(Long post)

What do I want?

A comfortable car that is easy to drive over hills, with AWD, and suitable for freeways (not looking to race). Single male in his late 20s. Ideally, I will be using it only on weekends for outdoor activities (because NorCal) - camping, hiking, biking, MTB, surfing. And, mostly for driving around the city, especially for taking dates out.

I usually prefer a higher trim, one with safety features and a great audio system. My budget is between $35,000 to $40,000 (including taxes). As a first-time buyer with no one to really ask for help, I'm reaching out here.

Cars that I have looked at:

• 2019 Volvo XC60: An awesome car! I loved the B&W audio, the very quiet cabin, and the interior and exteriors. However, the reliability and cost of maintenance pushed me away from Volvos. I had a lot of questions about high mileage and long-term reliability. The extended warranty is almost $4.8k on a 2019 model, and I'm not sure if it's worth it and what all will be covered.

• 2022 Toyota RAV4: I hate the visibility from the driver's seat. Yes, reliability is good, but I don't want to drive a boring car for the next 20 years.

• 2020 Toyota Highlander: It felt like driving a bus, and the interior was very similar to the RAV4 - like sitting in a cave. Also, the wait for Toyotas and the inflated cost of used cars pushed me away further.

• 2020 Lexus RX350: Scaled up with interior, but the visibility in Lexus is the same as any other Toyota (became a deal breaker). For the mileage and price, it felt too expensive. For example, 78k miles was costing me $37,000 taxes.

• 2024 VW Tiguan SEL R-Line: Looks great but felt greatly underpowered on hills and freeways. If this car had a bigger engine, it would have been perfect.

• 2024 Subaru Outback Touring XT: I like this car so far, the cabin felt pretty quiet, the H&K system is average, but I have a lot of questions about slow infotainment and the screen being frozen. No physical controls for HVAC.

• 2025 Subaru Forester: Felt better driving position than Outback, but it does not come in Turbo (XT) - so not sure how it will go in the Sierras and freeways. Same infotainment as Outback.

• 2021 Honda CRV: Drives well, but the cabin noise was very high. Also, can't take it off-roading on light to mid trails.

• 2022 Mazda CX5 Turbo Grand Touring: Very fun to drive, the interior is decent, Bose was good. I get the hype for CX5 on this thread, but it felt too cramped in the driving seat - like there is no wiggle room. So it would be very uncomfortable on long drives. Haven't test driven CX-50- just sat in one but it had a similar feeling of feeling cramped in space.

From all the cars I have test-driven, the Subaru Outback feels like the most valid choice. However, I'm having a lot of second thoughts about buying one as it is making me feel like I'm getting very old. Maybe I'm overthinking - I've been stuck on this decision for the last 15 days now. The Subaru Forester would have been my choice if it had a Turbo. If cost was not an issue, I'd buy the 2021 Volvo XC60 in a heartbeat.

What car should I buy?