I found this *English* spec sheet on this new Nissan wagon.
They're all V6s, either 2.5, 2.5 turbo or 3.0. They're available in either 5-speed or 4-speed automatics, depending on model; no manuals. There is an *Outback* counterpart, the AR-X, which comes with the turbo.
I think this could come over as an Infiniti. I would go against the Volvo V70 (and high-end Outbacks) quite nicely—especially if they swapped for that 3.5l engine.
BTW, anybody know what *Snow/syncro mode ATTESA E-TS* is? Or *HICAS*?
1. What's missing here is an MPV size minivan with AWD......in the 26k range......If Subaru can do it......it would seize the market.
2. Comparison between out, altima, camry proves that Subie has good value........but the What subie lacks is the optionality.....you can pick & choose in Altima & Camry as far as what features you want & you don;t want, but with outback...take it or leave it.
3. If no kid, a v6 sedan is great.
4. Even if you have one kid, a minivan would be so great in terms of utility ! I have an OB & MPV....MPV is great with a kid...I just found out that the damn MPV does not have rear heater.....I am moving to the boston area next month......
5. Wait to see what Subie offers for 03, may be legacy h6, for 24k.....would be a hard-to-beat deal !
How about the Highlander? It includes AWD and a high degree of utility. The way I see it, the Highlander _is_ a minivan, only with a raised suspension and a vaguely SUV-ish shape. Once the market for it cools down, it will fall right in your price range.
That means a wait, though. And if you have time to wait, you'll get a chance at the new Honda non-Passport. It will be presented in January and on sale mid-year.
Hey, my subscription stopped working. Gotta catch up now.
Toyota is big enough to have 3 divisions. They are almost the opposite of GM - too many sales per division. Right now they are concerned because their buyers are older than most.
The bB is the box it comes in! No shipping crate needed. Think of the savings!
That Quest looks sharp for a van.
SVX would be great. Subaru does need to fill that gap. Go after the Audi TT at a value price. Chrysler Crossfire, too.
The ST-X likely won't get that supercharger. In fact I saw photos of some Subie fans helping push it because it stalled. Maybe then Subaru lost interest?
I mean, is it me or does it look more like a hatchback than a full blown wagon? Most people that hear I have a wagon are taken by surprise when they see my WRX. Most of the comments are something like..."doesn't look like a wagon", etc.
I personally think that the WRX "wagon" is most unwagon like. Different strokes for different folks... :-)
When is the show.........can't wait to see what subie would offer......my expectations are at least
1. Forester on Logacy platform 2. Legacy H-6 or B4...in the 27k range 3. New Forester engine in the OUTBACK wgn too....outback needs it more than the F. 4. Any other pleasant surprises...like turbo legacy wagon
Does anyone have a sure source on whether the Saturn Vue has FHI/Subaru AWD and CVT (continuously variable auto transmission)? FHI states that its part in the GM/FHI strategic alliance is AWD technology and FHI already had CVT, so...?
You mean me, or the wife, test driving them by herself? Remember, it's her car.
True, paisan, I can beat the TMV for just about any model I mentioned, and of coure I would. But for comparison sake, it's OK.
sweet_subie: I see a rear heater on the options list for the MPV now.
On the Outback, we want it well equipped, so it's actually easier for us since they indeed have lots of standard equipment.
Highlander has AWD and styling that the Sienna cannot match. Sienna is nothing special for a van IMO, it's small, has no folding seat, and is expensive, so I don't see the point. Odyssey wins on the high end, MPV on the low end.
But, let's add Highlander:
30060 Highlander AWD Ltd (only model with leather) 408 heated seats 182 CD changer 991 leather 834 moonroof 237 side air bags 148 tow prep package (for tranny cooler) 617 VSC Total is $33,477
Holy Cow! Never mind, it's off the list. Even at invoice it's over my $30k price limit. Unless it gets a $1000 rebate and invoice pricing it's out of consideration.
Next year we could add the new Mazda 6, which looks interesting (219hp) and is styled very nicely, plus might carry a price advantage.
The Honda MDX will be out of our price range. An Odyssey with leather is nearly $29k, so add AWD and I'm sure it'll break $30k. If I'm wrong we'd look at it.
Back to Subaru, we'll take a close look at the new Forester, but most likely we'd wait for the 2004 turbo. The Legacy turbo may come later, maybe too late for us, and the 2005 SUW is too far off for us.
It's seems almost silly to get an SUV with no AWD. FWD is fine with her, but it's only $1300 cheaper, still on the high end.
I wouldn't say our budget is tight, just reasonable. Value is paramount. $30k is a real psycological ceiling for me. And at that price there are no excuses, I want everything - a VDC with a 6 speed.
She actually just landed another free lance project, but it had been 5 months since any work crossed her desk. Murphy's Law: she lands a contract just as the nanny goes on vacation.
I too prefer cloth, but this will be the car to haul the kids around, and she thinks leather is easier to wipe clean. This even though we haven't had a problem with the Forester (still no stains).
Really, paisan? The TMV price for Subies is much higher than Fitzgerald. Odysseys go for MSRP but TMV is higher, too. Could be regional or depends on the make.
When we were shopping my wife dictated no leather, I had leather in the Accord and it was a love hate relationship I loved it, she hated it, guess who won that discussion.
Well, to be fair, the price limit was the same ($20k) at the time. Her 1995 went a little over, but just barely. I was $800 under the limit in 1998 but if you count all my accessories I've easily made up the difference.
On Saturday, her sedan could not fit two lousy suitcases in the trunk. It was pitiful.
I swore to myself I'd never ever get a car with a trunk. I get so tired of trying to stuff suitcases into other people's cars' trunks (my extended family being female-dominated, I usually get picked for the job) and it is such a chore, and then you see the stupid trunk lid hinge arms and you just want to give up and say, "what other bag, you only gave me three bags?"
In my wagon, just lift it, put it down and you're done! Also, I am motivated to keep my car somewhat neat by not having a place to hide a big mess :-)
Mind you, until now I have always had two cars and one was always a wagon or a hatchback, now we are down to one car it will always be a wagon, does not matter what you want to bring home you will usually find a way to get it in a wagon.
yes, the WRX has sold fairly well here in the North America because we've never had a vehicle with these technical specifications.
In the rest of the world though, the WRX's new chassis refinements were blunted by the oft-criticized appearance and weight gain with no real power increase. I wouldn't say Ward's has the final word here but I also wouldn't doubt a cosmetic makeover this soon.
Glad to see that Subaru is responding as quickly as they can regarding the Impreza's less than stellar looks. It sounds like this "New-Look-Impreza" might just be ready for when the STi makes it Stateside.
Also in that ProDrive Impreza facelift article, it was mentioned that the new Forester will be shown at the Geneva Auto Show in March. I thought the "World Debut" was to be at the NY Auto Show, which is in April?! What gives? Patti...
Bummer, Its funny how the article says that honda was bosting about how it is setup for off-road use. It doesn't even have a low-range T-case. W/o low range it's not setup for off-road. The short overhangs are a good idea though, one that subaru should think about for the next forester and outback.
Just because there was no mention of a low range, doesn't mean they don't have one. They didn't get into *any* specifics of the mechanicals. They just focused on the packaging.
but they did mention a center locking diffy (similar to the on on the MT version of the XT6) I'll put money on them not having a low range though, it's something they would have mentioned IMHO. One can only hope. Also still hat transversely mounted engines.
that you are probably right regarding the lack of low range. I certainly hope that's not the case. Even so, if all other aspects of the vehicle shape up okay, that wouldn't keep me from buying one.
They look very similar to the Axiom tails... Funny in that article they mention that it was shooting for beating the interior cargo area of the durango the class leader. Unfortunately the Trooper already did beat the durango by 2+ cubic feet. It annoys me to no end how poor the marketing team at Isuzu is! So many things they could have capitalized on but didn't!
Comments
They're all V6s, either 2.5, 2.5 turbo or 3.0. They're available in either 5-speed or 4-speed automatics, depending on model; no manuals. There is an *Outback* counterpart, the AR-X, which comes with the turbo.
I think this could come over as an Infiniti. I would go against the Volvo V70 (and high-end Outbacks) quite nicely—especially if they swapped for that 3.5l engine.
BTW, anybody know what *Snow/syncro mode ATTESA E-TS* is? Or *HICAS*?
Bob
http://www.veh-tech.net/pages/Newmodels/Spec/Stagea.html
-Colin
Bob
-mike
2. Comparison between out, altima, camry proves that Subie has good value........but the What subie lacks is the optionality.....you can pick & choose in Altima & Camry as far as what features you want & you don;t want, but with outback...take it or leave it.
3. If no kid, a v6 sedan is great.
4. Even if you have one kid, a minivan would be so great in terms of utility ! I have an OB & MPV....MPV is great with a kid...I just found out that the damn MPV does not have rear heater.....I am moving to the boston area next month......
5. Wait to see what Subie offers for 03, may be legacy h6, for 24k.....would be a hard-to-beat deal !
That means a wait, though. And if you have time to wait, you'll get a chance at the new Honda non-Passport. It will be presented in January and on sale mid-year.
--Bart
But juice's wife does seem to have big hangups about image; so does mine, she doesn't like a WRX wagon just because it's a wagon. Hmmmph.
-Colin
Toyota is big enough to have 3 divisions. They are almost the opposite of GM - too many sales per division. Right now they are concerned because their buyers are older than most.
The bB is the box it comes in! No shipping crate needed. Think of the savings!
That Quest looks sharp for a van.
SVX would be great. Subaru does need to fill that gap. Go after the Audi TT at a value price. Chrysler Crossfire, too.
The ST-X likely won't get that supercharger. In fact I saw photos of some Subie fans helping push it because it stalled. Maybe then Subaru lost interest?
-juice
Tell her it's an estate or avant, not a wagon.
..Mike
I personally think that the WRX "wagon" is most unwagon like. Different strokes for different folks... :-)
Stephen
-Dave
Compare Highlander & MPV as far the utility is concerned.....no 7 seats etc.
1. Forester on Logacy platform
2. Legacy H-6 or B4...in the 27k range
3. New Forester engine in the OUTBACK wgn too....outback needs it more than the F.
4. Any other pleasant surprises...like turbo legacy wagon
True, paisan, I can beat the TMV for just about any model I mentioned, and of coure I would. But for comparison sake, it's OK.
sweet_subie: I see a rear heater on the options list for the MPV now.
On the Outback, we want it well equipped, so it's actually easier for us since they indeed have lots of standard equipment.
Highlander has AWD and styling that the Sienna cannot match. Sienna is nothing special for a van IMO, it's small, has no folding seat, and is expensive, so I don't see the point. Odyssey wins on the high end, MPV on the low end.
But, let's add Highlander:
30060 Highlander AWD Ltd (only model with leather)
408 heated seats
182 CD changer
991 leather
834 moonroof
237 side air bags
148 tow prep package (for tranny cooler)
617 VSC
Total is $33,477
Holy Cow! Never mind, it's off the list. Even at invoice it's over my $30k price limit. Unless it gets a $1000 rebate and invoice pricing it's out of consideration.
Next year we could add the new Mazda 6, which looks interesting (219hp) and is styled very nicely, plus might carry a price advantage.
The Honda MDX will be out of our price range. An Odyssey with leather is nearly $29k, so add AWD and I'm sure it'll break $30k. If I'm wrong we'd look at it.
Back to Subaru, we'll take a close look at the new Forester, but most likely we'd wait for the 2004 turbo. The Legacy turbo may come later, maybe too late for us, and the 2005 SUW is too far off for us.
-juice
btw, leather when trying to stay on a budget? I'm confused. (and I vastly prefer cloth so I'm biased too, hehe)
-Colin
The 2002 Detroit Auto Show will be January 12-21. More info on their web site.
2002 Detroit Auto show
KarenS
Host
Owner's Clubs
-mike
I wouldn't say our budget is tight, just reasonable. Value is paramount. $30k is a real psycological ceiling for me. And at that price there are no excuses, I want everything - a VDC with a 6 speed.
She actually just landed another free lance project, but it had been 5 months since any work crossed her desk. Murphy's Law: she lands a contract just as the nanny goes on vacation.
I too prefer cloth, but this will be the car to haul the kids around, and she thinks leather is easier to wipe clean. This even though we haven't had a problem with the Forester (still no stains).
Really, paisan? The TMV price for Subies is much higher than Fitzgerald. Odysseys go for MSRP but TMV is higher, too. Could be regional or depends on the make.
-juice
Cheers Pat.
-juice
Cheers Pat.
ATTESA ETS is Nissan's brand of AWD. It's 100% RWD and can split torque 50:50 when needed.
Synchro Mode is a setting on the ETS that keeps torque split 50:50.
Snow synchro mode allows the engine computer to overide throttle position to minimize slippage. Kind of like ESP.
Ken
-juice
Cheers Pat.
On Saturday, her sedan could not fit two lousy suitcases in the trunk. It was pitiful.
Man do I prefer wagons.
-juice
In my wagon, just lift it, put it down and you're done! Also, I am motivated to keep my car somewhat neat by not having a place to hide a big mess :-)
anyway, just thought I'd rant.
--Bart
Mind you, until now I have always had two cars and one was always a wagon or a hatchback, now we are down to one car it will always be a wagon, does not matter what you want to bring home you will usually find a way to get it in a wagon.
Cheers Pat.
Go to http://www.wardsauto.com
-Dennis
In the rest of the world though, the WRX's new chassis refinements were blunted by the oft-criticized appearance and weight gain with no real power increase. I wouldn't say Ward's has the final word here but I also wouldn't doubt a cosmetic makeover this soon.
-Colin
Also in that ProDrive Impreza facelift article, it was mentioned that the new Forester will be shown at the Geneva Auto Show in March. I thought the "World Debut" was to be at the NY Auto Show, which is in April?! What gives? Patti...
Bob
Patti
Car show season means we can check out the competition, maybe even drag the wife out to preview the models we're considering.
-juice
OK, I'll take my medication...
-juice
Bob
http://www.auto.com/
http://www.wieck.com/public/*2PV_031682
Bob
Bob
http://industryclick.com/microsites/Newsarticle.asp?newsarticleid=265703&srid= 10250&instanceid=5216&pageid=1120&magazineid=1004&siteid=26<
Bob
http://industryclick.com/microsites/Newsarticle.asp?newsarticleid= 265663&srid10250&instanceid= 5217&pageid= 1120&magazineid=1004&siteid=26
-mike
Bob
-mike
Bob
-mike
-Frank P.