I checked out the following:
Honda CR-V
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This was my first choice. I eagerly anticipated the arrival of the new model, but I was disappointed. It's an excellent vehicle and probably a bit more refined in looks and ergonomics. The exterior styling is good but a bit too conservative. The engine was okay. It probably has a bit more pep than the CX-5 but I definitely felt and heard the downshifts when I pushed on the gas pedal. If I didn't know the Horsepower/Torque numbers of the CR-V and CX-5, I wouldn't really be able to tell you which had the bigger engine. The highway noise was quite noticeable. On the testdrive, my wife noticed it immediately and she doesn't normally keep an 'ear' out for these things. I'm not a Honda hater (I own an Accord right now) and this was my first choice, but in the end, the CR-V did not live up to my expectations.
Subaru Outback/Impreza
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The Impreza wagon was an intriguing option, but it was ultimately too small in the cargo area to fit my dog and the concern about the rear seat comfort for my two close to teen kids ruled it out. We didn't even test drive it. The Outback was a definite contender. We liked the space and the looks (a bit outdated though). It's a bigger car than the CX-5, so it's more expensive and the gas mileage is worse. We don't need AWD, so the price and mileage penalty were negatives. Also, I didn't like the center stack looks. The siver really bugged me. It reminds me of a cheap '80's Hi-Fi system. After all that, though, I was just about to go fight it out with the dealer when we decided to go check out the Mazda dealer.
Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen TDI
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Another strong contender. We liked the mileage of the TDI and it probably would have been less expensive than the CX-5. The exterior was okay, nothing to brag about. The interior was excellent and my wife fell in love with the radio - the salesman definitely did his job on that one! Again, we were concerned about the family fitting comfortably in a couple of years. Also, the reliability/quality issues were a big worry. I asked several friends who own VW's about it, and they were happy with theirs, but it still weighed heavily on our minds.
Mazda 5
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I made my wife check this one out. I thought the space, versatility, and sliding rear doors were great. And the kids would have liked the separate captains chairs that slid and reclined. The engine was okay but the mileage was not great. Ultimately, my wife said she didn't want another mini-van. She's always liked SUV's. But there's no denying that the Mazda 5 is a great package that meets the needs of a small family.
The funny thing is that we went early on a Saturday morning to check out the Mazda 5 and Jetta since the two lots were close to each other. My wife chose to look at the VW first, but they were not open yet (What? They don't think people go shopping on Saturday mornings?) so we walked over to the Mazda dealership, and we saw the CX-5 sitting out front. I had read about it, but did not know that they were already available in early March. It was not even on my radar of vehicles to check out. Fate is a funny thing.