I’m in the market for a new small/midsize car, with the following specs:
Hatchback or wagon
All wheel drive
MSRP at most $23K
I wanna drive it for ten years
Naturally, I looked at the Outback, the Forester, and the Impreza first, all 2.5i. I don’t really have the need for a ton of power, so I’m not even bothering with the turbos or the six-bangers.
The Impreza doesn’t do it for me because I don’t gain anything in fuel economy for the reduced size and weight. The Forester doesn’t do it for me because I prefer the Outback’s lower center of gravity, and it’s not really all that much cheaper.
I figure, after incentives, my trade in, and a bit of a down payment, I can drive off the lot in an Outback for about $15k. I’m test driving one this weekend.
But I still need to do my due diligence and see if there’s anything comparable available from other manufacturers. I know Toyota briefly offered an AWD option on the Matrix, but they don’t seem to have that any more. Are there any other models I should be looking at?
I’m going to cast my vote for the Forester - I’ve had one for 8 years, 131K miles, and am considering getting another one soon. Low-end models run about $20-22K I think. Sure the Outback is a little lower but the Forester has more room I believe. They have gotten a bit bigger over the years and are more like a small SUV now but the gas milage looks OK and they have clear up a few minor problems.
Had an Outback Impreza wagon for several years. It was too small and had no get-up-and-go. It was also noticeably “cheaper” than the Legacy, by which I mean the interior seat covers, panels and such. Other than that, it was well designed from a space POV and it ran okay with few mechanical issues. I would buy a Subaru again and even an Outback, if it was the more powerful, nicer Legacy version.
My wife has owned 2 CRVs and has loved both of them. My only complaint was that the seats were too firm but getting a pricier model might have fixed that. At the time, they were not full-time AWD like Subarus are. The AWD only kicked in if the vehicle detected that the front wheels were slipping. I don’t know if they still make them like that or not.
If you mean cargo space, not true. I was surprised myself. I had an '03 Forester with over 100K on it and when I went to trade it in on a new 2006 model in December '05, the literature and my own external research confirmed that the Outback had more cargo space. The Forester is slightly bigger in the cabin, as in maybe an inch or so in each category, but the Outback has noticeably more cargo space. Bear in mind this is the '06 Forester vs. the '06 Outback.
I bought the '06 Outback and have been very happy with it.
Thanks for the input, folks. I’ll be driving Outbacks and Matrix S’s this week.
Man, that Venza looks sweet, though I dunno if the 12hp it has on the Matrix is gonna be much use slinging around an extra 700 pounds. If I had the money to burn, I’d definitely look at the V6.
In Australia, the difference between the Liberty (what we call the Legacy) and the Outback is largely cosmetic, except the Outback rides a little higher. Why not test drive a Legacy?
I love my C30, but it’s really in a different class than the Forester. I’d call the Forester a Station wagon with a little SUV. The C30 is a sports car with a little station wagon.
It does not have AWD and it sits fairly low.
Now the new Volvo XC60 would work, but it runs $10K more than a Forester. Fantastic car, likely the safest on the planet.