This is my fifth Subaru, so I guess I’m a rusted-on fan.
Owner: Erik H
- It’s sureness on the road and off the road.
- Good internal space
- Intrusive Stop/Start system
- Does not automatically fold rear view mirrors when stopped
This is my fifth Subaru so I guess I’m a rusted-on fan. I just love the sureness of the AWD, the great build quality, the safety features and the reliability. Obviously, it’s not a Landcruiser, but the clearance is quite good and it handles everything I throw at it really well. It’s little wonder the resale (not really a factor but still…) is so good.
With this car, it’s my first CVT. Initially, I was a bit uncertain, but after getting used to the difference in how the engine sounds, it has been great: it copes effortlessly with hills (up and down), is good off the mark and does everything I have asked of it so far.
It’s a very comfortable car and has a load of space. I’m 192cm tall but there’s still a mass of legroom behind me when I’m driving.
One of the key selling points for me was that the car has a real spare tyre. No space savers, no puncture repair kits. I toyed with the idea of a hybrid but couldn’t find one with that minimum requirement within the price range I was working in. There’s not much point having a puncture repair kit when you’re on the gravel between Louth and Wilcannia; get a tear in the wall of a tyre when there’s no phone reception: good luck with that!
Being a Subaru, it has lots of safety features. They can sometimes be a bit intrusive but you can turn them off if you want, and sometimes I do. Mainly though, apart from one annoyance (further down), I leave them in default.
I don’t particularly like the Stop/Start system. I turn it off every time I drive. Yes, it saves a bit of fuel, but it also puts a massive load on the battery, so that will need to be changed more frequently and presumably at greater expense, given it’s a heavier duty battery. I can’t imagine that the mini-surges of electricity that must go through the car every time it happens will do much good for the electronics. I’d like to be able to turn it off permanently.
The only other thing I would like is for the rear view mirrors (if folded in, which on my car is not automatic) to at least automatically fold out if the car is put in gear or the Park Brake is turned off.
I like the paddles that allow me to drive it like a manual when I want. I think the storage points around the car are fine, and there are plenty of USB points etc for what I need. Setting up the connection to my phone was completely painless. I’ve grown to like the Bronze colour (and I have yet to see another one in the wild).
The car has gone very well and it’s a practical as it can be in a combination of city (where I live) and country (where I do spend a bit of time).
Owner: Erik H
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