The car has been fairly reliable over the six years that I have owned it. I have driven it more than 90,000 miles and except for a major issue early on, I have not had any trouble with it. I did have to replace the transmission at around 30,000 miles, but it was covered under warranty and I have not experienced any transmission related issues since.

As someone with a chronic knee pain issue, I needed a car that wasn't quite as low to the ground, but not as high as an SUV. This car fit the bill perfectly. Comfortable to sit in, both front and rear seats, plus ample room in the hatch area makes it great for travel. We have done several drives in it with four adults and everyone had plenty of room to be comfortable. The back seat is much more accommodating than other vehicles of a similar size, and easy for me to get in and out of because of the way the door is designed. Gas mileage on this vehicle is very good for this size category, I average about 27 MPG, higher on long haul trips. My only disappointments in this car are in the transmission and that the car overall is underpowered. It would have been a much better car with a 6 cylinder engine as opposed to a 4. The transmission is not very good quality and tends to be very jerky at times, particularly when cold. These two factors combined make it difficult at times to accelerate rapidly, which to me is a huge downside. Everything else on it is just average, but for the price point, it's about what I expected.

This vehicle was purchased new in 2009 and has performed well in all areas except "excitement." If you are looking for excellent, no-frills transportation, this would be an excellent choice. If you are looking for excitement and driving exhilaration, this car would not satisfy you. The driving position is quite comfortable, and the seats are long enough for a taller person to avoid thigh fatigue. There is also plenty of headroom. Controls are easy to see and use. The sound system is decent along with the inclusion of satellite radio although the iPod feature doesn't recognize anything except my older iPod. The car itself allows a lot of road noise. The warranty is outstanding and actually came in handy when a powertrain issue surfaced at 95,000 miles. The engine is adequate, but groans on steep hills. The styling is very vanilla and not exciting, but that is not why you are buying this car. The car is roomy enough for four people and can hold five adults in a pinch. Because it is a hatchback, there is plenty of room to haul cargo. A folding bike fit in the hatch area without a problem.