My new car!!!

After lots of research into safety, handling, gas milage, etc., we settled on the Subaru Forester. Patrick has dubbed it 'Ru.' (yeah, we name our cars, what's it to ya?) It also happens that I used to live the next county over from the factory in IN during our time there and probably knew some of the people who built my car. I like that idea. I also like the idea that Subaru is very environmentally responsible with their factories. I like that it is super safe (5 star rating) for my little one, with all-time all-wheel drive and front and side-impact airbags. The gas mileage averages about 24 or 25 mpg between city and highway. Sure it could be better, but then I'd have to be driving a car that could not fit a kid, a husband, a dog and the groceries at the same time, which I do, in fact, need on some days. (Not to mention if there's ever a kid #2.)
I love it! I haven't had my own (working) car in a long time and feel pretty excited at the freedom I will have again. I can't say I'm going to miss my Grand Cherokee so much, though it was a good car as far as size and getting me where I wanted to go, and it was free. It was also just what I needed to recover my sense of safety on the road after our awful accident. I didn't figure there were too many other cars on the road that could aerial flip a big, red 4WD Jeep. But the gas mileage was terrible and it was old ('96) and we'd already replace the whole AC system and done some patch work on the trannie which finally gave out and needed to be replaced. So we just decided to hold out until I got a job and then buy something new. Now the American Cancer Society can deal with it however they like.
I will be interested to see how comfy it is for long trips when I drive it up to our new home in a few weeks. I'll let you know...