Subaru Legacy Spec B. Any good?

[white_goodman]

I'm seriously considering replacing my 2004 Impreza WRX Estate with one of these. I really like my Impreza but it is simply too small now for my growing family! I have considered alternatives (3-Series Touring (E46), A4 Avant, Passat etc) but the Audi and BMW do not seem significantly bigger, the Passat is a great estate but a bit dull and I am reluctant to give up the performance and 4WD (which pretty much restricts me to Audi or Subaru). I'm not averse to diesel but reliability on older diesels concerns me. My budget is no more than £10k but I would be happy to spend significantly less!

On paper, the Legacy Spec B Estate seems to tick all the boxes. They seem good value, very well-equipped and as commodius as some bigger Audis and Volvos. I also like the Q-car looks compared to my Impreza and S4 or RS Audis, which is good in terms of keeping the tea leaves and rozzers at bay! Will running costs be considerably higher than my Impreza and as they seem fairly few and far between, do they drive as well and is the manual or auto the one to go for? I have also read that the ride is quite firm. I find the ride on my Impreza perfectly acceptable, as I do the rid on a friend's Focus ST. However, I have driven an Evo VIII and been in a friend's Altea FR, which both had terrible rides. This would definitely be a deal-breaker for me.

Any experiences from ownership or driving would be much appreciated. Could this be the car for me?

[white_goodman]

Thanks Watchman. Some good feedback there. Yes, I like the Forester STI but I think the boot on the Legacy is bigger. Can you get an RS4 for less than £10k?