What are your favorite non-Yaris alternatives, and why?

[matti]

Originally Posted by nookandcrannycar

I've sat in both the RAV4 and the Honda CR-V each of the last two years at the Houston Auto Show. Each time, I came away with the impression that the CR-V has a better executed, more useful interior. However, the RAV4 is much better looking. I'd pick the Subaru Crosstrek or the Subaru Forester over both the RAV4 and the CR-V solely re just one of the reasons I prefer them, namely that you can't get the RAV4 or the CR-V with a manual transmission.....at least not in the USA.

This may be apropos of nothing, but my friend recently bought a Crosstrek with AT. He's always had manual transmissions, but he test-drove the Crosstrek MT and he said the shifting felt like crap and did a very poor job of engaging. He wouldn't buy the MT because he said it was so bad.