extria

So I went to Subaru yesterday morning. I can't say enough good things about the dealership - I was upfront that I was pre-shopping and wanted to get an idea. Was also comparing the Jeep Patriot which was my next stop after this (Fiance is a 'buy American'/Jeep fan type). I looked at the Outback and Forester. Crossed the Outback off my list because Forester offered better height for dog crates. Test drove the Forester. Fell in love. Like hell if I had the finances right now I would have bought it right then and there. It just 'fit' and - I had excellent height and great visibility, fantastic tight turning radius and handling, nice pick up and go. Great room for the doggies. It was fantastic. Went to Jeep afterward. Test drove the Patriot. I have never had such a visceral reaction of HATE toward a vehicle before. I sat in and had to force myself to drive it off the lot. The interior was awful - felt super cheap and plastic. Handling was icky - felt like I was turning a boat and I was not comfortable in the vehicle at all. Drove it back. They convinced me to take out a Cherokee. I did it to get the bad taste out of my mouth. Which was one heck of an improvement over Patriot but still no comparison to the Forester. Kind of sad because I have Jeeps in my family - aunt has a fantastic Liberty that my uncle steals during the winter to go to SD on hunting trips with their lab. They don't make the Liberty anymore. Cherokee wasn't a good substitute for the Liberty. And I still cannot get over how much I HATED the Patriot. And if you had asked me honestly the Patriot was the car I was really set on over the Forester. So I'm getting a Forester. Just need to get finances and everything in order for it! At this point my current car would probably be a straight trade since I probably owe as much as it's worth as I've only had it a year. Argh. I'm a convert now.

So I'm looking to get a subaru in the next year or so. My considerations: I'm really petite (less than 5 feet). I'm looking at either a Forrester or an Outback. Best vehicle for: Dogs - I do dog sports and space for crates and hauling things is a must. Snow - fiance and I are going to be relocating to a place with pretty significant snowfall. So between the Forrester and the Outback which are the best bet for the tiny active girl with dogs? Thanks!