 Simply a great vehicle at a great price.  The powertrain is unmatched in its price class and even at the $40K level.  There's no direct competition -  any Ford, GM, or Toyota SUV will cost you 10K more.  It's not meant to be a loaded luxury ride, just a go anywhere utility vehicle that rides, handles, and drives exceptionally well.  After 15K miles, I can say I'd be back at the Nissan dealer to buy another one if mine were to disappear today.  Mileage has been good, consistently at 20-21 mpg after switching to Mobil 1 synthetic oil (75% highway driving).  All I can say is go drive one before buying any other small or midsize SUV.  I started out liking it, but it didn't take long to love it.