2024 Test Drive: CX-5, Outback and Forester

[skid00skid0]

Took a few cars out for a test drive, today.

I have owned a 2000 Outback, 2012 Impreza, 2012 Outback, and 2016 CX-5.

Test of very low miles CX-5 - high 'stiction' in suspension was quite jarring over sharp bumps. I expected a softer ride. The 2024 was just as stiff as my 2016. Car was otherwise excellent. Beautiful paint, high quality interior. Very quiet. Little road noise, and exhaust quieter than my 2016.

2024 Outback demo had maybe 1000 miles on it. Why is this interior so small?! It's got to be 3" or more narrower than our 2012... Hate the in-dash laptop. Hate not having buttons/switches. Backup cam view was tiny, and dim in sunlight. Suspension was just harsh. I was shocked by this, and our 2012 is a wallowy marshmallow. Lots of road noise, lots of suspension noise. Seat material looked exactly like my chinese water shoes!

2024 Forester. Very much liked the 'falling away' hood - great view of objects close to front bumper. Nice bright interior with lots of glass. Tiny info screen. Ride was worse than Outback! Hit one dip in road, and the rear of the car jumped over what felt like a couple inches. This was not a pothole, either. Another very noisy Subaru.

I have a very big soft spot in my heart for Subies. My 2000 is near the top of a list that includes a Mitsu Eclipse turbo AWD sports car, an Audi A4 turbo, and a 1986 Honda Accord that was like a tiny Acura! How things have changed.

It will be interesting to drive the RAV 4. We may end up with two CX-5's in the garage.

 

[Bulldog Dad]

I recently did a long road trip in a new Honda CRV Sport Hybrid and it wasn't as terrible as what you described about those two Subarus. May have been the trim level I drove, but compared to a CX-5, the fit and finish in the CRV isn't as good and not as solid. You can push into the arm rest on the doors and the flex into the door panel a little. Also you can feel your butt bounce into the seat like a trampoline when going over bumps, which was just an odd sensation. The positives were the hybrid drive train was fun to drive and the steering wheel is super chunky. Couldn't say if the upper two trims are any better.

 

[Ranman57]

If you try a test drive on the CX-5 again, or probably any other new car, have them check the tire pressure first. Dealers like to forget to reset it from the shipping pressure. Both my wife's CX-30 and my CX-5 had pressures in the mid forties when we picked them up late last year. They both rode like crap. I knew it as soon as I got in both cars, but I expected it. And that was after I told them to check her CX-30 before we picked it up. Dealers are such idiots, who knows how many sales they lose to a harsh ride on a demo drive.

 

[yrwei52]

⋯ It will be interesting to drive the RAV 4. We may end up with two CX-5's in the garage.

I wouldn’t bother to test-drive a RAV4 as the all-plastic interior with poor quality feels should turn you off (for me at least). However, you can try Venza (made in Japan quality like the CX-5) if you can accept the hybrid platform; or Lexus NX or RX if you’re willing to pay more.

Like Honda, Subaru is going to wrong direction in recent years. And I simply can’t take an engine with cylinder deactivation, and a turbo with potential head crack problem.