I was looking hard at a Forester, but the numbers make the Outback more appealing.

I'm curious how you like it and what you had prior.

I'm looking at a '21 Outback Limited with the normal NA 2.5l engine without much else added. I like the power passenger seat and automatic dual zone climate control for the wife and the longer cargo area.

Thanks!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Riley,

I have an older one, and between the Forester and the Outback, I'd go Outback.

Reviews say the updated Outback that rides on the newer and much stiffer Subaru Global Platform punches way above it's weight class in terms of ride refinement.

I believe the "tall wagon" format of the Outback is the best blend of driveability and practicality. It's bigger inside than the Forester, has just about the perfect step-in/seat height, and the longer wheelbase combined with the sleeker profile puts the center of gravity low and smooths out the ride.

The Forester may "look" more like a sport utility, but the ground clearance is the same and the front and rear overhangs both suck.

I just bought a 2020 Forester. I dove both and was impressed with the Outback and Forester. I could have gone with either one but my wife wanted the SUV look with the Forester as opposed to the station wagon look of the Outback.
We got the Touring model which had a sticker price of the lower trim on the Outbacks.
I think on longer rides the Outback is more comfortable, slightly longer and wider. I have second thoughts on picking the Forester over the Outback.

quote:

Living the Dream

I have a 2020 Outback XT. It rides well and is great in snow, really comfortable. Traded in a Focus ST because I was sick of not getting up my driveway when it snowed. Bad thing is it has a weird throttle response, like an on off switch. Good power with the turbo and about 27 mpg overall for my kind of driving.

Just purchased a '21 Subaru Sport Crosstrek. I miss the cargo room of the Outback we traded in but the new 2.5L Crosstrek has plenty more zoom and so far the quality has impressed. The new car's stance provides a great deal of confidence taking corners and I'm sure the X-drive will handle what snow comes our way.

Have a 2020 outback mainly used for work and love it. Traded in a VW Tiguan that was a nice ride but once it got to around 130k was nothing but repair bills.

Thanks. I really like the CrossTrek, but it’s a touch small. So I started looking at the Forester but price/features/financing leads me to the Outback.

I keep forgetting which year my dad's Outback is, but I do know it is either a '16 or '17. We were just zipping all around in the mountains west of Colorado Springs, and with 5 full grown people in it. It had adequate power for the area, but again, I'd still like a turbo for high altitude/high country driving just so the engine doesn't have to turn so many RPMs.

And just like other Subaru posts, I favor the Forester over the Outback - but that is purely personal preference. Even so, is just too big for me being an empty nester. Either the Outback or Forester would have been perfect for my family use, but those days are long gone. My '20 Crosstrek is the perfect size for me, and it does everything I ask it to.

Test drove the 2020 Outback (I had a ‘15 Legacy 3.6r, the car version of the outback for four years with no issues) with my daughter when we were shopping for cars. It was great but it was just too much of a car for her for school, work and a dog so we test drove the 2020 Impreza sedan. I ended up buying her the Impreza. If I need a bigger car I will get myself an Outback.

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Originally posted by Chowser:
Test drove the 2020 Outback (I had a ‘15 Legacy 3.6r, the car version of the outback for four years with no issues) with my daughter when we were shopping for cars. It was great but it was just too much of a car for her for school, work and a dog so we test drove the 2020 Impreza sedan. I ended up buying her the Impreza. If I need a bigger car I will get myself an Outback.

A friend has a 2020. He likes it. People think it’s smaller and less roomy than an suv until they see them side by side. They sell a lot of them all over for good reasons.

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Originally posted by geoffl56:...it has a weird throttle response, like an on off switch.

It really does. I have a Crosstrek and it has that. I think they all do. I like it, but I had a friend with a WRX who remapped it. It's easy to do (YouTube vids and cheap smartphone apps).

When they add heated steering wheels to crosstreks, I'll get a new one. I have a 2014. If they don't in a few years, I'll get the Outback over the Forrester.

My wife and I purchased a new 2021 Subaru Outback Touring XT beginning of November. Still in the honeymoon phase but its been exceptional and wish we had done it sooner.

We originally had planned on a Crosstrek after driving one as a rental in CA last year, and both of us had been pining for a Subie for some time. My wife was used to smaller cars - having a Mazda 3 Grand Touring - but after really considering it for the money and the fact she decided she wanted a larger vehicle to replace her vehicle as she wanted to sit a bit higher and have more room we had decided a Forester or Outback. As soon as she test drove the Outback - it was a done deal. We both really like the ride height and her visibility is much improved. (She had a detached retina and issues even after some procedures that lost her vision in her right eye, which after some more work over a 18 months is now better but both eyes fight for control so visibility to her is important). Our insurance, Nationwide has the Outback as a station wagon not an SUV and between the new safety features and its classification we saved on insurance. The turbo over the regular engine wasn't a deciding factor in getting the XT over the regular Touring or limited - she just wanted that color and features (green with brown interior) - although the turbo is kinda nice but nope, I uh never fully tested it out, its my wife's car after all

A week to the exact day later, with a touch of new car fever I decided to buy a 2021 Forester Limited - prior vehicle was a 2015 Grand Cherokee Laredo. We both have enjoyed the Forester as well - wife definitely loves the Outback more, in both driving, a few extra features including the much nicer control panel that is ipad huge, the front facing camera when she has to park in tights spot and pull forward close and of course the ventilated seats which my Forester has heated but not ventilated. I love them both - if I HAD to choose I would choose the Forester. It is a bit more SUV like and coming from the Jeep is a touch closer to what I was used to.

Good luck - you cannot go wrong with an Outback IMO

ETA - I also don't know what trim level has the driver identification in the Outback, but the one we have does and hopping in and it identifies you and adjusts the seats etc to your preferences I thought would be a gimmick but after getting used to it - its swanky - and I do really enjoy it

I do hate one feature in the Outback, it can detect when you are looking away from the road for any length of time and beeps at you - apparently I do this alot...
You can turn some of these off but they come back next time you start the car - and the auto shut off of the engine I thought would be a pain - its not been too bad once you get used to it, you can temporarily turn it off (or with a mod turn off for good) - as well as tricks like leave defroster on which disables engine shut off

My brother says the same thing,
" I didn't know how bad a driver I was until I got the Subaru"

My F I L has a 20 or 21, not sure. Got it a few months ago, delivered to his house. Only a couple of things he really doesn't care for- the stop/start feature (that you can disable, every trip), and that warning buzzer about you looking down. He also misses the grunt of his 3.5v6 Avalon, but it is a great vehicle. Leather, nice tunes, and awd when needed. The 2.5 is plenty for his needs.

quote:

Originally posted by bendable:

My brother says the same thing,
" I didn't know how bad a driver I was until I got the Subaru"

^that is truth right there^

For my wife - its the lane departure that gets her

I will say we are more mindful of our driving than we ever were before

quote:

Originally posted by r0gue:

quote:

Originally posted by geoffl56:...it has a weird throttle response, like an on off switch.

It really does. I have a Crosstrek and it has that. I think they all do. I like it, but I had a friend with a WRX who remapped it. It's easy to do (YouTube vids and cheap smartphone apps).

When they add heated steering wheels to crosstreks, I'll get a new one. I have a 2014. If they don't in a few years, I'll get the Outback over the Forrester.

No such throttle response in the new Crosstrek with the 2.5L engine. It's smooth baby.

I think it's about time that Subaru created a luxury marque.

I think a gussied up Subaru Outback, Forester, or Legacy sedan with sport forward driving dynamics and a sophisticated luxury exterior would eat Lexus', Acuras', and Volvo's lunch.

I drove several 16-17 Forester & Outback earlier this year.

IMO, the OB feels much nicer overall.
Not sure if it was on here, but saw it mentioned that the Forester is based on the Impreza platform & the OB is on the Legacy platform, so that explains the gap a bit.

IMO, if Subaru could get the Forester to OB refinement, I'd be really interested. Oh, and bring back the XT.

I have a 2019 and we just got a 2021 3 weeks ago. It's quicker, roomier and more user friendly than the 19’. The only drawback is all the new fangled technology. It has eye tracking, it tells you if someone is to close and it brakes on uta own if you are three car lenthgs away. The wife loves it and that's all I care.

2019 and newer Foresters are built on the new Subaru Global Platform, which is shared by 2020 and newer Outbacks/Legacies and 2018(?) and newer Ascents (and underpins all future Subaru models, except the BRZ).

The SGP provides 70-to-100 percent stiffer bodies and 40% improvement to impact absorption in comparison to the outgoing models.

So, a new Forester will likely feel much more refined than a last generation Forester.