It's a shame

[harrydog]

I'm sure this has been discussed before, but I just wanted to vent after doing some pricing on Edmunds.com.

It seems a shame to me that SOA has decided to only offer the Forester XT in the Limited version with leather. As it stands now, the Forester will cost approximately $3600 more than a Legacy GT wagon and $2600 more than an Outback XT wagon.

I had been considering the Forester XT as a possible replacement for my WRX, but no longer.

What was SOA thinking? I thought the Forester was supposed to be positioned BELOW the Legacy/Outback line.

There, I feel better now...sort of.

[Guest *Jedimaster*]

It's not a shame. Less of those butt ugly things rolling around the streets, the better

[frankcal]

Have you looked at 05 FXTs? The hp increase claimed by Subaru is really just a marketing department adjustment.

 

I picked up an 04 FXT last fall for $19.9K. It wasn't the color I wanted, but the price was right. It had a sticker price in the high $25s. IMHO, the 06 FXT lost some of the quirkiness that made it appealing. Although the changes are subtle (and I would say invisible to the non-Subi crowd), the Forester is starting to take on that "boilerplate" mini-SUV look.

[IwannaSportSedan]

Forrester XT only as "Limited Trim"?

 

Sounds like that gives credence to the fact that the Legacy GT and Outback XT are going the same way. "Limited Trim Only"

 

The question is, how does this year's price compare to last year's prices of the FXT and FXT Ltd? That might give us an indication of whether the LGT and OBXT prices will change, if they go "limited-only" also.

 

However, the FXT did get an appearance change, and a new interior, which may make price comparisons less indicative since the LGT and OBXT are likely not to get such involved changes, besides the trim level issue.

[Ken S]

No doubt that there will be some potential buyers turned away, but I think Subaru underpriced the FXT when they first introduced it. Ignoring what the spec sheet says, the FXT was a screaming bargain looking at price/hp.

 

I think Subaru needs think about how it's product positioning. By saying "Limited Trim Only", one will get the impression that they are being forced to buy something they don't want. Not that I agree with their relative product positioning, but if they should just say that all their models that end in a "T" come standard with leather, moonroof, etc.

 

As for the Forester being positioned below the Legacy/OB, I don't think it's as clear cut. All the products always have had a range of offerings with some overlap.

 

Ken

[harrydog]

Well, no matter how it's presented, the consumer is in fact being forced to buy something they may not want. I personally prefer cloth over leather and I also don't particularly like moon roofs. I would choose cloth and no moon roof even if the cost were the same. But of course the cost is not the same. It's really annoying when you are forecd to buy "luxury" options you don't want in order to get more performance.

 

Also, I don't think the increased hp figure is just a marketing adjustment. There have actually been some changes made, as this review states:

 

 

 

"The exhaust system has been redesigned for all Foresters, but the turbo makes some significant power and efficiency gains due to a full redesign of the intake and exhaust manifolds as well, and also a higher compression ratio. The turbo powerplant in the '05 Forester (along with the current WRX) has a rather complicated emissions/exhaust system, consisting of a left and right branch, each containing a pre-cat, a cat, a muffler, and a resonator. For '06, Subaru engineers have removed the pre-cat and added a secondary air pump underhood. This allows them to more easily meet emissions and at the same time find better fuel economy. Look for a similar arrangement to find its way to the WRX next year, Subaru officials hinted.

The real-world power gain with the turbo is more pronounced than the numbers would indicate. Even though the torque rating hasn't changed (at 235 lb-ft), throttle response seems meatier and more prompt, with more available torque throughout most of the rev band. Both engines now incorporate an electric throttle.

The transmissions boast improvements, too. The shift linkage for the manual transmission has been revised for shorter throws and a tighter feel, and there's also a double-cone synchronizer for first gear; and the four-speed automatic has revised ratios and shift logic."