dabac

It IS better than a FS BSO out of a department store, but not by much. Particularly the rear linkage and shock is primitive at best.

IMO, that is NOT a "a decent quality MTB that will last a good while and be fun to ride out on trails."

You'll only be happy with that bike as long as you avoid test riding better bikes.

Whenever you're on a budget and still want good quality, "features" are your enemy. The more stuff that's on the bike, the less money there is available for each part.
To have any chance of meeting your goals, forget about rear suspension.