current shape Forester XT
Discussion
The savings on new ones look rather attractive - get one a year old with four years' warranty remaining and there's four years of motoring or more right there. I did that with an outback diesel (though without the long warranty) - I might end up back with a Subaru next time. Quite fancy a forester xt though I haven't driven one
Freds said:
PomBstard said:
Is the new shape (S4) a big change from the S3? I'm currently looking at an XT, having had a few Subarus and could poss stretch to an early S4, but the lack of a manual box is a bit off-putting. There's no arguing with it 
Views appreciated - ta
The current model (SJ) is a far superior car to the SH (08-13) The SH wasn't a great car IMHO. We didn't get an XT version of the SH in the UK. The current model is much better screwed together, rides better, has more room etc etc etc. I like the Lineratronic transmission personally, it does take a bit of getting used to. Views appreciated - ta
Can't really think of an alternative to an XT in the market over here
Aaaaarrrrrrrgggggghhhhhhh! The CVT!!! WTF have Subaru done??? Also, seats aren't as good as they used to be and steering seems woolier. Agree new shape is much better built than the previous S3, and the S3 was quite a bit softer than I was expecting.
But what happened after 2007, did Subaru decide the Forester didn't need to be as much fun?? I reckon if Mazda put the 2.5T under the bonnet of the CX5, there would be a big dent in Forester sales.
But what happened after 2007, did Subaru decide the Forester didn't need to be as much fun?? I reckon if Mazda put the 2.5T under the bonnet of the CX5, there would be a big dent in Forester sales.
Well my Forester 2.5XT is off to Extreme Scoobies for a new radiator folowing this crack by the top mount...
...so my mum has given me her 2015 Forester XT and I'm very impressed!
The first thing that struck me is how lively and athletic it feels!
The second is that the Lineartronic gearbox is a little whiney at first, but is very quick to react to inputs and chaneed quickly on the paddle controls, even if they don't 'bang home'. It definitely doesn't deserve the slating.
MPG is 31.2 over the car's 12k miles lifespan.
My only gripe is aimed at pretty much all new autos that don't let you simply accelerate on the slug of torque, instead they change down. I can't seem to override this even in manual S# mode.
It's a shame so few are on the roads, no-one regrets buying one I'm sure.
...so my mum has given me her 2015 Forester XT and I'm very impressed!
The first thing that struck me is how lively and athletic it feels!
The second is that the Lineartronic gearbox is a little whiney at first, but is very quick to react to inputs and chaneed quickly on the paddle controls, even if they don't 'bang home'. It definitely doesn't deserve the slating.
MPG is 31.2 over the car's 12k miles lifespan.
My only gripe is aimed at pretty much all new autos that don't let you simply accelerate on the slug of torque, instead they change down. I can't seem to override this even in manual S# mode.
It's a shame so few are on the roads, no-one regrets buying one I'm sure.
Edited by adingley84 on Monday 28th November 20:33
I've had an SJ XT from new for just over 2 years. Very pleased with it. My previous car was a Freelander 2 which I had for 3 years from new ( not my choice - wife had financial input and the ladies like those soft roaders ).
Previously had an SG XT which I ran to 70,000 miles and 7 years. I have to admit being a Subie fan. Also, my son ran a Spec B Legacy and my daughter has a 3.0Rn Outback, so we 'get' Subarus, unlike most of the teenage scribblers who write for the motoring comics.
My observations on the current XT after 2 years of use in a lot of different conditions:
Despite the criticism, the Lineartronic CVT gearbox is great - absolutely no lag. Also, CVT's do bring benefits in mpg - as previosly posted 31mpg overall (actual brim to brim figure) is realistic and about what I get. Beware - if you use S# (Sport Sharp) which I really like, you will see mpg suffer quite a bit. I do find S# a bit too addictive though!
The engine is very smooth. Some Subie aficionados think it's too smooth and a bit characterless with very little of that characteristic Subaru burble from the exhaust. Plenty of power considering it's a tall SUV.
The suspension is a bit firm which is not surprising considering the power. I don't mind this, but I find it a bit jittery on poor surfaces. I think it could be improved for UK roads. I've not changed anything yet because of implications for warranty.
Bit too much road noise. I notice the facelift car last year got thicker glass and better sound proofing so the current car may be better. Road noise is a problem with quite a lot of Japanese cars I've driven and maybe something you have to accept
Handling is good when you factor in its height, but clearly nothing like as good as a WRX or Legacy - it is an SUV after all.
My overall mpg is just a bit better than my Freelander 2 and considering that the Freelander 2 is diesel that can't be bad.
It's very well screwed together and there are absolutely no squeaks or rattles after 2 years. Only issue was a new battery under warranty. It was flat after I'd left the car for 2 weeks and to be fair the main dealer replaced it without a fuss
The car is very roomy, especially compared to the SG Forester and very useable, but the electric tailgate is a bit slow (although useful at times).
Servicing is pretty cheap - £200 to £260 so far. Less than half the cost of servicing the Freelander! Subaru dealers tend to be small, family setups run by nice people.
I think the Forester XT is good value for what you get. If you price up an Audi or BMW you can add at least £10k for extras. A good example of what I mean is Xenon headlights - standard on the XT, but on my Freelander they cost an additional £1000 +. (I didn't bother and the headlights were absolutely dreadful!)
Front seats not very supportive or well bolstered on seat part. Big sunroof great. No DAB, but that is now available on facelift model as well as much improved infotainment. However, I don't mind the system in my Forester - largely because I'm used to crap stereos in Subarus being 10 years out of date. It's really not that bad.
Overall conclusion - very happy and a 5 year warranty
Previously had an SG XT which I ran to 70,000 miles and 7 years. I have to admit being a Subie fan. Also, my son ran a Spec B Legacy and my daughter has a 3.0Rn Outback, so we 'get' Subarus, unlike most of the teenage scribblers who write for the motoring comics.
My observations on the current XT after 2 years of use in a lot of different conditions:
Despite the criticism, the Lineartronic CVT gearbox is great - absolutely no lag. Also, CVT's do bring benefits in mpg - as previosly posted 31mpg overall (actual brim to brim figure) is realistic and about what I get. Beware - if you use S# (Sport Sharp) which I really like, you will see mpg suffer quite a bit. I do find S# a bit too addictive though!
The engine is very smooth. Some Subie aficionados think it's too smooth and a bit characterless with very little of that characteristic Subaru burble from the exhaust. Plenty of power considering it's a tall SUV.
The suspension is a bit firm which is not surprising considering the power. I don't mind this, but I find it a bit jittery on poor surfaces. I think it could be improved for UK roads. I've not changed anything yet because of implications for warranty.
Bit too much road noise. I notice the facelift car last year got thicker glass and better sound proofing so the current car may be better. Road noise is a problem with quite a lot of Japanese cars I've driven and maybe something you have to accept
Handling is good when you factor in its height, but clearly nothing like as good as a WRX or Legacy - it is an SUV after all.
My overall mpg is just a bit better than my Freelander 2 and considering that the Freelander 2 is diesel that can't be bad.
It's very well screwed together and there are absolutely no squeaks or rattles after 2 years. Only issue was a new battery under warranty. It was flat after I'd left the car for 2 weeks and to be fair the main dealer replaced it without a fuss
The car is very roomy, especially compared to the SG Forester and very useable, but the electric tailgate is a bit slow (although useful at times).
Servicing is pretty cheap - £200 to £260 so far. Less than half the cost of servicing the Freelander! Subaru dealers tend to be small, family setups run by nice people.
I think the Forester XT is good value for what you get. If you price up an Audi or BMW you can add at least £10k for extras. A good example of what I mean is Xenon headlights - standard on the XT, but on my Freelander they cost an additional £1000 +. (I didn't bother and the headlights were absolutely dreadful!)
Front seats not very supportive or well bolstered on seat part. Big sunroof great. No DAB, but that is now available on facelift model as well as much improved infotainment. However, I don't mind the system in my Forester - largely because I'm used to crap stereos in Subarus being 10 years out of date. It's really not that bad.
Overall conclusion - very happy and a 5 year warranty
I'm bumping this because I am particularly interested to hear from members of this forum who have knowledge of different Subaru models.
Since I posted about the possibility of me upgrading my '14 MY Forester XT to a '17 MY in order to address some of the issues that irritate - too much road noise, poor infotainment system and jittery ride, I've come to the conclusion that I would take such a massive hit in depreciation it would probably be a lot more sensible to make improvements to my current car.
Apparently, the better sound-proofing to the '17 MY is thicker glass (+ .5mm to front side windows, +.4mm to rear side windows) and better insulation at base of windscreen. Has anyone on here have experience of installing sound-proofing? If so, how difficult/time consuming is it and does it generally have significant benefits?
From comments I've seen, I also think that I could make the car much quieter on better tyres, particularly as it is mainly tyre noise that is so annoying. I am running the OEM Bridgestone Duelers (225/55 R18) in the summer and Nokian WR SUV 3 (225/60 R17) in the winter. The Nokians are even noisier then the Duelers and, although 60 profile, are probably a firmer ride because they are only available in heavy duty. Anyone got any tyre recommendations - both for less tyre roar and more compliant ride? I have 2 sets of allloys - 17" and 18" - so I can get around the problem of there being a limited choice of tyre for the XT on 18" rims. I'm not that bothered about appearance on smaller wheels - the 17" wheels are fine, being some NOS Outback wheels I got from IMG ( Subaru importers) at a ridiculously cheap price.
For future reference, can anyone with experience of both the current Forester and Outback models (such as Freds) comment on the relative quietness of each in the cabin. I've nearly bought an Outback on two previous occasions and may well go that way in the future as I intend to stick with Subaru.
Regarding the poor infotainment system, I considered an aftermarket replacement, but abandoned the idea because of the complications arising from lack of suitable conversion leads. The existing setup looks cheap, but isn't that bad apart from lack of DAB and being a bit clunky.
Any ideas would be much welcomed. A Happy Christmas to everyone.
Since I posted about the possibility of me upgrading my '14 MY Forester XT to a '17 MY in order to address some of the issues that irritate - too much road noise, poor infotainment system and jittery ride, I've come to the conclusion that I would take such a massive hit in depreciation it would probably be a lot more sensible to make improvements to my current car.
Apparently, the better sound-proofing to the '17 MY is thicker glass (+ .5mm to front side windows, +.4mm to rear side windows) and better insulation at base of windscreen. Has anyone on here have experience of installing sound-proofing? If so, how difficult/time consuming is it and does it generally have significant benefits?
From comments I've seen, I also think that I could make the car much quieter on better tyres, particularly as it is mainly tyre noise that is so annoying. I am running the OEM Bridgestone Duelers (225/55 R18) in the summer and Nokian WR SUV 3 (225/60 R17) in the winter. The Nokians are even noisier then the Duelers and, although 60 profile, are probably a firmer ride because they are only available in heavy duty. Anyone got any tyre recommendations - both for less tyre roar and more compliant ride? I have 2 sets of allloys - 17" and 18" - so I can get around the problem of there being a limited choice of tyre for the XT on 18" rims. I'm not that bothered about appearance on smaller wheels - the 17" wheels are fine, being some NOS Outback wheels I got from IMG ( Subaru importers) at a ridiculously cheap price.
For future reference, can anyone with experience of both the current Forester and Outback models (such as Freds) comment on the relative quietness of each in the cabin. I've nearly bought an Outback on two previous occasions and may well go that way in the future as I intend to stick with Subaru.
Regarding the poor infotainment system, I considered an aftermarket replacement, but abandoned the idea because of the complications arising from lack of suitable conversion leads. The existing setup looks cheap, but isn't that bad apart from lack of DAB and being a bit clunky.
Any ideas would be much welcomed. A Happy Christmas to everyone.
Thanks for quick response Freds and nice tip about shopping around. Is Dales Subaru the one in Richmond, N Yorks - I lived in Lower Wensleydale for 7 years back in the 80's, but I'm now in Dorset.
Regarding traveling a long way to buy a car, my son flew to Scotland from here in Dorset to buy a very nice s/h Legacy Spec B. He saved plenty making it a very worthwhile trip.
I must admit to having a soft spot for the Outback, although never having bought one. My daughter recently bought a lovely 10 year old 3.0 Rn in Champagne gold with ivory leather - the exact same spec I nearly ordered 10 years ago myself! She loves it and considers it a real "wafter". I also nearly bought a previous generation 2.5 CVT, but ended up in a Freelander thanks to the wife.
Presumably, I'd find the ride a lot more forgiving than the XT. How do you think the XC and XE compare with the XT for ride? Are they chalk and cheese and are the non- XT's a bit wallowy by comparison?
I don't want or need diesel - my mileage is on the low side these days. I'd be looking at a 2.5 and must admit to being a bit concerned about all the controversy over this engine as regards oil usage and chg failure. My experience of 2.0 turbo Subarus is very good. - I previously ran an SG XT to 7 years with absolutely no problem. Although I suppose the jury is still out on the 2.0 DIT, but it's such a lovely engine.
Despite the above, I suppose I should really have a look at the n/a 2.0 Forester. It's cheaper and presumably a new model will be quieter and more softly sprung. I'm confused!
Regarding traveling a long way to buy a car, my son flew to Scotland from here in Dorset to buy a very nice s/h Legacy Spec B. He saved plenty making it a very worthwhile trip.
I must admit to having a soft spot for the Outback, although never having bought one. My daughter recently bought a lovely 10 year old 3.0 Rn in Champagne gold with ivory leather - the exact same spec I nearly ordered 10 years ago myself! She loves it and considers it a real "wafter". I also nearly bought a previous generation 2.5 CVT, but ended up in a Freelander thanks to the wife.
Presumably, I'd find the ride a lot more forgiving than the XT. How do you think the XC and XE compare with the XT for ride? Are they chalk and cheese and are the non- XT's a bit wallowy by comparison?
I don't want or need diesel - my mileage is on the low side these days. I'd be looking at a 2.5 and must admit to being a bit concerned about all the controversy over this engine as regards oil usage and chg failure. My experience of 2.0 turbo Subarus is very good. - I previously ran an SG XT to 7 years with absolutely no problem. Although I suppose the jury is still out on the 2.0 DIT, but it's such a lovely engine.
Despite the above, I suppose I should really have a look at the n/a 2.0 Forester. It's cheaper and presumably a new model will be quieter and more softly sprung. I'm confused!
Freds said:
Dales Subaru is in Kelbrook near Barnoldswick so not actually in The Dales, nor in Yorkshire for that matter. The XE is no racehorse it has to be said, but it pulls nicely, the lineartronic is a better drive than the manual, if you're towing anything the diesel would be a far better option. The current petrol engines both 2.0 and 2.5 are hugely different to the earlier ones you refer to, they're all chain driven now with variable valve timing and much improved fuel economy. If you're test driving a demo it's worth noting the engines seem to be 'tight' when new and loosen up dramatically circa 6k miles. The ride is more comfortable than the XT, I wouldn't say it's particularly soft, the roads around me are poor to atrocious and our Forester irons them out nicely.
In your situation I would arrange to have a 24 hour test drive of both an Outback and an XE to evaluate them properly. Pity you're not nearer me you could try ours. Where in Wensleydale did you live ? I'm near Arncliffe in Littondale.
I lived in West Witton near Leyburn. We still regularly visit friends in Newbiggin in Bishopdale and many years ago I used to cycle to Kettlewell - I seem to remember you're not a million miles from there. Lovely part of the world which I would return to tomorrow if my family were not all down here in Dorset.In your situation I would arrange to have a 24 hour test drive of both an Outback and an XE to evaluate them properly. Pity you're not nearer me you could try ours. Where in Wensleydale did you live ? I'm near Arncliffe in Littondale.
Back to cars, I don't tow any more as I have a camper van, but I have towed a small caravan with the XT and it managed extremely well ( probably shouldn't admit to caravan ownership on this forum - it was an aberration forced on me by the wife!) I seem to recall that about 10 years ago the old Forester SG XT ( my previous Forester) was the Caravan Club Towcar of the Year. It's unthinkable that a petrol car would win that award today.
I'm glad to hear all the current engines are chain driven - I'd assumed only the new DIT and old H6 were chain. My XT has certainly loosened up a lot and possibly now has more power than I need. I think I'll take your advice and try both the Outback 2.5 and Forester XE.
Does the Outback feel an awful lot bigger than the Forester? I'm not averse to big cars as I've owned a DS 23 Safari, large Volvos etc and quite like the greater apparent composure long wheel base gives you. When we lived in Wensleydale we had a Renault 4 and the DS 23 and I always took the latter into Leyburn, even if it was only for a pint of milk! However, now the kids have flown the nest and my spaniels are in 'doggy heaven' I probably don't need such a big car. But it doesn't mean I can't have one.
Thanks for your input Freds.
Freds said:
SubieGeorge. Yes the Outback does feel and is a bigger car, it's circa nine inches longer and the lower seat position makes it feel bigger. Those DS Citroens were colossal ! I remember working on one as a young apprentice, they were a swine !
Although the DS was complex and you had to remove the front wings before virtually any operation (only 2 or 3 bolts though and very simple), the CX I had later was a nightmare. I did all my own servicing and repairs in those days and seem to remember that the workshop manual specified that you had to remove the engine to change the front wheel bearingss! Fortunately, there was a b***ard of a work-around for those in the know ( owners clubs can be very handy) to avoid taking the engine out.SubieGeorge said:
Apparently, the better sound-proofing to the '17 MY is thicker glass (+ .5mm to front side windows, +.4mm to rear side windows) and better insulation at base of windscreen. Has anyone on here have experience of installing sound-proofing? If so, how difficult/time consuming is it and does it generally have significant benefits?
I soundproofed the front doors, the boot and under the rear seat. The XT has virtually no soundproofing as standard when you start to remove trim. I did the front doors, boot lid and rear wings with anti vibration pads, the boot and underseat area was soundproofed with MLV and foam. If I was to redo it I would redo the doors with MLV as this is the material that really makes the difference.
As it is I'm happy enough with what I've done, because it doesn't annoy me like it used to!
It's not difficult but it is fairly involved and time consuming. I think to do a really good job you would need to do the doors, and the whole floor area including the boot which means removing all the seats.
How do you find the ride of your current XT compared to your SG XT? I find the ride jiggly on rough surfaces at low speed but it irons out everything at speed.
corvus said:
I partly soundproofed my SG XT. It does make a difference but you will need to have confidence in removing door trims, carpets e.t.c. You need a combination of adhesive anti vibration pads to stop panels drumming, and a layer of MLV (mass loaded vinyl) and a thin layer of foam decoupling for floor and door areas.
I soundproofed the front doors, the boot and under the rear seat. The XT has virtually no soundproofing as standard when you start to remove trim. I did the front doors, boot lid and rear wings with anti vibration pads, the boot and underseat area was soundproofed with MLV and foam. If I was to redo it I would redo the doors with MLV as this is the material that really makes the difference.
As it is I'm happy enough with what I've done, because it doesn't annoy me like it used to!
It's not difficult but it is fairly involved and time consuming. I think to do a really good job you would need to do the doors, and the whole floor area including the boot which means removing all the seats.
How do you find the ride of your current XT compared to your SG XT? I find the ride jiggly on rough surfaces at low speed but it irons out everything at speed.
Hi CorvusI soundproofed the front doors, the boot and under the rear seat. The XT has virtually no soundproofing as standard when you start to remove trim. I did the front doors, boot lid and rear wings with anti vibration pads, the boot and underseat area was soundproofed with MLV and foam. If I was to redo it I would redo the doors with MLV as this is the material that really makes the difference.
As it is I'm happy enough with what I've done, because it doesn't annoy me like it used to!
It's not difficult but it is fairly involved and time consuming. I think to do a really good job you would need to do the doors, and the whole floor area including the boot which means removing all the seats.
How do you find the ride of your current XT compared to your SG XT? I find the ride jiggly on rough surfaces at low speed but it irons out everything at speed.
It's 5 years now since I traded the SG. I remember that it did see, a bit jiggly at low speeds on poor roads, but was otherwise quite acceptable. The SJ XT is definitely firmer to the extent that some days it annoys me, but sometimes it goes unnoticed.
It's a bit 'Marmite' in the sense that it's fine if you're in the mood.
I'm tempted to take the plunge and chop my '14 XT in for a '16 XT before the price rise in January. IM - the importers won't tell me how much it's going to be (they know!) - they told me to speak to a dealer. I've had various figures from dealers of between £1000 and £3000, but I've a gut feeling it'll be kept as low as possible , i.e £1000, because the last time they tried a big price hike it killed sales and led to the closure of a lot of Subaru dealers - or at least to them looking for other franchises.
Anyway, there are some very good deals on pre-reg cars, but it means you don't get much choice of colour, or rather even less than the four they offer you on a new one! I'm going to drive e Venetian red one after Christmas - I have black at the moment and psychologically think I need to have something different to show for the money. We'll see if the upgrades make a worthwhile difference. I've decided I would probably miss the performance of the XT if I went for an XE and anyway, the deals on the XT make them virtually the same price as the n/a XE. But, I'm also going to try an Outback 2.5.
I've not seen the red 'in the flesh', but it looks nice on the computer. I'm slightly concerned that the received wisdom was that you should avoid red because come trade in time you'll take a bigger hit. However, I wonder if that's got anything to do with flat reds in the past fading like mad. My wife had a red Polo 20 years ago and when you see the odd one that's left they look dreadful - different shades of pink. Any advice on red and residuals?
One for Freds. You spoke of 10-12% discount for cash. Do you mean you had no trade in or that there was no finance, hence old car plus cash for new one?
Anyway, there are some very good deals on pre-reg cars, but it means you don't get much choice of colour, or rather even less than the four they offer you on a new one! I'm going to drive e Venetian red one after Christmas - I have black at the moment and psychologically think I need to have something different to show for the money. We'll see if the upgrades make a worthwhile difference. I've decided I would probably miss the performance of the XT if I went for an XE and anyway, the deals on the XT make them virtually the same price as the n/a XE. But, I'm also going to try an Outback 2.5.
I've not seen the red 'in the flesh', but it looks nice on the computer. I'm slightly concerned that the received wisdom was that you should avoid red because come trade in time you'll take a bigger hit. However, I wonder if that's got anything to do with flat reds in the past fading like mad. My wife had a red Polo 20 years ago and when you see the odd one that's left they look dreadful - different shades of pink. Any advice on red and residuals?
One for Freds. You spoke of 10-12% discount for cash. Do you mean you had no trade in or that there was no finance, hence old car plus cash for new one?
I like the Hunter green special edition that's out at the moment.
http://subaru.co.uk/special-edition-forester-in-hu...
http://subaru.co.uk/special-edition-forester-in-hu...
Freds said:
The Venetian red is a lovely colour but wouldn't be for me personally. Let me explain, I like the cars we have to look spot-on all the time, our Subarus work hard therefore Silver and White are very easy to keep, I don't have the time to keep dark colours swirl free, it's more a practicality issue than being lazy, I have a black E-Type and also a White one, the black takes ten times the effort to keep pristine, although admittedly it looks ten times better when they're side by side.
The circa 10% discounts are for both cash or finance purchases, Carwow is worth a look. Also the one below.
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2016...
That's the one I'm going to view! They also have dark grey and black. I agree about keeping black looking good. Also, swirls are a nightmare. I nearly always used to buy silver cars ( Land Rover use silver on their LR Experience courses (they call them 'keep clean silver) because of the mud they continually drive through. The current XT is not available in silver and there don't seem to be many white ones about. If I want a deal it looks like red or dark grey and hopefully they would be marginally better than black.
The circa 10% discounts are for both cash or finance purchases, Carwow is worth a look. Also the one below.
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2016...
That's the one I'm going to view! They also have dark grey and black. I agree about keeping black looking good. Also, swirls are a nightmare. I nearly always used to buy silver cars ( Land Rover use silver on their LR Experience courses (they call them 'keep clean silver) because of the mud they continually drive through. The current XT is not available in silver and there don't seem to be many white ones about. If I want a deal it looks like red or dark grey and hopefully they would be marginally better than black.
Edited by Freds on Wednesday 21st December 19:58
Freds said:
Lovely colour, again not for me because of the maintenance of what would be a working vehicle, there are 50 petrol and 50 diesels, all lineartronic, I looked at one when I was passing the dealer, couldn't make my mind up over the brown leather.
I like the green, but I really don't like the tone of the brown leather which I've seen at my local dealer.I love the ivory leather that was in the old H6 Outback - my daughter has one in Champagne Gold with Ivory leather. I notice the dealer with the red XT I'm going to view has a Grey Outback 2.5 with Ivory leather. I believe it's become available as a special order - I may be tempted! It would be third time lucky as I nearly bought an H6 10 or 11 years ago and then a 2.5 about 6 years ago, but always ended up with a Forester!
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