Travis Kelly 
2009 Toyota Matrix Hatchback S 4dr Hatchback (2.4L 4cyl 5M)
Excellent solo camper!
 I bought the 2.4L, 5-spd. manual S version with 75K on it for a 4300-mile road trip through the southwest -- W. TX, AZ, UT, CO, NM -- encountering every kind of driving condition, and couldn't be more pleased. Has enough power to pass on uphill grade in 5th gear. Going down 8%-10% mountain grades with hairpin turns (Hwy. 12 UT, 550 in CO), I appreciated the manual trans. -- you really need to shift constantly between 2nd, 3rd and 4th to control your speed without burning up the brakes. The steering and  performance wheels/tires really held the road well on those tight spaghetti turns. The Matrix functioned fine as a compact solo camper -- the flat-folding rear seats and almost flat-folding passenger seat allowed me to extend a tri-fold memory-foam mattress for sleeping comfortably. The slight incline over passenger seat not a problem — I slept like a baby and could nod off seeing the stars in the desert sky through the open sunroof. I used a trunk organizer for food and cooking gear, a duffel for clothes, and chose compact backpacking gear, with small folding table and chair. Everything fit in the cargo area with room to spare -- I just rearranged gear for the sleeping pad. Didn't need a roof rack and box as I thought I might. Enjoyed not having to set up and take down a damn tent and inflatable pad every day -- if campground sites were full, I could always sleep in the parking lot or find a spot elsewhere. Really impressed with the intelligent design of interior -- 3 dome lights, 4 grab handles, textured black no-glare dash top, easy-to-read illuminated gauges day and night, tie-down anchors in cargo area with that plastic hard surface great for gear, very comfortable driver seat (never a problem over a long days driving). Glad I wasn't driving one of these gigantic RVs and trailer-hauling trucks on these mountain roads. Had to swerve suddenly to avoid a suicidal pronghorn -- thank God I wasn't in some top-heavy SUV! If you're doing a long solo trip, this is all the car you need and it performs excellently in all conditions, including 40 miles of washboard dirt.