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Old 11-30-2012, 09:53 AM   #1351
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About a month ago, FHI flew a bunch of North American car journalists to FHI's test facility in Japan for test drives of the North American version of the new Forester. The resulting "first drive impressions" articles all appeared almost simultaneously earlier this month and there is a post at http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/show...&postcount=952 which contains links to most of them.

By all accounts, it was a one-day whirlwind event. A dramatic unveiling of two show cars, followed by presentations by executives, project managers and engineers. Then it was outside to the track where the journos took turns driving laps on a high-speed oval and riding as passengers while expert drivers negotiated an off-road course.

I wouldn't have thought there was enough opportunity to futz around with the navigation system to be able to form an opinion about it, but the writer for Automobile magazine apparently managed to do so, according to http://www.automobilemag.com/reviews...ter_prototype/.
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We're less excited about the navigation system, which debuted on the BRZ and now features Aha Radio app integration. Subaru, which arguably had one of the worst navigation systems in the business with its outgoing system, has come up with an even worse head unit. The resolution is poor, the information is difficult to read, and the buttons on the touchscreen are small and often unresponsive.
It now occurs to me that one of the presentations probably explained that the new Forester's NAV was essentially the same as the one on the BRZ and that the Automobile writer's opinion was based on his experiences with the BRZ's system.

There is a thread in the BRZ forum about its NAV at http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/show....php?t=2431426 and it appears most posters there would agree with Automobile magazine's assessment.

Unfortunately for those Forester buyers who want the Driver Assist Technology package (EyeSight, Keyless Access and Start, and HID headlights), the Touring trim level is a prerequisite and it contains NAV as standard equipment.
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Last edited by Cocoa Beach Bum; 11-30-2012 at 10:06 AM.
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Old 11-30-2012, 11:17 AM   #1352
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Funny how the octane thing has been a non issue for awhile on turbo Subarus. All of a sudden it's a big deal. The Escape 1.6L DI turbo loses a whopping 5 hp going from premium to regular.
It was always an issue that we knew about. This is most likely due to the magazines showing poor performance results on the MY11 STI and WRX vs MY10. The magazines use 91 oct in CA, when the numbers produced at peak efficiency, 93 are faster.

Last edited by Snow Drift; 11-30-2012 at 11:22 AM.
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Old 11-30-2012, 11:28 AM   #1353
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Funny how the octane thing has been a non issue for awhile on turbo Subarus. All of a sudden it's a big deal. The Escape 1.6L DI turbo loses a whopping 5 hp going from premium to regular.
Subaru's new DIT, at least, seems very sensitive to octane level. According to the "First Look" article from Edmunds at http://www.insideline.com/subaru/for...irst-look.html:
Quote:
This new downsized FA20 engine — a harbinger of what we may see in the Subaru BRZ turbo — has direct injection, a high (for a turbo) 10.6:1 compression ratio, and independently variable intake and exhaust valve timing. It's good for 250 hp on 93-octane unleaded (230 horses on 91 octane) and will scoot from zero to 60 mph in 6.2 seconds, according to Subaru.
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Old 11-30-2012, 12:04 PM   #1354
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Cocoa Beach Bum View Post
About a month ago, FHI flew a bunch of North American car journalists to FHI's test facility in Japan for test drives of the North American version of the new Forester. The resulting "first drive impressions" articles all appeared almost simultaneously earlier this month and there is a post at http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/show...&postcount=952 which contains links to most of them.

By all accounts, it was a one-day whirlwind event. A dramatic unveiling of two show cars, followed by presentations by executives, project managers and engineers. Then it was outside to the track where the journos took turns driving laps on a high-speed oval and riding as passengers while expert drivers negotiated an off-road course.

I wouldn't have thought there was enough opportunity to futz around with the navigation system to be able to form an opinion about it, but the writer for Automobile magazine apparently managed to do so, according to http://www.automobilemag.com/reviews...ter_prototype/.It now occurs to me that one of the presentations probably explained that the new Forester's NAV was essentially the same as the one on the BRZ and that the Automobile writer's opinion was based on his experiences with the BRZ's system.

There is a thread in the BRZ forum about its NAV at http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/show....php?t=2431426 and it appears most posters there would agree with Automobile magazine's assessment.

Unfortunately for those Forester buyers who want the Driver Assist Technology package (EyeSight, Keyless Access and Start, and HID headlights), the Touring trim level is a prerequisite and it contains NAV as standard equipment.
Thanks for that, CBB. I can attest to how terrible the BRZ's NAV is. It's not so terrible that I've made it a priority to swap it out right now, but it WILL be swapped. It had so many promising features. Even the Canadian BRZ gets better NAV. I believe their's even plays DVD! I've never even seen an inexpensive aftermarket NAV unit not play DVD.

I'm sad to see this unit carried through to the new Forester. At least the back-up camera feature is decent. I've seen it on my buddy's (furtive) BRZ Premium. Forester owners would be wise to enable that feature if it doesn't already come as an option.
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Old 11-30-2012, 01:25 PM   #1355
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I'm going to wait until actual dealer information is available to fully determine tow ratings, power, fuel requirements or recommended, options, etc. I've seen too many errors and discrepancies in the past from manufacturer's press releases for these auto shows.
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Old 11-30-2012, 02:12 PM   #1356
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I'm going to wait until actual dealer information is available to fully determine tow ratings, power, fuel requirements or recommended, options, etc. I've seen too many errors and discrepancies in the past from manufacturer's press releases for these auto shows.
I once toured southeast Australia for a few weeks by car and noticed that they're mad about towing trailers down there. It seemed like every other car there was pulling a trailer. The current Forester XT models down there have a 1600 kg (3527 lb) towing capability.

The new Forester should arrive down there starting next February and I expect specification details to be announced just after New Year's. Should be interesting.

http://subaru.com.au/forester/xt

Last edited by Cocoa Beach Bum; 11-30-2012 at 02:46 PM.
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Old 11-30-2012, 02:26 PM   #1357
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Pretty dang big refresh.
Being that the SH never actually had a refresh in the 5 MY's of production, this is more of an evolution of the SH. It gained .9 inches of wheelbase, .7 and .9 inches of track, with 1.4 inches of overall length. The SG to SH gained what, 4-5 inches of wheelbase?

With that said, where did the towing capacity go? Shouldn't it be rated higher with the added weight and stability associated with designing more weight into the platform? Maybe the added weight is what lowered the rating? Bummer if so.

I was its biggest fan, too.

Last edited by 4S-TURBO; 11-30-2012 at 02:47 PM.
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Old 11-30-2012, 02:47 PM   #1358
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Sooo... I think I'm getting confused. Are we saying that the USDM Forester's tow rating is substantially less than AUS, EDM and JDM models? Or are the models themselves getting "worse" across the board with each successive change?
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Old 11-30-2012, 02:52 PM   #1359
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We don't know and I personally do not care about what it's rated elsewhere. I want SOA to tell me what the car, as equipped, is capable here. It's a liability to strap a big hunk of something to the rear of your car. If it exceeds the manufacturer's rating, you are SOL in an event of something bad happening (like hubs failing, brakes failing, trans failing, engine failing, tires failing, deformation of frame), or an accident.
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Old 11-30-2012, 02:56 PM   #1360
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From what I've seen the USDM Subaru models have ALWAYS been rated with a lower tow rating than all of Subaru's other markets...

Methinks it's the US litigious society that leads to that...

We all know that the unibody and mounting points on the cars are identical...
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Old 11-30-2012, 03:01 PM   #1361
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I think SOA is telling us that all of those failures that are possible are possible because they do not have faith they will hold up to any more than 1500 lbs and the weight of the vehicle itself. Pretty crappy, IMO. Current Outback is almost twice that rating with CVT and N/A 2.5 motor...same litigious society. Weird.
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Old 11-30-2012, 03:01 PM   #1362
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Quote:
Originally Posted by crash View Post
From what I've seen the USDM Subaru models have ALWAYS been rated with a lower tow rating than all of Subaru's other markets...

Methinks it's the US litigious society that leads to that...

We all know that the unibody and mounting points on the cars are identical...
See, this is what I mean. Why on earth would other places on earth be rated higher for the SAME vehicle?
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Old 11-30-2012, 03:11 PM   #1363
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Dunno, but why is the BM and SH platform rated so high and this so little?
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Old 11-30-2012, 03:20 PM   #1364
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I wish it was a misprint..... ....Or maybe they meant 1500 kg....
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Old 11-30-2012, 03:41 PM   #1365
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What replaced the 4 spd auto in the FXT?
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Old 11-30-2012, 03:41 PM   #1366
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subyski^^^ THIS is what I was hoping to find out with my incessant and annoying blabbering.

The tow rating is the only reason holding be back from buying a new XT. If SOA is not confident enough, neither am I.

CVT replaced 4EAT.
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Old 11-30-2012, 04:13 PM   #1367
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Ford Escape with turbo has 1500 standard tow rating and 3500 max tow rating. Riding on 19's no less. Here's to hoping...
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Old 11-30-2012, 05:08 PM   #1368
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Cocoa Beach Bum View Post
About a month ago, FHI flew a bunch of North American car journalists to FHI's test facility in Japan for test drives of the North American version of the new Forester. The resulting "first drive impressions" articles all appeared almost simultaneously earlier this month and there is a post at http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/show...&postcount=952 which contains links to most of them.

By all accounts, it was a one-day whirlwind event. A dramatic unveiling of two show cars, followed by presentations by executives, project managers and engineers. Then it was outside to the track where the journos took turns driving laps on a high-speed oval and riding as passengers while expert drivers negotiated an off-road course.

I wouldn't have thought there was enough opportunity to futz around with the navigation system to be able to form an opinion about it, but the writer for Automobile magazine apparently managed to do so, according to http://www.automobilemag.com/reviews...ter_prototype/.It now occurs to me that one of the presentations probably explained that the new Forester's NAV was essentially the same as the one on the BRZ and that the Automobile writer's opinion was based on his experiences with the BRZ's system.

There is a thread in the BRZ forum about its NAV at http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/show....php?t=2431426 and it appears most posters there would agree with Automobile magazine's assessment.

Unfortunately for those Forester buyers who want the Driver Assist Technology package (EyeSight, Keyless Access and Start, and HID headlights), the Touring trim level is a prerequisite and it contains NAV as standard equipment.
W T F Subaru
On current models, the POS nav is a separate option from the Touring trim. You can have HIDs all day long without nav.
WTF do I need to press a button every time I start my car to agree to a damn EULA and be forced to pay for $hit I will NEVER use. ARGH.
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Old 11-30-2012, 05:16 PM   #1369
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Quote:
Originally Posted by chanomatik View Post

I'm sad to see this unit carried through to the new Forester.
The article is wrong. This NAV debuted in the 2012 Forester. Long before the BRZ came out.

Quote:
Originally Posted by subyski View Post
I'm going to wait until actual dealer information is available to fully determine tow ratings, power, fuel requirements or recommended, options, etc. I've seen too many errors and discrepancies in the past from manufacturer's press releases for these auto shows.

From Subaru?
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Old 11-30-2012, 05:22 PM   #1370
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Originally Posted by Brahmzy View Post
W T F Subaru
On current models, the POS nav is a separate option from the Touring trim. You can have HIDs all day long without nav.
WTF do I need to press a button every time I start my car to agree to a damn EULA and be forced to pay for $hit I will NEVER use. ARGH.

It has got to do something with EyeSight. Probably the computer that runs them.

I would think if you had it, you would use it. The bluetooth that comes with it is superior right now in the fact that it is the only one that downloads your phonebook.

If you really don't want to use the NAV, then you wouldn't ever have to agree to the EULA. Leave it in the audio screen.
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Old 11-30-2012, 05:33 PM   #1371
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Brahmzy View Post
W T F Subaru
On current models, the POS nav is a separate option from the Touring trim. You can have HIDs all day long without nav.
WTF do I need to press a button every time I start my car to agree to a damn EULA and be forced to pay for $hit I will NEVER use. ARGH.
I assure you, your wife will use the nagivation to find you when your BMW breaks down.

Seriously, it's just like setting the climate control temperatures each time you get into the car if you didn't do it the last time you were in it. One simple click or rotation of a control handle and you have your sight-blinding HID's on or your navigation started up.
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Old 11-30-2012, 05:36 PM   #1372
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Originally Posted by JustyWRC View Post

From Subaru?
I meant it more of a generalization. Not saying what Subaru printed is wrong but there still needs some clarifications. For example for the XT, the pdf provided earlier in the thread by Subaru states the fuel requirement is "91 min" where as Subaru's website for the 2014 Forester, under Specs, states fuel requirement is "91 premium recommended". This, to me, has a different meaning. It's more of the nit picky stuff that needs to be cleaned up by the time it goes on sale. Unfortunately, I don't think the tow rating stated is incorrect.
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Old 11-30-2012, 05:40 PM   #1373
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Originally Posted by JustyWRC View Post
The article is wrong. This NAV debuted in the 2012 Forester. Long before the BRZ came out.




From Subaru?

Hopefully my sarcasm meter is reading you correctly. I thought it was great that our Showroom Subaru Book (That every customer looks in) showed that the new Impreza comes with Dual Zone Climate Control.
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Old 11-30-2012, 06:41 PM   #1374
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Quote:
Originally Posted by subyski View Post
I meant it more of a generalization. Not saying what Subaru printed is wrong but there still needs some clarifications. For example for the XT, the pdf provided earlier in the thread by Subaru states the fuel requirement is "91 min" where as Subaru's website for the 2014 Forester, under Specs, states fuel requirement is "91 premium recommended". This, to me, has a different meaning. It's more of the nit picky stuff that needs to be cleaned up by the time it goes on sale. Unfortunately, I don't think the tow rating stated is incorrect.
I have always remembered that the minimum that they recommend is 91. 93 is what it is designed for and, to me and my travels, seem to be more widely available. I have yet to not come across it. Now, that is speaking for the Rockies and east.


Quote:
Originally Posted by Beyer Subaru View Post
Hopefully my sarcasm meter is reading you correctly. I thought it was great that our Showroom Subaru Book (That every customer looks in) showed that the new Impreza comes with Dual Zone Climate Control.
Yep, and they fixed that very quick; but, he was talking about Autoshow press releases.
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Old 11-30-2012, 09:07 PM   #1375
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Originally Posted by Cocoa Beach Bum View Post
Subaru's new DIT, at least, seems very sensitive to octane level. According to the "First Look" article from Edmunds at http://www.insideline.com/subaru/for...irst-look.html:
And yet, the 2.0 DIT on 91 AKI gas most likely produces more torque/power everywhere in the rev range as compared to the outgoing EJ255 with it's low static compression and its remotely located super tiny turbo.
Bottom line, IMO, we don't have to worry about power/torque production on 91 AKI gas from a relatively high compression direct injected engine that has a decently sized turbo located very close to the exhaust ports.
My guess is that we'll all be pleasantly surprised (even with 91 AKI gas in the tank). Peak power numbers don't tell the actual story.
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