Comments on: Review: 2009 Subaru Forester XT http://www.leftlanenews.com/subaru-forester-review.html Car news, reviews, and specs for the auto-industry Fri, 10 Feb 2012 17:01:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Andrew http://www.leftlanenews.com/subaru-forester-review.html#comment-408665 Andrew Thu, 11 Sep 2008 15:38:26 +0000 http://www.leftlanenews.com/?p=9280#comment-408665 TomF - I'd love to spend some time in a non-turbo Forester closer to that $20,000 price point and I'll make a point to do so when one is available in Subaru's media fleet. You give up some turbo thrust, but for $3,000 or more, that's something it seems that many buyers would be willing to forgo. Most small SUV buyers are interested in practicality and comfort, not blistering speed. The test car's 18 mpg wasn't unobjectionable for this class. Its requirement for premium fuel was asking a bit much, but at maybe $3 more a tank, that shouldn't break most owners' budgets. TomF – I’d love to spend some time in a non-turbo Forester closer to that $20,000 price point and I’ll make a point to do so when one is available in Subaru’s media fleet. You give up some turbo thrust, but for $3,000 or more, that’s something it seems that many buyers would be willing to forgo. Most small SUV buyers are interested in practicality and comfort, not blistering speed.

The test car’s 18 mpg wasn’t unobjectionable for this class. Its requirement for premium fuel was asking a bit much, but at maybe $3 more a tank, that shouldn’t break most owners’ budgets.

]]> By: 02WRXPSM http://www.leftlanenews.com/subaru-forester-review.html#comment-408494 02WRXPSM Wed, 10 Sep 2008 15:49:45 +0000 http://www.leftlanenews.com/?p=9280#comment-408494 They need to move building these to Indiana, like the Legacy models. We had an Indiana-built Legacy GT wagon for 9 years, it was an excellent, dependable car. They need to move building these to Indiana, like the Legacy models. We had an Indiana-built Legacy GT wagon for 9 years, it was an excellent, dependable car.

]]> By: TomF http://www.leftlanenews.com/subaru-forester-review.html#comment-408424 TomF Wed, 10 Sep 2008 00:38:31 +0000 http://www.leftlanenews.com/?p=9280#comment-408424 There are plenty of $19,500 Foresters for sale in my area -- no turbo, not a lot of luxo options, but good value for suburban cruising. I think it's a great-looking mini-ute... a very successful update from a style point of view. And with gas prices so high I expect people to choose economy over sportiness for the foreseeable future, so how big a deal is the turbo really? If the LLN test car was overly thirsty, that's the problem plaguing the Vue and Equinox too... and for them it's probably even worse. The Vue is a good-looking ute with European bones that's heavy, slow (except for the Redline) and inefficient. The Equinox looks like it was assembled out of spare parts, but the new-gen edition fixes that. There are plenty of $19,500 Foresters for sale in my area — no turbo, not a lot of luxo options, but good value for suburban cruising. I think it’s a great-looking mini-ute… a very successful update from a style point of view. And with gas prices so high I expect people to choose economy over sportiness for the foreseeable future, so how big a deal is the turbo really?

If the LLN test car was overly thirsty, that’s the problem plaguing the Vue and Equinox too… and for them it’s probably even worse. The Vue is a good-looking ute with European bones that’s heavy, slow (except for the Redline) and inefficient. The Equinox looks like it was assembled out of spare parts, but the new-gen edition fixes that.

]]> By: Vosotros http://www.leftlanenews.com/subaru-forester-review.html#comment-408346 Vosotros Tue, 09 Sep 2008 18:59:33 +0000 http://www.leftlanenews.com/?p=9280#comment-408346 Wow, I had no idea the Forester had gotten that expensive. Five years ago, 225 hp was a lot... but not today. LLN's right, the little features really make the difference in the showroom. Needs a few luxe bits so it doesn't feel like a rental car (like the Avenger I am in this week thanks to Thrifty... need to convince the company to pay for an upgrade the next go-around! LOL!). Good review. Seems balanced once again. I know some of you guys are having problems with the new LLN site, but it all seems worth it. The quality of stories is definitely a notch up from before and certainly better than all the other web sources I've read in the past. Thanks again and look forward to the next review. Ha, maybe I should post a review of my Avenger rental car! Wow, I had no idea the Forester had gotten that expensive. Five years ago, 225 hp was a lot… but not today. LLN’s right, the little features really make the difference in the showroom. Needs a few luxe bits so it doesn’t feel like a rental car (like the Avenger I am in this week thanks to Thrifty… need to convince the company to pay for an upgrade the next go-around! LOL!).

Good review. Seems balanced once again. I know some of you guys are having problems with the new LLN site, but it all seems worth it. The quality of stories is definitely a notch up from before and certainly better than all the other web sources I’ve read in the past. Thanks again and look forward to the next review. Ha, maybe I should post a review of my Avenger rental car!

]]> By: Htay9000 http://www.leftlanenews.com/subaru-forester-review.html#comment-408341 Htay9000 Tue, 09 Sep 2008 18:39:44 +0000 http://www.leftlanenews.com/?p=9280#comment-408341 *whereas the equinox and vue... aren't really making any progress. I can see the jealousy in need more oil. pretty entertaining. *whereas the equinox and vue… aren’t really making any progress. I can see the jealousy in need more oil. pretty entertaining.

]]> By: Htay9000 http://www.leftlanenews.com/subaru-forester-review.html#comment-408340 Htay9000 Tue, 09 Sep 2008 18:38:40 +0000 http://www.leftlanenews.com/?p=9280#comment-408340 blah blah blah GM rules, bla blah blah better than import trash etc. Actually, the forester is the reason why subarus total sales are up, whereas the equinox and the vue. blah blah blah GM rules, bla blah blah better than import trash etc.

Actually, the forester is the reason why subarus total sales are up, whereas the equinox and the vue.

]]> By: A4 http://www.leftlanenews.com/subaru-forester-review.html#comment-408331 A4 Tue, 09 Sep 2008 17:31:16 +0000 http://www.leftlanenews.com/?p=9280#comment-408331 the equinox is still around? jeeze how few of those got sold lately? hahaha the equinox is still around? jeeze how few of those got sold lately? hahaha

]]> By: Need more oil for GM http://www.leftlanenews.com/subaru-forester-review.html#comment-408317 Need more oil for GM Tue, 09 Sep 2008 16:40:57 +0000 http://www.leftlanenews.com/?p=9280#comment-408317 More Import crap trying to compete with class leaders like the Saturn Vue and Chevy Equinox. Only this one fails even worse than the rest of the segment by having a 4 speed Automatic and an unreliable, slowpoke engine. The Equinox is the one that Americans want to own and no import piece of trash is going to change that More Import crap trying to compete with class leaders like the Saturn Vue and Chevy Equinox. Only this one fails even worse than the rest of the segment by having a 4 speed Automatic and an unreliable, slowpoke engine. The Equinox is the one that Americans want to own and no import piece of trash is going to change that

]]> By: johnnycanuck http://www.leftlanenews.com/subaru-forester-review.html#comment-408315 johnnycanuck Tue, 09 Sep 2008 16:37:16 +0000 http://www.leftlanenews.com/?p=9280#comment-408315 I hate to say it, but this is so Subaru. Remember the SVX? When it entered production Subaru apparently couldn't afford to offer both a manual and an automatic transmission. So for their so-called Sports GT, or whatever slot it was pigeonholed into, they settled on an automatic. Now whether the car bombed because of that or the goofy styling can be argued either way, but almost 20 years later Subaru still has trouble completing the package. Let's be honest, the take rate on manual Forester probably isn't very high although it might be fun- if you could get it- with the turbo. So you're left with a 4 speed auto that returns dismal mileage on premium fuel for such a diminutive rig. Please Subaru, if you don't have the wherewithal to do it yourself then get someone else to help. Toyota maybe? I hate to say it, but this is so Subaru. Remember the SVX? When it entered production Subaru apparently couldn’t afford to offer both a manual and an automatic transmission. So for their so-called Sports GT, or whatever slot it was pigeonholed into, they settled on an automatic. Now whether the car bombed because of that or the goofy styling can be argued either way, but almost 20 years later Subaru still has trouble completing the package. Let’s be honest, the take rate on manual Forester probably isn’t very high although it might be fun- if you could get it- with the turbo. So you’re left with a 4 speed auto that returns dismal mileage on premium fuel for such a diminutive rig. Please Subaru, if you don’t have the wherewithal to do it yourself then get someone else to help. Toyota maybe?

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