I'd vote for the Outback. My dad has a Timberline Green 2002 Outback VDC wagon and it is *the nicest* car I have ever ridden in or driven. It's not a sports car, obviously, but the H6-3.0 provides plenty of power and it moves great. The leather seats, dual moonroofs, and the McIntosh sound system are all great and truly worthy of luxury-car status.
When shopping for the car, we considered practically every wagon and SUV that could be compared, from Jettas and Passats to the Audi Quattro, Acura MDX, Lexus RX300, etc. The price, performance, features, and Subaru's reputation just made the Outback VDC stand out. When we went into the buying mode last year, the Outback wasn't really a major consideration (my dad already had an Outback that he was going to be relegating to me, he wanted something different). But there's no arguing with the best
The Subaru Legacy made the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's "Best Pick" for the mid-size class. And since the Outback is a slightly stronger Legacy, combined with the VDC it's one of the safest choices you could make.
We did consider the sedan over the wagon, but the increased cargo room and nifty dual moonroofs made the wagon the best choice.
It's my dad's fourth consecutive Subaru wagon since the 70s. I'm currently driving his 1996 Outback 2.5L. They're just plain great cars
Oh, and one other thing. Today driving the 02 in fresh heavy rain I got my first taste of the VDC. AWD by itself is good for traction, but the VDC just works wonderfully. No slipping or sliding whatsoever, and the car just keeps going the way you point it.
And the 2002 Outback VDC is just plain
