 First new vehicle we have purchased for a number of years, so we were looking for a great value.  I have owned Toyotas in the past and have been impressed with their reliability.  We compared this car against the Honda Civic and Mazda 3.  We liked the Mazda the best based on design, look and finish, but decided it wasn't worth the extra $2-3K.  Honda was overpriced as well. Overall we are satisfied except I hope the gas mileage improves with age.  We have been getting mid-20's on a mix of urban/rural commuting and the best so far was 32 mpg on an all interstate highway trip. Driver comfort is not great on long trips. Steering wheel is too far away when you adjust the seat for proper leg room