Faults:

Front carpet was poorly fitted on the passenger side and would not stay under the sill. Dealer replaced the entire carpet

At around 50k the catalytic converter heat shield began to rattle. Dealer replaced.

General Comments:

This has really proved to be a great all around car. I had a Camry briefly before this that I didn't much like the driving characteristics of, but the Matrix has been great.

The performance with the big engine is sufficient in most cases for passing, merging, or pulling ahead of a pack. The only thing that's a bit annoying is that the transmission downshifts for most "speed-up" maneuvers. I wish it had a bit more torque and would not scream every time I went to accelerate or pass on the highway. Other than that, it's surprisingly comfortable on a 3-4 hour highway drive.

The suspension is pretty firm, so you feel every bump, particularly around town. It keeps you wondering if you've just blown a tire or rim, which I haven't yet.

The tires... what with being low profile... are a bit pricey given that this isn't a performance car, and they only seem to last around 25-30k miles (I'll have to see how this new set work out).

The JBL stereo is just awesome, even with windows down and sunroof open. The fold down rear seats give lots of flexibility for carting things around, and when up provide decent room for two in the back seat.

Mileage is as quoted... hovers around 27 MPG and that's with 80-90% highway. That's 70-80 mph, so you might crank out a few MPG more @ 65.

Faults:

* Change tray was broke when I received the car new.

* Glass for rear blind spot was assembled in car with a chip in the side.

* Plastic panel warped in the second year, leaving a gap.

* Perforated rust through rear wheel fender repaired under warranty (issue with improperly sealed panel gaps) - Year 4.

* Gas pedal recall.

* Window switch recall.

* Mechanics overfilling oil well over the maximum (one inch over max fill line).

* Rear cross member above the differential significantly rusted and flaked after the first winter (lost structural integrity).

* Right stereo speaker always had vibration with bass.

General Comments:

Pros:

Decent gas mileage for AWD. Good power and torque between 3000-4000 RPM, but not a "fast" car.

Excellent grip from the 215 wide tires. Amazing highway ride and long trip comfort.

Very reliable.

You can fit anything inside when you fold the seats down, and it holds 5 fairly comfortably.

OK gas mileage in summer.

Decent external and internal design (not an ugly car).

Cons:

Body roll.

Winter tires are a must. The ABS kicks in too quickly, takes control and you cannot stop the car. In order for the ABS to work correctly, you need winter tires. Can be dangerous.

The same comment for the Electronic Stability Control; it only works with winter tires in snow, otherwise the system will push you into another lane while cornering and accelerating (unless you shut it off by holding the button for 3-5 seconds and then the AWD is much better). However if used correctly, it can feel very safe and reassuring that the car will get you home in the worst of snow.

Gas mileage in cold weather, even at optimal speeds. The 50 L gas tank is too small for the consumption of fuel (range in winter would be about 400-450 highway @ 105KMH).

Road feedback is nil, and the wheel needs to be turned too much to be considered responsive.