Forester 2009 2.5X Struggles going up hill. 2 mechanics have not identified any problems. Thoughts?

farzaad1

I live in Colorado and having a Forester that struggles going up hills is very frustrating. Both of the mechanics I've used have said the car is in great shape. The dealership has told me that, unless the check engine light is on, it's very unlikely there is a problem. Is the 2009 Forester's inability to efficiently climb hills just a reality I must deal with? Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated

biancar

Might this have something to do with CVT transmission? One of the problems with that transmission is slow acceleration, as I understand it.

typesix

If this is an automatic, try putting it in the Sport Mode.