Article Comments - 2009 Subaru Forester XT First Drive and Full Test

71 messages, Last post on Aug 26, 2009 at 11:14 AM

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What is this discussion about? Subaru Forester, Wagon, SUV

First Drive: 2009 Subaru Forester XT - First Impressions: The style factor is up, but so is the practicality.(more)

Full Test: 2009 Subaru Forester 2.5XT Limited - Bottom Line: Bigger and better, the quirky little Forester has become a grown-up SUV. (more)

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#8 of 71 Others by unkownuser Mar 29, 2008 (4:34 am)
Besides the upright boxy awd wagon Eagle and Tercel having justifiable precedent for being called crossovers or CUVs, there is also the Dodge Colt upright boxy AWD wagon of the late 80s/early 90s. This was a Mitsubishi what-we-then-called 'captive import.' We will ignore any of the jeepy vehicles of the late 40s as well. Probably the Forester gets the nod because it was still a current model when the industry started to market the new term 'crossover' at a time when nobody wanted mini vans or utility vehicles anymore, and Sub adherents could say, hey, that new marketing segments includes us as well. But the first?
#9 of 71 No Manual with Turbo = no Subie for me by vwtodd Mar 29, 2008 (7:03 pm)
Why in the world, with the outdoor demographic, did Subaru drop the manual with the turbo? This car was at the top of my list - and is now no longer on it at all. Sigh...... Replies to this message: kurtamaxxxguy (Mar 29, 2008 7:09 pm) h2k2f2 (Mar 30, 2008 5:56 am) p0926 (Mar 30, 2008 10:48 am)
#10 of 71 Re: No Manual with Turbo = no Subie for me [vwtodd] by kurtamaxxxguy Mar 29, 2008 (7:09 pm)
Replying to: vwtodd (Mar 29, 2008 7:03 pm) Subaru apparently didn't sell enough of them to justify continuing that configuration.
#11 of 71 Re: No Manual with Turbo = no Subie for me [vwtodd] by h2k2f2 Mar 30, 2008 (5:56 am)
Replying to: vwtodd (Mar 29, 2008 7:03 pm) More of you folks should have spoke up with your wallets when they were available. Replies to this message: p0926 (Mar 30, 2008 10:48 am)
#12 of 71 Another misleading statement by aaykay Mar 30, 2008 (9:56 am)
and as much as 100 percent of power can be directed to the wheels with the most grip. What the above means is that UPTO a 100% of the power can be sent to the front wheels and a maximum of 50% of the power can be sent to the rear wheels (under extreme conditions, for short durations). In such front-wheel-biased vehicles (Forester Turbo and 08 WRX Auto), you can actually pull a simple fuse and make it a 100% front-wheel-drive vehicle. Completely unlike the prior generation WRX Auto (which had a planetary gear center differential and clutch packs, which the Forester Turbo and 08 WRX 4EAT lacks) and the Legacy GT Auto and the Outback 3.0L/2.5T Auto, which drive with a rear wheel bias in the torque split. Replies to this message: kurtamaxxxguy (Mar 30, 2008 11:32 am) ateixeira (Mar 31, 2008 8:47 am)
#13 of 71 Re: No Manual with Turbo = no Subie for me [h2k2f2] by p0926 Mar 30, 2008 (10:48 am)
Replying to: h2k2f2 (Mar 30, 2008 5:56 am) More of you folks should have spoke up with your wallets when they were available Hey I did my part
#14 of 71 Re: Another misleading statement [aaykay] by kurtamaxxxguy Mar 30, 2008 (11:32 am)
Replying to: aaykay (Mar 30, 2008 9:56 am) E-mails I've had so far with Subaru regarding power transfer made no mention of these '09 limitations, so I asked them specifically and hopefully will get an answer to share here. And yes, one can deactivate the '09's AWD for towing or testing purposes by moving and installing a fuse in the driver side fuse block. My __guess__ is that Subaru removed the center diff and rear limited slip diff to save costs, reduce drive train complexity, and because they figured the VDC would replace those components.
#15 of 71 Re: Another misleading statement [aaykay] by ateixeira Mar 31, 2008 (8:47 am)
Replying to: aaykay (Mar 30, 2008 9:56 am) a maximum of 50% of the power can be sent to the rear wheels Not true. Watch this video, how the rear wheels power this 2008 Forester X (without any traction control system whatsoever). Notice that the front wheels are not spinning very fast when the rears pull it up over a bump and up the ramp. That clearly demonstrates the front wheels are certainly not getting 50% of the power. If they had been, they would have no resistance and would have been spinning like crazy. Your theory is simply not true in practice. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t09ExAUgtyE&feature=related The segment is about 2:50 in.
#16 of 71 To Edmunds folks... by kurtamaxxxguy Apr 01, 2008 (7:12 am)
When you do a full test of the '09 Forester, please try a few tests specifically aimed at testing out the Revised-for-'09 AWD system to see how it deals with these situations: 1. One side of car on asphalt, other on loose/slippery surface, 2. Three wheels on slippery surface, one wheel on good surface FYI, "1" above was part of Subaru demo I got with the Outback, which had no trouble. I did not get an opportunity to test that situation with '09 Forester.
#17 of 71 New Forester by hondaru Apr 01, 2008 (10:56 am)
I was disappointed there is not five or even six speed automatic, and no talk of a hybrid or diesel version, I own a 2003 Outback, which I like a lot, but won't consider making a change unless I can get superior mpgs. Replies to this message: ateixeira (Apr 01, 2008 11:02 am) h2k2f2 (Apr 01, 2008 7:21 pm) kdshapiro (Apr 05, 2008 12:36 pm) p0926 (Apr 05, 2008 1:54 pm) kurtamaxxxguy (Apr 05, 2008 2:30 pm) and 4 more...