Great post. This one of the few vehicles that can be compared to others in seemingly different categories. Obviously at this price point there are many options. The combination of Ride, ability to handle some rough terrain (even just city potholes and road construction grates), handling, power, and technology is unparalleled at this price point. Speaking of technology, it is surprising that a German car excels in this area. Germans in the past have been notorious for discounting the importance here. I think this is a major reason why Lexus and Infiniti were able to quickly take market share away from the Germans.
Regarding your 1300 mile service, my Sales guy thought it was included in the free service but the people at the performance center did not see it listed in the official documentation. What have you been told?