Subaru...getting past the hype
- Thread starter Maverick
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Just bought my wife an Outback. We cross shopped CRV and the Rav4. We felt the Outback had the best balance of utility, reliability, resale and ergonomics. We got the 2.5 CVT and get 33mpg on the freeway. Engine is a bit more noisy than the Rav, but not bad. Ground clearance is also over an inch more than the Rav4, at an impressive 8.7".
I felt better/safer about having full time AWD vs part time on her last Jeep. Also, this video shows the superiority of symmetrical AWD.
http://youtu.be/0_MXK2nzt2Y
I felt better/safer about having full time AWD vs part time on her last Jeep. Also, this video shows the superiority of symmetrical AWD.
http://youtu.be/0_MXK2nzt2Y
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Maverick
old-school
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Just bought my wife an Outback. We cross shopped CRV and the Rav4. We felt the Outback had the best balance of utility, reliability, resale and ergonomics. We got the 2.5 CVT and get 33mpg on the freeway. Engine is a bit more noisy than the Rav, but not bad. Ground clearance is also over an inch more than the Rav4, at an impressive 8.7".
I felt better/safer about having full time AWD vs part time on her last Jeep. Also, this video shows the superiority of symmetrical AWD.
http://youtu.be/0_MXK2nzt2Y
How is the power vs the Rav4? 33mpg sure doesn't suck. That's the best real world mileage I've ever heard. Most reviews put it in the mid-20s if they are lucky. What year is yours? Do you like the CVT? I haven't driven the Subaru version.
The video is actually quite telling as to why the Subaru's do well. BS "symmetrical" marketing term aside, aggressive center viscous diff/diff lock and rear limited slip get it done on a hill, where the front tires get unloaded. An open center diff in that case will just let the front spin.
Maverik - Ours is a 2013. There were some changes for this year's model, and I thought it'd be worth it. The sway bars are larger, as there were complaints of body sway and lathargic handling in the older models. Bit of a facelift as well. Plus, the engine now has a timing chain (2012's had a belt). Oil filter was relocated so that it can be changed by opening the hood.
CVT/engine is a little louder than the Rav4. Not bad or enough to annoy. It also takes some getting used to. ie. when you back out and put it into drive, it literally takes about 2-3 seconds for the transmission to engage. If you step on the gas, you'll just rev and go nowhere. Little annoying at first, but now I just put it into "D" early and it's worked out.
Power wise...well, it's a 2.5L 4-banger in a bloated station wagon. So very unimpressive power wise, but I have no issues merging on the freeway or going over Parleys Canyon. Our main goal was MPG, so we opted for the 2.5L. If it was power we wanted, the 3.5L V6 would've gotten the nod. Comparing 4-cyl to 4-cyl, it felt about the same as the Rav4. No shift feeling is pretty cool, though. No jerks as the transmission shifts like on the Rav.
33 MPG was strictly all freeway at 70MPH (with me driving. Wife is probably 30-31MPG. No hypermiling). And that's only with 1,000 miles on the odo. Supposed to get better with over 10k miles, so we'll see. Mixed with city, I'm at about 27MPG. My wife takes lots of short trips, so it hurts the MPG a bit. Most of the MPG reports I've read have been in the 30's for the 2.5L. The 3.5L's are in the mid-20's, which is what you may have pulled up.
This will be our goto-roadtripping machine for majority of our trips. AWD, great ground clearance and getting over twice the MPG than my cruiser, it filled a big void between my sedan and the gas hog cruiser very nicely.
If you decide to get one, call up Kurt Moyer at Mark Miller on 35th and State. Great guy to deal with.
And another thing.
"Happy wife is a happy life."Maverick said:
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Maverick
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Maverick
old-school
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One more question on the CVT, does it give you adequate gearing when starting out or climbing a steep hill?
I know, ancient thread, and you've decided on an Outback but I figured I'd throw my 2 cents in. My wife drives a Subaru Legacy with the 2.5. With her summer tires she gets 36-38 mpg, when we switch to her winter tires, blizzaks, mpg drops to around 26-28mpg. I know what you are thinking, I wouldn't believe it if I didn't see it myself. The 26-28mpg sounds reasonable, but unless the trip computer knows what tires are on the car and lies, the difference between summer tires and winter really is 10mpg. Blizzaks are set at 34psi all around, the summer tires are 36psi so it's not that. I'd have to check to be sure, but I think the blizzaks are 215/50/17 instead of 205/50/17 - a slight difference making the trip computer off a bit, but not 25% off... However, on ice, a thin layer of snow, or hard packed snow - short of running around with studded tires it doesn't get any better.
I would have liked to see a close up on the tires on all those, the ford and chevy tires looked bald.
(I am pretty sure I posted in this thread, AWD doesn't have better steering or better braking than FWD. How many wrecks do you see when it snows that could have been prevented if they would have stopped sooner? Last weekend we drove right by several stuck AWD/4WD in our FWD fiesta with X-Ice's on it... that reminds me I need to put a strap in the fiesta and figure out a way to hook it up so I can pull people out of snow banks with the fiesta) (I won't let my wife drive in the snow without snow tires, I would sooner let her drive without a seat belt while texting)
Nathan
(I am pretty sure I posted in this thread, AWD doesn't have better steering or better braking than FWD. How many wrecks do you see when it snows that could have been prevented if they would have stopped sooner? Last weekend we drove right by several stuck AWD/4WD in our FWD fiesta with X-Ice's on it... that reminds me I need to put a strap in the fiesta and figure out a way to hook it up so I can pull people out of snow banks with the fiesta) (I won't let my wife drive in the snow without snow tires, I would sooner let her drive without a seat belt while texting)
Nathan
Just bought my wife an Outback. We cross shopped CRV and the Rav4. We felt the Outback had the best balance of utility, reliability, resale and ergonomics. We got the 2.5 CVT and get 33mpg on the freeway. Engine is a bit more noisy than the Rav, but not bad. Ground clearance is also over an inch more than the Rav4, at an impressive 8.7".
I felt better/safer about having full time AWD vs part time on her last Jeep. Also, this video shows the superiority of symmetrical AWD.
http://youtu.be/0_MXK2nzt2Y
Yes, zero problems for me. It also has hill start assist that pretty much holds the brake until you get moving.
Looked like the tires were all similar all seasons to me...
I am a big proponent of snow tires. Many don't realize that stopping is what matter is snow. However, I will say that even with snow tires, you're not going to make it up to the top of LCC or other steep grade roads without AWD/4WD (or chains). Even with studs, FWD just doesn't cut it in those instances. AWD will always be superior vs FWD in inclement weather and off road. given same equipment/tires.
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Maverick
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Awesome input. Keep it coming.
Planning on running blizzacks or similar in the winter, plus a set of cables/chains in the car.
We'll probably buy 1-2 years old. Was the cvt an option?
Planning on running blizzacks or similar in the winter, plus a set of cables/chains in the car.
We'll probably buy 1-2 years old. Was the cvt an option?
- Location
- Riverton, UT
I vote for the Mitsubishi Outlander or the RAV-4. Both reliable and about the same price.
CVT was available from 2010.
Just realize that buying 1-2 yr old vehicles mean savings of maybe $2k. I looked at buying used, but it's just not worth it. Worse handling, timing belt, lane wandering issue for $2k? No thanks.
Maverick
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Is that a Subaru thing? Or just your experience?
My experience is a little different. Saved $20k on my 2yo suburban, about the same on my 2yo excursion. About $10k on my 1yo silverado.
Any lane wandering issues will be left for the next buyer. I tend to keep my money in my wallet until I am satisfied that I am getting good value and a good vehicle.
My experience is a little different. Saved $20k on my 2yo suburban, about the same on my 2yo excursion. About $10k on my 1yo silverado.
Any lane wandering issues will be left for the next buyer. I tend to keep my money in my wallet until I am satisfied that I am getting good value and a good vehicle.
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Maverick
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Ah, but my wife holds veto power. At this point we are seeking best drivetrain and options.
Cascadia
Undecided
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- Orem, Utah
I have never bought a 1 or 2 year old car and only saved $2k. That's the whole reasons we buy barely used. The savings of about $10k is well worth it. Which is what my experience has always been.
Maverick
old-school
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Haha, that and your frequent buyer miles.
In that case it makes sense.
This summer we got a 2013 Fiesta, 2011 was the first year of the current fiesta. It was literally the same money for a 2011 with 20,000 miles on it. You have more room to haggle on a used car but for for a few grand we thought hell it was time to buy brand new, then we could pick the color etc.
that will be killer
"Given the same equipment and tires is the key". I don't understand why an AWD is allowed up the canyons with bald 10 year old tires and a FWD with new snow tires is not. Most people I talk to seem to think they don't need snow tires because they have AWD.
Sorry for the thread-jack, I am serious about the safety of snow snow tires
Nathan
AWD with descent all seasons will make it up the canyon in a snow storm. FWD with studded snow tires will not. Especially up near the top where the grade gets pretty steep. Coming back down, I'll take the car with snows, regardless of drivetrain.