It looks a lot bigger, about the size of an Outlander for 2009. It will initially have the same engines as the current model, but it may move up to bigger and better engines and transmissions eventually. The XT looks to be auto only, though. Here's brochure shots.
http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1382044&page=16
(http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b259/Catsmeow_/NASIOC/p5_ds.jpg)
(http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t123/jtomko1/view1mq3.jpg)
(http://img155.imageshack.us/img155/8665/63943ut8.jpg)
(http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b259/Catsmeow_/NASIOC/Carscoop_sb9_4_800.jpg)
(http://i2.tinypic.com/8abhtnp.jpg)
(http://i16.tinypic.com/87n5mrp.jpg)
I really like it so far. It's only going to weigh 3200-3400 lbs., too.
Don't like the back end too much, but other than that it's great.
It's quite ugly.
At least it's better than the last one - which seemed redundant next to the Legacy wagons.
(http://i2.tinypic.com/8abhtnp.jpg)
In this picture it resembles the new Highlander.
Quote from: CJ on December 09, 2007, 01:16:21 PM
It's quite ugly.
There is nothing about this vehicle that could be described as "quite ugly." Boring, perhaps a bit derivative? Sure. Ugly? Not a chance.
It doesn't look as good as a Vantage, however.
It DOES look like a Hihglander.
So, 5 seats I assume?
Ugly interior, btw.
Quote from: CJ on December 09, 2007, 02:07:19 PM
It DOES look like a Hihglander.
The front of the Highlander looks very much like the current Forester.
The Highlander and the Forester have always looked pretty similar. That being said, I'd love to pick up an STI model when it comes out, which will apparently get the 6 speed and EJ257 from the current car.
Looks a lot better than that Exiga concept.
Is it just me or does that interior look more spartan then an Elise.
It keeps getting better with every generation. The taillights could use some work, but otherwise I like it.
The interior does look spartan, but it's in keeping with the new Impreza's design.
Looks pretty good. At least it doesn't look like an Impreza.
Why am I the first person to comment on the 3 side mirrors?
Quote from: MrH on December 09, 2007, 07:47:25 PM
Why am I the first person to comment on the 3 side mirrors?
Because it's commonplace on JDM SUVs?
Not bad, not bad. The current model is very handsome, and this one is a touch derivative, but not offensive. That dashboard is ridiculous, however; the current model wins hands-down in this regard.
Another pleasantly generic design from Japan. Nothing truly ugly...nothing truly stunning. :huh:
Why do automakers think those ricey tailights look good? It was bad enough when lexus did it with the RX and it's slowly making it's way into other cars. I hate those things!!
Quote from: Minpin on December 10, 2007, 09:37:30 PM
Why do automakers think those ricey tailights look good? It was bad enough when lexus did it with the RX and it's slowly making it's way into other cars. I hate those things!!
I'm assuming that Altezzas started on the Altezza. That could be too simplistic though.
Quote from: Raza link=topic=12402.msg671274#msg671274 date=1197351520
I'm assuming that Altezzas started on the Altezza. That could be too simplistic though.
Actually you are 100% correct.
Quote from: Minpin on December 10, 2007, 09:37:30 PM
Why do automakers think those ricey tailights look good? It was bad enough when lexus did it with the RX and it's slowly making it's way into other cars. I hate those things!!
I agree with you for the most part but I think they look good on this one. The new Altima can pass them off too.
Quote from: MrH on December 09, 2007, 07:47:25 PM
Why am I the first person to comment on the 3 side mirrors?
The steering wheel is also on the wrong side!
:lol:
Quote from: CJ on December 09, 2007, 02:07:19 PM
It DOES look like a Hihglander.
Reminds me a bit of one of these too, mostly the lights, hood line and the front quarter panels.
(http://www.take-your-car.eu/weiterebilder/suzuki_grand_vitara_front_side_view.jpg)
I used to like the Grand Vitara when it came out last year, or the year before. I have grown sick of it very quickly.
Quote from: TheIntrepid on December 11, 2007, 10:16:44 AM
I used to like the Grand Vitara when it came out last year, or the year before. I have grown sick of it very quickly.
I still like it a lot, but I wish it got a little bit more oomph than what it has. I wonder when a major mag will do another compact SUV comparo with the CR-V, RAV4, Vue, Forester, etc.
Should be soon.
Yes, but everyone seems to have begun to limit themselves to what they decide are the four or five most important cars in the class. The Grand Vitara is unlikely to make it into any major publication's comparison.
If I had a cabin in the mountains and wanted a small Jeepish vehicle to leave there year-round, I'd think about the Vitara. It has low range in its T-case, and it's cheap and unlovable enough not to fuss too much about it being stolen or lost in a mud slide.
I'd fuss a bit if I spent $20,000 and up on a truck that disappeared...
As for the Forester, I think it looks great, and it should be a success.
The only thing I dislike is using the Impreza interior. The previous interior was much more useful and fitting, I thought.
It too, of course, was very similar to the correlating generation of Impreza.
Quote from: Soup DeVille on December 11, 2007, 09:46:06 AM
The steering wheel is also on the wrong side!
Learn something new everyday. :lol:
It's hard for me to read those Japanese letters, but did I see something about a turbo H6 motor in this thing? :devil:
Quote from: R-inge on December 12, 2007, 07:59:19 AM
If I had a cabin in the mountains and wanted a small Jeepish vehicle to leave there year-round, I'd think about the Vitara. It has low range in its T-case, and it's cheap and unlovable enough not to fuss too much about it being stolen or lost in a mud slide.
Those kinds of attributes rarely make it into the sales pitch.
It's ugly and disposable! Buy two, they're small.
Quote from: Soup DeVille on December 12, 2007, 05:50:48 PM
Those kinds of attributes rarely make it into the sales pitch.
Well, maybe it should. It's how they've sold Jeeps for 50 years and I don't see a line-up to by Grand Vitaras. As a family vehicle there are many better choices, it's strengths really are, IMO, it's rugged quality. I don't think it's ugly, but it's certainly amongst the most truck-like of the small SUVs. It's no XTerra but I wouldn't be scared to death to drive it down a bumpy road like I would be in a RAV4 or CRV.
A standard passenger car can handle a bumpy road.
Quote from: ifcar on December 13, 2007, 07:00:25 AM
A standard passenger car can handle a bumpy road.
:rolleyes: I thought it was pretty obvious I was using hyperbole to make a point, but I guess I shouldn't count on someone not nit-picking to death everything everyone says around here in a vein attempt to look intelligent, even Mods.
That was not my intention. It's more that I see an all-too-frequent underestimation of the capabilities of car-based SUVs. Yes, they're just passenger cars with a higher ground clearance and available all-wheel-drive, but that is enough to handle a great deal of off-road behavior short of pure recreation.
Quote from: FordSVT on December 13, 2007, 06:54:46 AM
Well, maybe it should. It's how they've sold Jeeps for 50 years and I don't see a line-up to by Grand Vitaras. As a family vehicle there are many better choices, it's strengths really are, IMO, it's rugged quality. I don't think it's ugly, but it's certainly amongst the most truck-like of the small SUVs. It's no XTerra but I wouldn't be scared to death to drive it down a bumpy road like I would be in a RAV4 or CRV.
Have you seen the resale prices on Wranglers? I certainly wouldn't call them disposable by any means.
Quote from: Soup DeVille on December 13, 2007, 08:35:33 AM
Have you seen the resale prices on Wranglers? I certainly wouldn't call them disposable by any means.
Resale on those things is disgusting. I see 5-10 year old Wranglers regularly going for nearly $20k.
Quote from: Soup DeVille on December 13, 2007, 08:35:33 AM
Have you seen the resale prices on Wranglers? I certainly wouldn't call them disposable by any means.
You're the only one calling anything disposable, I was responding more to R-inge's comment than yours. There is nothing wrong with rugged.
And yes, Wranglers have awesome resale. There's nothing else on the market like it and everyone from teenage girls to hard-core off-roaders always have their eyes out for a used item. Even half-beaten to crap old CJs and YJs will get $5000+ as long as the frame is good and the body doesn't need much work. Working motor is optional, the hardcore guys swap them in most cases anyways.
Quote from: FordSVT on December 13, 2007, 01:09:02 PM
You're the only one calling anything disposable, I was responding more to R-inge's comment than yours. There is nothing wrong with rugged.
And yes, Wranglers have awesome resale. There's nothing else on the market like it and everyone from teenage girls to hard-core off-roaders always have their eyes out for a used item. Even half-beaten to crap old CJs and YJs will get $5000+ as long as the frame is good and the body doesn't need much work. Working motor is optional, the hardcore guys swap them in most cases anyways.
And no one knows the difference between them and CJs, so if you're insane and cheap like me, you'd probably be better off looking at one of them.
Quote from: the Teuton on December 13, 2007, 01:21:25 PM
And no one knows the difference between them and CJs, so if you're insane and cheap like me, you'd probably be better off looking at one of them.
Most definitely. I'd never buy one unless I intended to put it on it's roof at some point, and I'm sure as heck not going to do that with a $15-20,000 late model TJ. Some light trucking, a bit of mud and an open top is the reason most people buy them, which is fine. Let them buy new ones so the enthusiasts can buy them for four figures and build on them.
Quote from: the Teuton on December 13, 2007, 01:21:25 PM
And no one knows the difference between them and CJs, so if you're insane and cheap like me, you'd probably be better off looking at one of them.
They have square headlights.
Quote from: FordSVT on December 13, 2007, 02:43:56 PM
Most definitely. I'd never buy one unless I intended to put it on it's roof at some point, and I'm sure as heck not going to do that with a $15-20,000 late model TJ. Some light trucking, a bit of mud and an open top is the reason most people buy them, which is fine. Let them buy new ones so the enthusiasts can buy them for four figures and build on them.
They're pretty hard to get on the roof. They like laying on their sides occasionaly, but even that takes concerted effort.
They don't really seem to mind though as long as you give thoil to drain back out of combustion chambers. I'f you're an impatient type, just pull the sparkplugs and crank the starter.
Looks boring. It looks about five years old already.
Quote from: Soup DeVille on December 13, 2007, 05:36:07 PM
They're pretty hard to get on the roof. They like laying on their sides occasionaly, but even that takes concerted effort.
They don't really seem to mind though as long as you give thoil to drain back out of combustion chambers. I'f you're an impatient type, just pull the sparkplugs and crank the starter.
I was kidding. I'm just saying the only reason I'd ever buy a Jeep is if I was going to do things with it that the average human being wouldn't dare do with a new truck, and that it wouldn't be anything close to stock.
Quote from: nickdrinkwater on December 14, 2007, 07:38:44 AM
Looks boring. It looks about five years old already.
That pretty much nails the Subaru styling curve, BTW, :lol:
When is this coming out? I'd like to put a XT Limited on my mom's shopping list (despite the fact both of my parents drive like extremely old people, they don't think 165hp in the Outback is enough), but the AT of the new model could be a deal breaker (and, if it isn't then Subaru probably won't make the list this time around).
pretty much just lesbians drive Foresters, so I dont know why all you guys even care
Quote from: NACar on December 15, 2007, 11:53:04 PM
pretty much just lesbians drive Foresters, so I dont know why all you guys even care
And middle-ages ex-hippies. A friend of mine's parents are total granola eaters and own a Forester and a WRX. Nice cars, total hippies. One's a pro-bono attorney. I can go to them for weed. :rastaman:
Quote from: NACar on December 15, 2007, 11:53:04 PM
pretty much just lesbians drive Foresters, so I dont know why all you guys even care
I dig the Forester, and in fact would like to put my wife in one of these new ones if she wasn't so dead-set on a pickup truck.
Quote from: FordSVT on December 16, 2007, 08:17:04 AM
And middle-ages ex-hippies. A friend of mine's parents are total granola eaters and own a Forester and a WRX. Nice cars, total hippies. One's a pro-bono attorney. I can go to them for weed. :rastaman:
My kind of people! :rockon:
Quote from: FordSVT on December 16, 2007, 08:17:04 AM
And middle-ages ex-hippies. A friend of mine's parents are total granola eaters and own a Forester and a WRX. Nice cars, total hippies. One's a pro-bono attorney. I can go to them for weed. :rastaman:
Do they also listen to Phish?
Quote from: CALL_911 on December 16, 2007, 09:40:52 AM
Do they also listen to Phish?
They've seen them a dozen times. Used to go see the Dead too. I actually went with them to see Dave Matthews in Montreal a few years ago. Don't get me wrong, they're really good people. Successful too.
I'm trying to get my mom to replace her van with a Forester. Does that make her a lesbian, Nick?
Quote from: the Teuton on December 17, 2007, 10:56:41 AM
I'm trying to get my mom to replace her van with a Forester. Does that make her a lesbian, Nick?
No, it just means you're trying to make her a lesbian. The choice is hers. :lol:
Quote from: NACar on December 17, 2007, 11:08:58 AM
No, it just means you're trying to make her a lesbian. The choice is hers. :lol:
It's most-likely going to be a PT Cruiser or a Forester, but she's really liking the security of AWD lately. For someone who's owned mostly RWD cars in her life and drove commercial Mercedes-Benz diesel trucks for her dad, that kinda surprises me.
Quote from: the Teuton on December 17, 2007, 10:56:41 AM
I'm trying to get my mom to replace her van with a Forester. Does that make her a lesbian, Nick?
Send her over to my house and I'll find out for you. :evildude:
Official photos of the US-spec Forester:
http://blogs.cars.com/kickingtires/2007/12/2008-detroit--1.html#more
It just looks too much like a Toyota.
Yikes.
:zzz:
Way to ruin a nice car.
The standard grille, like on the Impreza, looks terrible.
I dunno, I think it looks great.
Quote from: R-inge on December 26, 2007, 08:08:10 PM
I dunno, I think it looks great.
One of the forum's sc00b trolls has approved. 50% right there.
Where's Teutsie to move in for the kill?
Quote from: TheIntrepid on December 26, 2007, 08:14:00 PM
One of the forum's sc00b trolls has approved. 50% right there.
Where's Teutsie to move in for the kill?
Says the cat who thinks the Camry = Viper.
:nono:
(http://img478.imageshack.us/img478/5691/untitled1copyps5.jpg)
Oh, my bad. Intrepid = Classic automotive design? :lol:
Quote from: R-inge on December 26, 2007, 09:50:15 PM
Oh, my bad. Intrepid = Classic automotive design? :lol:
:lol: Yes.
Trep, do a find for "Intrepid" on this page. http://jalopnik.com/337348/top-gear-tests-jaguar-xf-declares-it-cats-meow
Quote from: Laconian on December 26, 2007, 09:57:39 PM
Trep, do a find for "Intrepid" on this page. http://jalopnik.com/337348/top-gear-tests-jaguar-xf-declares-it-cats-meow
It wasn't me, honest.
Quote from: FordSVT on December 17, 2007, 05:56:21 PM
Send her over to my house and I'll find out for you. :evildude:
Uh, no.
Quote from: TheIntrepid on December 26, 2007, 08:14:00 PM
One of the forum's sc00b trolls has approved. 50% right there.
Where's Teutsie to move in for the kill?
I would buy one, given the opportunity and if I were a lesbian. I would just have Subaru install the SPT grille, though or get an XT. The standard grille just ruins it. Otherwise, I agree with Roy.
Quote from: MrH on December 09, 2007, 07:47:25 PM
Why am I the first person to comment on the 3 side mirrors?
Required on cars in Japan with longer hoods. Helps you see around tighter corners, since the roads are very narrow.
Quote from: 2o6 on December 31, 2007, 02:30:53 PM
Required on cars in Japan with longer hoods. Helps you see around tighter corners, since the roads are very narrow.
WTF is with you kids hitting the "Delete Profile" button? Are you just trigger-happy or something? You're like the 10th person here to do that!
Quote from: R-inge on January 01, 2008, 10:11:24 PM
WTF is with you kids hitting the "Delete Profile" button? Are you just trigger-happy or something? You're like the 10th person here to do that!
No it's just him having done it 2-3 times.
Quote from: TheIntrepid on January 01, 2008, 10:46:54 PM
No it's just him having done it 2-3 times.
You'd think he would learn his lesson after the FIRST time!
Quote from: R-inge on January 02, 2008, 06:36:08 PM
You'd think he would learn his lesson after the FIRST time!
Check your PMs.
Meh, I'll take one of these, please: Dakar Forester info (http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?p=20575282#post20575282)
(http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e180/roychase123/Subaru-Forester_Dakar-1_grande-2.jpg)
(http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e180/roychase123/forestergr21hv1.jpg)
Quote from: R-inge on January 02, 2008, 07:45:31 PM
Meh, I'll take one of these, please: Dakar Forester info (http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?p=20575282#post20575282)
(http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e180/roychase123/Subaru-Forester_Dakar-1_grande-2.jpg)
(http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e180/roychase123/forestergr21hv1.jpg)
When they show up at the local Subie dealership, I'm in.