I am about to replace a beloved '05 Subaru Legacy GT Limited Wagon and it looks like the CX-9 will be the replacement. From the research and test drives I've done I'm leaning towards the Touring vs. the GT mostly because I don't want the 20" wheels (easier to damage, firmer/harsher ride, more expensive tires) and I'm happy to save the $$ required to upgrade to the GT. However, there are a couple GT items that I might miss and wanted to get a sense from others as to whether my concerns are legit or not.
Headlights: Edmunds.com had a Touring in its long term fleet and most of their observations were positive but there was a complaint about the strength of the headlights. Are the Touring's lights really that bad? Bad enough to be a safety issue? Are the GT's a big improvement?
Fog lights: Not available on the Touring. Has anyone installed them?
Side mirrors with turn indicators: I think this is another safety feature that is appearing on more and more cars. Why does Mazda limit it only to the highest trim level?
These are the only shortcomings of the Touring that seem to bother me. Are they legitimate concerns? Are there others?
Headlights: Edmunds.com had a Touring in its long term fleet and most of their observations were positive but there was a complaint about the strength of the headlights. Are the Touring's lights really that bad? Bad enough to be a safety issue? Are the GT's a big improvement?
Fog lights: Not available on the Touring. Has anyone installed them?
Side mirrors with turn indicators: I think this is another safety feature that is appearing on more and more cars. Why does Mazda limit it only to the highest trim level?
These are the only shortcomings of the Touring that seem to bother me. Are they legitimate concerns? Are there others?