Seriously, take a peek at the dashboard pictures. See the two grey plastic speakers in the middle of the centre console? They remind me of my fist portable AM/FM radio I had circa 1982. Awful. “So long as it works”, you say? Ha! The sound is horrible; it does not come out of the audio system speakers like most other cars. Plus, the mic is tacked on the top of the steering column and in order to have my words clearly understood, I had to lean into the steering wheel. Bad idea!
This really gets me because this car was introduced, as I've said, as a 2010! Not a 1990! This dastardly setup is identical in the Forester and Outback. That is, unless you opt for satellite navigation which then incorporates Bluetooth.
Seats are good and comfy. Driving position is easy to find and visibility is decent all ‘round. Back seat can easily handle two adults or three children. Trunk offers up plenty of volume. Done for the interior.
Subaru is famous for a few things and one of them is Boxer-style, horizontally-opposed engines. Used in every Subaru save for the Tribeca is the 2.5L H4. It develops 170 hp and equal amounts of torque. Mated to a Lineartronic CVT transmission with a manual mode, both are well suited to each other. In any case, I'd take this box over the available 4-speed slushbucket in the Forester any day. A 6-speed manual gearbox is standard on a few trims.
I won't lie and say that the flat-4's grunt makes the pavement tremble in fear, but I will mention that for most “normal” people's needs, the powertrain is actually peppy and efficient. Mashing the throttle, should you carry out this type of barbaric behaviour that I subscribe to, will get the engine revving high and do more complaining than moving.
That is, unless you're lined up with a few other cars at a red light after a fresh snowfall. Here, superiority is nearly guaranteed. Regardless of what the 2-wheeler next to you has got under the hood, you cannot lose.
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| Driving position is easy to find and visibility is decent all ‘round. (Photo: Matthieu Lambert/Auto123.com) |
This really gets me because this car was introduced, as I've said, as a 2010! Not a 1990! This dastardly setup is identical in the Forester and Outback. That is, unless you opt for satellite navigation which then incorporates Bluetooth.
Seats are good and comfy. Driving position is easy to find and visibility is decent all ‘round. Back seat can easily handle two adults or three children. Trunk offers up plenty of volume. Done for the interior.
Subaru is famous for a few things and one of them is Boxer-style, horizontally-opposed engines. Used in every Subaru save for the Tribeca is the 2.5L H4. It develops 170 hp and equal amounts of torque. Mated to a Lineartronic CVT transmission with a manual mode, both are well suited to each other. In any case, I'd take this box over the available 4-speed slushbucket in the Forester any day. A 6-speed manual gearbox is standard on a few trims.
I won't lie and say that the flat-4's grunt makes the pavement tremble in fear, but I will mention that for most “normal” people's needs, the powertrain is actually peppy and efficient. Mashing the throttle, should you carry out this type of barbaric behaviour that I subscribe to, will get the engine revving high and do more complaining than moving.
That is, unless you're lined up with a few other cars at a red light after a fresh snowfall. Here, superiority is nearly guaranteed. Regardless of what the 2-wheeler next to you has got under the hood, you cannot lose.
 |
| The 2.5L H4 develops 170 hp and equal amounts of torque. (Photo: Matthieu Lambert/Auto123.com) |