Granted, options are limited for the wagon enthusiasts out there, but I'm really loving this car. A lot. I of course did my homework and drove several cars (Civic, Accord, Mazda 3, and others) before driving the Sportwagen. Like the reviews elsewhere have noted, it's a drivers car; crisp handling, reasonable acceleration, solid as a rock, and very quiet on the inside. That this combination of subtly surprising performance is cloaked in a wagon's exterior makes it all the more awesome. It does seem to search for the right gear at low speeds (<15 mph), but it find it's groove quickly thereafter. The 1.8 turbo is nicely suited to the car and it never feels under-powered. The seats are also very comfortable, front and back. The resolution of the 5" audio display/back-up camera is a little low, but it's about the only gripe I have about the car. We also have a Subaru Forester, and we find ourselves driving the Sportwagen whenever we can, even on longer trips, as it's a much more comfortable (and fun) ride. We find that the cargo area actually holds more of our stuff than does the Subie. The cargo area is deeper (though not taller) than the Forester, and 4 of our travel suitcases fit perfectly in the back. You routinely feel like you're driving a much more expensive car, and I am deeply and smugly satisfied with it. 2 year update: Still liking the car a lot. A few issues with the electronics/radio, but they were small and easily fixed. Had to replace a simple relay switch in the shifting column because it was signaling a transmission error (no issue with the transmission), but it was under warranty. There was also a recall on a seal in the fuel tank which was repaired without cost. Still a really fun car to drive. Rattles are minimal and fuel economy is as stated. I'd recommend the car for sure.
