We got a Forester and it was really our first choice. We did check out the CX5, Escape, Xtrail, CRV, and RAV4. Toyota was a disappointment as they had no display unit for the RAV4 in their dealerships. Somehow the CRV did not really appeal to us. My wife really likes the CX5 (specially in Soul Red color) but Mazda is not that friendly with discounts. The Escape offered a big discount but the blind spots from inside is a disappointment and the dashboard layout was so much like our Fiesta. We almost took home the Xtrail as it really offers one good package for its price. However, in the end, our gut feel was right in the first place with the Forester.
