I've had this car since December 2011 and I can't decide whether I like it or not. On the one hand I chose it because I needed something that was going to get me around without spending all my money on gas but I also needed something that would be reliable driving back and forth between Edmonton and Calgary. It does the job but I have some issues. The cabin is very loud. It's like riding in the economy class of a jet, next to the engines. The tires that come with the vehicle are horrid Firestones. And it's been less the problem free. Since December I've put 37,000 km and I've had to replace the thermostats and the rear diff. Mind you, the car was purchased with a rebuilt status so I try to keep and open mind. The diff. shouldn't be breaking at 17,000 km's though.

This car does have good things about it. It's comfortable and everything on the dash is laid out nicely. It's simple. I like that. Also, the suspension is firm and the steering is sharp. The 4x4 is exceptional. I haven't had to turn it on yet but that could be attributed to the automatic nature of the thing. It's on when it needs to be. The rear seat leg room, I've been told, is exceptional as well.

The CVT transmission. I'm on the fence about it. On the one hand, it's good for highway driving. Makes the journey smooth cause there's no shifting or kickdown. On the other hand it makes the car whiny and the fuel economy is not very good in the city.

The aerodynamics of the car is not very good either. The passenger window wistles in the wind and the hood flaps at high speed. This might be a result of the rebuilt status, I don't know.

Keeping in mind it's a compact SUV, there isn't too much trunk space but folding the seats down is useful.

Overall, it's a better car than it is an SUV but the clearance height is good enough for most places. Maybe the trail rated model is different but I couldn't say.