Before buying my used 2006 Subaru Outback XT Limited, I did a ton of research on the product. All consumer reports depicted a safe solid vehicle. Perfect for my new family. Big reason I bought it. I also wanted Awd and power. We traded in a Mini Cooper S so there was some sadness in the transaction. Found the car on cars.com. The manual 5spd with the turbo is a rare car. Subaru did not build a lot of them and people generally like the car so much, they keep them. Drove to Annapolis and bought it on the spot. Car only had 9k miles. Two guys on the lot came up to me when I was getting ready to leave and said, "You're lucky you bought that car today, cause I would have".

My car is black on black. The front seats are extremely supportive. Steering wheel has a nice feeling. True drivers car. Instrumentation is simple and straightforward. The analog gauges are nicely done in a red light trim and reset when you turn the car on. Very cool like letting you know you are driving something with guts. There are more airbags in the vehicle then at a political convention. The 2-part sunroof is awesome and turns the wagon into a convertible. The only bummer--no ipod connection. That's available in '07.

Driving impression. This car means business. Gobs of power at any rpm. Smooth acceleration. Handling is excellent for larger car with minimal body roll. Fun to drive factor is high.

The only complaint is the fuel mileage. If I was lighter on the gas I'm sure it would improve.