Tk8398
Tk8398 Reader
4/7/18 2:43 p.m.

I am thinking of buying a (new) one, almost certainly a 6 speed manual. Does anyone here have one? Other than possible excessive oil consumption it sounds like other than being a bit slow they are decent but I'm curious what other people think.

MrChaos
MrChaos Dork
4/7/18 2:55 p.m.

I have a 2018 2.0i Premium with the 6 speed. I have put 15k on it since august. It is nice, Android Auto/apple car play is leaps and bounds better than Starlink from the 17 or olders.  It is slow there is no getting over it. I am averaging about 30mpg here is my fuelly http://www.fuelly.com/car/subaru/crosstrek/2018/fordmexicanparty/648776  there are only 3 other 18's on fuelly with more miles than mine.  They have a similar torque dip to the FRS/BRZ and it is somewhat noticeable.  0-60 is in the 8.5 second range and it weighs 3100-3200 lbs with 152hp/145 ftlbs crank which is maybe triple digits at the wheels.

MrChaos
MrChaos Dork
4/7/18 3:03 p.m.

The thing about the Crosstrek is that is one of the only crossovers where you can still get manual and awd.  The only others are the 1.4t Renegade and 500x, Mini Countryman, Wranger, Compass, and the 18 Forester(since the 19 is dropping the manual option)

ebonyandivory
ebonyandivory UberDork
4/7/18 8:28 p.m.

This is going to sound like I’m being a shiny happy person but I’m not: I’m curious why you’d spend new car money on something you seem to understand is known for excessive oil consumption and for being slow.

Edit: I want to reiterate that I don’t mean to sound like a jerk, it’s just the first thought that came to mind.

Tk8398
Tk8398 Reader
4/7/18 8:55 p.m.

Im not necessarily sure that I would for both of those reasons. I like them otherwise so I have thought about it but I'm not sure about buying a car that a quart per 1200 miles is considered ok by the manufacturer. And, I have to drive to work on a freeway with metering lights which means making a full throttle 0 to 90 mph run to merge safely sometimes.  I haven't been impressed with most cars in that price range really, and I have looked at most of them so far.  

MrChaos
MrChaos Dork
4/7/18 9:13 p.m.

The oil consumption seems to have been fixed by the late 16 model year.  The power isnt that bad especially at highway speeds and the 6 speed helps.  I got it because I was looking for something with AWD, Ground Clearance, Decent Gas Mileage and Manual.  There are 7 options in the manual/awd crossover category and if you get rid of the FCA products it leaves the Mini Countyman and the Forester or Crosstrek.  The Mini was out because of cost and BMW, the forester doesnt get stellar gas mileage and didnt ger AA/ACP.   I drive 30k miles a year and in financial hindsight I should have went with something like an older 1st or 2nd gen manual CRV. But having a factory warranty helps with the peace of mind with my amount of driving.

MrChaos
MrChaos Dork
4/7/18 9:15 p.m.
Tk8398 said:

Im not necessarily sure that I would for both of those reasons. I like them otherwise so I have thought about it but I'm not sure about buying a car that a quart per 1200 miles is considered ok by the manufacturer. And, I have to drive to work on a freeway with metering lights which means making a full throttle 0 to 90 mph run to merge safely sometimes.  I haven't been impressed with most cars in that price range really, and I have looked at most of them so far.  

you can get cpo base WRX's for the same price as new crosstreks.

Trackmouse
Trackmouse UltraDork
4/7/18 10:50 p.m.

I have a 2017. No oil consumption. 30k on the clock. I don’t think this car is slow. It’s not fast, but it’s not slow. Also, contrary to the morons on the subarucrosstrekxvforums.com (aka- loserville) the crosstrek WILL DO donuts and slide, WITH the TC, VSC, etc on. 

Jim Pettengill
Jim Pettengill HalfDork
4/7/18 10:56 p.m.

Not a Crosstrek, and it's got the 2.5, but just for some real world numbers, my 2015 Forester automatic uses no oil at all between changes, has 52,000 miles so far, and overall mpg is right at 28.5 - but 15,000 of those miles are off-pavement on a road that climbs from 7000 feet to 9000 feet in 5 miles to my house, so I'm happy with my Subie.

DaveEstey
DaveEstey PowerDork
4/8/18 6:31 a.m.

SWMBO has a 16 cvt. Cvt is faster than the manual and I consider it to be a liability in Massachusetts traffic. Country setting it's fine.

 

She loves it. I can't wait to be rid of it. Nothing this slow should only get 30mpg. Ours doesn't burn oil at least.

 

thestig99
thestig99 Dork
4/8/18 8:55 a.m.

Don't own one but I have driven many.

They're slow, but adequate. As reliable as any Subaru (which is to say... not a Toyota, but also not German). Less cargo space than you might expect.

MrChaos
MrChaos Dork
4/8/18 9:38 a.m.
DaveEstey said:

SWMBO has a 16 cvt. Cvt is faster than the manual

 

???? most reviews i have seen for the pre-18's all have the manual 2+ seconds faster to 60 than the cvt. From car and driver.  it teamed with a five-speed manual transmission to deliver a zero-to-60-mph time of 8.1 seconds. Our latest 2.0-liter test car, however, was equipped with Subaru’s optional Lineartronic continuously variable automatic ($1000), which adds 168 pounds to the package. At 10.3 seconds to 60 mph

joey48442
joey48442 PowerDork
4/8/18 10:08 a.m.

I drive one a bit, from Las Vegas to Death Valley and back. Manual trans. Seemed a very nice car in search of 50 extra horsepower. My wife really wanted one, but she found it a bit boring after that. Ultimately ended up with the fiesta st. 

NGTD
NGTD UberDork
4/8/18 10:26 a.m.
joey48442 said:

I drive one a bit, from Las Vegas to Death Valley and back. Manual trans. Seemed a very nice car in search of 50 extra horsepower. My wife really wanted one, but she found it a bit boring after that. Ultimately ended up with the fiesta st. 

I really wish that Subaru would introduce a light-pressure turbo version like Volvo used to have. Make it run on regular gas and bump up the power to about 200 Hp. I figure they would sell these like crazy. 

Tk8398
Tk8398 Reader
4/8/18 10:59 a.m.

I have actually considered getting a Fiesta ST also, but reading that clutch failures at around 15k miles are pretty common (and not covered under the warranty) and that lots of people have transmission issues, intermittent climate control problems, etc kinda took the fun out of that idea.  I am still going to try a manual Crosstrek before deciding for sure.

Tk8398
Tk8398 Reader
4/8/18 11:01 a.m.
MrChaos said:
 

you can get cpo base WRX's for the same price as new crosstreks.

 

I'd have to probably get one from another state or something for that to work, because here CPO is about a $2500 discount over a brand new one.

 

skierd
skierd SuperDork
4/8/18 11:13 a.m.

My wife had a 2014 2.5 Premium CVT for two years and more recently we borrowed a family members 2015 CVT to schelp me, the wife, my daughter, and my father around New Mexico while we were down there visiting. 

 

I really like them, except the CVT from a start is gutless and terrible for merging on to the highway especially with four people in the car. What little power is there is delivered fairly seamlessly but it’s unnerving to listen to the engine go from 2200rpm to 6000rpm and sit there when you go up a hill. It would be a much better car with the manual trans, or even a good traditional automatic. 

Ours did use about a quart per 1500 miles, and my Outback hasn’t been the most reliable car either, but Subaru’s get under your skin for better or worse. If I didn’t want a bigger car a new crosstrek would be near the top of my list. If they made a turbo version it would be. 

dansxr2
dansxr2 Dork
4/8/18 11:28 a.m.

My uncle passed away in '16 and had just bought a '15 Hybrid that was loaded and unfortunately an auto.  It's currently got 16k, he left it to my Mom who never drives it.  One of the batteries died and was replaced under warranty.  As others have said it is slow, but it in a very well put together car.  

MrChaos
MrChaos Dork
4/8/18 12:04 p.m.

Yea the hybrids are just not good for what they are.

Trackmouse
Trackmouse UltraDork
4/8/18 1:17 p.m.

Overseas they do have a turbo version. 

Tom1200
Tom1200 HalfDork
4/8/18 1:45 p.m.

I test drove one and yes they are slow relative to most V6 sedans. The reason I didn't buy one is it had more interior noise then I wanted and being an Imprezza didn't quite have the room I wanted. I bought a used 6 speed Outback instead, it's quieter inside and I can carry more. I'm routinely dragging home Datsun parts so it matters.

Ebonyandivory to answer your question; my Outback uses around a quart between oil changes, which isn't a big deal and it's slow as well. The reason I have it is the wife and I drive to old ghost towns and other places that are down unmaintained dirt roads. These cars have decent ground clearance, you can get a manual transmission, they are much cheaper and they don't suck the fun out of driving. The alternatives are SUV driving appliances or they cost twice as much. I also considered (very briefly) considered a used Porsche Cayanne but I didn't want to pay for Porsche parts. 

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