Could I get some suggestions for a reliable, smaller station wagon?

[NickB79]

My wife's Chevy Malibu was just totaled this weekend. Her and the baby are fine, but the car is toast. Our insurance is saying we should expect around $6000 for a settlement, which is fair based on my research online for comparable vehicles and the Kelly Blue Book value.

The wife wants a used station wagon or hatchback to haul more stuff for the baby, so I've been making a list of models to search for. So far, I have:

-Ford Focus wagon
-Kia Spectre 5 hatchback
-Chevy Malibu Maxx
-Toyota Matrix
-Pontiac Vibe

Can anyone add more to this list, or critique my choices so far? We'd like to keep the price under $8000 total, so the Matrix might be out. I've found quite a few Ford Focus wagons in the 2004-2006 range that are under $6000, but how is their reliability? Otherwise, the Malibu Maxx is high up there because we liked our Malibu sedan so much.

Thanks!

[NV Whino]

1. Toyota Matrix

or Honda FIT. Good mileage. Lots of room.

[spinbaby]

2. Second the Honda

I have friends who just rave about the FIT.

[NV Whino]

15. It's what I drive

I love it!

[supernova]

3. Used Honda CRV

They are durable, very safe, and lots of cargo room.

[Moondog]

6. + 1. Second choice - Toyota RAV 4 in that price range.

[Broken_Hero]

4. We have a 06 Chevy Malibu Maxx hatchback-edit

and its considered a station wagon(at least insurance wise). The reliability of the Maxx was a 10, and the lowest mark against it was a 7 for the inside/upholstery falling apart. The total space for passengers I believe is 106 cubic feet, the max cargo I think was around 40 cubic feet. The back seats can also adjust forward/backward to increase/decrease leg room, and they also fold down.

The mpg I believe is 33 mpg, we average about 30, a lot of it highway miles, I believe max fuel is 15.5 gallons, and we usually get over 400miles plus per tank(when our oil gets old it starts to drop, usually around 370mi or so). I'm a very big man, 6'4 and over 300lbs, and I can fit comfortably in all seats. about the only knock I have against the Maxx is the donut(and the cd player not being able to read wma/mp3 files), the spare tire...I like to carry a real spare, but the space a real spare takes up in the back is substantial(I got lots of stuff in the back though, jack/tools). On the other hand though, the donut works good, I've had to use it twice.

eta:We got ours in 08, it had 23k miles on it, and we got it for 13k. I have no idea how much they run nowadays, but I imagine you can probably find them for 10k or less.

[flvegan]

5. Mazda 3.

Also, bear in mind that the Matrix and the Vibe are basically the same car. There's more Toyota than Pontiac in that car. My roomie has one that she really likes.

[MrsMatt]

19. Another vote for the Mazda 3

I'm so loving mine!

[Bennyboy]

7. Outback or Forrester?

Love those cars.

[NickB79]

8. Checked those out online, but anything with

[Jean Louise Finch]

22. I'd suggest the Subaru Impreza hatchback

It's cheaper than the Forester or Outback, and a bit smaller, but really a great little car that runs and runs and runs and runs....and is absolutely fantastic in any winter weather.

[travelingtypist]

9. Dodge Caliber -- hatchback

I got my 2007 in May 2010 with 21,000 miles on it for $10,500. It's a kick-ass little car, zippy, has lots of room inside. It's a little more than your $8K, but from personal experience, I just love this car.

[1gobluedem]

13. +1

I love mine.

[The empressof all]

10. I have a Mazda 5

It's great. Can seat 6 comfortably and easily converts to carry larger cargo. It rides low like a car but has all the features of a mini-van. I love the sliding back doors. It doesn't feel like you are driving a larger vehicle at all. It's been a great choice for our family and I wouldn't hesitate to get another one when I'm shopping for another car.

[BlueCollar]

11. Saturn Wagon?

I never owned a Saturn Wagon...

Had a 92SL that met/exceeded all expectations.

[pitohui]

12. dont know if you can get one in the usa but...

the toyota corolla station wagon is the one that climbs the highway of death in the andes mountains of bolivia and looks down the mountain and laughs at the litter of lesser cars in its path

as far as i know it is not only the coolest station wagon ever made but the ONLY cool station wagon ever made

don't know if you get one in america tho

my second choice would be any toyota wagon you CAN get

it leaves the others in the dust

[here_is_to_hope]

14. 1990 to 1994

Volvo 740/940 wagon.
I cannot recommend these wagons and drivetrains enough.
You can find them with 150k on them, which is just broken in, my wifes has 335k now and is still drives solid.
And safety is second to none on a Volvo.
Maintenance is easy, parts are cheap.
Most seat 7 with the optional rear fold up seat.
Except for brakes and tires, we have never had an issue with any of our Volvo's.
And you can find two for what you are looking to spend.
Oh, the Turbo's are fast and fun to drive...but not as reliable.

[Generic Brad]

16. Volkswagon has some nice ones

Up until recently I never would have considered one of them, but their station wagons have recently caught my eye.

[femmocrat]

17. Hondas are excellent cars. Very reliable.

I had a Honda station wagon and loved it. We also had a couple of their smaller SUVs. Very nice cars.

[alarimer]

18. Mazda 3 Hatchback

Better than the Matrix or the Vibe but essentially the same size. Not sure about the price though. Probably around 10k for a 2006 or 2007.

[Brickbat]

20. I LOVED my Focus wagon. It was fun to drive and got decent mileage. I never had a problem with it

at all, and we've been buying Fords ever since. I got almost 200K out of it before I sold it. Fantastic little car, and union-made in the USA.

[LiberalEsto]

21. NOT the Matrix

We own a 2005 Matrix. It seems to run fine, but it's practically made of cardboard. The plastic interior part of the rear gate is flimsy and breaks easily. The exterior paint gets scratched more than any other car I've ever owned. We had a 1989 Toyota Corolla for more than 16 years, and it had better exterior paint after those 16 years than the Matrix did after 2 years. AND a better interior.