2006 Subaru Outback

Pros: All wheel drive, solid, comfortable seats, looks, mileage, resale value, durability.
Cons: Light color interior gets dirty.

Great car. I have owned several Subaru wagons and all have been great. The 2006 2.5i is by far the best one I have owned. It has plenty of power and gets pretty good gas mileage, 28mpg daily work driving and I've gotten 32mpg on trips. Once I load up my bikes and cargo box the mileage drops to around 24mpg. I should mention that it's a manual 5-speed which all my Subarus have been. Once Subaru discontinues the manual transmission I will be looking elsewhere. The driver seat is very comfortable with a lot of support and adjustments. The only thing I would change is the interior color because it's too light and shows the dirt but as it gets older that becomes less of an issue. Winter traction with the all wheel drive system is excellent. I am definitely a satisfied Subaru owner.

Pros: Horsepower, comfort, fun to drive.
Cons: You pay for the horsepower and allwheel drive with your gas mileage.

I previously owned a 1999 Outback wagon that I sold to my son.
I was very happy with it except for the anemic power it provided in the mountains around Salt Lake City and Utah. I love the new model with the 250 horsepower and lots of torque.
The sport shift is fun and usable in the real world when you want to keep the rpm high so the turbo is ready when you want instant power. The leather seats are a huge improvement in the old cloth with a feeling of security and comfort on quick manuvers. I have about 1000 miles on it so far without any problems.