What other cars have you DRIVEN as you consider replacement?

ray96disco said:

Makes it hard to want a Subie.

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Subaru still offers great manual transmissions in all their sporty cars. Both the forester and outback are so far from being sporty for many reasons other than the transmission options, and as often is the case, the manual is available in other markets(non US, Canada has it) along with a sweet diesel engine.

Look to BMW and Porsche for a sport SUV.

I don't want a sport SUV. I just want a good wagon with a manual transmission.

ray96disco said:

I don't want a sport SUV. I just want a good wagon with a manual transmission.

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Have you driven the golf sportwagen with the 1.8? I test drove it and it is a very nice vehicle. The specific one I drove was automatic and I didn't prefer the way it drove compared to others. They do make it in 5 speed manual!

mopower said:

Have you driven the golf sportwagen with the 1.8? I test drove it and it is a very nice vehicle. The specific one I drove was automatic and I didn't prefer the way it drove compared to others. They do make it in 5 speed manual!

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To add to that point, VW is also bringing a AWD version that will include both a DSG and a manual 6speed transmission later this year.

ATR said:

To add to that point, VW is also bringing a AWD version that will include both a DSG and a manual 6speed transmission later this year.

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Looking foreword to that though it's likely we won't see the 6m until the first quarter of 2017.

halfast3 said:

Looking foreword to that though it's likely we won't see the 6m until the first quarter of 2017.

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Indeed.

If I lived in a area that really required AWD I would have waited for the AWD GSW. I'm still very happy with the GTI Sport with performance package. For the driving that I do the electronic differential really seems more than sufficient for traction

I would love to see a comparison between the gti pp vs awd golf trying to climb a snowy hill. It might be close!!

ATR said:

Indeed.
If I lived in a area that really required AWD I would have waited for the AWD GSW. I'm still very happy with the GTI Sport with performance package. For the driving that I do the electronic differential really seems more than sufficient for traction

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It's been demonstrated that a FWD car with winter tires will out perform an AWD car on all seasons in winter driving conditions. The GTI with it's 'magic diff' should be even better.

The alltrack has peaked my interest. I'll have to keep an eye out for it.

.......the Alltrack certainly appeals: V-tex. 6M, 4-Motion.

Only thing (my TDI set the fuel efficiency bar high) is the EPA Highway difference between the Alltrack (30) and the Sportwagen 1.8/5M (36). My head needs to work on that.


ez

ezshift5 said:

.......the Alltrack certainly appeals: V-tex. 6M, 4-Motion.

Only thing (my TDI set the fuel efficiency bar high) is the EPA Highway difference between the Alltrack (30) and the Sportwagen 1.8/5M (36). My head needs to work on that.ez

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Yep, TDI's set the bar way up there but something's got to give. Not the best but not the end of the world. Beats the hell out of my old Land Rover at 10/13; city/highway but it's paid for.

ezshift5 said:

.......the Alltrack certainly appeals: V-tex. 6M, 4-Motion.

Only thing (my TDI set the fuel efficiency bar high) is the EPA Highway difference between the Alltrack (30) and the Sportwagen 1.8/5M (36). My head needs to work on that.


ez

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Stats like that are exactly why I am considering the outback / forester. They are both rated at 32mpg highway and have comparable performance to the awd golf sportwagen.

The alltrak certainly looks like a nice offering but I had already decided to dump VW this time around. I've already picked up my replacement vehicle but would have at least considered the Alltrak if VW had laid out specific and significant incentives for owners affected by dieselgate.

What was your replacement?

To replace my 2015 Golf TDI, I test-drove three cars a few weeks ago (in the order in which I drove them):

• 2016 Ford C-Max hybrid -- This was the most practical car. I was impressed by its visibility, seat comfort, and cargo area. I also liked the way it handled. Unfortunately, it's behind the times in terms of safety features and in-dash technology -- it doesn't even have a backup camera except as an option in the top trim line, for instance. (Rumor has it a backup camera may become standard for 2017, though.) For the most part it was quiet, except when accelerating to highway speeds, when it was annoyingly loud. Fuel economy, although not something you can determine on a test drive, is good but not great by hybrid standards (37 MPG according to the EPA, IIRC). In terms of MSRP, the C-Max is the cheapest of the three cars I test-drove.
• 2016 Toyota Prius hybrid -- This version is greatly improved from the 2015 Prius. If you're avoiding the Prius because of that version's reputation, the new one deserves a look. That said, I found the seats uncomfortable -- they seemed lumpy, for lack of a better word. (I test-drove a Three; the Four has different seats that might be better.) For the most part it was noisier than the C-Max, except when accelerating to highway speeds. It didn't handle as well as the C-Max (or my Golf), but it didn't embarrass itself, either. I disliked the bizarre controls and interior styling, but I'm sure I could have lived with it. The Prius has a good set of high-tech infotainment and safety features, although some of these require a Three or Four trim line. The rear cargo floor is larger than in the C-Max, but the sloping liftback design makes the cargo area less practical. Fuel economy, of course, is stellar.
• 2017 Chevy Volt plug-in hybrid -- Compared to the Prius and especially the C-Max, this car's rear seat is tiny and its cargo area is deficient. (To be sure, the Volt isn't some tiny sports car. Its rear seat is OK for average-sized adults or children, but it's not wonderful; and the cargo area is similar to a typical small sedan's trunk, but it's a liftback like the Prius, but with a cargo floor that's the size of the C-Max's at best.) I found the seats more comfortable than the Prius's, but less comfortable than the C-Max's; however, the car is very low, so getting in and out was the hardest of the three cars. What impressed me about this car was the drivetrain. In pure-electric mode, it's virtually silent, even under hard acceleration. From a standstill, it makes a diesel seem torque-less, although that torque does fade as speed increases, so the 0-60 times aren't dramatically better than my Golf's. The infotainment system is very good, and lots of high-tech safety features are available, albeit only as options in the top trim line. This car's MSRP is the highest of the three I test-drove; however, it's eligible for a $7500 Federal tax credit, which brings it into the same ballpark as the Prius. Many states have their own rebates, which can bring it down closer to C-Max pricing territory. On gas, the EPA's fuel economy is 42 MPG -- in-between a C-Max and a Prius. Running on electricity can be cheaper or more expensive than running on gas, depending on where you live. (For me, electricity is pricier; the break-even point would be $2.88/gallon gas, assuming electric rates stay the same. New England has rather expensive electricity, though.) Because I pay more for renewable energy, running on electricity greatly reduces the pollution associated with driving.

I ended up getting a Volt. I bought a little early because of a Rhode Island state rebate program that was running out of funds. (RI has since added more money to the pot, so it turns out I could have waited. Oh, well....) If the Volt hadn't existed I would have gone for the C-Max; despite the Prius's better fuel economy and higher-tech features, the C-Max was just a much more pleasant vehicle to drive. (The fact that it was cheaper helped, too.)

FWIW, I didn't consider the plug-in version of the C-Max because that version is available only with leather seats, which was a deal-breaker for me. (I'm a vegetarian and refuse to have that much dead animal skin in my car. Sadly, some leather is nearly unavoidable today except in low-end penalty boxes.) The plug-in C-Max is also much less of an electric car than the Volt is -- the plug-in C-Max has less than half the Volt's electric range and its gas engine is much more likely to kick in before the battery's range is depleted. The plug-in version of the current Prius, the Prius Prime, is not yet available, AFAIK, although it should be soon.

Nice write-ups! Good luck with the volt

I finally test drove a Subaru Forester XT, I had gone in to drive both the forester XT and Outback 3.6r but these sell so quickly that you really need to get in line to get almost any Subaru around here! They have a shipment of outbacks in 2 weeks so I will hopefully be able to drive one before they are sold.

I like the Subaru Forester, lots. It really is a great car in it's segment, and a great value for the dollar. The interior is basic but very spacious and useful, it has most of the bells and whistles you could want, but I think its far more attractive with less options and a more reasonable price. The reason I say that is that this just isn't a luxury car/suv. Adding leather seats, a huge moonroof and autoclimate control wont change that. The interior is very utilitarian and it seems to be great at that!
The forester excels at being very useful and having very useful space inside. Its a rather compact vehicle but all your passengers get a solid amount of space. Head room front and rear is great, but the rear will be snug for 3 adults across. The hatch space is large too. Overall I really love the package, and I dont care that it looks boring or whatever else.

The 2.0 turbo 4 makes 250HP and you feel them there. Good brisk performance when you get into the throttle, it will and does run circles around my sportwagen. What it doesn't do well is take off from a stop quickly. The CVT has the expected rubber band effect and the car moves okay but needs to be 1/2 through an intersection to wake up and hustle. In 'sport sharp' mode its more responsive, but in normal 'D' is pretty lazy to respond. For normal driving it feels very good, and drives and responds well. Keeping up with traffic is no chore and rolling into the throttle is very rewarding. The penalty for getting a 2.0 turbo over the base engine is required premium fuel, 5 or so fewer rated mpg, a few thousand dollars, and no manual option in the USA.

I needed to drive the XT to compare it to a base engine. For me, I prefer spending my own money for the base engine. The types of driving I do with the cvt I wouldn't need that extra boosted 75hp, the 2.5 feels the same with normal person city driving and on cruise control highway road trips. I dont get into stop light races, and the performance of the 2.5 is actually better than the sportwagen overall, just not off the line. Adding the extra range per tank and cost savings of regular gas win.

I'm looking forward to driving the Outback in a few weeks because I think it suits my family needs better, its more wagon like than the Forester with the biggest difference being knee room for the rear seats and length of hatch space. It offers a larger fuel tank for better range and the H6 engine only requires regular fuel.

2011 BMW 335d

I drove a 2017 VW Alltrack this AM and was pleasingly surprised. It handled nimbly and was quick and quiet. Hard to imagine I was really driving a wagon. I surely get why the dealers refer to it as a Subaru killer. Having owned an Outback the Alltrack was a revelation. The interior was pleasing as one would expect in this price range and it was loaded with all the latest safety electronics. The sticker price was not cheap at $36k.

avid said:

I drove a 2017 VW Alltrack this AM and was pleasingly surprised. It handled nimbly and was quick and quiet. Hard to imagine I was really driving a wagon. I surely get why the dealers refer to it as a Subaru killer. Having owned an Outback the Alltrack was a revelation. The interior was pleasing as one would expect in this price range and it was loaded with all the latest safety electronics. The sticker price was not cheap at $36k.

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Excellent!!! What dealer did you visit?

halfast3 said:

Excellent!!! What dealer did you visit?

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Lithia VW Medford, OR

srs5694 said:

FWIW, I didn't consider the plug-in version of the C-Max because that version is available only with leather seats, which was a deal-breaker for me. (I'm a vegetarian and refuse to have that much dead animal skin in my car. Sadly, some leather is nearly unavoidable today except in low-end penalty boxes.)

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Also, many leather seats these days aren't really leather. They are a leather like material coated in a plastic to keep them looking now. It's probably more plastic and vinyl, then actual animal skins.

We got a 2015.5 Volvo XC70 with 40K on it. It was certified so it has a great bumper to bumper up to 100K so that gave me a piece of mind.

We test drove the Outback and I know the reviews and reliability are great on the car.. I really didn't like the lack of power in the base engine. Moving up to the 6 cylinder wasn't worth it for the cost and hit on mileage.

We test drove the XC70 and while the T6 AWD doesn't really provide much more than 24/25 mpg, it was cheaper than a new Subaru (higher trims) and gave my wife the more luxury feel so was looking for.

But I will miss that 43MPG.. while I still use the VW as my daily driver I have been a little more heavy footed and drive with the sunroof open a lot more since it still gets way better mileage than the Volvo.

**Side Note: I refused to wash the VW for the past 3 months as I was selling it back.. but I finally broke down and washed it yesterday.. I'll miss that car!

I bought a 2016 Chrysker Town and Country.
We averages 28 MPG on the highway and so far running around 25 around town (small town)
We didn't buy new. We found a Guaranteed Depreciation Price Hertz bought from the dealer. Saved some money , got the nav and ony 7800 miles on the clock.
I had not heard of the GDP program , but Hertz buys the car back with a guaranteed depreciation , prepays the Depreciation and the after the agreed time sells tham back to the manufacturer.
All warranties valid for remaining time and mileage.

I can't believe the Subaru dealer was charging you more than the $38600 base price on the XC70 AWD for any of their models, thats nuts!


I drove a new XC90 my neighbor got (he has an older 2006 and this new 2016) and it was real nice! That twin charged engine stays on boil at all speeds and of course it's paired with the zf 8 speed automatic transmission that is fantastic. The only complaint he had was the that it was only getting 15 mpg!

On a side note, he was telling me that he hoped it would hold up better than the old XC90 that he had, it had transformed into a milkshake oil maker.

cmeller said:

We got a 2015.5 Volvo XC70 with 40K on it. It was certified so it has a great bumper to bumper up to 100K so that gave me a piece of mind.

We test drove the Outback and I know the reviews and reliability are great on the car.. I really didn't like the lack of power in the base engine. Moving up to the 6 cylinder wasn't worth it for the cost and hit on mileage.

We test drove the XC70 and while the T6 AWD doesn't really provide much more than 24/25 mpg, it was cheaper than a new Subaru (higher trims) and gave my wife the more luxury feel so was looking for.

But I will miss that 43MPG.. while I still use the VW as my daily driver I have been a little more heavy footed and drive with the sunroof open a lot more since it still gets way better mileage than the Volvo.

**Side Note: I refused to wash the VW for the past 3 months as I was selling it back.. but I finally broke down and washed it yesterday.. I'll miss that car!

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The volvo has 40K on it he says so I am sure he was less than a new sub but it is not apples to apples.

mopower said:

I can't believe the Subaru dealer was charging you more than the $38600 base price on the XC70 AWD for any of their models, thats nuts!


I drove a new XC90 my neighbor got (he has an older 2006 and this new 2016) and it was real nice! That twin charged engine stays on boil at all speeds and of course it's paired with the zf 8 speed automatic transmission that is fantastic. The only complaint he had was the that it was only getting 15 mpg!

On a side note, he was telling me that he hoped it would hold up better than the old XC90 that he had, it had transformed into a milkshake oil maker.

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I got a chance to check out a Honda Accord Crosstour at an event last weekend. Rear seat space is small, and cargo space is small. This car looks so huge I was expecting it to be much more spacious inside, perhaps like a Ford Edge, but it seems to be all body cladding. What jumped out at me was the lack of rear head room, even when compared to an Accord sedan, and the same roof line carries over to the hatch where you lose much of the cargo space. It just felt like such a useless wagon compared to the JSW.

mopower said:

I got a chance to check out a Honda Accord Crosstour at an event last weekend. Rear seat space is small, and cargo space is small. This car looks so huge I was expecting it to be much more spacious inside, perhaps like a Ford Edge, but it seems to be all body cladding. What jumped out at me was the lack of rear head room, even when compared to an Accord sedan, and the same roof line carries over to the hatch where you lose much of the cargo space. It just felt like such a useless wagon compared to the JSW.

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I've been wondering about that, having seen a number of bulbous-rear Crosstours running around in recent years.

I drove the 2017 Mazda 3 and Mazda CX-3 last week, both automatic with Tiptronic. I've always driven manuals, always, but I'm thinking of switching since I can switch to manual mode on hills in the winter. I preferred the Mazda 3 and that's probably what I'll go with.

I love my 2011 Golf, but with 145k miles and needing a new intake manifold, I feel like it would be wrong to turn down the ~$15,000 they want to give me for it.

I'm wondering if the iPod connector can be removed from the Golf and put into the Mazda 3? I have an older iPod with a ton of memory, but it doesn't have Bluetooth. So I'd like to move the connector from the Golf to the new car. Does anyone know if that's possible, please? Thanks!

I can tell one car NOT to consider, a Toyota Corolla. I rented one a couple of weeks ago for a trip back East. Gutless engine coupled with the worst CVT I have ever experienced. It was an LE model, but I think the drivetrain is the same for all trim levels. The cloth seats were putrid as well. I nicknamed it "the turd"...