This is the best vehicle I have ever owned. It meets all of my needs including commuting, hauling items, road trips, transporting my pets, and off-roading. It gets great gas mileage for such a large vehicle (~29mpg with most of my driving on highways). It is very roomy inside with a folding second row - perfect for big grocery trips, or giving my large dog space to stretch out on long car rides. It is so roomy that now when my boyfriend and I go camping with our dog. We just sleep in the back of the Outback! It is so comfortable and cozy. We often drive on rough roads to get to great hiking and camping spots, so I am happy that the Outback has such high clearance - that is partially why I prefer the Outback over the Forester. The interior is also great, the cloth upholstery is easy to clean. All of the electronics work intuitively and flawlessly. There are lots of nooks and crannies to store items, and I can literally fit everything I own in this vehicle. I also just love the design - it looks like a sporty, utilitarian, yet stylish car.