The Great Transition: SUV to Crossover

[Applejack]

As things in life seemingly get more complicated and less predicable I find myself fighting back by trying to simplify my life. We used to have many remote off road camping trips but now maybe we get one per year. A sad tale indeed, but with fuel prices only trending upward so goes everything else. As budgets get crunched smaller and smaller we have adapted our lifestyles to still extract the most of what we have and that means more time MTBing and backpacking than rugged overlanding. While we will still have opportunities to explore some remote places I am reevaluating the families current lineup of vehicles. For everyday use I have a '92 Subaru Legacy with so many miles it's nearly equivalent as a trip to the moon. It also has about 150 dents, big ones small ones, faded paint pealing trim etc. But it's a good car..........I think. My '99 4Runner doesn't see as much action as it used to because it's such a pig. At 13-17 mpg our remote trips get pretty expensive. And while our beloved "Wendy" (the subaru) would be willing, I wouldn't trust her on such long and remote trips. Our only other option is our 2007 WRX Limited, yes, the wife's car. It's pretty economical if you keep your foot out of the turbo but, it's low. We have been surprised where it has taken us, rocky, rutted mountain back roads we never intended to go on but found ourselves there anyway and it blasts through snow like a snow blower on meth. But the car is small and we have a 100lb German Shepherd, and a 14 year old daughter, need I say more?
All that, is to say that it's a balancing act that frankly I'm tired of doing.

I'm ready to surrender to one of the newest segments in the auto industry, the crossover SUV.
Particularly the new generation Subaru Forester. The plan is to get rid of my dear Wendy and my 4Runner in favor of something in between. I have never in my life been without a real full on 4WD truck or SUV.
So, the reason I have posted this ramble is to reach out to those who have been in my shoes and made the transition. It's a big step and I'm not sure which direction, so if you would please..........share your "hero or horror" stories of transition.

 

[Warn Industries]

Well, I haven't exactly been in your shoes. I still have a low-range-equipped 4x4, but have been part of the crossover world since 2009.

We bought a Suzuki SX4 AWD (with a manual) in 2009 (above). We did plenty of ski trips, gravel roads, and sandy beaches in the vehicle, and it never skipped a beat. Plus, the SX4 has a center diff lock for deeper sand/dirt/snow.

We traded it in on a 2010 model with a different engine and six-speed manual (still had the CDL). Also, a very good vehicle. We, however, decided to get something a tad bigger, so we recently purchased a '12 Subaru Forester and love it. I'm ever impressed by its traction; plus it rides impeccably and has plenty of storage (we've got a BajaRack Mule on top, too).

While they might not be boulder crawlers, it's amazing how capable some of these vehicles can be. There are some aftermarket lifts, armor, etc. that can be had for certain crossovers, too. I know the Suzuki SX4 and Forester, for example, have 1-2 inch lifts available if you're wanting a bit more clearance, skid plates, racks, light bars, etc. I think, like any other ExPo vehicle, tire selection is key if you'll be venturing off the pavement. While we're running the OE 215/65/15 Bridgestone Dueler tires now, I'd love to upgrade to a true all-terrain tire on the Subaru. We'll see.

We've had our SX4 and Forester in sand and gravel; had the SX4 in deep snow on Mt. Hood. It's amazing how well the AWD systems can do, so long as you're not expecting it to be a rock crawler. I still have my Suzuki Sidekick for more challenging trails, but it is not nearly as comfortable as the Subaru on longer trips (it's also waaaaay smaller!).

Check out http://SubaruForester.org for Forester-realted stuff; they have an off-road section that might show you what some of these vehicles can do.

- Andy

 

[haven]

great post!

2013 is looking to be a good year for AWD mini-SUVs. The new Subaru Impreza Crosstrek, Hyundai Santa Fe Sport, Honda CR-V, Mazda CX-5 and Ford Escape all look interesting,and get better fuel economy than before. And Jeep will introduce a new crossover model in early 2013.

 

[duckhunter71]

I'm really a fan of the Foresters. I have just recently started to look at Subarus and have been very much impressed by what I've seen. If I were in the market for a newer vehicle, I would definitely give them a look. I think the previous generation Escape might not be a bad option for the softer-core trips given their size, clearance, and reasonable price.

For family exploration, I think a crossover would probably fit the bill! At least it would keep you out of going too far and getting in trouble!

 

[Martinjmpr]

I went through this evolution a few years ago but ultimately decided that I needed to stay with a BOF SUV with low range.

Having said that, I have been impressed by Subaru. Many of my family members have Subarus and all like them. None of them really go off road, though.

When I was doing my research I noticed that the newer Hyundai Santa Fe looks very 'good on paper.' No real world experience but in terms of size, capability, features and MPG it's impressive. Would be interesting to see what could be done with such a platform.

 

[jimny]

my jimny 1.3 whit vvt give me 11,7 to 13,7 km/l is like 27mpg city 31mpg higway, maybe I miscalculate something jaajaja

 

[Jiggity]

I am really enjoying my Forester. I used to be a long time Jeep owner, but the continuous problems caused me to look elsewhere. I can get 30mpg out of her here and there, but its usually 27-28mpg. The moon roof is massive. This is now my third Subaru with zero problems (knock on wood). They are not overly exciting or flashy to drive, but midnight in a rainstorm, its the car/suv I want to be in.

 

[haven]

Jimny, you've got a winner there. Unfortunately for us, Suzuki will never import that sort of utility vehicle to USA again.

I'd be more impressed with the Forester when Subaru finally replaces the aging 4 speed automatic. The new Impreza uses a CVT, which is helpful in increasing fuel economy, but not as much fun to drive.

 

[p nut]

Look at the Outback as well. The ground clearance is identical to the Forester, but bigger inside, which is why we decided to go with one. CVT is pretty cool and for me, has plenty of power. (And I'm coming from a 4.7L V8).

We will also be selling our SUV to get it, but when I look at the outings that we've been on lately, none have required an SUV, much less 4WD (sad, I know). I cannot justify 14MPG nor the much more expensive maintenace costs. This crossover or whatever you want to call it, makes sense for us. I do wish they came with smaller rims and tires with more sidewall, though. For those bumpy fireroads...

 

[jeffryscott]

I'm looking to do the same. Wife just bought a 2012 Outback and it is a sweet vehicle. I'm now thinking of selling my trusty Trooper for a Forester. I can count on one hand the number of times I've actually needed a truck based SUV in the last few years, and gas mileage, lower maintenance costs, etc ... is making me look at a Subaru (not as new of one though).

 

[Applejack]

Sadly, and with a lump in my throat even as I type this, last night we traded off our beloved 2007 WRX Limited for a 2011 Honda Element. The bright side of this is that I will still keep my 4Runner. The downside is that I was hoping for a Forester, but since my wife is the one who made the sacrifice she got to choose which car to get and obviously it was the Element. The dealer even did us well by giving us $19000 for our car, which was $2000 over KBB trade in, and dropped the Element from $25000 down to $21,370 and threw in a 5yr/100k mile extended warranty to boot. So we are at peace for the most part. Now it's time to go make some memories as we try to forget and forgive ourselves for giving up our "little dragn"-

 

[Warn Industries]

Well, congrats on the Element. Cool vehicles. You should now get one of these:

Ursa Minor Vehicles

- Andy