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Posted By: Fenton Subaru Crosstrek any good? - 09/19/21
Wife wants one. 2018 or newer. Any of you guys have any experience with these?

She's got some peripheral vision issues and wants the Premium version with the EyeSight Saftey Pkg which includes Lane Departure Warning, Blind Spot Monitoring and Rear Cross Traffic Alert.

I've never owned a Subaru, so just trying to get some opinions from those who know more than me about these Crosstreks.

Thanks guys,
Fenton
Posted By: Remsen Re: Subaru Crosstrek any good? - 09/19/21
There's Subarus everywhere in my family (brother's wife has a Crosstrek, sister has an Outback, niece has an Outback and we had an Outback as well until a few months ago). The Subaru drivers assist package is not the best out there. I am not a fan of drivers' assists and turn them off whenever I have to drive a car with them, and the Subaru system is very imprecise. It tends to pingpong between the lines on the freeway and the automatic braking system is outright dangerous, as it will sometimes react to things that pose no risk, like a branch on the ground behind it when you are in reverse.

Subarus are good for some things, but if the purpose is to have good driver assists, I'd avoid Subaru. The Audi that replaced our Subaru has really good driver assists, almost to the point that you can drive hands free on the freeway.
Posted By: antlers Re: Subaru Crosstrek any good? - 09/19/21
I’ve got a 2019 Crosstrek that I bought new. I traded in my 2013 Outback on it that I also bought new. Never turned a screw on the Outback. I put a lotta hard miles on that Outback. It was the best car I ever had, until I bought the Crosstrek. I like the Crosstrek even better. Both of those cars have taken me places that the 4wd SUV’s I’ve always had in the past would not have gotten me. The footprint of the Crosstrek is very small. It climbs like a mountain goat. It’s surefooted, and is very efficient, and I really can’t say enough good things about it. It’s outstanding in the snow. Great fuel economy. It suits me to a ‘T’. A lotta the roads I take it on aren’t even roads...they’re more like burro paths up in the mountains. It’s got a Maytag under the hood...it’s a 2.0 4-cylinder that cranks out a massive 152 horsepower. It weighs a little over a ton and a half. It’s got just under 9 inches of ground clearance. I didn’t want the EyeSight Safety Package on mine. As with the Outback, the Crosstrek is an absolute joy to own and drive.
Posted By: Fenton Re: Subaru Crosstrek any good? - 09/19/21
Remsen,

Thanks for your quick comments, much appreciated.

Comments from anyone else are welcome.

Fenton
Posted By: johnw Re: Subaru Crosstrek any good? - 09/19/21
Everyone I know with a crosstrek loves it.

This includes one neighbor and 2 co-workers
Posted By: Fenton Re: Subaru Crosstrek any good? - 09/19/21
Antlers,

Thanks to you as well, good info.

How do you feel about the acceleration with the 2.0 liter 4-cyylinder? I've read some reviews that thought it was a bit sluggish. Some models offer a 2.5 liter with a turbo that is quicker.
2.0 liter would probably be fine for the wife as she's a slow driver anyway.

Fenton
Posted By: antlers Re: Subaru Crosstrek any good? - 09/19/21
Originally Posted by Fenton
How do you feel about the acceleration with the 2.0 liter 4-cylinder? I've read some reviews that thought it was a bit sluggish. Some models offer a 2.5 liter with a turbo that is quicker.
2.0 liter would probably be fine for the wife as she's a slow driver anyway.
It ain’t a problem for me. I’m not heavy footed anyways. So I don’t find it sluggish at all. It does everything I need it to do, and then some. It ain’t a race car. The 2.5 liter with a turbo would negate the efficiency and the economy that I was looking for.
Last October I went over Cottonwood Pass in a whiteout blizzard, it was snowing sideways; the heavy snow was accumulating fast. It was a powdery snow at least a foot deep. Couldn’t see schit. I was able to stay on the road only by staying in between those tall poles on both sides of the road that guide the snowplows. But the Crosstrek was impressively surefooted in that environment.
Originally Posted by Remsen
There's Subarus everywhere in my family (brother's wife has a Crosstrek, sister has an Outback, niece has an Outback and we had an Outback as well until a few months ago). The Subaru drivers assist package is not the best out there. I am not a fan of drivers' assists and turn them off whenever I have to drive a car with them, and the Subaru system is very imprecise. It tends to pingpong between the lines on the freeway and the automatic braking system is outright dangerous, as it will sometimes react to things that pose no risk, like a branch on the ground behind it when you are in reverse.

Subarus are good for some things, but if the purpose is to have good driver assists, I'd avoid Subaru. The Audi that replaced our Subaru has really good driver assists, almost to the point that you can drive hands free on the freeway.

We have a Toyota Highlander will all that stuff. It's been very accurate and reliable. The smaller Rav4 has the same system I believe. If the Sub has problems, a Toyota might be a better choice.
Subaru with the 2.5 is a stone acceleration wise. If you have a good dealer then are just OK if you have a terrible dealer run away fast. They will not give you the longevity of a well maintained Toyota or Honda. They are no better in snow and bad weather then a very good AWD system on most SUV's.
Posted By: Heym06 Re: Subaru Crosstrek any good? - 09/19/21
The wife drives a Subaru Ascent. The lane assist is not an option she or I use. Turn it off and it doesn't come back on unless you turn it on! Just don't put a coexist, or rainbow decal in the windows! Subaru makes fine cars, your wife will like it!
It’s great for traveling to weed festivals, Whole Foods and getting all my Patagonia gear………
Posted By: antlers Re: Subaru Crosstrek any good? - 09/19/21
I bought mine in May of 2019. It’s a 2.0i Premium with CVT.
Lane assist is a pain in the rear. In the Toyota, if you change lanes without signaling, it beeps at you. I often do that when there's no traffic and I get tired of the beeping. It hasn't been turned on in a year.
Subaru are tough durable reliable cars. Now, some people should not be driving !!!!!!!
Posted By: Wrapids Re: Subaru Crosstrek any good? - 09/20/21
Though my 2013 Crosstrek was an early model and had 2 recalls, both of which seem to have been done okay, it has seen me thru some nasty driving across SD and WY several times, By far the best vehicle I have ever owned.
Posted By: rem141r Re: Subaru Crosstrek any good? - 09/20/21
i've never driven a cross trek but we have had a few subies in the family. i love my 16 outback and my daughter loves her 19 forester. for peripheral vision, check out the size of the A pillars. on both my outback and my daughters forester, the A pillar is thick and takes some getting used to. for AWD you won't find better. all mine go through snow like little tanks.
I'll just leave this here:

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]
Only people I know that have Subarus around here are openly homosexual or secretly homosexual an openly support them.
Posted By: MarkWV Re: Subaru Crosstrek any good? - 09/20/21
Forget the naysayers…..

I drove a 2005 Outback for 15 years. In the winter I passed all types of vehicles in the snow. They were scared [bleep], I blew their doors off, whining babies from Jeep Wranglers to Tacoma want-a-be Ford Exploders. Summers when it rained, these SOB’s held me up on the road. Best vehicle out there and the Crosstrek is just a smaller version.

I’d get one, put good tires on it and laugh at the tear jerkers. I’d have one today but I need room for 4 pups.
Posted By: 700LH Re: Subaru Crosstrek any good? - 09/20/21
[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]
Posted By: fburgtx Re: Subaru Crosstrek any good? - 09/20/21
Originally Posted by Heym06
The wife drives a Subaru Ascent. The lane assist is not an option she or I use. Turn it off and it doesn't come back on unless you turn it on! Just don't put a coexist, or rainbow decal in the windows! Subaru makes fine cars, your wife will like it!


On the bright side, dudes won’t hit on your wife. OTOH, every lesbian in town gonna be like “check out the hottie in the scooby-doo!!”....
Posted By: Fenton Re: Subaru Crosstrek any good? - 09/20/21
Originally Posted by oldwoody2
Subaru are tough durable reliable cars. Now, some people should not be driving !!!!!!!


Oldwoodyz,

We're trying to cope with an unfortunate turn of events. Conditions have changed...we're adjusting as best we can.

Hopefully you've had no physical challenges of your own...yet.

Your concern sir, particularly noted.

Fenton
Originally Posted by rem141r
i've never driven a cross trek but we have had a few subies in the family. i love my 16 outback and my daughter loves her 19 forester. for peripheral vision, check out the size of the A pillars. on both my outback and my daughters forester, the A pillar is thick and takes some getting used to. for AWD you won't find better. all mine go through snow like little tanks.

Last Feb we got caught in that storm that shut down OR and WA for a week. I-5 was open but it was a mess. It hadn't been plowed and had a foot of snow with frozen ruts. The only pass over the Cascades that was open was White Pass in WA. We sailed over it in our Highlander. Quite a few cars have AWD and could have done the same but what makes the real difference is the tires. We had studded real snow tires all around. All seasons aren't any better than highways on slick stuff. They're too hard for good traction.
Posted By: greydog Re: Subaru Crosstrek any good? - 09/20/21
Our first new car was a 1971 Subaru which was an almost indestructible car. Put 200,000 miles on it. Next car was a 1976 Subaru 4WD and it was an absolute POS and calved at 65,000. Test drove one twenty years ago and it felt like the gas pedal was connected with a rubber band. We are about due for a new car and the Cross Trek is one of the few I can get with a manual transmission and I like that. However, our 11 year old Toyota Matrix has been such a good car that I may just decide to live with an auto transmission and buy a Rav4 instead. I buy basic cars and the less bells and whistles, the better I like them. Getting hard to find any. GD
You’ll be a really cool guy if you live in Washington or Oregon.
Posted By: add Re: Subaru Crosstrek any good? - 09/20/21
Nimble, reliable units.


It goes places (w/o being towed), the Suburban/Tahoe crowd thought better of.
What state will this Subaru reside in?
Posted By: Fenton Re: Subaru Crosstrek any good? - 09/20/21
Originally Posted by copperking81
What state will this Subaru reside in?


The Gem State.
Originally Posted by 700LH
[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]



I'm sure its something you can relate to as well... fuggin woktard.
Originally Posted by Fenton
Originally Posted by copperking81
What state will this Subaru reside in?


The Gem State.


That's fine. Just keep it out of Montana. We've hit our Subaru quota. Might be ok in Missoula. In fact, just take Missoula with you back to Idaho. You guys can have it.
Posted By: Akbob5 Re: Subaru Crosstrek any good? - 09/20/21
I’m on my second Forester as a company car. I drive the hell out of it and have a 50 mile run to the airport. I live in ID, but one of my work partners lives in Colorado Springs, way up high. His driveway is no schitt like a luge run. We’re both sold on the Suburus. I had a Honda CRV as a grocery getter prior to the Suby. They have a low center of gravity that helps hold the road, and I regularly pass every car on the freeway in bad weather.


I’ve driven a range of rental vehicles and I’d say the Suburu ranks right up there with the best. Can’t really compare it to premium vehicles, but I have a new Toyota Tacoma and the wife has a new Ford Explorer. Just as good as both of them in that regard.

I’m a fan.
Posted By: Hubert Re: Subaru Crosstrek any good? - 09/20/21
I was told the water pump needs replaced at about 90.000 miles.. I was going to buy a used one until then, don't need a $3000.00 repair bill at this time.... it had 96.000 miles on it for $8.000 . dollars...
Originally Posted by Fenton
Originally Posted by copperking81
What state will this Subaru reside in?
The Gem State.

You’ll be fine but the Prius crowd will consider you a wannabe.
Posted By: hookeye Re: Subaru Crosstrek any good? - 09/20/21
Toured SIA plant in Lafayette IN years ago.
Pretty impressive.

Even w a lift kit they just sit too low for my use.
Posted By: jdunham Re: Subaru Crosstrek any good? - 09/20/21
I know they aren’t cool but they have served our household well. A couple outback’s, a legacy and a forester have all been bulletproof. They climb our mountain when nothing else will. I have no use for any of the driver assist systems, regardless of make.
Posted By: Mac84 Re: Subaru Crosstrek any good? - 09/20/21
My son has a forester which is just a tad bigger than the crosstrek. He loves it and it handles the U.P. winters decent enough. Compared to my wife’s Rav4 the forester has better field of view all the way around and seems to be more responsive. The Rav has the safety features you mentioned and the wife loves them.
Wife has a 2014 Crosstrek and it's been a great ride for her. We run studded snow tires in the winter here on it and it's been unstoppable. Back and forth to town avg 30 mpg. And she got 40 mpg going up to Tacoma on a trip to see the granddaughter.
The newer ones with the driver assist I have no experience with but my neighbor has one and said he got into a swarm of grasshoppers on the highway and the auto braking activated.
Posted By: HitnRun Re: Subaru Crosstrek any good? - 09/20/21
https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theatlantic.com/amp/article/488042/
Our Toyota has a safety thing build into the cruise control. When you come up behind a slower car, it will slow down to match their speed until you change lanes to pass. Then it rapidly takes you back up to your cruise setting. The problem is that it's too smooth. You can come up behind someone and slow down without realizing it. Instead of going 80, you might be doing 70.
Posted By: hookeye Re: Subaru Crosstrek any good? - 09/20/21
I remember the Forester ads w the tennis lez way back.
Ugly gal, ugly car.

They dropped the Baja (the Subaru that got my attention ).... and now Hyundai has the Santa Cruz
Posted By: KFWA Re: Subaru Crosstrek any good? - 09/20/21
The crosstrek is on my list of cars to check out when I'm looking to buy. I just want snow capability, and I really want a sedan, not an SUV, so I'm going to first look into getting one of the newer AWD Camry's.

If that doesn't do it for me, then Rav4 or Crosstrek.

I'm not gonna get worked up if someone thinks I'm a lesbian for driving one. I like flannel
My son bought a used Crosstrek and loves it for getting around the mountains of WA on E-4 pay.
Originally Posted by KFWA
The crosstrek is on my list of cars to check out when I'm looking to buy. I just want snow capability, and I really want a sedan, not an SUV, so I'm going to first look into getting one of the newer AWD Camry's.


Don't overlook the Subaru Legacy sedan. We have two in the family for the same purpose.
Originally Posted by Hunter270Guy
You’ll be a really cool guy if you live in Washington or Oregon.


Vermont, NH and Maine are stuffed full of Subarus. Seems they all come from the dealer with a kayak on top.
Posted By: SCgman1 Re: Subaru Crosstrek any good? - 09/20/21
Every Canadian immigrant I know owns one.
Posted By: Remsen Re: Subaru Crosstrek any good? - 09/20/21
Originally Posted by KFWA
The crosstrek is on my list of cars to check out when I'm looking to buy. I just want snow capability, and I really want a sedan, not an SUV, so I'm going to first look into getting one of the newer AWD Camry's.

If that doesn't do it for me, then Rav4 or Crosstrek.

I'm not gonna get worked up if someone thinks I'm a lesbian for driving one. I like flannel



I think the lesbian connection to Subarus varies based on geography. When I moved back to SF, I had a Dodge Dakota and the lesbians loved that trucklet. They also had a thing for Jeeps, but they weren't into Subarus.

I'm still trying to figure out if the Subaru drivers in Montana are lesbians or just really [bleep] guys.
Posted By: Heym06 Re: Subaru Crosstrek any good? - 09/20/21
Originally Posted by fburgtx
Originally Posted by Heym06
The wife drives a Subaru Ascent. The lane assist is not an option she or I use. Turn it off and it doesn't come back on unless you turn it on! Just don't put a coexist, or rainbow decal in the windows! Subaru makes fine cars, your wife will like it!


On the bright side, dudes won’t hit on your wife. OTOH, every lesbian in town gonna be like “check out the hottie in the scooby-doo!!”....

I ask her to bring any hotties home that hit on her! She just laughed and gave me the bird!
They marketed to that demographic. Intentionally and without remorse. That alone marks them for scorn. Add to the amount t of lesbo drivers I’ve observed piloting them, well…. There’s a reason owners get butthurt and offended instead of just just laughing it off like a Ford/Chevy/dodge truck ball busting conversation.
Posted By: Heym06 Re: Subaru Crosstrek any good? - 09/20/21
Originally Posted by BillyGoatGruff
Only people I know that have Subarus around here are openly homosexual or secretly homosexual an openly support them.


You know them, and what roll might you play with your homo friends. Careful knowing them could mean, you might have latent homosexual tendencies.
Originally Posted by Heym06
Originally Posted by BillyGoatGruff
Only people I know that have Subarus around here are openly homosexual or secretly homosexual an openly support them.


You know them, and what roll might you play with your homo friends. Careful knowing them could mean, you might have latent homosexual tendencies.


Oh, boy.....😂🦫
Originally Posted by Heym06
Originally Posted by BillyGoatGruff
Only people I know that have Subarus around here are openly homosexual or secretly homosexual an openly support them.


You know them, and what roll might you play with your homo friends. Careful knowing them could mean, you might have latent homosexual tendencies.


Or I could have observational skills?

But in OR that means your obviously latently gay. Rotflmao
Posted By: hookeye Re: Subaru Crosstrek any good? - 09/20/21
Man buns, dumpy dweebs, pseudo intellectuals and lesbians......those drive Subarus here.

Just sayin.
Posted By: hookeye Re: Subaru Crosstrek any good? - 09/20/21
Gotta say, see a lot of those weirdos driving Jeeps now.
Usually w big wheels.

Youd think a 4x4 would go offroad and want some fuggin sidewall LOL
Deb's had a 2021, fully loaded crosstrek for a couple of months.

Down sized from her ford edge awd suv.

She absolutely loves everything about it.

Whoever mentioned doggy acceleration, needs to test drive one.

Honestly, out accelerates my 4.7 V8 Jeep & 5.3l chevy.
wife picked up a 2015 Forester this summer and loves it.

we've not had it off road thus far, but I expect it to do very well with the AWD on our annual ski trip pilgrimage to NM this winter.

I tried to talk her into letting me take it Elk hunting but that didnt fly.... smile
Posted By: Heym06 Re: Subaru Crosstrek any good? - 09/20/21
Originally Posted by BillyGoatGruff
Originally Posted by Heym06
Originally Posted by BillyGoatGruff
Only people I know that have Subarus around here are openly homosexual or secretly homosexual an openly support them.


You know them, and what roll might you play with your homo friends. Careful knowing them could mean, you might have latent homosexual tendencies.


Or I could have observational skills?

But in OR that means your obviously latently gay. Rotflmao

You gotta come up with something better than, using my jest. Weak response there Billie! Signed Bill
Hah, yeah I know it was weak. Falling back on OR as an automatic is lazy and lacks imagination. smile.

I’ll do better.
Posted By: Wrapids Re: Subaru Crosstrek any good? - 09/20/21
Originally Posted by Beaver10
Originally Posted by Heym06
Originally Posted by BillyGoatGruff
Only people I know that have Subarus around here are openly homosexual or secretly homosexual an openly support them.


You know them, and what roll might you play with your homo friends. Careful knowing them could mean, you might have latent homosexual tendencies.


Oh, boy.....😂🦫

Lose the trash talk. The question is do Crosstreks get you thru bad conditions? Better believe it, Subarus will get you thru most bad conditions.
Posted By: 700LH Re: Subaru Crosstrek any good? - 09/20/21
Originally Posted by copperking81

I'm sure its something you can relate to as well... fuggin woktard.

Do you ever have an original thought?

Apparently not,
laffin,,,,
Originally Posted by WhiteTrash
It’s great for traveling to weed festivals, Whole Foods and getting all my Patagonia gear………

not to mention picking up free range rainbow people...
Posted By: RickyD Re: Subaru Crosstrek any good? - 09/20/21
Originally Posted by Rock Chuck
Originally Posted by Remsen
There's Subarus everywhere in my family (brother's wife has a Crosstrek, sister has an Outback, niece has an Outback and we had an Outback as well until a few months ago). The Subaru drivers assist package is not the best out there. I am not a fan of drivers' assists and turn them off whenever I have to drive a car with them, and the Subaru system is very imprecise. It tends to pingpong between the lines on the freeway and the automatic braking system is outright dangerous, as it will sometimes react to things that pose no risk, like a branch on the ground behind it when you are in reverse.

Subarus are good for some things, but if the purpose is to have good driver assists, I'd avoid Subaru. The Audi that replaced our Subaru has really good driver assists, almost to the point that you can drive hands free on the freeway.

We have a Toyota Highlander will all that stuff. It's been very accurate and reliable. The smaller Rav4 has the same system I believe. If the Sub has problems, a Toyota might be a better choice.
I believe it might, also. As for acceleration I my Rav is very snappy for a 4 cylinder.
Originally Posted by Wrapids
Originally Posted by Beaver10
Originally Posted by Heym06
Originally Posted by BillyGoatGruff
Only people I know that have Subarus around here are openly homosexual or secretly homosexual an openly support them.


You know them, and what roll might you play with your homo friends. Careful knowing them could mean, you might have latent homosexual tendencies.


Oh, boy.....😂🦫

Lose the trash talk. The question is do Crosstreks get you thru bad conditions? Better believe it, Subarus will get you thru most bad conditions.


What trash talk, dumb-dumb ?

Drive whatever makes you hard, IDGAF

🦫
I bought my wife a 2019 Outback a few years ago because the driver's assist was the best one I had tried among Toyota, Honda, Chevy, GMC, Buick, Hyundai, and Ford. Remsen's criticism seems to be based exclusively on the Lane Keeping Assist. He didn't describe a problem with blind spot warning indicators, rear cross traffic alert, lane departure warning or the collision avoidance. Also, his criticism seems to be based on an earlier version of Subaru's Eyesight system. Subaru introduced Eyesight in 2008, version 2 in 2010, then they upgraded it again in 2017. They introduced the newest version in 2020 but I don't know the details of which models and model years have that version. I know it's called Eyesight X and is available in Europe's Levorg model but maybe not in the US until MY2022.

My wife's MY2019 has the 2017 version of Eyesight and I find it to work near flawlessly -- but I do not expect it to drive the car without my hands on the wheel. It is not a pseudo-self-driving technology like Tesla's. Personally the feature I find most useful is the adaptive cruise control. Nevertheless, look at this Insurance Institute for Highway Safety white paper: https://www.iihs.org/media/e8f617a5...search/Bulletins/hldi_bulletin_34.39.pdf It shows a 36% decrease in bodily-injury only insurance claims across all Subaru models equipped with Eyesight.

Subaru's Eyesight is a mature technology that's proven to work well. I replaced my wife's Mercedes with a car equipped with it primarily because of that fact. Are there better systems? No doubt there will be, and even Subaru's own Eyesight X is a contender for that. If there is another system available now that is meaningfully better, it is not likely to be on a car priced around $30K.

With that said, I can also tell you I don't particularly care for the Subaru, my wife's car, myself. I realize now it's probably because I'm not a lesbian. Seriously, I drive a much older vehicle and prefer that immensely, but my personal preference aside, I have driven a wide variety of late-model rentals while traveling which I think gives a better impression than just a test drive. By wide variety, I don't just mean make and model, but everything from European sports sedans, to minivans, Suburbans and Expedition XL's to Camaro convertibles and so on. The Subaru gives up handling for ground clearance. This is true both of the Outback and the Crosstrek. I would have preferred a Legacy wagon rather than the Outback. I have a 4x4 for high ground clearance so the Subaru's doesn't do anything for us. We do drive it on snow in the mountains but not offroad. Our Mercedes with the 4-matic and ESP does everything the Subaru can do in that respect and it handles much better. If there are large obstacles to clear, I will take the 4x4 that I've personally driven the Rubicon trail with.

So I give a big thumbs up for Subaru's current version of Eyesight. As for the cars themselves, there's a lot of personal preference and use-case involved. I don't particularly care for mine, but I didn't buy it for myself.
What’s with all the computer assisted bullshidt? Parking? Close vehicles? If you aren’t in control of your faculties to drive, literally operate a vehicle without computer assisted crap, why the hell are you on the road?
Posted By: johnw Re: Subaru Crosstrek any good? - 09/21/21
I'm driving a 2 year old outback with 108K miles on it. I also know several guys who drive the Rav4.

Seems to me that the formerly tiny Rav4 has grown into a bigger machine. As has the 4Runner. Seems like the newer Rav4s are almost the size of the older 4Runners

New Rav4s are good looking cars. In my mind, it and a number of other cars have been redesigned to look like the Outback. Maybe to cash in on the Outbacks wild selling success?
I think the newer Rav4 looks better than the Outback.
Posted By: johnw Re: Subaru Crosstrek any good? - 09/21/21
Originally Posted by David_Walter
My son bought a used Crosstrek and loves it for getting around the mountains of WA on E-4 pay.


Locally, Subarus as a whole own the new car market. In 3 years they've gone from occasionally seen to ubiquitous.

It is almost impossible, however, to find a used one.
Posted By: Remsen Re: Subaru Crosstrek any good? - 09/21/21
Originally Posted by Western_Juniper
I bought my wife a 2019 Outback a few years ago because the driver's assist was the best one I had tried among Toyota, Honda, Chevy, GMC, Buick, Hyundai, and Ford. Remsen's criticism seems to be based exclusively on the Lane Keeping Assist. He didn't describe a problem with blind spot warning indicators, rear cross traffic alert, lane departure warning or the collision avoidance. Also, his criticism seems to be based on an earlier version of Subaru's Eyesight system. Subaru introduced Eyesight in 2008, version 2 in 2010, then they upgraded it again in 2017. They introduced the newest version in 2020 but I don't know the details of which models and model years have that version. I know it's called Eyesight X and is available in Europe's Levorg model but maybe not in the US until MY2022.

My wife's MY2019 has the 2017 version of Eyesight and I find it to work near flawlessly -- but I do not expect it to drive the car without my hands on the wheel. It is not a pseudo-self-driving technology like Tesla's. Personally the feature I find most useful is the adaptive cruise control. Nevertheless, look at this Insurance Institute for Highway Safety white paper: https://www.iihs.org/media/e8f617a5...search/Bulletins/hldi_bulletin_34.39.pdf It shows a 36% decrease in bodily-injury only insurance claims across all Subaru models equipped with Eyesight.

Subaru's Eyesight is a mature technology that's proven to work well. I replaced my wife's Mercedes with a car equipped with it primarily because of that fact. Are there better systems? No doubt there will be, and even Subaru's own Eyesight X is a contender for that. If there is another system available now that is meaningfully better, it is not likely to be on a car priced around $30K.

With that said, I can also tell you I don't particularly care for the Subaru, my wife's car, myself. I realize now it's probably because I'm not a lesbian. Seriously, I drive a much older vehicle and prefer that immensely, but my personal preference aside, I have driven a wide variety of late-model rentals while traveling which I think gives a better impression than just a test drive. By wide variety, I don't just mean make and model, but everything from European sports sedans, to minivans, Suburbans and Expedition XL's to Camaro convertibles and so on. The Subaru gives up handling for ground clearance. This is true both of the Outback and the Crosstrek. I would have preferred a Legacy wagon rather than the Outback. I have a 4x4 for high ground clearance so the Subaru's doesn't do anything for us. We do drive it on snow in the mountains but not offroad. Our Mercedes with the 4-matic and ESP does everything the Subaru can do in that respect and it handles much better. If there are large obstacles to clear, I will take the 4x4 that I've personally driven the Rubicon trail with.

So I give a big thumbs up for Subaru's current version of Eyesight. As for the cars themselves, there's a lot of personal preference and use-case involved. I don't particularly care for mine, but I didn't buy it for myself.


Ours was a 2018.

I have no interest in drivers' assistance tech in general. We had the first version of Autopilot on our 2014 Tesla and it was a fun gimmick for a bit, but totally worthless for anything other than scaring people. The Subaru's version is more advanced than the first generation of Autopilot, but that's all I can say positive about it. There was a serious problem with phantom braking in that Outback (where the emergency braking activates even though there's no reason for it) and the lane keeping was on the level of a drunk driver's skills.

You want to know what fear is, have your car slam on its brakes at 80 mph when there's nothing in front of you but cars behind you.

Again, I don't need or want drivers' assistance tech and the only type of that stuff I find useful on long drives is the traffic aware cruise control (that is what Tesla called it, not sure what the Eyesight version is called). On long trips, it can be a real plus, as it keeps you from rearending anyone if you aren't paying attention.
Originally Posted by BillyGoatGruff
What’s with all the computer assisted bullshidt? Parking? Close vehicles? If you aren’t in control of your faculties to drive, literally operate a vehicle without computer assisted crap, why the hell are you on the road?


It's not that simple. If people on the road never made mistakes, then there wouldn't be value to any of this, but people do make mistakes, even people that are in control of all their faculties and that are highly trained and skillful. Because we're not actually perfect, it's just a matter of time. It's been well demonstrated that the computers are not perfect but they're closer than most people. Using computers to assist people is the sensible solution given the present technology. It's done nearly universally in commercial aviation. It's also proven to be effective for automobiles, as I cited above in the IIHS study that showed an average 36% reduction in bodily-injury only claims. Not only does this technology protect the occupants of the vehicle equipped with it, but it can also protect people in other vehicles from a mistake the driver of an equipped vehicle might make.

While I can appreciate the 'purity' of operating a vehicle without computer assistance including ABS or an automatic transmission or even electronic fuel injection, I recognize this is a personal preference that isn't shared by everyone. Not everyone has the same skill levels or experience. I have an elderly parent (80's) that's not incompentent to drive. In fact, he's been driving since he was 13 when he would regularly drive the jeep on the farm by himself. 70 years of driving and he's never been in a single collision, not even a fender bender. He lived most his life in an urban area too with a heavy commute. He recognizes he's not as sharp as he was and wants these driver aides so he got a car with them (not a Subaru). Seems pretty sensible to me and telling him he can't drive anymore would not be as rational. My wife benefits from them too. She simply has little driving experience -- almost 20 years less than I do and we're the same age. She's never driven a commute so she only ever drives irregularly. She has been highly trained, but does not practice regularly. She's also never been in a collision of any kind. Even so, driver aides are a rational solution for her. Then there's my teen sons. If they drive anything like I did, they'll need this stuff and then some until they're at least 25.

Personally, I share your disdain for this tech. I don't have a commute and I drive mostly for pleasure. I prefer to drive myself. But I do see the value of it. I suppose the same will be accounted to fully-computer driven cars as well. No doubt many will find them useful, but I decry the prospect that alternatives like the self-driven cars, that is the cars we drive ourselves, will be prohibited.
Originally Posted by Fenton
Wife wants one. 2018 or newer. Any of you guys have any experience with these?

She's got some peripheral vision issues and wants the Premium version with the EyeSight Saftey Pkg which includes Lane Departure Warning, Blind Spot Monitoring and Rear Cross Traffic Alert.

I've never owned a Subaru, so just trying to get some opinions from those who know more than me about these Crosstreks.

Thanks guys,
Fenton


Get her a Hyundai Santa Fe. All the above plus a 10 year 100k mi warranty
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