2014 Subaru Forester: Well, it Looks Better Anyway...

[2o6]

LoL. The guy who has a hard-on for Toyotas is complaining about a brand being "mediocre?" Toyota is the definition of mediocre, "jack of all trades, master of none" vehicles.

Their cars would certainly have been competitive without AWD, but the thing is that they DID have AWD, for a much better price than any of the other mainstream brands were pushing. I suppose you now have the opportunity to blow obscene amounts of money on the likes of a boring mainstream midsize sedan if you want the AWD option, but I'd rather just buy a Subie that has it standard. 

Toyota hits hard on comfort, interior space and longevity/reliability; take away the AWD from any Subaru and you're left with a mediocre product that doesn't do many things well. Not much in Toyota's stable gets me going at the moment, but generally they know exactly what the market wants. The previous generation Legacy is a pretty car that drives well, but MPG's are mediocre, and it's fairly tight inside for it what it is; I love that car, but it has it's faults. The one before it feels like an economy car.



Old Impreza is tight inside, boring to drive, and cheap inside. New one is hideous, and reviews say it's not that strong of a competitor as it should be. New Legacy is decent, but I can't recommend it over any of the competition, unless you just have to have AWD; pretty much everything else beats it.

[Cookie Monster]

The new Impreza is ginormous inside. A family of 4 could live in the trunk. It goes on forever.


Either that or I've been spending too much time in the Miata so everything looks huge in comparison.

[Raza]

This one.


I agree with Raza, great ad.

http://youtu.be/hbUsnvsXlMQ

Yup, that's the one.  I may be getting sentimental in my old age, but that's a very emotional commercial. 

[Atomic]

^Right on, Raza. Great ad. Awesome message from Subaru and their owners (this ad, others) and your insight. After my MVA, I am forever grateful to have gained a deeper sentiment about life (as sappy as it may sound) and appreciate safe automobiles and skillful (and sober) drivers like never before. I hope Subaru, not unlike Volvo continue to focus on real people and their stories of life and survival. Business: yes... but good business.

[AutobahnSHO]

sigh, should be in bed..

my favorites-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kk0ieEGMcFo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VI86GwVg-dM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3yGvjuvJOs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwTDQfdiBKM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZedRNg9kO-o

and
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oh_4S40KyHs

[nickdrinkwater]

........ that's damning with faint praise, is it not?

The latest Legacy is a mix of bland and awkward in saloon guise and just plain gauche in Estate/Outback form.

Subaru really do seem to be masters at goofing up the styling of their product, with nearly every new car a visual un-improvement on the model it replaces. It does not seem to have hurt US sales but with the exception of the Swiss, it has all but ended sales in the rest of Europe, as no-one wants its products any more. 

Wouldn't be surprised to see Subaru pull out of the European market.  Don't they make all their cars in Japan only?

[Raza]

Wouldn't be surprised to see Subaru pull out of the European market.  Don't they make all their cars in Japan only?

They build in the US too.

[AutobahnSHO]

Wouldn't be surprised to see Subaru pull out of the European market.  Don't they make all their cars in Japan only?

They've been built in Indiana for YEARS. (My 97 was there). They also build some Yotas there.

Tours of the plant are free but you must be 10yrs or older. I totally wanted to do a car summer tour- hit there, the Corvette museum/factory in KY, and some car barn museums up in Illinois or wherever, but the two little ones are 7 and 8yrs old..   
http://www.subaru-sia.com/community/index.html

[Madman]

I've never seen a car manufacturer lose their mojo as quickly as Subaru.  Just a few years ago they were making interesting, appealing and distinctive cars that were a joy to drive.  Then, within one model cycle, Subaru seem to have lost the plot.  What the hell happened?  Was it Toyota's influence that crushed Subaru's iconoclastic spirit?  It's a shame to see them go from hero to zero in just a few short years.

They've been built in Indiana for YEARS. (My 97 was there). They also build some Yotas there.

My mother's old 1991 Legacy L wagon was built in Indiana, too.  It was probably the best car she ever had.....until my sister crashed it!

[AutobahnSHO]

I've never seen a car manufacturer lose their mojo as quickly as Subaru.  Just a few years ago they were making interesting, appealing and distinctive cars that were a joy to drive.  Then, within one model cycle, Subaru seem to have lost the plot.  What the hell happened?  Was it Toyota's influence that crushed Subaru's iconoclasic spirit?  It's a shame to see them go from hero to zero in just a few short years.

Funny they are at all-time high sales right now.  But I agree, the "identity" has become muddled.

[TurboDan]

Funny they are at all-time high sales right now.  But I agree, the "identity" has become muddled.

VW is at an all time sales high too, with its current lineup. Scary times, we're livin' it.

[Madman]

Funny they are at all-time high sales right now.  But I agree, the "identity" has become muddled.

Depressing, isn't it.

VW is at an all time sales high too, with its current lineup. Scary times, we're livin' it.

Even more depressing.

[AutobahnSHO]

VW is at an all time sales high too, with its current lineup. Scary times, we're livin' it.

I would totally rock a TDI sport wagon. They're hot.
VW also offers lots of manual transmissions still.

Also, saw a billboard for a TDI (Jetta?)-  792 miles on one tank. That's uber-impressive for a car!

[TurboDan]

I would totally rock a TDI sport wagon. They're hot.
VW also offers lots of manual transmissions still.

Also, saw a billboard for a TDI (Jetta?)-  792 miles on one tank. That's uber-impressive for a car!

Oh yeah, VW still has some hot choices. But their flagships (Passat, Jetta) have been watered down like crazy. Love the GTI and the diesels are awesome.

My dad's in his multi-year car search right now to replace his '02 A6. GTI with the DSG is at the top of the pack.

[sportyaccordy]

Now, most manufacturers offer an AWD option on their cars, so Subaru has to fight harder.

Not in the mainstream

[TBR]

Let's be real here, most Subaru's were never particularly interesting (and I drive the least interesting of them all).

[Raza]

Funny they are at all-time high sales right now.  But I agree, the "identity" has become muddled.

VW is at an all time sales high too, with its current lineup. Scary times, we're livin' it.

It's all about the bell curve, gentlemen.  It's why the Camry has been so successful all these years.

[2o6]

Oh come on. VW caters to the "bell curve" just as much as Toyota does.

[MrH]

Let's be real here, most Subaru's were never particularly interesting (and I drive the least interesting of them all).

+1 not sure where you guys got the idea that subarus used to be more fun than what they're like currently. They make boring, utilitarian, awd mobiles for the most part. The sti, wrx, and brz are the only exceptions really, and those are alive and kickin. I'd argue subaru is less boring now than ever. And sales are great for them.

You guys have such imaginative recollections of the past, and love the chicken little mind set that all new cars suck for some reason.

[Laconian]

Subaru made quite possibly, the best handling car, ever, with the 1995 EJ22 Impreza sedan.

[MrH]

[Cookie Monster]

Subaru made quite possibly, the best handling car, ever, with the 1995 EJ22 Impreza sedan.

Don't forget the slick shifting 4EAT.

[2o6]

Subaru made quite possibly, the best handling car, ever, with the 1995 EJ22 Impreza sedan.

I still don't get why he said that; Neon ate it's breakfast.

[Laconian]

I don't know why either, but it was an instant classic.

[Cookie Monster]

I still thought it was hilarious how he jizzed over his EJ20/22 even though it asploded once.

[AutobahnSHO]

I would say that Subarus of now are more popular because they are less quirky and more boring than those of old. Very much more mainstream.

They were never fantastic performers- but they were well-built (albeit CHEAP) cars which could get you there for a long long time.

[2o6]

This looks terrible...

[280Z Turbo]

I still thought it was hilarious how he jizzed over his EJ20/22 even though it asploded once.

Hey look guys, all I'm saying is that only using 2 engines in 100,000 miles is pretty good. I can't think of any other cars that would be that reliable.

[Madman]

This looks terrible...

It's no worse than anything else out these these days.  Let's face it, we live in a "golden era" for ugly cars.

[giant_mtb]

I don't think it's that bad.