DocG 
2003 Toyota Matrix Wagon XR Fwd 4dr Wagon (1.8L 4cyl 5M)
All around impressive
 I bought this car used with 55k miles on it 5 years ago, now with 107k. The only problems I ever had with it was the AC relay malfunctioning. With a quick jump on the internet reading about similar problems it was easily repaired with very little expense, the occasional wheel shaking and pulling corrected by an alignment. It gets great MPG, I average 29 city and 30-35 hwy. Decent power for a 1.8L. My wife of 4'11" has no difficulty driving or seeing out of. Lots of room, sporty look and feel with a classification code of a wagon(cheaper insurance). Very versatile, extremely reliable, good on long drives. A great all around vehicle. Perfect for first time drivers.