My weekly test drive was LX wagon, one of 10 available Forenza models in 2005. The 2.0-liter, 16-value, 126-horsepower engine has a four-speed automatic transmission, only option.

The vehicle has good mileage estimates for its class, and wagon accelerates adequately in city driving scenarios. But it's sluggish and needs a full-throttle jolt on steady highway inclines or in a quickly needed lane-change situation.

The Forenza wagon isn't particularly quiet on open road and ride quality is marginal, with bumps easily felt and overall feel a little stiff. But as an economically priced wagon, Forenza also has several features that warrant its consideration.

The vehicle's exterior is designed nicely, with a contoured body, alloy wheels, fog lamps, and a power tilt slide sunroof. My test vehicle's test color was listed as "Fantasy Black," and exterior was complemented by cloth light gray seats.

Several passengers mentioned that while Forenza looks small from outside, they were surprised by interior spaciousness. One 6-foot-2 friend sat in back seat and had more than a one-inch clearance. He said headroom was more than he's had in back seats of some SUVs.

The same is true from driver's seat perspective. As a 6-foot driver, I had good head clearance and leg room. The spacious interior extends to cargo area, which is wide, easily accessible from back seat and has a convenient hatchback style entry.

Do you spend lots of time planning routes and checking maps on road. You don't have any more with a Magellan RoadMate.

I work in film industry, scouting locations for possible shooting. These can be in built-up urban areas and remote locations all over California.

I often had problems finding my way, even with detailed instructions. I spent as much time parked and reading maps than I did driving.

Then I bought a RoadMate and within hours I felt I would never get lost again. The RoadMate works right out box, no complicated set-up and no downloading information - perfect for a technophobe like me!

Now I don't waste time scribbling instructions. I switch unit on when I get into car and within seconds it has a fix on my position (even in car port).

I have my contact give me address or even a landmark close by, and type it into RoadMate. Just like that, it finds my destination. And if I'm going to be going to that destination again I can save it in memory for future use.