We had similar criteria and recently purchased a used Saturn VUE we've been very happy with. Granted they don't make them any more, but GM still honors the warranty. It comes with all the safety features (curtain airbags, disc brakes, onstar, etc) and has a very nice interior at the base model and is available with AWD. We got one with 30K for under $15K (including taxes, etc).

I had a medium SUV and absolutely LOVE my new Subaru.

It has true AWD, which is so important in our area...a high clearance and a smooth ride. The backseat leg room is more than my SUV and my kids love riding in it.

The ratings and reviews for an Outback are great...do your research...it's fantastic. Test drive it. That did it for me.

I also looked at the CRV, RAV4 and the Hyundai. I didn't like how either of them looked cheap or drove. The CRV is very whiny (its only 4 cylinders). I didn't like the small space of the RAV4.

really like my hyundai santa fe. It is also a car that I see ALL THE TIME on the road and in parking lots, so I am guessing it's popular for a reason.

Acura RDX is great small SUV, could buy used

OP, my grandparents buy a new car every few years and their most recent one is a Nissan Rogue- what about that or a Murano? Nissans are great cars.

I have a Honda CRV and I cannot recommend it. Mine only has a little over 100,000 miles on it and a couple months ago, the car started making a grinding noise when we turned the AC on. We took it in to the dealership and were told it required an entire gutting and replacement of the AC system- about $5,000. I was so pissed- we bought the Honda because they are known as reliable cars that never give you problems. To have a $5,000 issue on a car with only 100,000 miles on it when it's known for going hundreds of thousands of miles with no problems left such a bad taste in my mouth. (This is apparently a fairly common problem in these cars, but Honda has not issued an official recall.) I will not buy Honda again.

OP here. We're really considering a Subaru. WHat do those that have them think of them?

No offense on the Mazda 5. I rode in one and just didn't like it.

We really like our Mazda5 and it fits the OP's requirements, but if you don't like that I can't imagine why you'd want to buy a regular station wagaon like a Subaru or Volvo. Why not buy a smaller end, non-luxury SUV like a RAV4?

Subaru Outback.