2019 Subaru Ascent Mid-sized SUV - True 3-row vehicle

[covertrussian]

In the snow, I call pre-2010 2.5i's 2 wheel drive, our 2005-09 GT's 3 wheel drive, and a typical LSD-less Front/rear wheel drive car a 1 wheel drive .

 

I admit I wish our cars had that 'wheel braking' feature though. Each time I go do some light offroading, I always dredge the moment one of my wheels get off the ground. That's the one thing that suck about our AWD with manual trans.

 

Our cars do have it, you just have to switch to a 2010+ BR/BM. My 2012 6MT has it, and I gotta say I don't miss the mechanical LSD at all. So far the outback has been much more stable/capable in the snow then even my old 04 FXT. Plus my tires were pretty bald, it hasn't snowed since I've installed new tires though.

 

Also I believe 2008+ WRX's don't have mechanical LSD's and use the same system then BR/BM's use. Which is surprising since Legacy usually gets all the new fun toys first

[ehsnils]

I admit I wish our cars had that 'wheel braking' feature though. Each time I go do some light offroading, I always dredge the moment one of my wheels get off the ground. That's the one thing that suck about our AWD with manual trans.

 

Braking the wheels aren't always the optimal solution, I'd prefer if that was the last alternative and that other solutions like central diff clutches and torsen diffs are better if you want really good traction.

 

I'd be willing to pay extra for that but I'll pass on sunroof and leather upholstery.

[xt2005bonbon]

Our cars do have it, you just have to switch to a 2010+ BR/BM.

 

Also I believe 2008+ WRX's don't have mechanical LSD's and use the same system then BR/BM's use.

 

Is it possible to install this feature on our cars then? My guess is if the ECU is involved, then no .

 

 

 

Braking the wheels aren't always the optimal solution, I'd prefer if that was the last alternative

 

That's true. At least in the case a rear wheel is off the ground, I can use the parking brake lever. But if it is in the front, that'd be tricky.

[SBT]

That's true. At least in the case a rear wheel is off the ground, I can use the parking brake lever. But if it is in the front, that'd be tricky.

 

Two things... a rear VLSD is eventually going to gain torque on the grounded wheel, a Torsen won't, so using the Pbrake level to stop the aired wheel and get torque on the grounded wheel will work.

 

And, slowing torque delivery to the rear using the Pbrake can also help stutter torque back to the front and create more of a shift in that direction and 'possibly' get the non-spinning wheel to temporarily grab. Won't work all the time, and very little when it does, but sometimes it's enough.

[SBT]

Looking forward to the Atlanta Auto Show in a few more weeks.

[covertrussian]

Is it possible to install this feature on our cars then? My guess is if the ECU is involved, then no .

 

Highly doubt it, especially on our 05-06 non smart steering racks, though 2007+ did have VDC of some sort.

[Perscitus]

Too bad VAG doesn't offer Seat's newly formed 'Cupra' sub-brand on this side of the pond and north of the border/wall.

 

Otherwise, perhaps all those considering the Ascent might instead defect to this alternative

(like the WRX/STI crowd is defecting to Golf Rs, RSs, Type Rs, etc)

 

CUPRA ATECA @ 2.0L DIT, 300bhp, 8/9-speed DSG, adaptive all-wheel drive, etc. (and great towing capability lol)

 

https://www.motor1.com/news/233851/cupra-ateca-officially-revealed/

 

http://legacygt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=262603&stc=1&d=1519951671.jpg

Edited March 2, 2018 by Perscitus

[SubOperator]

As much as I would love to have SEAT offered in US it is still VW underneath.

 

I am also not sure about "(like the WRX/STI crowd is defecting to Golf Rs, RSs, Type Rs, etc) " - people move around all the time and we do see a healthy number of former VW owners coming over to Subaru after being fed up with VW.

[xt2005bonbon]

Personally, I feel most of the newer European car models, regardless of brand, are doing a much better job in terms of aesthetics and look in general. Japanese automakers, meh. But again, it's aaaaall subjective I know

[covertrussian]

Saw that it had lug bolts, continued to close the page in disappointment.

[SBT]

CUPRA ATECA @ 2.0L DIT, 300bhp, 8/9-speed DSG, adaptive all-wheel drive, etc. (and great towing capability lol)

 

 

http://legacygt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=262603&stc=1&d=1519951671.jpg

 

Good looking CUV or is it a Mid-size SUV?

 

At the end of the day, it's a VW underneath, and if the engine is not pointing fore and aft, with symmetrical AWD, then it's not what I'm looking for in a vehicle for this family.

[ehsnils]

As much as I would love to have SEAT offered in US it is still VW underneath.

 

There are fewer and fewer pure brands out there. In a lot of cases the same body gets cosmetic changes and a different brand badge and sold at different price or different market. Seat is mostly appealing to southern Europe while VW is northern and Skoda is on eastern Europe. But since all of them conforms to the same EU regulations there are no clear boundaries.

 

We are probably going to end up with about 3 or 4 pure brand lines over the world in the future with just different badges on the cars.

[Perscitus]

As much as I would love to have SEAT offered in US it is still VW underneath. I am also not sure about "(like the WRX/STI crowd is defecting to Golf Rs, RSs, Type Rs, etc) " - people move around all the time and we do see a healthy number of former VW owners coming over to Subaru after being fed up with VW.

Exactly, you missed the sarcastic tone lost in the interwebs text post.

 

Although as usual every gen or other gen, there is currently a mass exodus of current gen WRX/STi, Legacy owners to VAG, Ford, Honda, Kia, Jeep, BMW, etc. Maybe just a sign of the times.

 

Many of these have not experienced the flaws or issues seen with the other brands (especially last decade or so) and think the grass is greener or tastes unlike grass, until they learn otherwise from personal experience.

 

German 'luxury' lol, yeah maybe in the 60s/70s when the various German brands were still designed, engineered and manufactured in West Germany. Today its all junk with built in obsolescense and more gagets and creature comforts than car.

 

The Cupra above is just what Subaru should be selling using Subaru tech, but never will.

[xt2005bonbon]

To be optimistic though, I am really curious to see how much HP the next gen sti will output. I bet close to 350 hp, most likely with that 2.4 DIT.

[dgoodhue]

To be optimistic though, I am really curious to see how much HP the next gen sti will output. I bet close to 350 hp, most likely with that 2.4 DIT.

 

310hp is my guess.

[covertrussian]

Exactly, you missed the sarcastic tone lost in the interwebs text post.

 

Same here, /sarcasm tags go a long way

 

Although as usual every gen or other gen, there is currently a mass exodus of current gen WRX/STi, Legacy owners to VAG, Ford, Honda, Kia, Jeep, BMW, etc. Maybe just a sign of the times.

 

Many of these have not experienced the flaws or issues seen with the other brands (especially last decade or so) and think the grass is greener or tastes unlike grass, until they learn otherwise from personal experience.

 

Funny cause there was a mass exodus from my Nissan SR20 forums to Subaru, but some who are dead set on FWD went to turbo Mazdas. I still have my turbo FWD Nissan, but man she's a handful, LGT with the same WHP is so much more manageable even the wife drives it without problems .

 

I knew the problems with Subaru's going into them, biggest was the funky motor that makes it hard to do anything. But to be frank I bought the LGT over a 3.5L Altima SE-R, because a 3.5L V6 in a FWD car is just as painful to work on.

 

To be optimistic though, I am really curious to see how much HP the next gen sti will output. I bet close to 350 hp, most likely with that 2.4 DIT.

 

Subaru was already underrating the STI's as is. Perrin dynoed the stock STI at 263whp, with 25% drivetrain loss that's 251BHP. 300BHP Subaru would be making 225whp to the wheels, which is actually what the 2015 WRX put down.

 

Now the reason I said Subaru was underrating is, it seems like the SAE or government or even insurance companies are starting to crack down on HP underrating. This shows with 2018's WRX & STI's 0-60 times being slower, 2018 WRX is 6.2sec while 2015 was 5.5sec. 2018 STI is 5.7sec while 2015 was 4.6 sec.

 

Even Motor Trend points out the ~1 sec slower times in their WRX and STI reviews.

[Perscitus]

Yes, covertrussian. However if we're going to assume a linear drivetrain loss (which itself is a gross approximation), you should use the following for recent/current-gen Subarus:

 

MT Subaru: 19-20% loss

AT/CVT Subaru: 30-31% loss

 

On a good inertia/load-bearing dyno that gives raw wTQ and calc's wHP as its function,

a 300bhp MT Subaru should put down ~ 240whp. A current-gen 6MT WRX should put down ~220whp.

 

For an equivalent CVT Subaru to make the same 300bhp at the crank, it would need to put down ~210whp. Or conversely (and I think this makes more common sense),

the same 300bhp engine mated to a 6MT SAWD Subaru vs a 5EAT/HTCVT SAWD Subaru will produce 240 or 210whp respectively.

[covertrussian]

I used to think it was lower then 25%, but after comparing multiple dynos for different cars I'm more convinced that it's at 25% at lest for the 05 5MT. Also, my car made 187whp bone stock with Virtual Dyno and dynoject corrections. That's right at 249bhp with 25% drivetrain loss. At 20% that would have been 234bhp.

[ehsnils]

Now the reason I said Subaru was underrating is, it seems like the SAE or government or even insurance companies are starting to crack down on HP underrating. This shows with 2018's WRX & STI's 0-60 times being slower, 2018 WRX is 6.2sec while 2015 was 5.5sec. 2018 STI is 5.7sec while 2015 was 4.6 sec.

 

Even Motor Trend points out the ~1 sec slower times in their WRX and STI reviews.

 

I suspect that CAFE regulations plays a role too so that the engines are putting out less power in lower speeds/gears on order to cope with the thresholds. But a tune should be able to compensate for that.

[Pilot1226]

Aren’t the rev hang issues notes in the 6MT models loosely tied to emissions? I’ve heard on the Foz forums that they can be fixed with an ECU update at the dealer, but still, that’s the default.

[covertrussian]

Aren’t the rev hang issues notes in the 6MT models loosely tied to emissions? I’ve heard on the Foz forums that they can be fixed with an ECU update at the dealer, but still, that’s the default.

 

Is this where when you clutch in it up revs the engine for you? I definitely have it on the 2012 and it's annoying.

[ToRealEyes]

Hey a rev hang conversation, can confirm it’s in the 6mt outback/legacy, even with the newest ECU update. The update didn’t do squat to eliminating the rev hang ‘feature’ let’s call it.

 

So far a custom tune also hasn’t done squat to get rid of it.

[ToRealEyes]

Our feeling about the Ascent is that it will sell well if marketed well. One of its possible target markets (late 20’s growing up watching the bugeye wrx come to the states) is at the limit of their patience waiting for a Subie with more seatbelts. We might eventually get one. Wife doesn’t like driving two cars when friends/family visit and go on outings together.

 

Low redline is no prob for this type of car. Give me those max power numbers on a near flat curve from 2k-5.5k, that’ll be just fine.

[SubieDriver]

People who are used to diesels will have no problem with the redline.

[Pilot1226]

Hey a rev hang conversation, can confirm it’s in the 6mt outback/legacy, even with the newest ECU update. The update didn’t do squat to eliminating the rev hang ‘feature’ let’s call it.

 

So far a custom tune also hasn’t done squat to get rid of it.

 

There is a TSB Foresters and Crosstrek. Might want to dig a little deeper.