A year and 15K with the '17 Forester

[JTK]

fdc- I'm curious about the Yokohama Geolanders on your 2017. What size wheels does your 2017 have? Reason I ask is, my 2016 Forester had 17s with Yoko Geolanders on it and they were horrible in winter conditions. Just trying to sort what could make the experience so different. I had put a well used set of Firestone Winterforce snows on my Forester and the winter performance was night/day different with those on it.

My previous Subaru, a 2014 XV Crosstrek 5spd also had Yoko Geos and that one wasn't as bad, but I attributed that more to the simpler, constant 50/50 axle split to the 5spd manual trans.

Prior to that, my leased 2012 Legacy had Bridgestone Turanza EL400s. Those were horrible winter tires as well.

 

[fdcg27]

I hear this a lot about the OEM Geolanders and I was concerned enough to talk to my wife about the potential problem. She reports having no problems in winter conditions. Now, she has years of winter driving experience, but unless you're a recent transplant from south of the Mason-Dixon line so do you.
I was prepared to spend some money and slap a set of Pirellis, my current fave tire on the Forester, but since she was fine with the slick condition handling on the Yokos, they'll stay for another year or maybe two.
The car is on 225/60 HR17s, probably the same as yours was.
The '09 came on 55 profile VR 17" Geolanders which I thought were pretty good in the snow and everyone knows that a car governed to a maximum speed of 98 mph as the '09 is needs V rated tires.

 

[JTK]

I do believe my 2016 had the same tire size. I've lived in the Buffalo NY area my entire life, closing in on 50. I live out in ski country with an ~80 mile round trip work commute.

 

[fdcg27]

I wonder if these are really the same tire?
We had a City of Columbus firefighter here who hasn't posted in some time.
He bought a '14 (IIRC) Forester for the use of his wife with their two small children.
He posted that the OEM Geolanders were so bad as to be dangerous in winter conditions and he swapped them out after the first snow the car was driven through.
Could be a case of new wine in old bottles and the Geolanders on the wife's '17 may be much better suited to winter conditions than were the Geolanders of the recent past.
I know that the Geolanders that came on the '09 were pretty good in winter conditions as I drove on them through some pretty bad conditions.
This was of concern to me since putting my wife in a car intended to handle bad winter conditions with aplomb only to have it let down by lousy rubber would be pretty foolish.

 

[JTK]

That's true. Maybe there are differences in the Geolander line. My 2016 Forester was a base model 2.5i if that could have made a difference. It did have some options like aluminum wheels. I always kept them at door sticker PSIG as well.

 

[Brigadier]

My parents had an 06 and traded it in with 60k on it due to poor quality. The front seats fell apart and had to be recovered, the dash rattled, as did the sunroof, and a rear wheel bearing was failing. Must have been a Monday car.

 

[jstert]

great review fdgc27, thank you. if you or others with subaru experience don’t mind a question: if snow is not an issue (i’m likely to move full time to my sw desert location in a year) is a subaru forester “worth it.” no daily commute anymore but i need something reliable, roomy, desert dirt road and wide open highway driveable. thanks!

 

[Al]

Hastert: go with the totally reliable,totally boring crv. Check out the crv board

 

[pandus13]

Originally Posted By: fdcg27
...
The Accord is quieter, though.
...

Fdcg27,

Does this refers to engine noise or to vehicle over-all noise?
If the last, would a visit to an auto-audio shop for some additional sound-mat install be warranted?

 

[AZjeff]

Originally Posted By: Kira

What seems funny to me is how often people say, "The interior is too plain." ?? With steering feel, mileage concerns, longevity concerns, even options packaging....who has time to stress that? Just my opinion.

Best of luck


Not plain, terribly dated in need of a refresh. The dash/interior wasn't the deal killer for us in '14, it was the feel of the CVT. She hated it, reminded me of a snowmobile. The '14 RAV has a plain dash as far as buttons and dials and joysticks are concerned but it doesn't look like it came out of an '04. You spend far more hours in the car, it might as well be something you don't have to get used to unlike some quirky exterior styling that you might see briefly getting in and out. JMO.

 

[Al]

Originally Posted By: AZjeff

Not plain, terribly dated in need of a refresh. The dash/interior wasn't the deal killer for us in '14, it was the feel of the CVT. She hated it, reminded me of a snowmobile.

Too bad you didn't get the XT. It has a manual mode with paddle shifters or the S or S# Mode, where you have 7 physical shifts. Not to mention power that destroys everything in its class.

 

[fdcg27]

Originally Posted By: pandus13
Originally Posted By: fdcg27
...
The Accord is quieter, though.
...

Fdcg27,

Does this refers to engine noise or to vehicle over-all noise?
If the last, would a visit to an auto-audio shop for some additional sound-mat install be warranted?


The Gen 8 Accord is unbelievably quiet. There is no engine noise at cruise on the highway, there is but a whisper of wind noise and the only thing you hear is the tires.
Neither of our Foresters is in any way objectionably loud. The '17 is almost as quiet as the Accord.
So, no, you needn't spend any money on additional sound insulation.

 

[fdcg27]

Originally Posted By: AZjeff
Originally Posted By: Kira

What seems funny to me is how often people say, "The interior is too plain." ?? With steering feel, mileage concerns, longevity concerns, even options packaging....who has time to stress that? Just my opinion.

Best of luck


Not plain, terribly dated in need of a refresh. The dash/interior wasn't the deal killer for us in '14, it was the feel of the CVT. She hated it, reminded me of a snowmobile. The '14 RAV has a plain dash as far as buttons and dials and joysticks are concerned but it doesn't look like it came out of an '04. You spend far more hours in the car, it might as well be something you don't have to get used to unlike some quirky exterior styling that you might see briefly getting in and out. JMO.


LOL!
So I guess that an inarguably superior AWD system along with better vehicle dynamics counts for less than fashion?

 

[AZjeff]

Originally Posted By: fdcg27

LOL!
So I guess that an inarguably superior AWD system along with better vehicle dynamics counts for less than fashion?


Not at all. In 13 years in Arizona we've needed AWD capability in the daily driver exactly zero times so that was just something that comes with a Subaru. Would you buy a new car with superior AWD and better vehicle dynamics if you really disliked the function of the tranny? Would you really buy a new car that when you got in and looked around you thought meh ? As far as the XT idea, paddles fun for me but she'd still be stuck with the CVT doing it's thing. We've been together a LONG time, one of the reasons is probably that she picks the cars (within reason, no Souls) and I pick the trucks.

Subarus are good cars and seem to be getting better.

 

[nthach]

Originally Posted By: fdcg27

He posted that the OEM Geolanders were so bad as to be dangerous in winter conditions and he swapped them out after the first snow the car was driven through.
Could be a case of new wine in old bottles and the Geolanders on the wife's '17 may be much better suited to winter conditions than were the Geolanders of the recent past.

Subaru ain't known for for good OEM-spec tires. My friend's 12(and his mom's too, they bought them at the same time) had the Geolandars on and we actually traversed US-50 between Twin Bridges and Lake Tahoe during a snowfall with extreme caution. He now has Michelin Premiers and while the car has transformed, it doesn't have the "bite" for snow. I recommend the Defender LTX now that Michelin makes them in a Subaru size(215/55-17) but the stock steelies or "alloy wheel value package" afford more all-terrain tire choices as well. I've seen someone with BFG KOs on an Outback.

Other than that, the Foresters are a solid pick, they need more refinement and they are as hoarse as the old Nissan Quest. I'd certainly get one over a CR-V or RAV4.

 

[fdcg27]

Originally Posted By: AZjeff
Originally Posted By: fdcg27

LOL!
So I guess that an inarguably superior AWD system along with better vehicle dynamics counts for less than fashion?


Not at all. In 13 years in Arizona we've needed AWD capability in the daily driver exactly zero times so that was just something that comes with a Subaru. Would you buy a new car with superior AWD and better vehicle dynamics if you really disliked the function of the tranny? Would you really buy a new car that when you got in and looked around you thought meh ? As far as the XT idea, paddles fun for me but she'd still be stuck with the CVT doing it's thing. We've been together a LONG time, one of the reasons is probably that she picks the cars (within reason, no Souls) and I pick the trucks.

Subarus are good cars and seem to be getting better.


I can't argue your point.
If I lived where you live, I'd place little value on a world-class AWD system.
Where we live, we can count on a number of days of frozen delight each winter, although that does vary.
In areas that see real winter, a good AWD is a revelation as compared to anything else, including some of the truly bad AWD systems out there, although I won't name names.

 

[SatinSilver]

Originally Posted By: CKN
I would expect a Love fest COMING FROM ANY Subaru owner. It's a culture thing.

Not that the vehicles are not without fault.......


I think you used to own a 2012 Legacy wagon that you complained about the cheap quality paint that would chip easily on the front end. I guess it looked pretty bad after five years or so. I wouldn't be happy about that either. Plus they look super boring. Drove one last year, base model Legacy and it didn't do anything for me. Seemed to be very low on power. The funny thing was the salesman seemed completely amazed at my lack of interest. But he was an enthusiast that owned two of them, one being an STI or WRX, can't remember which one. All I remember thinking was boy-racer car.

If these cars had a front wheel drive option I'd be more interested. But to have full time all-wheel drive, no thanks. Complete waste of fuel. A rear wheel drive with good winter tires will do very well in winter driving combined with some driver skill.

 

[nthach]

Originally Posted By: fdcg27


The Gen 8 Accord is unbelievably quiet. There is no engine noise at cruise on the highway, there is but a whisper of wind noise and the only thing you hear is the tires.
Neither of our Foresters is in any way objectionably loud. The '17 is almost as quiet as the Accord.
So, no, you needn't spend any money on additional sound insulation.

Honda is also using ANC via the audio system to cancel out the engine - I'm not sure if the Accord LX/VP/Special Edition has it, the EX and above have it. But the Accord was for a long time considered a benchmark for mid-size cars when it came to handling and NVH.

 

[fdcg27]

Originally Posted By: nthach
Originally Posted By: fdcg27


The Gen 8 Accord is unbelievably quiet. There is no engine noise at cruise on the highway, there is but a whisper of wind noise and the only thing you hear is the tires.
Neither of our Foresters is in any way objectionably loud. The '17 is almost as quiet as the Accord.
So, no, you needn't spend any money on additional sound insulation.

Honda is also using ANC via the audio system to cancel out the engine - I'm not sure if the Accord LX/VP/Special Edition has it, the EX and above have it. But the Accord was for a long time considered a benchmark for mid-size cars when it came to handling and NVH.


AFAIK, there is no ANC on the Gen 8 and certainly not on the LX-P, which is a half step up from the base LX, adding alloys, a power driver's seat and a chrome exhaust tip to the party.
The EX in base form adds a sunroof to the above along with 17" alloys.
This is a very quiet car, much quieter than the Gen 7, but not as compliant in ride nor as entertaining to drive.