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Comments
Then why can't the Forester rear seats be made for someone over 5'8?
As far as Power goes, you might want to have a look at the SUV market. None are fast. That's because they're utility vehicles with a level of comfort that an FXT can't achieve. Oh, and with the 06 FXT at 80 MPH, the Tribeca is FAR nicer to bring up to 120 MPH and actually drive. The B9 can cruise at high speeds with more composure than the FXT. In fact, the wind problem on the FXT above 100 MPH is awful. When it comes to REAL driving, the B9 is the faster car. Yes, if you want to sprint around, the FXT is a nice toy. But the B9 is a serious cruiser that the FXT is not.
Sorry. I actually own the new B9 and my father has a nice 06 FXT, which is even faster than yours. On the highway the B9 is just in a much higher class.
Robert B
NY
-Acura.com
So basically, the MDX has the same safety structure as the B9 of using "rings". However, I doubt neither will be as safe as the XC90 which uses Boron steel (class-exclusive) to keep up the integrity of the vehicle. Still, a B9 or MDX will most likely have much less problems than a Volvo.
Robert B
NY
Seriously, Subaru offers excellent cars in all the market segments, be it FXT, B9, OB XT, LGT or WRX. They are all fine cars. They should be compare to its peers in the same class. Not each other.
BTW, Forester is a typical chick car as majority of the drivers are women. LGT or WRX are for guys. At least that's how SOA marketed. No ofense, juice
"someone in SoA told me they're popular in Canada so Subaru couldn't kill it off"
Hmmm. That sounds bogus, considering the Outback sedan is no longer available in Canada. :confuse:
Owen
I was curious if Subaru has made any special reference. Obviously the XC90 advertises its boron steel and Volvo shows videos of rollover testing, and has demoed it for the press to (one would have to presume they didn't fix it this time!). MB has shown similar videos, and they advertise that they use reinforcements of HLSA Steel for the roof.
Just because a manufacturer doesn't do these things doesn't necessarily mean the vehicle will have its roof crush in its rollover. But a manufacturer that does is probably more likely to fare better.
I've posted a couple of ugly MDX rollover photos in the past. Obviously those are anecdotal and aren't empirically comparable. But in about eight years of the previous-generation M-class, I only saw one bad rollover photo, and all the others showed impressive roof strength. I've also seen some scary RX rollover photos too.
I've seen one Aussie Forester that rolled over, bear in mind that it was *heavily* modified and completely non-stock, but it stood up on its roof and didn't even break any glass.
All Subarus meet the passenger car standard of being able to hold 150% of its own weight up on its roof.
-juice
I wonder if B9 meets the same standard. As you know, being classified as truck, the government standard on passenger safety is next to none. Not even required to meet 5mph bumper safety.It never stops amaze me whenever a car maker claims their truck/SUV meets all government safety standard when something bad happens (like scores bad in crash testing) when they know fully well there is very little safety requirements on their trucks or SUVs.
lol. i was thinking of oh yeah my dad can beat your dad up. unfortuantely when shopping for subarus the trifecta/legacy/forester are about the same length and make the buyer choose pricing/features within almost the same class. almost like choosing between the bmw 3 series, so many options but not much different except options
Yeah right. I know you love your FXT, but this is quite a stretch. Nice trolling though.
We do have a comparison topic that may be of interest:
Nissan Murano vs Toyota Highlander vs Subaru B9 Tribeca vs Honda Pilot
Instead of characterizing others as trolls, please focus on the attributes of the cars. Thanks,
Steve, Host
Long time lurker, first time poster here.
Getting ready to buy a 7-pass,ltd and want to get a number of accessories thrown into the deal - considering rear bumper cover, 5-pass cargo tray, roof rack bars and hood protector. Any thoughts on these? I'm still trying to figure out what the front underguard is, can't really tell from either the postings or the pics. Has anyone ordered the roof fork-mount bike carrier, again not a lot of info on it, how would it compare to less expensive, but popular 3rd party options like Thule, Yakima...
love the forum...best info regarding Tribeca on the net
-ZP-
From that poster we're learned that he doesn't like the nose and thinks the car needs more power...again and again. More than a few folks are tired of it. Please let us know when posting the same thing again and again about something you don't own and have virtually know experience with qualifies as trolling.
I would like for this forum to actually stay focused and for comparisons to make some sense...unless any Mini owners want to complain about the B9 needing big parking spots!
Cheers,
Robert B
Blue B9 5 Pass Limited.
NY
1) length, trifecta by a foot or so
2) width, trifecta by 5 inches or so
3) cargo, trifecta by 20 cu ft.
4) mileage, probably about the same
5) seats, both seat 5 with advantage to trifecta on width with edmunds listing legroom about the same for 2nd row
6) style, trifecta styles, forester is a sleeper
7) puddle lamps, i wish the fxt had that
8) sunroof, forester kills here
9) acceleration, forester wins
10) handling, have not seen any slalom times??/
11) stereo, dont know but my fxt pp is nice
12) price, '05 fxt auto at fitz 22,900, trifecta 31,902
is it worth the price diff, to some yes to some no
peace...
Bob
Went with-
NAV & DVD
WHEEL LOCKS
REAR BUMPER COVER
PUDDLE LIGHTS
AUTO-DIMMING MIRROR/COMPASS
SECURITY SYSTEM SHOCK SENSOR
ALL WEATHER FLOOR MATS - FRONT, 2ND ROW & 3RD ROW
When I fall - I fall hard. Total out the door was $39,000. This included 04 FXT (with Payoff) (had 41,800 miles on it and needed new tires- most I95 miles - got it 06/03), tax, tag, dealer docs - $350. MSRP was $38,898 - MATS were additional $80. Last minute talk before handing the check to salesman :-). Also private joke between me and the owner - tube of touch up paint too.
Could I have done better, possibly by travelling out of state. I was $500.00 upside down on the trade-in, so I think I did a pretty good deal. Oh, sales tax is 7% on the first $5,000 after trade in deducted and 6% on the amount over $5,000.
Dealer was normally doing 4% over invoice, but this is the 5th Subie in the last 5 years. (We own 2 - also have the 2005 Legacy GT Ltd). Wife got the GT (she wanted it) and I got the new one.
Mileage so far is 20.6 MPG. Using 93 Octane (no 91 here jumps from 89 to 93).
B9 is not a speedster, but once the B9 gets up to speed (not all that slow) it can move pretty good once above 55 MPH.
Interesting that it had 21 miles on it on delivery and I had it picked before they did cleanup and service - even to the point of removing all plastic wrap from inside and plastic on the outside.
This one we will be keeping as I don't plan on putting 25,000 miles on it a year just going back and forth to work.
The more I drive it the more I like it. Will have 1,000 miles on it by end of August, so will see how it does after break-in. Will also do Castrol Syntec at 3,000 miles and there after.
So far so good. I do miss the driving the GT, but I want to give the B9 its time to grow on me.
One thing that surprised me is how "big" it is compared to other cars, didn't get that impression at the indoor auto shows we attended prior to its release.
I like to think of Forester's styling as unconstrained by the limits of conventional styling and trends.
2) Cargo, B9 wins again
3) Rear seats-B9 wins because rear seats recline.
4) Acceleration-FXT wins
5) Traction control-B9 wins
6) Stability Control-B9 wins
7) Interior noise-B9 wins
8) Stereo-B9's is better.
9) Climate control-B9's is FAR better
10) Sunroof-FXT slide only, B9 is dual motion
11) Seats-Dual power on B9, only single on FXT
12) Transmission: B9 has 3 mode system with manual mode.
13) Interior design-B9 wins by a mile.
14) Exterior design-B9 is new, FXT due for total makeover.
Basically, Subaru thew most of their best technology into the B9 sparing very little. It's drive system if far more advanced than the FXT. It's ride is more refined and creature-comforts in another league. The 06 Forester Turbo costs 29K and it's a good car. But it's ONLY real advantage is it's speed which is good for it's class. Still, the B9 is no slow-poke and is average for it's class. At speed the B9 is quick in manual mode. If you need a road machine to travel fast and in comfort, the FXT is no match for a B9, or most other luxury crossover/SUV types. A B9 costs only about 4K more and it makes me wonder about the cost of the FXT, a car that's just too rough around the edges at such a high price point.
With the B9, Subaru is finally showing they can play with the higher end and make it work. Go test drive a V8 Taureg or X5 and compare to the B9. The B9 is as good or better in many respects. The FXT really can't even compete at all. And that's because it wasn't meant to.
Robert B
Blue B9 5 pass. limited
Let's put the numbers in perspective:
(1) Length: Tribeca is 7.4% longer than FXT
(2) Width: Tribeca is about 8.2% wider than FXT
(3) Max cargo space: Tribeca is 32% larger than FXT
(4) Seats: Tribeca has the option to seat 7 or 5 comfortably while max seating on FXT is 5 and if there is a child seat, 5 will be really tight.
(5) Wheel base:Tribeca is 8.8% longer than FXT which translates to comfortability for long haul.
(6) Interior quietness: Tribeca is the clear winner.
FXT is a better choice for short communter while Tribeca is a better family mover for long travel. Different classes and fit different needs.
And don't compare 05 FXT price to 06 Tribeca because 05 is a year older and Subaru handing out big discount. According to Edmunds.com:
06 FXT limited, $28,695 MSRP, $26,458 Invoice
06 Tribeca 5-pass Limited: $32,295 MSRP, $29,988 Invoice.
From the descriptions here, I thought it would be similar to the Highlander's third row, with almost no legroom and seats on the floor. Like the Highlander, I thought there would be no way for me to even test out the third row since it would be sized for kids only. Instead, I climbed back there pretty easily and found it fairly comfortable...although I admit that for us it will be used by our 6 year old and her friends as she gets older more than any adults.
The Forester and Legacy just don't have a third row and therefore any comparisons to them are meaningless for me.
My father just bought a new 06 FXT loaded. It came to 29K and change. My 5 passenger limited was 33.5K, plus add another 1.5 for the video system we put in. Your price comparison is wrong. Only if you buy a loaded 7 passenger B9 does the price diff hit 9K.
Someone brought up the child seat factor. Good point. With the child seat in the Outback it just about reduced our car to a 2 seater. The truth is that Oubacks and Foresters are really 4 seater cars because they're pretty narrow. With the child seat installed the B9 easily carries two on either side. Excellent!
This B9/FXT comparison is pretty funny. The FXT is looking pretty bad, but the truth is that it's not a fair matchup at all. I'll keep my stability control, traction control and comfy ride, thank you!
Robert B
NY
http://subaru.com.au/images/forester/MY06_Interior_Forester%20XS_Cockpit.jpg
And now, the B9 Limited interior with my recently installed 3 screen DVD system. I wonder where people would rather be????
http://members.aol.com/bobsprit/images/mvideo.jpg
Robert B
NY
go to fitzmall and check the internet delivered prices. those are real.
Washington Post via heraldtoday.com.
Forgive me if someone already posted this :-)
Bob
Steve, Host
For the record, the 03 Forester was *the first* in the new line of Subarus that made extensive use of aluminum and advanced construction in the body. It also has a bunch of other Subaru firsts that showed up on the 05 Leg/OB and 06 Tribeca later on. If anything, the Forester was the trailblazer! I would expect the next generation Forester to again lead the way for the Leg/OB/B9 later on.
Craig
however, the Tribeca will be our third car. The other two cars handle extremely well with relatively harder suspension. We have not tested other SUVs(with 3 rows of seats) such as MDX or the Pilot, but we've driven the fx35 and the X5(V8). I have to say that the Tribeca's suspension is definitely on the softer side. But for an SUV, I think the X5 is a little too firm.
Any comments on the ride of SUVs in this class. This suspension softness may turn us away from this car.
Also, it seems that Tribeca's crash safety has not been done, but my sales person
claims 5 stars and backs this up with Outback's results...which I think is bogus....
That said, the ride could be a bit firmer (perhaps a little aftermarket tweak is in order!), but I think Subaru wanted to build a SUV to show they could make a true luxury car. The B9 does that and is easily a match for the more espensive crossovers. There's no doubt (when we take a long drive) that this is a very comfy ride, more so than any other car I've driven.
You should consider how the B9 would be used. I think it's best use is as an interstate cruiser where it's easy ride and peaky engine excel. Around town you're certainly better off with a vehicle that gets better gas economy anyway.
Good luck,
Robert B
5 Pass Blue B9
NY
claims 5 stars and backs this up with Outback's results...which I think is bogus.... >>>
It IS bogus, but there's some logic behind it. The B9 SHOULD be Subaru's safest car yet based on it's lineage and greater size/stiffened body. We'll have to wait and see for the official results.
Robert B
NY
btw bob where did you grab those sales numbers?
Tribeca gives you a first class seat in a commercial jet.
Forester XT give you a coach seat in a navy fighter jet.
If I were the passenger, or looking for a trip car, Tribeca wins easily.
If I were the driver in a city environment, Forester, again easily.
Forester could improve if it got some features from the Tribeca - VDC, SportShift, 5 gears on the auto, side curtain air bags, etc. Price those things and to be honest the Tribeca seems like the better value. This coming from the Forester's #1 fan!
swampy - you should really compare the 06 Forester XT, and prices are a lot closer. If you get an 05 then you'll lose a ton in resale value anyway, compared to an 06 Tribeca.
-juice
17k sales was for this calendar year, i.e. the 7 months or so of sales.
1200 damaged due to the weather will be picked up by insurance I'm sure, but that's not the way they want to meet their target of 3k/month I'm certain.
Hmm, wonder if they'll auction off some slightly damaged ones for cheap?
Robert - how much for that setup? Just curious. The stock unit is $1800. How big is each screen? Look like 5" each?
Post - we've seen that review, in fact Warren Brown made enough mistakes in it that he issued some corrections the following week in the print paper at least. We had pointed out those mistakes right away, of course.
-juice
I will bet SIA(the plant) will simply crush them instead of auction them. It does SOA no good to sell damaged B9 especially for cheap.
http://www.media.subaru.com./
Bob
17k sales was for this calendar year, i.e. the 7 months or so of sales.
They need to sell a bit over 2400 per month to do that, so their a little behind. Keep in mind the national advertising campaign didn't begin until the month was 1/3 over.
Bob
SoA is putting a positive spin on it, but they need more sales than that. The industry as a whole has had a great summer, they're doing OK but what if we have a slow fall?
-juice
The 5 passenger Tribeca had no DVD option, but what a waste it is anyway. I'm going to play hardball here. The RSE DVD is awful. The system can only be loaded from the back seat. In the down position it partially blocks the rearview mirror and over the shoulder views as well. It's viewing position is poor for small children in child seats. For 1800.00 you get a very ordinary DVD and screen.
Now have a look at a proper system. This was installed by Icon TV for 1500.00. The rear screens are 7 inches and very bright and clear. One screen can play a movie, while another can handle a video game. The player is located under the front seat and (after some practice) is easily loaded underway. The 6 inch visor screen means a parent can navigate a DVD's menu from the front....an absolute MUST. You can also watch a movie up front of course....at your own risk! All screens have their own headphones and remotes. The headphones work TWICE as well as the Subaru stock versions. And finally, this is a much more sexy looking system. No boxes hanging from the cieling. Everything is flush and clean. Have a look:
http://members.aol.com/bobsprit/images/mvideo.jpg
If I were the driver in a city environment, Forester, again easily. >>>
I think for a city car, the Outback XT is a lot nicer than the Forester, though a bit more money. There's just no way I'd want a Forester over a WRX or STI. The WRX wagon is fast and it out handles the Forester.
Robert B
NY