Trading my Mazda CX-5 for a 2014 Subaru Forester XT

nice, 2.5i prem, offers 6sp manual, 24k, 32mpg hwy, awd, not too bad. the look just doesn't do it for me, and I did a quick comparison, 2014, is still bit smaller than CX5, but good enough.
 
I briefly looked at the new forrester, Ive owned a WRX in the past and I really like subarus.

I got as far as building one out and looking at the price. LOL. Outrageously overpriced and you don't get much for your money. not half as good looking as the cx-5 either but that ends up being moot.

nice back seat and storage area though.
 
I like Subarus, my girlfriend bought a Legacy at my recommendation. But the Forester, at least the ones I looked at seemed to have a cheap feel to the interior. Maybe the upper level Foresters are better, I don't know, but I was quickly turned off by the ones I saw. Same thing with the CrossTrek, it looks awesome from a distance, but the interior is very cheap.
I also think the CX-5 looks way better, and of course there is the MPG thing. The 2.5 is plenty quick enough, IMO.
 
Wow, that's a lot of money for comparable equipment. And, sorry, it's not as attractive. Anyway, good luck and enjoy.
 
Subie's have their downsides, but there aren't many. I owned a 2004 Forester and it was the best vehicle overall that I have owned - 194,xxx miles and all I did was change the oil on schedule and the spark plugs once, of course that came to an end when my ex-wife rolled it. (boom05) Agree the interiors are one of the downsides...ours had very cheap carpet.
 
So, are you getting hammered on the trade-in value for the CX5?

Actually, I'm dealing with the same company that sales mazdas here in NC. I have been their customer for 15 years and they have been very nice about paying off my trade and giving me a fair price for the Subaru.
 
Thank goodness. I can't imagine dropping that much on dough on a new car, only to be unhappy with it, take the depreciation hit, and have to turn around and go back to a bloodsucking car salesman. That is unfortunate. Glad I did my homework & love my CX-5. Subaru's seem to be a good car though too. Just don't get a sidewall flat or I've heard you have to replace all 4 tires.
 
My 2013 CX-5 radles almost everywhere, I just go tired of going back and forth to the dealer to deal with mirror vibrating and other issues. I highly recommend everyone to spend a whole day with a car alone before you buy. That's what I did with the 2014 Subaru XT and felt in love with the handling, power, smooth ride, road noise quietness. This forester turns on a dime and the visibility is one of my favorites. Too bad I didn't drive CX-5 much before I bought.
 
I have been their customer for 15 years and they have been very nice about paying off my trade and giving me a fair price for the Subaru.

I read that as "I make these kind of changes frequently, and even though my Subaru costs $32k+, they are rolling in the $5k that I still owe on the CX-5 into the Subaru payment."

Good luck to you and your Subaru.

BC.
 
I was following Forester owners' forum for a while, since I had considered this vehicle in the past.
My opinion of the Forester XT is that it is too big for me, no longer fast as it used to be, especially 2 gens back, that it has questionable reliability with its new FA engine (oil consumption), it comes only with CVT which might be annoying to some, it will not get the claimed MPG and the extra power is not worth it.
That said, I do believe it has a better AWD system, but it still does not have a 'low' setting and sufficient clearance to make it a real off-road vehicle, i.e. still a 'soft-roader'.

2 gens ago, the Forester XT was smaller, lighter and *much* faster. This generation is even bigger/heavier than the outgoing one and as a result is significantly slower with the new FA turbo engine. In this engine Subaru made all efforts to reduce internal friction to a point where the rings after break-in might leak a little oil and as a result the engine might burn over a quart of oil in a single oil change period (this is from BRZ owner forum, which uses a similar engine).

Yes, Subaru has a reputation for reliability because of their now gone EJ engines, which they used almost unchanged for 20 years. Now, all their vehicles use either FB or FA engines, which are new. FA engine was first used with the BRZ - it is very new. Also, Subaru has used the same 4AT for about the same time. The CVT transmission is pretty new too (so far, it seems reliable). The one in the XT is all new, because it was made specifically such that it could handle high torque of the engine.

Overall, I believe the CX-5 2.5L would be more fun to drive, especially in turns, will be only a tad slower than the Forester XT, have sufficiently good AWD system for people that don't drive off-road, have *much* better actual MPG and only slightly smaller in the back.
The XT is bigger, with better AWD system and with more power which does not translate well to speed through a smooth CVT.
 
:) you're right, we get major snowfall like once every 5-6 years. Yeah, you guys get bombarded up north. How did the CX-5 handle all that stuff? I ask cause I drove in the snow maybe like twice this year with stock tires and it handled itself very very well. I felt safe.

I'm in Ontario but I got my fair share of that winter storm "Nemo", drove it on the highway from a town near Niagara Falls to Toronto...took 4 hours (usual 1.5H)
I have a set of winter tires (Barum Polaris 3) and it performed brilliantly. By the time the snow stopped many areas exceeded 40cm of snow. Car never got stuck once unlike many others...absolute carnage that day. Drove by so many stuck vehicles and trucks on the highway. I swear my life on this car with winter tires now. No way I'm ever going to drive a car without AWD and winter tires. image (10).jpg

^ all from that 1 storm
 
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^ Drove it in about 4 inches of snow during last friday's storm in Quebec. I work in the mountains north of the city, and roads had not been touched by a plow. I am glad to say, the CX-5 was just amazing. I had a smile stuck to my face all the way home. I could hit the gas pedal at full stop, it it would accelerate like on dry road (well... almost) while other cars disapered in my rear view mirror spinning their wheels. And since I just bought the car and the mandatory period for winter tires had just ended, I had my all seasons on. Can't wait until I have the AWD-winter tires combo.

Obviously, nobody can say much against the Subaru AWD system, it IS the industry reference. But Mazda seems to be doing something right here. I've never driven a Subaru, so I can't compare...
 
I also drove in Friday's storm, although we only got 1-2" of heavy wet snow. I felt a bit apprehensive since my last vehicle was a 4wd Tacoma, but I needn't have worried, it was very sure footed and no issues at all on a 20 mile drive over back roads and highway.
 
After reading all of these...I think I should just trade my 2013 CX-5 for a 2014 Grand Touring CX-5....after all, you don't need 4wd in NC, the only think I don't like is how bumpier the ride gets with the bigger wheels...
 
After reading all of these...I think I should just trade my 2013 CX-5 for a 2014 Grand Touring CX-5....after all, you don't need 4wd in NC, the only think I don't like is how bumpier the ride gets with the bigger wheels...

No significant or noticeable increase in ride bumpiness with 19" wheels. I've driven both 17's and 19's and so have the major automotive auto magazines and they came to same conclusion.
 
After reading all of these...I think I should just trade my 2013 CX-5 for a 2014 Grand Touring CX-5....after all, you don't need 4wd in NC, the only think I don't like is how bumpier the ride gets with the bigger wheels...

No significant or noticeable increase in ride bumpiness with 19" wheels. I've driven both 17's and 19's and so have the major automotive auto magazines and they came to same conclusion.

I agree with CX-SV. I had a CX-5 Sport as a rental recently and the ride felt exactly the same as my CX-5 with the 19's.
 
Well, I gave up on the forester. I do appreciate all the feedback that helped me make a decision. The mazda dealer called me to offer me a pretty sweet deal. I've been offered to pay off my 2013 CX-5 witch I didn't put any money down when bought it and I'm getting a 2014 GT FWD with Technology package for 28327.00, sticker price found here:http://www.mazdausa.com/MusaWeb/dis...r.action?vin=JM3KE2DY5E0306325&dealerId=23235 is 30290.00. They are installing mud guards and a bug deflector to my request for the price offered.

Thanks folks!
 
My 2013 CX-5 radles almost everywhere, I just go tired of going back and forth to the dealer to deal with mirror vibrating and other issues. I highly recommend everyone to spend a whole day with a car alone before you buy. That's what I did with the 2014 Subaru XT and felt in love with the handling, power, smooth ride, road noise quietness. This forester turns on a dime and the visibility is one of my favorites. Too bad I didn't drive CX-5 much before I bought.

Hopefully you drove the next CX-5 much more before you bought.
 
Well, I gave up on the forester. I do appreciate all the feedback that helped me make a decision. The mazda dealer called me to offer me a pretty sweet deal. I've been offered to pay off my 2013 CX-5 witch I didn't put any money down when bought it and I'm getting a 2014 GT FWD with Technology package for 28327.00, sticker price found here:http://www.mazdausa.com/MusaWeb/dis...r.action?vin=JM3KE2DY5E0306325&dealerId=23235 is 30290.00. They are installing mud guards and a bug deflector to my request for the price offered.

Thanks folks!
Congrats, and good taste sticking with the silver as well!! :D
 
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