I did this same comparison last week, and I came out an '04 Forester owner as of Saturday. It was a very hard decision for me, but it came down to the fact that the Forester was more "FUN" to drive. My previous cars were Hondas and VW's. I do mostly city driving and it is great to zip around in! It rides really solid and I haven't noticed any rattles or noises, and I am "KEEN" on noises. I got a really great deal, over and above the $1M Reabate! Good luck!