2012 Impreza Configurator

[ocnblu]

Subaru finally has a configurator page up on their site for the 2012 Impreza. If you're bored or the least bit curious, have at it.

Two-tone is available on the Sport Premium 5-door, just like the Outback Sport of yore. That's the one I configured, in dark gray monochrome with upgraded Kicker speakers, all-weather floor mats and auto-dim mirror with compass... $21,900+. Not too bad.

[ocnblu]

<iframe width="640" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/8nd4t6PduOs?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> This is an interesting demonstration. I'd like to see the Equinox/Terrain go through this test.

[SAmadei]

This is an interesting demonstration. I'd like to see the Equinox/Terrain go through this test.

Very interesting, and it confirms much of how I feel about these small SUVs. I bet quite a few large SUVs would fail this, as well.

[ocnblu]

Without GM's G80 locker, yup. I see Ford has an electronic locker on their F-150 for 2012, I'd like to see a demo vid of that and see how it compares to the GM unit.

There are several YouTube videos showing the excellent traction of the Subaru system. If anyone wants a crossover and needs real all-weather traction, Subaru is the name of the game, I think.

[AAS]

That video makes me glad I got a Forester (5MT). I wonder if the Forester in the video has a manual or automatic transmission. I know Subaru uses a purely mechanical AWD system with manual transmissions but lots of electric nannies in the AWD with automatics, and I've heard of one person with an automatic Outback that had trouble with a patch of ice on a driveway that produced a scenario similar to the video.

[ocnblu]

AAS, hey, how's your Forester running these days? Give us the unvarnished truth, the good and the bad. I want to look at a Jeep Patriot because of the positive remarks by owners in Edmunds' owner surveys, but I like the Foresters too, although I have driven neither any distance.

[Drew Dowdell]

a rear locking differential would solve the problem on all of those.

[AAS]

AAS, hey, how's your Forester running these days? Give us the unvarnished truth, the good and the bad. I want to look at a Jeep Patriot because of the positive remarks by owners in Edmunds' owner surveys, but I like the Foresters too, although I have driven neither any distance.

It's running great. We've put almost 17k miles on it in about two years, with no problems.

The majority of those miles have been racked up on highway drives, from "short" 100 mile round-trips to long 850 mile (one-way) trips between CA and NM, and it does well at those speeds. It's stable, very comfortable, good MPGs (high 20's, low 30's according to computer). Steep hills will force a downshift and the engine will complain for a bit.

In town it does well. It can get grunty from take-off, but get's up to speed fine. It took some getting used to the driving the manual smoothly, mostly because it seems like the computer/engine will hold revs for a bit (as opposed to the Camaro, where revs would drop immediately). Nothing wrong with the car, just different from what I was used to.

Computer will typically show an average of 27 MPG. Again, for mostly highway driving with very occasional drives around town.

I've got to drive it in mild (slush on ground) to moderate (2-4 inches) snow, and have had two "whoops" moments. One was when driving at an angle on a steep road (i.e. going up an incline, but not straight up), and the car slipped to the side a bit. There was a good amount of thick slush, and winter tires would have probably solved the problem. The second was driving in the mountains on the way to a ski resort. There was a good amount of snow on the ground, I went into a tight left a bit to fast, and the car under steered for a second until the traction and stability controls kicked in. I noticed it, but none of my passengers did! In normal driving (stop, start, normal stuff), it's been great.

It also does well in heavy (as in, eventually pull off the highway because of poor visibility) rain. Most recently was on a trip from CA to NM, heavy, heavy rain at highway speeds, approached an incline in the road with a visible stream/river running across it. I started to freak out, but the Forester did just fine.

Some minor gripes with the car, like rattles in the front doors (known issue with plastic baffles in the doors), rattles from the rear hatch area (lot's of info on this stuff at subaruforester.org). One recall for a software re-flash for emissions. Luckily no major mechanical issues. I don't like how the windows rattle if they are slightly open when you close a door. Also, the Subaru battery rundown protection is annoying since it will turn of most, but not all, lights if something is left open. This means that eventually (like if you don't drive the car for a couple days) the battery will die. This has happened to me twice.

It's very roomy, in all directions, even with the optional sunroof robbing head room and with the driver's seat set to me (6'3"). We've ridden with 4 adults with no problem (they were surprised to see how comfortable the back seat was compared to their Impreza). I've even managed to cram lots of stuff into the hatch. The height of the cargo area has come in very handy when I've brought home a BBQ, small patio table, and 2 patio chairs (all at once), and another time when I brought home a glider/rocking chair.

I think we discussed this a while back, but before buying the Forester I was seriously considering the Patriot. What turned us off from the Patriot was the not so nice interior (since updated), and the claustrophobic feel of the cabin. Also, selection was very limited when I was looking, so it really had no chance.

[ocnblu]

Thanks for that balanced review of your experience. Yes, the Patriot interior is nicer than it used to be. Most of the Patriots that are in my local inventory have the dark interior. Maybe the tan interior would lessen the claustrophobic feelin' you describe. I want to look into it.

Rattles in a vehicle frankly piss me off, but the Forester seems to have plenty of good points, too. Perhaps a test drive of both is in order soon.

[AAS]

Thanks for that balanced review of your experience. Yes, the Patriot interior is nicer than it used to be. Most of the Patriots that are in my local inventory have the dark interior. Maybe the tan interior would lessen the claustrophobic feelin' you describe. I want to look into it.

Rattles in a vehicle frankly piss me off, but the Forester seems to have plenty of good points, too. Perhaps a test drive of both is in order soon.

I thought the same about the tan interior in the Patriot, but unfortunately only ever found black.

I agree, rattles are very annoying. The ones in the front doors are the worst and I've been meaning to fix them, but they sort of go away in warm weather, which is when i would be most likely to fix them, so I tend to forget.

I would definitely suggest at least test driving the Forester. I would have never considered it, except that we went to look at Imprezas and my wife and siblings convinced me to try it out. I didn't initially care for the looks, but they have grown on me. I do really like the looks of the refreshed Patriot!

[SAmadei]

a rear locking differential would solve the problem on all of those.

Very true, but it always seems hard to find them.

[balthazar]

When a buddy bought his used older Outback this spring, I looked over a forester in the showroom and found it's interior quality shockingly cheap and world's away from the new Outback also on display. It was like they were built by 2 different companies (one of them Chinese).

[AAS]

When a buddy bought his used older Outback this spring, I looked over a forester in the showroom and found it's interior quality shockingly cheap and world's away from the new Outback also on display. It was like they were built by 2 different companies (one of them Chinese).

I'm going to be a bit defensive for obvious reasons...

I wouldn't call the Forester's interior cheap, but the design is definitely not in the same league as the Outback's. The Forester, like the previous Impreza it shares a platform with, just has a more basic interior. Nothing fancy, like the larger Legacy and Outback, and I think it suits it just fine. When looking at the Forester did I wish it had some interior "niceness" like the Legacy/Outback? Sure, but the gray interior in mine has a nice mix of shades of gray and overall design to be attractive enough.

[regfootball]

everytime i have driven any forester, i have been very turned off. that's not to say it doesn't do some things well or that it isn't the right vehicle for a lot of folks. but the one comment about the outback being much nicer is gravy in the boat. i have always thought the impreza was a bit of a turd too, but i am very much looking forward to trying out one of the new Imprezas. i it sounds like they fixed a lot on the car. except power but they downsized the motor for mpg so i think that is a fair trade off.

[ocnblu]

Well I attained one of my goals stated in this thread.