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In my case, while not being aggressively driven, the vehicle's intelligent mode is becoming more responsive (quicker tip in). CVT also seems to respond more quickly.
Compared to the old 4-speed, the CVT's more responsive. However, the rare but beloved-by-enthusiasts "throttle stomp" never brings immediate response from any Subaru I've driven.
FYI has anyone else here found the '14 XT seats firmer than the previous model year? :confuse:
Rolling in to the throttle seems to work better on Subarus. The only car I've owned that handles the quick stabs at the throttle well in my 08 Miata, it's incredibly responsive.
Worst was a 1980 Ford Mustang. Throttle was like an on/off switch. If you stomped, you got a good 2-3 seconds of hesitation, so much so that it was dangerous.
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However, what isn't said is Subaru put controls on the left side of the steering wheel that let you bypass many screen touches (you can select audio mode, volume, and walk up/down the station list.
In fact, there are _many_ controls on the steering wheel, including selectors for the center dash display and (through that display) vehicle modes.
The opening is double DIN sized, I think, so 7" should be a piece of cake. 8" would require a new surround.
My OBW came standard with 225/60-16, with all-season rubber. My winter tire package is 215/65-16. Yes, the handling is slightly sharper with the lower profile tires, but the ride is Sooooo much nicer with the 65 series.
I have ranted before about the silly big rim trend. Serves no real purpose other than looks in a non performance model. Replacements and snow tires can be ridiculously expensive. Make for a harsher ride. My WRX runs the stock 17's in Summer, but 16's in the winter, and I wouldn't have it any other way.
Cold weather makes the tires harder anyway and with most of our roads very rough from uneven snow cover during a solid 3 months of our 6 months snow season, I appreciate the extra cushion.
I really wish I had known the 16" rims were available for my 2010. The 17" make the car too tall for me not only to get into easily, but to put the canoe on top, etc. Even losing that 1" would be better. And wouldn't rollover possibility diminish some with the lower profile?
For those who switch to the 16" wheels for winter: Is it easy to reprogram the odometer, etc.?
AFAIK, you can't reprogram the odometer/speedometer. You just have to know what your actual speed is vs the indicated speed.
http://www.nydailynews.com/autos/subaru-recalls-10k-forester-wagons-article-1.13- 30131
The dealership probably can but if you change to a smaller diameter for snow tires, the difference would be a small percentage and not worth worrying about.
I had 205/70R15 snows on my '98. 16" rims came with 60 series tires, so diameter was about the same.
IMHO, going to a smaller size to reduce height and diameter really won't make much of a difference.
Bigger wheels do allow for bigger brakes, but since we can still put 16" wheels on these cars, what is the justification for 18? Kinda like the fins on Cadillacs about half a century ago.....
FWIW, I use the door sills as steps when securing overhead loads. The rear bumper shell also has a nice step for this purpose, assuming the bumper protector is installed. Otherwise, it can be slippery when wet!
Having lusted after the Subaru BRZ and Toyota 86 since their introduction, I sat in one today. The shock was the discovery that the seats are too low and too tight for me.
I will just have to make do with my eight year old Toyota Kluger which seems to roll on cheaply from year to year. Now has 210,000km (about 130,000 miles) and is costing very little to run with today's service on AUD300. I have promised myself that I will replace it when it costs AUD3,000 in a month.
Cheers
Graham
I also sat in one recently: seats too low, too tight, too hard. It makes my Forester feel like a limo!
My local dealer for quite some time has had no takers for two of them.
Navigation display would benefit enormously from being OLED (LCD washes out in sun). Steering wheel controls for nav/entertainment are handy, while voice commands are sluggish and error prone.
Subaru dealers apparently have no parts lists for the '14's yet so if something breaks, they can't order anything. Service training for these is just starting. Apparently this is becoming a major trend with new model releases (GM does same thing, etc.). :sick:
Consumers Union's hinting '14 Forester ride's deteriorated. Not sure what they mean. The XT's definitely firmer than before: you'll feel undulations and road surface. But actual bumps or potholes seem well damped. The '09 XT I had would kick up, crash and rattle its rear end over speed bumps, while the '14 simply absorbs most of bump without fuss.
XT's engine's burning no oil whatsoever .
Floor mats have showed no sign of curling, but they'll be replaced once the dealer gets the recall parts.
CR complained about the tech, too.
I think Subaru needs a full reboot. Just partner with Toyota and use Entune. That system uses your smart phone, so no monthly fees. The option is affordable, too.
-mike paisan
http://AZPInstalls.com
http://AZPTrackEvents.com
He was right, they just failed to put the proper HP in the H6 model and the wrong size brakes...
-mike paisan
Didn't know that topic existed...done. Thanks.
Else you could zero the odometer, coast down hill, and get 99mpg.
-mike
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/11/subaru-craigslist-ad-detroit-funny_n_32- 59522.html
kcram - Pickups/Wagons/Vans+Minivans Host
The '14 XT I drive surges/oscillates a little in sport mode, and is sometimes confused if I slow down, coast a bit and then accelerate (that situation sometimes produces a lurch).
Back in the old days (8-10 years ago) the sport modes in most Automatics produced a more sporty shift mode and harder shifts but nothing crazy. Nowadays the sport modes are meant for hard driving. I found this out on both my 335ix and my XJ. If I drive it in sport mode, I will experience lurching, and the gears will be held almost to redline. When I drove the OB with the CVT I experienced similar reactions when I put the CVT into sport mode.
-mike
But, '14 XT CVT gets weird in sport# mode: while CVT tries to stay in gears longer and doesn't upshift as quickly, it will still upshift to top of its range if user is cruising at moderate speeds. It is as if Subaru were still trying to get maximum MPG out of CVT even when in sport# mode. Unfortunately that slows down responsiveness (CVT has to re-ratio itself before vehicle will actually accelerate). :surprise:
Might be better if CVT in sport# stayed a couple of steps below tallest ration to maximize responsiveness. If user _wants_ maximum MPG, simply stay in intelligent or sport modes.
Also, CVT in sport# sometimes gets confused and can give vehicle a hard lurch after a moderate slowdown :surprise:
0-60 improved by nearly 2 seconds (4EAT vs. CVT), and mileage went up from 22 to 26mpg.
That's better than the old 5MT, which got a decent 24mpg.
Heck, 26mpg ties the previous Escape hybrid!
I have the "old" 5MT and get way better mpg than rated... instead of the 24 or 26, I think the lowest avg I've gotten (per the gauge) is ~28mpg. Best is about 32mpg. They say the 2014AT get better mpg than the 6MT? Not sure if I believe that. Comments?
I did recently test drive the 2014, and got a $30 gift certificate to a store I frequent! It is a lot quieter vehicle. Sound system is better, handling on corners appears better. Don't like that I can't get a MT with the big sunroof. What's with that?
Not in the market yet anyway as I have a 2010, although I really love how much quieter the 2014 is!!!
Having said that, the CVTs are far better than the old slush boxes.
No Premium 6MT any more? My brother has a 2011 model IIRC.
Yes there is, but weird packaging.
Premium 6MT = Standard AWP, no Moonroof (not even an option).
Premium CVT = Optional AWP, standard Moonroof.
I really don't want to buy an automatic. Yet, I really like the moonroof.
http://www.cars101.com/subaru/parkingbrakerelease.html
Bob
#1 being the "full-figured" body.
The Outback is pretty nice, even though this one is a base model. Had a '12 loaner a couple of weeks ago while my WRX was being serviced, but this one seems nicer. Noticed the driver's seat seems to bettter bolstered than the '12 model. Also, this car is much quieter on the highway than my WRX. That's becoming more important to me. Must be getting old.
Bob
It was a big job and frankly the end result was less than satisfactory, I just couldn't take the noise any more and much to Rita's chagrin I sold it. She loved it, but I am into quiet now and that is a big consideration in any car purchase I will make in future. I tried the regular Impreza before settling on the Mazda3 Gt hatch. The Impreza was noisier than I wanted.
Granted the Mazda3 is no Lexus in terms of quiet, but is streets ahead of the Protege5 that it replaced and way quieter than the Impreza.
Cheers Pat.
It also seemed worse (louder) when sitting in the back seat of my Legacy. (So if I'm sitting in the back, I grab the iPod!)
My daughter just got a Mazda3 hatchback. I didn't notice the noise when I test drove it.