Is a Forester really the answer?

[oobie38]

New car time, budget now set at 15k.

The requirements are:
Petrol, Auto
Higher seating position, for comfort and visibility, so assuming SUV/MPV
Good ground clearance, and preferably AWD.
Has to be able to accommodate 6'4 kid with decent headroom behind 6' driver. The kid is 15, so will still be coming on holidays etc for a while, and needs to be comfortable on a decent length drive.
Xenons or LED headlights
500l+ boot

I'd like adaptive cruise, but can live without.

I'd been looking at Karoq/Ateca/Tiguan, but Petrol/Auto/AWD in my budget means heading back to 2012-13 (Tiguan) or high mileage.
Wondered about an Outback, but they're quite lengthy nowadays, then found a 2019 Forester in budget, 70k miles with 2 year manufacturers warranty left. A bit left field, but would fit the requirements, I think. Obviously taken on board comments regarding cvt, gutless engine etc, but would purchasing it be a stupid idea?
I've had a few Subarus back in the day (originally I'm from NZ where they're common as sheep st), so feel comfortable with them, but nothing for 15 years or so. so unsure whether my comfort is misplaced!

[TVRBRZ]

I too read the dire reviews of the CVT but went ahead and got an Outback anyway. Granted, it is no rocket ship, and I miss the lazy torque of the previous Legacy diesel, but once you accept that you are not driving an Impreza Turbo or some mahoosively powerful and sporty SUV, then it is really quite pleasant.

I drive slower, and far more relaxed and have changed my driving style to fit the car. A 700 mile round trip on motorways, A and B roads and a forest track was a delight, and if you need to, it will dump all the peak torque instantly and catapult you away from a junction ot tight hairpin.

I wouldn't dismiss the Forester just because of the CVT.

[troika]

You might get a new shape XV in budget which has all the adaptive cruise / eyesight / CarPlay etc. Obviously you’d need to see if you lad will fit in it but prefer it to my 2014 forester (which was excellent), it’s a far more modern car.

[Dan_The_Man]

My wife refuses to upgrade her old Forester to a new one until it dies, and it just keeps on going. Don't forget they are ace getting logs for the stove as well as transporting teenagers.

[oobie38]

So the cvt isn't a total write off then?

Don't see the point of the XV for me really, it's definitely a class down in size, though I do quite like the looks.

This car has eyesight and adaptive cruise, although doesn't seem to have blind spot monitoring from the spec.

[Hugo Stiglitz]

Dan_The_Man said:

My wife refuses to upgrade her old Forester to a new one until it dies, and it just keeps on going. Don't forget they are ace getting logs for the stove as well as transporting teenagers.

I think I've owned 3!

The Forester needs a manual in my opinion. It's fun. With the CVT I think I'd be climbing the walls.

[TVRBRZ]

I had an 05 Forester followed by a 13 Legacy, both manuals. Neither had a particularly nice gear change and suffered from a heavy clutch. (Unlike the BRZ which was sublime).

No way I'd go back to either after the CVT. For the detractors, all I can say is that once you've lived with the CVT it grows on you. The nature of the car suits the CVT. I shall save my yearning for a rifle bolt manual in a lightweight hatchback or sports car...

[Blib]

We've had our 15 plate Forester from new. The CVT can be a pain at times. But, there's a Sport button that sharpens things up a tad. There's not much tech in our 7 year old car. So, not much to go wrong. The engine is bulletproof.

We use it for trips between Suffolk and London. It handles such journeys happily. It's a brilliant workhorse.

The Forester isn't that big. But, its boxy shape makes the car light and airy. Fitted with Cross Climates it effortlessly copes with everything that the Suffolk countryside can throw at it.

We plan to keep our Forester for a long time yet.

[georgeyboy12345]

What about an older, non-lineartronic Subaru? Here's an Outback 3.6 R for well under budget. A bit juicy on the tax and fuel though
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202212082...


For something more modern and reliable, I'd go for one of these two

Toyota RAV4 2.0 VVT-i AWD
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202212072...

Honda CR-V 2.0 i-VTEC 4WD
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202205276...


Or for something left-field, for a third of your budget, what about this Mercedes R350?
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202111189...

[valiant]

What’s the engine like in these?

I see the newer ones only come with the 2.0l with 150bhp and on paper it seems painfully slow but what’s it like in the real world?

Always liked the Forester and the new shape one looks decent and the next car may have to be a SUV type thing so is on my radar. Notice the rest of the world gets the 2.5l which would be ideal but if the 2.0l is happy chugging up and down the motorway then it could well be on my shortlist.

[TO73074E]

It's one of my options as the next family car. I looked at the Forester XT 2013 - 2019 model and it comes with a 237 bhp turbo petrol engine which should have more than enough poke. I think they moved away from this engine after 2019?

[TVRBRZ]

I've not driven an e-boxer but I would imagine the small hybrid assistance would make the 2.0 feel like the 2.5.

Having said that I miss the lazy torque from the old 2.0D, I've been surprised at how swift and easy overtakes are in the 2.5 CVT Outback. Apparently the instant rise in revs is designed to put you at peak torque and the gearbox manages the revs to maintain the peak torque. So yes it sounds noisy, but I was pleasantly surprised how quickly the Outback picked up speed for a 50-60mph A Road overtake.

I'm by no means a CVT evangelist- it just seems quick when it needs to be, but admittedly no 3.0 flat six. I just wish we got the 2.4 turbo in the UK.......

[nunpuncher]

valiant said:

What’s the engine like in these?

I see the newer ones only come with the 2.0l with 150bhp and on paper it seems painfully slow but what’s it like in the real world?

Always liked the Forester and the new shape one looks decent and the next car may have to be a SUV type thing so is on my radar. Notice the rest of the world gets the 2.5l which would be ideal but if the 2.0l is happy chugging up and down the motorway then it could well be on my shortlist.

Not good for chugging up and down the motorway. Probably their least economic range for a modestly powered 2l pushing a brick through the air. Also don't really have the extra power on tap for a burst of speed to overtake and getting up to speed off a slip road etc feels like it is hurting the car in some way.

[TVRBRZ]

Not good for chugging up and down the motorway. Probably their least economic range for a modestly powered 2l pushing a brick through the air. Also don't really have the extra power on tap for a burst of speed to overtake and getting up to speed off a slip road etc feels like it is hurting the car in some way.
[/quote]

Nunpuncher, is yours just a 2.0l or is it the e-boxer? I was thinking about the e-boxer on the Forester but prefer the styling & size of the Outback. Sounds like I made a good decision if the Forester is as gutless as you say

[RedAndy]

Caldina GT4 N-Spec

...and an LPG conversion

[mikal83]

I have a 2013 XT Forester. I needed to tug a big trailer with around 1ton of wood around hilly/slippery roads. It does it with ease. Pulls up hill fully loaded like it wasnt there! BUT the mpg isnt that good imho. Wish I bought the diesel but I'm only doing short trips, 3/4 times a week. 5 miles etc. Comfortable, quiet, well fitted out.

[troika]

valiant said:

What’s the engine like in these?

I see the newer ones only come with the 2.0l with 150bhp and on paper it seems painfully slow but what’s it like in the real world?

Always liked the Forester and the new shape one looks decent and the next car may have to be a SUV type thing so is on my radar. Notice the rest of the world gets the 2.5l which would be ideal but if the 2.0l is happy chugging up and down the motorway then it could well be on my shortlist.

Perfectly adequate in the XV IMHO. I just set the adaptive cruise, sit back and relax.

[Cootuk3]

The 2l XT is perfect for tootling, then s# mode for hoonigan.
A strange quirk is road ved is £365 up to 2017, then £165 for 2018 when they rejigged the bands.

[Screenwash]

I’ve got a 2020 Forester 2.5 CVT. No issues with the powertrain or performance, and it can crack 40mpg when driven gently. Certainly not much of a raised driving position though, if you are after that raised 4x4 SUV feel. The Subaru handles all the better for it too.

Does the XV have a tiny luggage area? Forester is a tardis in comparison.