Has a well-documented history of above-average long-term reliability
Previous vehicle was a 2000 Subaru Forester - owned for 8 yrs / 162K mi. Only two unscheduled maintenance events during ownership, one of which was a factory-issued repair notice to add a lubricant to the coolant for the head gaskets.
Had an excellent set of standard safety features and outstanding crash-test results.
Very good interior materials and excellent fit-and-finish - as good as or better than any comparable vehicles we looked at.
Has a large and well-shaped cargo area for a vehicle of its size. Also, unlike most competing vehicles, a well-designed and functional roof rack. Works very well for the types of loads and gear that we typically haul.