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After some internet research and a visit to a car show, I've narrowed my options to:
-- Subaru Forester
-- Mazda CX-5 AWD
-- VW Golf Sportwagen AWD
I'll be shopping basic versions (don't want rubbish like sunroofs, leather upholstery, etc.).
Probably test drives will establish a clear winner, but does anyone have comments
on the relative merits of these three (as to long-term reliability, etc.)?
Thanks!
Not sure why you want AWD if you are in San Fran? Do you regularly drive up into the mountains in winter?
What do you mean by long-term reliability? 10 years, 15?
Careful with the Subi's. They internally burn oil and you can blow your motor...
It’s been a lot of years since Subaru has had oil consumption issues. With the new ones, it can usually be attributed to improper engine break-in. You’re not supposed to put the car in cruise control and hold a constant speed for the first 1,000 miles and you’re not supposed to let it idle for extended periods.
The last Subaru debacle was a supplier who shipped bad valve springs. The 2012-2013 model year 2.0L engine production required the springs to be replaced. Toyota had the same problem and a much bigger volume.
Me, too.
I bought an Outback in 2017, but first looked at the Forester.
The difference in ride and handling was enough to make me choose the Outback. The driver sits higher in Forester, and there's a lot of un-needed extra headroom.
I'm 6'3" and the Outback's headroom allows me to wear a cowboy hat. The higher seating in the Forester actually decreased my line of vision, but the Outback's seating increased it from my previous car.
The Forester has too much play in the suspension. It jiggled sideways on bumps, and tossed me about in my seat while driving. I found the suspension odd, as it's much more suitable for a dedicated off-road Jeep than a car that's supposed to be an all-road vehicle.
Another oddity was the huge amount of legroom between the front and back seats. I could stretch out in the back seat with my long legs almost straight, and felt that was lots of wasted space.
It's 2 years old now, and I've taken it over the same rough roads the Forester would have driven with no problems at all and with a lot smoother and more confident ride.
The ground clearance is almost the same, but the Outback really benefits from its 30 years as an SUV. It definitely shows more refinement.
Here in Idaho, Subarus are about as common as Fords, and the Outback the most common model. They are the original Swiss Army Knife SUV, they run forever, and have gotten all their kinks worked out long ago. They may not be inspiring to look at, but they always get you back home in the middle of a hard winter.
I’m just surprised by your statement about Outback headroom. I am 6’3” also, and just tried out an ‘18.
I could not fit in it, with proper (upright) posture. Unless I jacked the seat way down, which is not good. Tried a ‘19 Forester.....MUCH more headroom.
I've been looking at the Subaru Forester myself. Consumer Reports really likes it, praising it for tremendous visibility. I've seen quite a few here on Long Island and they seem to be a very thoughtfully packaged vehicle - great cargo and passenger space while being easy to park (not overly long or massive). The drivers I've spoken to have them seem to really enjoy them.
The Subaru would be my choice, with the warnings that it's not necessarily the most reliable vehicle out there, and it's fairly slow (but plenty fast for me, I drive like an old man) with the base engine. It should get decent mileage for a spacious AWD vehicle while being very capable in the snow, ice and on gravel and dirt roads - pretty much as rough territory as most people (certainly myself) drive. People do complain about the EyeSight safety system Subaru uses - it does save lives, but it gives a lot of false positives, so you have to live with some random beeps and such. Apparently the base model is the one to get, because it gives you more headroom (no sunroof) and avoids the upgraded big screen infotainment system, which has been troublesome and doesn't play nicely with Apple CarPlay. Subarus are insanely popular in the Northeast and the Northwest and it's hard to get a deal on them.
I've heard horror stories about reliability and dealer experience with VWs.
My mother has a late model Mazda CX-5, which she really enjoys. It's not a bad car but has truly awful infotainment.
I’m just surprised by your statement about Outback headroom. I am 6’3” also, and just tried out an ‘18.
I could not fit in it, with proper (upright) posture. Unless I jacked the seat way down, which is not good. Tried a ‘19 Forester.....MUCH more headroom.
I have a 2019 Forester, it's not a perfect car, but two things it's definitely not lacking are headroom and outward visibility.
Mazdas were good before the Ford years. Then Ford happened. Now, maybe they're better again.
Of the three, I'd take Subaru for many reasons.
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