2013 OBW vs. 2014 Forester - by the numbers

[bajanut]

Originally Posted by subiesailor

LOL always laugh at these posts. Till you own a 3rd row vehicle you don't really know how you would use it based on its configuration - rear door access and space. We owned a awesome Land Cruiser in cherry condition for a long time - we sold it because the spacing on the 3rd row did not work for a forward facing kid in a car seat. Picture grandpa sitting in the 2nd row with the three yr old resting her size 7's against his ears on the back of his seat.

We moved up in length to the Sequoia which is nearly identical seating to the Sienna Mini Van 3 across the 3rd row which is deep enough to fit an adult. The rear doors are cut back over the rear wheels which enables you to lift said 3yr old into her car seat sitting 3rd row while standing at the door. Family members Suburban the rear doors are cut too narrow do not extend over the rear wheels as a result you need to crawl into the truck to put the kid into their car seat in the 3rd row.

We have two kids and a grand parent - the Outback is our primary every day around town car for both kids + grand parent and both parents. Car seats sit center and driver side leaving the passenger side open for an adult - short trips works perfectly fine. Kids are easy to load and unload every day for the daycare run.

The Sequoia we use on the weekends and for Costco runs where we are picking up food and gear for both our home and the Grandparents home.

Our standard seat set up in the Sequoia is half the 3rd row passenger side with the oldest kid in her car seat. Youngest is center in 2nd row. Most of the time we have the flip up section passenger side 2nd row flipped up and locked down making it easy for the entry and exit to the 3rd row. When a second grand parent who lives an hour away is also tagging along the flip up section is down - three people in second row - oldest kid 3rd row - parents up front. Lots of space for gear or dog etc with only half the 3rd row installed.

When lots of family or friends are in town we can squeeze two car seats in the 3rd row and a small adult for 8 butts total.

Your situation sounds a lot like ours. I plan on replacing my legacy with an outback in the next 6mth-1year and the Forester is likely to get replaced by a Minivan. Wife likes the Toyota and Honda ones right now I think. but that is further down the road. She does like the Tribeca a lot, but seeing that it end of life seems eminent, she is looking at minivans. But the Outback (if and when I can finally get a job and secure the financing (down payment), and find the one that I want) will be the one we use most of the time, like you. Unless our family grows faster than the cars

[SE95]

I love the Honda Odyssey as far as minivans go. If for no other reason than sitting behind the wheel feels absolutely awesome. You get this kind of space ship feel. Big wide open windshield, tons of space, comfy. Just a genuinely pleasant place to be. Reminds me of the old "dustbuster" GM minivans of the early 90s (Chevrolet Lumina APV, Pontiac Trans Sport, Oldsmobile Silhouette). And I mean that in a good way... they were weird looking but awesomely unique in their own way. They never sold very well but those who did buy them LOVED them.

[subiesailor]

Originally Posted by bajanut

Your situation sounds a lot like ours. I plan on replacing my legacy with an outback in the next 6mth-1year and the Forester is likely to get replaced by a Minivan. Wife likes the Toyota and Honda ones right now I think. but that is further down the road. She does like the Tribeca a lot, but seeing that it end of life seems eminent, she is looking at minivans. But the Outback (if and when I can finally get a job and secure the financing (down payment), and find the one that I want) will be the one we use most of the time, like you. Unless our family grows faster than the cars

Pretty much the same deal as us. We sold the 2001 Legacy GT which we had since mile 1 did that in April 2010 picked up a left over 2010 Gen4 OB limited. We had purchased an early 2010 Legacy for Grandma and had borrowed it a couple of times the space difference in the back seat is dramatic! Which is why we bit the bullet and replaced the old Legacy with the new Gen4 OB.

When its just the kids and parents for trips - camping etc we always take the 2.5 CVT OB even towing the tent trailer. Just more comfy all of our stuff fits and even with the tent trailer we get 21-26mpg. When the grand parents tag along its the Sequoia that gets the job.

Sequoia will probably run about 6000 miles a year and the Subaru so far is at 48,000 since April 2010. Those local daycare runs twice a day really rack up the miles when you add the road trips which we have family 375 miles south one way and 500 miles north one way which we see once or twice a year. It adds up fast

[awd-gg]

While the bigger SUV with 3 row seat is nice (Ie.. sequioa is actually bigger than SIenna) but they are lack something keys for parents with infant(s) ort young kids... POWER SLIDING DOORS!

Even with tight suburban Chicago PArking lots, I can push my groceries cart btw cars, open the doors and snap the infant (carry) car seat in place....This is something you really appreciate when it is raining.(holding Umbrella when trying to do all this ANd load the groceries....
Something NO SUV can do without a sliding doors.


AS the kids get older, You never have to stop the car, get out and close the rear door shut. Just have to hit the power door button!!!

SUbaru Give me MY minivan with Sliding doors

[benamin]

Originally Posted by awd-gg

While the bigger SUV with 3 row seat is nice (Ie.. sequioa is actually bigger than SIenna) but they are lack something keys for parents with infant(s) ort young kids... POWER SLIDING DOORS!

Even with tight suburban Chicago PArking lots, I can push my groceries cart btw cars, open the doors and snap the infant (carry) car seat in place....This is something you really appreciate when it is raining.(holding Umbrella when trying to do all this ANd load the groceries....
Something NO SUV can do without a sliding doors.


AS the kids get older, You never have to stop the car, get out and close the rear door shut. Just have to hit the power door button!!!

SUbaru Give me MY minivan with Sliding doors

Glad those days are done for me! wife and I threw a party when we could finally ditch the all practical minivan. It's kinda funny cause before kids she swore she would never drive a minivan, by kid #2 she was begging me for one!

[dboz]

Amazing that America grew to this population size when sliding doors have only existed on passenger vehicles for about 30 years now. How did people ever decide to have kids when they actually only had the option to close or open a door with a handle?

We can thank LEE IACOCA for the population explosion!

[SeanU]

Originally Posted by dboz

Amazing that America grew to this population size when sliding doors have only existed on passenger vehicles for about 30 years now. How did people ever decide to have kids when they actually only had the option to close or open a door with a handle?

We can thank LEE IACOCA for the population explosion!

Back in the 1970's we would squeeze our family of 6 into the Country Squire wagon. No car seats to worry about, seatbelts were rarely ever worn, and the cargo area was a mobile playground on long trips.

[WIBrewDude]

HA! Love the old wagon photo. I remember growing up and riding int he cargo area of the old Scout Traveler that my parents had. We would throw an old mattress in the back and thats where I would spend the 3 hour trip to visit the aunt and uncle. Man that thing was a lumber wagon...I don't think it even had interior trim in the back, just exposed steel....

What was a seat belt?

My uncle also had an old station wagon with the rear facing seat in the back. It had a power sliding rear window that he would put down in the summer, however you always got sick at stoplights because the exhaust would drift up and get sucked right into the back where we were sitting....

For $500 Alex, What are carcinogens?

[awd-gg]

Originally Posted by p nut

So, per KBB, "the 2014 Subaru Forester starts just under $23,000 for an entry-level 2.5i variant with a top-line naturally-aspirated 2.5i Touring model opening just over $30,800." Basically meaning that the price advantage of Foresters in 2013 over the Outback is now gone, just as I suspected.

Not sure where you get the 2014 Forester pricing. I just check SUbaru website (for a friend who is interested in it) and the 2.5I entry level is $21995 (not $23000). The 2013 OB 2.5I entry level is $23495

[Healey3000]

Originally Posted by awd-gg

Not sure where you get the 2014 Forester pricing. I just check SUbaru website (for a friend who is interested in it) and the 2.5I entry level is $21995 (not $23000). The 2013 OB 2.5I entry level is $23495

Hi,

I saw that Subaru has put up full details and pricing for the 2014 Forester: Subaru Forester | The New 2014 Forester Compact SUV

Too bad the only interior color for the XT is black and that if you want leather in the XT you have to step up to the Touring.