I own a 2000 Outback Wagon with 115,000 miles. I've had a few [mainly] minor problems with it but enough that I gave serious consideration to jumping the Subaru ship as well. Also, I figured I just wanted something different.
My most important factors in considering a new vehicles were AWD or 4WD, safety, convienence (i.e., luxuries), price, style, comfort and reliability. (Not in any particular order) I checked out the Pontiac Vibe, Dodge Calliber, Chevy Equinox, Toyota Rav4, and all Subaru products. I considered others as well but didn't make it past the "internet research" phase, as I felt the others were way over priced. The Vibe was very nice and I may have bought it the day I test drove it if it weren't for the engine and road noise that I didn't care for. The Calliber was just extremely overpriced for what it offers, which in my opion was a cheap and gimmicky interior with an admittedly handsome exterior. The Equinox didn't appeal to me because of its customer satisfaction ratings and poor mpg. I had my decision narrowed down to the 2006 Rav4 and 2006 Legacy sedan.
I really liked the Rav4 and I can honestly understand your decision. It was agile, comfortable, stylish, etc... and met up to all the things I wanted in my new vehicle. Toyota reliability is always a selling point.
I came home and crunched the numbers and the Subaru won hands down!
(Which is why I bought my other Subaru, too)
I bought my Legacy Limited, Sedan for $21,499. It listed for $26,232. Subaru is offering $2000 incentives on that vehicle. End-of-year dealer pricing added up to a savings I couldn't reject. My car has leather/heated seats, moon roof, 6 disc CD changer, mileage readout, leather steering wheel, dual chrome exhaust tips, fog lights, mud guards, floor mats, pearl white paint, alloy wheels, AWD (of course), dual climate control, side impact air bags and side curtain air bags, lighted vanity mirrors, cruize, air, 8 way power drivers seat, power mirrors, heated mirrors and heated window wipers. I went with the sedan for the "change" I needed. The new style looks and rides much more elegant than the old AMC-ish sedan, in my opinion.
The Rav4 was nearly $30,000 for the same package (leather, mats, moon roof, etc). There is no incentive and the dealers I priced with did not seem eager to come down on their price. Afterall, Rav4 is a hot selling vehicle right now, partly because all the other SUV gas hogs are heading back to the car auction and their previous owners are heading toward the smaller SUVs and SUWs. Add to that the fact that many of these customers were themselves Toyota loyalists who, wanting to stick with a Toyota, are buying the most feul effecinet Toyotas offered, and it becomes very much a Seller's Market. Not too good for the buyer hellbent on a Toyota.
I only have about 50 miles on my new car so it is much too early for me to speak of anything other than the buying experience, but given Subaru's customer satissfaction rating and my own experience with Subaru's I believe I can expect a good, safe, reliable car with minor, albeit exhistng, problems.
I hope you like your new Rav4. But even more, I hope some day you wish you had bought another Subaru instead. Nothing against you.....lol.....I'm just hoping I made the right decision.
