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I've got a Honda Civic that has been a great car and still has many years of use left on it but it is starting to feel a bit small, especially when I go on road trips or camping.
I've been thinking of getting a small SUV/CUV and looked at the Mazda CX-5 but the storage space in the back is minimal. This brought me to Subaru. I like the non-SUV styling of the Subaru Forester and Outback. I've read that Subarus are more finnicky than Hondas and Toyotas and won't have the same reliability.
What do you think about Subarus? Would you pick the Forester or the Outback?
Older Subarus had legitimate head gasket issues. Some will say the new ones still do, but that hasn’t been my experience. I’ve owned 3 new Subarus: two Crosstreks (2014 and 2020), and an Outback (2019), that we will likely keep for many years. Besides routine maintenance, none had/have had issues.
My 2003 Baja was a nightmare, but I expected that. I bought it in 2018 and only kept it for a year and a half before the constant issues became too much. Still traded it for $2500, people love those things.
I've got a Honda Civic that has been a great car and still has many years of use left on it but it is starting to feel a bit small, especially when I go on road trips or camping.
I've been thinking of getting a small SUV/CUV and looked at the Mazda CX-5 but the storage space in the back is minimal. This brought me to Subaru. I like the non-SUV styling of the Subaru Forester and Outback. I've read that Subarus are more finnicky than Hondas and Toyotas and won't have the same reliability.
What do you think about Subarus? Would you pick the Forester or the Outback?
I currently drive a 2019 Forester. I owned 5 Hondas in the past that I also bought new. I have had three issues with my Forester - in the first 2 months, the windshield cracked - as near as I could tell, spontaneously while sitting at a relative's house during a visit there. I am not sure, but I think it wasn't installed correctly and was stressed, and then with rapidly changing temperatures that day, got more stressed, and just cracked. I did get it replaced with OEM-spec glass at a local windshield glass shop, and have had no further issues.
The other things are both tech stack - the Apple CarPlay connection has just not worked after maybe the first 2 years. I have not actually taken it in to the dealer to have them look at that, so maybe that's as much on me as them.
Finally, the voice recognition on the factory navigation system is crap, and doesn't recognize when I say place names - I need to key them in.
I don't feel that it's quite as trouble free as my Hondas were, but on balance, I still like the car a lot. It's very practical, drives well and has good cargo and passenger space, gets decent mpgs, has excellent outward visibility, excellent crash test scores, the Eyesight system is a nice ADAS system that has performed well in independent testing, and I appreciate the extra clearance and the AWD system. The low engine position and flat layout of the "boxer" engine isn't convenient for head service if that's necessary, but it does give a lower center of gravity that you can feel in cornering - Subaru giveth and Subaru taketh away. I don't think it'd be a mistake to get a CRV mind you - that's also a great vehicle and not so different from the Forester (or the RAV4). But I haven't regretted getting the Forester.
Those brands all have solid reputations, so it really comes down to what capabilities you want/need: how the car "fits" your life. I don't buy cars for their non essential accessories such as infotainment, communication, or navigation, colors, interior finishes, or shape of the grille (except possibly the ones on recent Lexus models...they remind me of 18th century locomotive cow catchers), I buy them because I like the way they behave on the roads I need to drive (climate and weather, road conditions), how well their cabins survive encounters with other idiot drivers, how well they hold up over time, how easily they accommodate what I need to haul around, and how well they accommodate me as the driver (leg room, seating, headspace, etc.). Any model from those makers might or might not end up matching what specific things you need. Gotta start plunking yourself down in their driver's seats for yourself. The simple geometry of each individual car may or may not suit. If you don't need to consider snow or very poor winter driving conditions maybe Subaru's capabilities won't matter much to you.
As for the difference between a Forester and an Outback I've owned both. The engines/drive trains are basically the same as are their AWD systems, safety features, step in height, visibility, behavior. The Forester leans more to the SUV side of things; its a little more "upright": taller, shorter, squarer, hauls a little less than the Outback. I'd say if you intend to haul people more often than stuff, the Outback might be a better choice. Many folks prefer the more "wagony" geometry of the Outback, others prefer the Forester for precisely the opposite reason. Any car make will have its mechanical weaknesses. People spend endless hours haggling with themselves over this or that reported problem. There is no perfect vehicle. However, being aware of some vulnerability helps you plan ahead to address it if it does rear its ugly head.
All my Subarus have been very reliable...no nickel and dimeing, but I've heard the same about other makes. My 99 Forester did need the head gasket replaced but I had heard about the tendency in that engine and watched for warning signs. It isn't nearly as much of an issue with later models. The 99's lasted for 120K miles and I caught the first hints of failure before it did any damage. The car was due for a new clutch and some other routine work so my independent shop did everything at the same time. The car always did and still runs like a top and probably will for another 100-200K miles.
If you intend to buy new off the lot and will want to use a dealership for maintenance, how far you'll need to go to reach that dealership may play into your decision.
Last edited by Parnassia; 05-21-2023 at 02:29 PM..
I'm on my second Forester. The first was a 2007 which was totaled in 2016 in a multiple car collision. Insurance paid me $11,500. (Not bad for a 9 year old car) The only problem I ever had with it was a burnt out headlight bulb. In 2008 I towed a scamp camper trailer through every park in the Canadian Rockies.
I replaced it with the 2017 Forester I now own, and so far no issues with it
Look into other crossovers like Honda HRV, Honda CRV, Toyota Corolla Cross, or Toyota RAV4. The Corolla is available in hatchback. You could also consider the Ford Maverick or Hyundai Santa Cruz. I would stay away from the turbo Santa Cruz because of the transmission.
Here's what you do.
You find the largest Subaru forum online.
In that forum, you find subforum for year/model you consider.
Then, you scroll through posts.
No one really posts "my car is doing well" posts. Folks normally post, when something happens. In 3-4 pages, you will have clear picture about all the problems, your choice has.
Also, pay attention to dates in posts. Id posts are scarce, and page of posts represents say 6 months of them, or a year - it is very reliable vehicle. Dead forums always are for reliable vehicles. Like Toyota Camry hybrid or Prius. Nothing happens because nothing breaks.
I had a 2015 Forester, Prestige trim. It was a solid, reliable car but for me, was way underpowered. And I hated the CVT transmission. Even at the upper trim level, it was a pretty basic car.
I had a 2015 Forester, Prestige trim. It was a solid, reliable car but for me, was way underpowered. And I hated the CVT transmission. Even at the upper trim level, it was a pretty basic car.
This is mostly what I've read negative online. The interior is boring and the CVT isn't great. I don't care so much about the interior because they all look dated in 5yr. I do wish they still made all of the vehicles in a manual transmission.
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