[sanghill]

Discovered the Subaru today and did a quick check on the Internet.
Off road capable and the local dealer has a DealerRater rating of 5.0.
Went to my local dealer and the one I wanted was sitting in the showroom.
Just one problem, it doesn't have recovery points, aren't available and aftermarket can't be fitted. Definite show stopper for me.
The off road club I belong to requires front and rear recovery points.
I need them if I get stuck on my Tree Farm.
So that ended that search real quick.

 

[rumrunner]

yeah that little screw-in eye bolt (tie-down) isn't meant for "recovery"
loved my Forester but it always seemed to need something done to it. never cost me anything due to warranty but I was tired of all the trips to the dealer. the Cherokee has been light years more reliable for me. sat in another 2014 just now w/ low miles. didn't have all the goodies of my limited but it has the most important aspects, meaning it's a Jeep Cherokee

 

[Flybynightcru]

🤮

 

[sanghill]

Found this YouTube video: youtube subaru forester wilderness - Google Search
The Cherokee Trailhawk is even mentioned very close to the end.

The Outback Wilderness:

 

[Flybynightcru]

Found this YouTube video: youtube subaru forester wilderness - Google Search
The Cherokee Trailhawk is even mentioned very close to the end.

The Outback Wilderness:

Well, that was really unimpressive. Our Trailhawks could walk right up that wimpy little hill in 4Hi Auto mode. Hell, I could back up that thing in reverse!!! LOL...You're going to really miss that 4LOW and locker...😉😎

 

[sanghill]

I have a greater appreciation of my TH with rock rails and real skid plates and rear locker.
I always use my rear locker in mud and going up my rocky steep hill.
SSC and hill descent are what I use almost all of the time off road.

 

[Flybynightcru]

I have a greater appreciation of my TH with rock rails and real skid plates and rear locker.
I always use my rear locker in mud and going up my rocky steep hill.
SSC and hill descent are what I use almost all of the time off road.

Ya, and our "crawl control" system you can actually set to 1mph, before you start your ascent or descent...😎

 

[jcool001985]

Not to mention Subaru uses a CVT transmission. Not all that reliable over the long haul. Look at Nissan and others who use CVT. Very few survive hard use and high miles. My sister just got rid of a 2019 Subaru where the transmission was starting to fail at 65k miles.

 

[Ronin38]

Not to mention Subaru uses a CVT transmission.

Yep! Just watch the TFL Car reviews of the Subarus that they actually (tried to) take offroad. Right when you need some power and a little wheelspin to get you through a tough spot, the CVT cuts power so as not to damage it! 🤬

I traded-in a Crosstrek which I actually liked for what it could do, but I wanted actual off-road ability and a healthy towing capacity. Hence the KL TH!

 

[Rand]

Yep! Just watch the TFL Car reviews of the Subarus that they actually (tried to) take offroad. Right when you need some power and a little wheelspin to get you through a tough spot, the CVT cuts power so as not to damage it! 🤬

I traded-in a Crosstrek which I actually liked for what it could do, but I wanted actual off-road ability and a healthy towing capacity. Hence the KL TH!

Sometimes its the driver there was a few reviews out there saying the cherokee trailhawk sucked offroad in the snow iirc.. driver error.

The wilderness doesnt compare too bad to a cherokee AD-I. Trailhawk it is not.

 

[rumrunner]

Yep! Just watch the TFL Car reviews of the Subarus that they actually (tried to) take offroad. Right when you need some power and a little wheelspin to get you through a tough spot, the CVT cuts power so as not to damage it! 🤬

I traded-in a Crosstrek which I actually liked for what it could do, but I wanted actual off-road ability and a healthy towing capacity. Hence the KL TH!

I know lots of ppl who didn't keep theirs for one reason or another. now that I've enjoyed a Cherokee I wouldn't want anything smaller. too bad because I find them attractive & I remember enjoying driving the manual trans units when I was shopping. it's too bad Subaru makes them. loved my manual trans Forester for 3 years, but by the 4th engine I was done

 

[Flybynightcru]

I know lots of ppl who didn't keep theirs for one reason or another. now that I've enjoyed a Cherokee I wouldn't want anything smaller. too bad because I find them attractive & I remember enjoying driving the manual trans units when I was shopping. it's too bad Subaru makes them. loved my manual trans Forester for 3 years, but by the 4th engine I was done

A Cherokee with a manual transmission would have been epic. I'd be all in!!!😉😎

 

[Rand]

A Cherokee with a manual transmission would have been epic. I'd be all in!!!😉😎

A wrangler with the 2.0 and manual transmission I'd be all in.. maybe.

The bronco wait list for a MT is a year long... should someone be taking notice... no they will just spout more bs about how no one wants one..

Well if you only produce 5% of the vehicles with it and make it an 8-12 week ordering process yes people will buy the automatic (pre covid numbers)

I had to special order both my 2011 and 2015 forester with MT's

About the only truck with a MT is the tacoma.. and at the Time you could get a ram 1500 hemi cheaper its practically a luxury car inside

 

[DJangles]

yeah that little screw-in eye bolt (tie-down) isn't meant for "recovery"
loved my Forester but it always seemed to need something done to it. never cost me anything due to warranty but I was tired of all the trips to the dealer. the Cherokee has been light years more reliable for me. sat in another 2014 just now w/ low miles. didn't have all the goodies of my limited but it has the most important aspects, meaning it's a Jeep Cherokee

Interesting, what kind of issues did you have with the Subie?

I just bought my 2016 Trailhawk 3.2 and it was between this and a 2013-17 Forester/Wildnerness. Ended up going with the Jeep based on availability to me (and because it's simply just cooler), but I admittedly had a lot of apprehension about going with the Jeep over Subie over reliability concerns.

 

[Ronin38]

The bronco wait list for a MT is a year long... should someone be taking notice... no they will just spout more bs about how no one wants one..

"For the 50th time today, nobody wants one!! You people just won't leave us alone about it!"

 

[rumrunner]

Interesting, what kind of issues did you have with the Subie?

I just bought my 2016 Trailhawk 3.2 and it was between this and a 2013-17 Forester/Wildnerness. Ended up going with the Jeep based on availability to me (and because it's simply just cooler), but I admittedly had a lot of apprehension about going with the Jeep over Subie over reliability concerns.

mine has been the most reliable car I've ever owned. weird. over the past 190k miles my trips for dealer or service reasons have occurred but minimal

the submit got a new engine every year for 3 years. plus there was all the in-between stuff that goes along with that

then the was the a/c that just failed & needed replacing. shud have been under warranty but when I was fed up w/ my local dealer & went to another dealer for the warranty work they discovered the original committed warranty fraud & that I had no warranty at which point I presented the signed contract & the signed sales contract for the car with the warranty as a line item. they took my money & made believe I had the warranty. which was safe for them so long as I always went back to them for anything

a cpl front suspension bushings wore out & they replaced them under warranty but "said" they also replaced the same in the rear, but looking at them it was obvious they didn't but clearly charged corporate for the work. warranty fraud again

they said they perfumed a 60k service but they never touched the brake fluid as they said they would drain & refill & that's why the service was so expensive. that I did pay for they didn't do so it was outright theft

that's all I can think of right now

I loved the Forester but I love the Cherokee more

also, 4 bikes & a week's worth of camping gear for a family of 4 brought the backside down on the Forester making the car kinda unsafe. but the Cherokee takes the weight like a champ & doesn't get all lame in the back

 

[Kelpie]

I'm 6'5" and the Forester has really good head and legroom; a lot better than the Cherokee. That being said, I still prefer the Jeep because of the build quality and it's the most American car in existence.

 

[rumrunner]

I'm 6'5" and the Forester has really good head and legroom; a lot better than the Cherokee. That being said, I still prefer the Jeep because of the build quality and it's the most American car in existence.

except for the Italian design, right?
you know, you can lower the driver's seat height, right?
but I hear ya, loved the Forester, it even had more storage which I realized the day of delivery, when I had to transfer all my sh*t

 

[Skidmark]

My wife has had a '14 Forester 2.5 since new. Doesn't drive it much so only about 48k (kilometers) on it. No major problems yet. Both rear springs broke due to corrosion a couple of years back. Out of warranty, but Subaru picked up the tab anyway. Radio refuses to pair with her phone. The Forester was (still is?) assembled in Japan, not Indiana like some other Subi's so the body fit & finish are a little nicer.

No off roading, so can't comment on that. She likes it. Me, I'll stick to the Jeep.