Drove my outback during the snowstorms with 6 month old all seasons. Did great considering the higher density high performance tires aren't rated that high for snow. (bf goodrich gforce comp 2).
Just flipped my winter arctic claws on it the other day. I forget how much that car slays with the winters on it. Too much fun.

I'm in a similar situation. I've test driven a lot of different cars/suv's. Really liked the X5, Forester turbo felt like a box with a turbo, Volvo XC60 was nice but a little too big for me, Mazda CX-5 was nice but engine is underpowered. Liked the Audi's. Thinking the Infiniti QX50 is what I'll end up getting. Drives really well, has 330 hp, split rear seats, more than enough room (for now) and if I need more room I can put up a cargo box on the roof rack.

I am in the same boat - want a family vehicle that drives well in the city but also has decent offroad capability (for basic FSR type stuff). The Forester is the vehicle I am most seriously considering but I do wish it were a little bit bigger (basically the size of the outback). I would just get an Outback but I prefer the styling of the Forester. Subaru recently announced that 3 row bigger SUV they are developing but not sure I want to wait 3 years for it to be released.

New Forester has a lot of interior space for the length of the vehicle, and lots of headroom for tall adults (especially if you skip the sunroof). Awesome turning radius and handles really well. I get 10.5L/100km in the city using 86 fuel. Any bigger, and the thing become a handful to park in standard garage, parkade or on city streets, IMO. I mean, go for the extra space, but the trade off is there as it pushes the outer dimension to a category that needs suburbia's bigger parking spaces. For 2017, its a much quieter vehicle and looks way better than pre 2014 model. Compared to my 2008, it is night and day for cabin noise. Compared to the CX5…you can just tell when you close the door or get up to hwy speed that its a more solid vehicle.

Volvo XC60 is seriously on sale at the moment if you're going new.

The new model is coming soon and the dealers are itching to move the old ones, a couple of months ago there was a total of 8K in incentives which made it a fairly aggressively priced vehicle.

Volvo XC60 is seriously on sale at the moment if you're going new.

The new model is coming soon and the dealers are itching to move the old ones, a couple of months ago there was a total of 8K in incentives which made it a fairly aggressively priced vehicle.

Wow are those ever slick looking, pretty much the only cool CUV.

Nsmb wants to buy a exciting Unicron truck; runs spreadsheets to try to justify it.

lifeoftheparty

Keep the Tacoma. Take the money that wouldve gone into transaction costs and donate it to a good charity.

Keep the Tacoma. Take the money that wouldve gone into transaction costs and donate it to a good charity.

The Tacoma no longer fits our needs and lifestyle so it WILL be replaced sooner (likely) or later anyways. But you have a good point - why not do both? I don't think the two need be mutually exclusive. We already donate and raise a fair bit of money for various charities throughout the year, but Christmas is a time when a lot of charities (i.e. Food Bank) need donations the most. But let's try to keep it on topic here…

GX460?

GX460?

That's one ugly vehicle.

Lexus NX Fsport

The Hybrid Highlander and gas Highlander have virtually the same fuel economy so I don't quite get the $5k premium.

I've read that the 2017 Subaru's have finally buttoned up the interiors and have finally taken care of the noise and harshness auto journalists love to point out as soon as they drive one.

NX is likely based on the Rav4 platform. RX is bigger and likely the Highlander platform.

Turbo, Brembo brakes, stitching done by one handed origami masters…