Subaru Outback vs Forester

[burbguy82]

Interested in perhaps a new Subaru or Forester.

I know nothing about Subaru, accept they have a generally good name, and a "Raider Nation" type following.

@SubieRubyRoo and others, some guidance would be great.

 

[Rogueman2016s]

Had a 2010 Impreza base was a solid reliable car awd assurance just did all the basics well. Only complaint i had was the base trim had a very weak sounding radio.

 

[Rob_Roy]

We have had two Legacy sedans, and one Outback. Also got a Forester for a loaner a few times. Out of the 3 I like the Outback the best. More space than the sedan, more clearance, and a better ride than the Forester.

The Outback is hands down the best vehicle I have ever driven in snow. Other than a few wheel bearings we didn't have any trouble with our Subarus.

 

[SubieRubyRoo]

Interested in perhaps a new Subaru or Forester.

I know nothing about Subaru, accept they have a generally good name, and a "Raider Nation" type following.

@SubieRubyRoo and others, some guidance would be great.

These days there aren’t many issues or concerns. Hurry if you’re interested in Legacy- they’ve killed what was a decent family sedan.

 

[Rob_Roy]

I believe they also killed the 3.6L engine - which is a shame IMO, I found it to be a much nicer driving experience than the 4-cyl.

 

[thunderfog]

Got a 22 Forester Wilderness. 38k miles.

Not much I don't like. Good price point, for sure...a quality AWD vehicle for under $40k (that was in 22). The Wilderness version is geared a little differently that gives it a little more pep than the other Forester trims, but you take a small mpg hit. Summer blends gets me 27mpg, winter about 24.5mpg. not going to win races but IMO the engine is enough for it and doesn't mind hitting 4-5k rpm.

It's the best vehicle I've ever seen for all-around site lines. It feels like there is so much glass, and you can see everything... virtually zero significant blind spots.

Subaru wrote the book on AWD so no issues there.

I did have some pics taken at 18k miles of the intake valves, and they were already showing deposits. But that's a DI problem and not necessarily a Subaru problem except they stopped using Toyota's D4S...

Interior of the Wilderness is durable. Got a 9 yr old kiddo and a rambunctious mini poodle and it shows no real wear from claws or anything. I did have a period of time with a car seat bc my kiddo is smallish, and there was plenty of room without having to move seats up.

Infotainment is pretty blah, but I didn't really care about that. Huge moon roof is huge.

Anything else, just ask!

 

[BISCUT]

I believe they also killed the 3.6L engine - which is a shame IMO, I found it to be a much nicer driving experience than the 4-cyl.

IIRC 2019 was the last production year of the 3.6. I have a 17 3.6 Outback Limited with 170k. Mechanically sound and zero issues BUT cracking pleather seats, wonky liftgate, cheap trim, batteries undersized, parasitic drain, etc.... I plan on 250k with mine and overall solid vehicle but the little annoying items make me decline a future Subaru purchase. A lot of "nanny" issues that irk me. Not thing major but I can't stand the remote start. Works well but every time you open the door it shuts down the engine.

My Outback was in the shop for a week due to light coyotte hit. I borrowed my friends Forester. WOW! I did not enjoy that box of a vehicle. Brakes were soft and mushy, handled like a 80's Buick LeSaber and overall did not feel anywhere near the tightness of the Outback. It had the 2.5 non-DI engine. Engine was ok but weak compared to the 3.6 and CVT was harsher than the high torque model in the 3.6 engines.

 

[CarbonToast]

We bought a 2015 forester brand new. Current version is similar but updated. It's been a great vehicle. To me it's the best midsize SUV for Visibility, AWD Fuel Economy, Space, total cost of ownership.

Subaru is certainly a more practical design vs. comfort and luxury. That is really the only tradeoff.

 

[KenshinHimura]

Subarus have Boxer engines which can be a bit tricky to do some DIY repairs such as spark plugs and others that are nearly painless such as an oil change. Nearly all are AWD sans the BRZ. The Forester is made in Japan while the Outback is made (in a little red barn on a farm) down in Indiana.

 

[CharBaby]

There's a lot to choose from at Subaru between all of their trim lines of Forester.
The Outback is their more premium vehicle even if it's not necessarily larger. Well...
larger in some dimensions and tighter in others.

Not a great comparison but...
It's kind'a like the Nissan Altima vs Maxima. They're similarly sized but the Maxima is the more premium car.

 

[SC Maintenance]

I love the idea of a Subi, but both times I have seriously looked interiors on comparable priced trims to Toyota / Honda seemed really cheap, the interior seemed very cramped, and MPG isn't great, when comparing AWD's. Also it a niche brand and there is only 1 dealer here. Its well rated but also leaves you only 1 in warranty option.

I do still like them somehow, their AWD tech is impressive. I would buy a used one at the right price.

If I lived somewhere with lake affect snow I would have a completely different perspective.

 

[Nmr1981]

I can only offer my experience with my 2003 Outback and my 2021 Ascent. The Outback wagon was very versatile lots of cargo space. I had 27 bags of wet heavy mulch in it probably not my best idea. Issues I had with that car are not applicable to you and newer generations. I will say my current Ascent and some current fa24 engines are experiencing leaking oil pans. Dealer tried to blame it on my Fumoto not being torqued enough…which is a joke. My Ascent’s brakes are horrendous for vibration because of pad buildup. Three dealer brake jobs in 36k. May not pertain to Outbacks but very annoying

 

[dlundblad]

Got a 22 Forester Wilderness. 38k miles.

Not much I don't like. Good price point, for sure...a quality AWD vehicle for under $40k (that was in 22). The Wilderness version is geared a little differently that gives it a little more pep than the other Forester trims, but you take a small mpg hit. Summer blends gets me 27mpg, winter about 24.5mpg. not going to win races but IMO the engine is enough for it and doesn't mind hitting 4-5k rpm.

It's the best vehicle I've ever seen for all-around site lines. It feels like there is so much glass, and you can see everything... virtually zero significant blind spots.

Subaru wrote the book on AWD so no issues there.

I did have some pics taken at 18k miles of the intake valves, and they were already showing deposits. But that's a DI problem and not necessarily a Subaru problem except they stopped using Toyota's D4S...

Interior of the Wilderness is durable. Got a 9 yr old kiddo and a rambunctious mini poodle and it shows no real wear from claws or anything. I did have a period of time with a car seat bc my kiddo is smallish, and there was plenty of room without having to move seats up.

Infotainment is pretty blah, but I didn't really care about that. Huge moon roof is huge.

Anything else, just ask!

The Forester Wilderness really interested me especially with the 3.5k towing capacity. Come to find out, it’s if the trailer has brakes. Without brakes, it’s my understanding 1.5k is the limit. That isn’t enough for me. (Being able to haul a load of firewood would be nice which is around 2k I am assuming.

I still really like them though. The geyser blue is sharp. I normally like silver, but for whatever reason, Subaru silver has too much of a light blue tint.

 

[thunderfog]

Oh, and it's the easiest DIY oil change on the planet. The oil filter is on top in the front for that NA 2.5L.

 

[Fa24wrx]

I love my subaru and subarus in general. I got my friend into his first subaru (forester sport) and he said it's his favorite car he's ever had. The outback is probably the goldilocks for many people. Bigger than crosstrek but more nimble than the forester. The higher trims come well equipped for the price point.

I would try to opt for the trims with the FA24DIT that has more power. You don't want a NA 4 cyl with big/awd cars. They'll feel like a slug. At least to me, since I've got the wrx.

They're super easy to work on. I've done all my oil changes and rear diff/ front diff/transmission (manual) fluids. Everything else is also super easy to work on these cars. Only thing I'd say is they probably don't use the best quality hardware (bolts). The wheel studs are super soft so I had to replace one myself that cross threaded (I was super careful and finger started the lug nut).

Fuel economy isn't the best due to the AWD system.

Tldr: easy to live with and enjoyable to be in.

 

[97prizm]

Interested in perhaps a new Subaru or Forester.

I know nothing about Subaru, accept they have a generally good name, and a "Raider Nation" type following.

@SubieRubyRoo and others, some guidance would be great.

Subaru from my friends have traditionally had not strong air conditioning. My parents had issues with their air conditioning on their 2015 impreza.

 

[thunderfog]

The Forester Wilderness really interested me especially with the 3.5k towing capacity. Come to find out, it’s if the trailer has brakes. Without brakes, it’s my understanding 1.5k is the limit. That isn’t enough for me. (Being able to haul a load of firewood would be nice which is around 2k I am assuming.

I still really like them though. The geyser blue is sharp. I normally like silver, but for whatever reason, Subaru silver has too much of a light blue tint.

I don't know crap from Crisco, but even with trailer brakes, I'm not towing 3500lbs with the CVT. I know you're not necessarily suggesting that's wise to do anyways, I'm just saying lol...

 

[thunderfog]

Subaru from my friends have traditionally had not strong air conditioning. My parents had issues with their air conditioning on their 2015 impreza.

Mine seems to be decent...

 

[CarbonToast]

Mine seems to be decent...

I also feel the AC is undersized. When it's >95 and your in the sun it is only keeping up when it on full blast middle vents only.

It's alot of glass that is untinted. I'm sure more tint would help.

 

[The Lube Guy]

Interested in perhaps a new Subaru or Forester.

The CVT and the boxer engine are major turn-offs for me, with the CVT being the biggest issue.

Stellantis dealers seem pretty desperate these days, and I wouldn't be surprised if they start throwing in perks like chauffeuring you around for the first two weeks after you buy a car. If you're in the market for a Jeep, the Grand Cherokee with the 8-speed ZF 8HP50 transmission and AWD is a solid choice. It's got a planetary differential in the transfer case which is a nice touch. Also, the Pentastar engine is reliable, especially if you swap out the standard oil filter housing for an aluminum one early on. Oh, and you can safely tow with it up to 7,500 lbs. It has the same power train they install in the RAM 1500 full size pickups.

If you're really into Subaru, that's totally fine too. Out of their lineup, I'd probably go with the Outback.