When looking for a car with my wife I was also looking for myself knowing I'd replace my car about a year later. I was really taken with the Subaru brand and the more I drove my wife's Forester the more I really liked the EyeSight option.
I narrowed the search down to a Nissan Rogue, a Subaru Forester, and a Subaru Crosstrek. Looking at frontal crash data eliminated the Rogue. The real conflict was which Subaru. One of the biggest things I was looking for was a car that was easy to get into with push button start. The Crosstrek Limited had all of the options I wanted and was several thousands cheaper than the Forester. I also like the slightly better mileage.
Right after getting the Crosstrek we drove from Indiana to South Carolina to break it in. The car was plenty roomy for us, our bags, and Christmas presents for family. I had no problem keeping up with traffic on the highway or going through the mountains. Many reviews a critical of the low horsepower numbers--they didn't make any difference in the real world. Other reviews are also critical of noise in the Crosstrek. My previous car was a Toyota Camry SE--not a loud car but I believe the Crosstrek is quieter and smoother than the Camry. I especially appreciated not feeling the transmission shift (Crosstrek has a CVT).
One difference between the Crosstrek and the Forester is the center hump in the back seat. In the Forester it is barely noticeable but it is clearly present in the Crosstrek. I'm a musician and typically carry a bass in a hard case in the floor in the Forester. In the Crosstrek I drop a seat and load it through the back. The seat is easy to drop and raise.
That brings up space behind the rear seats. I'm surprised how much space is there. The space is readily useable and easy to load and unload.
Bottom line, I'm completely happy with this car.
