easy and cheap and cheap to insure. hell, a NA Miata in auto trim would work too! that might be the best car...easy to maneuver out of emergency situations.
But i do want to point out one thing...if her max budget is $1k, then realistically, her car price should be $500...because you will definitely need to put money into it. Additionally, make sure it passes smog...
more importantly is this...sounds like your gf is a new driver...see if she can spend more money on a car. If she's traveling around the region for work, you definitely want a car that's safe, i.e. airbags, ABS, etc. the volvo you found might be ok but parts and maint on those are pricey.
if you still want a $1k car, i would look into non-popular brands but still reliable such as Suzuki. you can get a "newer" car versus some of the more popular brands
Found one in LA that looks OK...
https://losangeles.craigslist.org/la...268417808.html