Anonymous wrote:Because it shows your progressive credentials if you have one.

Volkswagen Golf Alltrack is an AWD station wagon, similar price, drives better... but does not have the progressive bona-fides.

Nope. It's the safety ratings for many people.

I tend to think of DC as Tesla Town, or is that just Bethesda?

Because it shows your progressive credentials if you have one.

Volkswagen Golf Alltrack is an AWD station wagon, similar price, drives better... but does not have the progressive bona-fides.

We have a WRX (not one with a silly spoiler, it's pretty lowkey). We wanted AWD, good safety and quality ratings, and DH is a gearhead so it checked all those boxes. Plus it wasn't cost prohibitive like some other AWD performance cars (Audi S4, BMW xdrive models). DH is from Vermont, though, so it may be epigenetics.

I got a Crosstrek this year. The mileage is good, it wasn’t very expensive and it was great in the snow and ice this winter. I have to drive up through Frederick into Pennsylvania a few times each month regardless of weather. I drove through a few snowfalls this winter and the car did great. My biggest regret is that this summer I have discovered it takes forever for the car to get cool inside and the AC isn’t very powerful. But overall I’m happy with the car.

Four wheel drive is essential for mountain ski trips.

my Subaru -- a legacy -- gets 38 on the highway if I keep the speed under 60. That is pretty good. It is comfortable, safe, and reliable.

It's the only vehicle that includes a "COEXIST" bumper sticker as standard equipment.

Anonymous wrote:Subaru has good legroom.

This is why we bought it. It was a combo of price point, reliability, safety and if my 6'5" DH could get comfortable in the driver's seat. A number of mid-size SUVs did not work well for him in the leg room department (CRV and Santa Fe).

They are like tanks in the snow and ice, but aren't obnoxiously big like an suvs.

Anonymous wrote:Ummm advertising.

They are gas guzzling SUV's but they are marketed as cool laid back hippy cars so the limousine liberals around here can feel ok driving them - most SUV's are sold as status symbols or bully mobiles not a way to be hip and cool and environmental.

And to re-iterate Subarus are SUV's - not cars or wagons.

Legacys and Imprezas are definitely cars. It's true that they don't get a great MPG compared to cars without AWD.

We are a single-car household with two kids (and soon a dog) and a Forester. We were looking for something big enough for weekend camping trips but practical for the occasional commute into work (though we're metro riders most days) and weekend errands, and also highly rated in terms of safety.

The awd was a selling feature, because of the road conditions in DC and other places we drive in the winter (incl upstate NY) and because of the aforementioned weekend camping trips. We also have a model with eyesight which is something I want in every car going forward. It's great.

I do wish the mpg were better but otherwise, this car checked all the boxes for us. It's spacious enough but not too big. It's incredibly versatile. We also looked into hybrid small SUVs and the CR-V and rav 4. Everything else fell very short to us.

We've been extremely happy with it.

Subaru has good legroom.

What family cars have better mileage?

Combination of best safety record, size, price, mpg, reliability. Hybrid SUVs were too expensive, and frankly didn't give much better mileage. We only have one car, but are considering electric if we get a second one.