Topic: Test Drive: 2017 Subaru Forester 2.0XT

[Robin2]

some of the previous gens owners that I know added swift springs and really transformed the ride in their xt

[johngenx]

The issue with making it handle better is you lose off-road/rough-road capability.  I think Subaru does a good job of balancing those needs.  Of course, if you never drive off pavement, might as well lower it and whatever.  I suspect the percentage of Fozzies driven off pavement has been declining steadily.

[quadzilla]

Love the old ones when lowered.

[lebowski]

Love the old ones when lowered.

Man, that looks good. A lowered XT would be right up my alley...though by the time it's been done properly with coilovers and whatever, for the money, probably worth it to spend it on something more purpose-built from the factory.

[PlanB]

The issue with making it handle better is you lose off-road/rough-road capability.  I think Subaru does a good job of balancing those needs.  Of course, if you never drive off pavement, might as well lower it and whatever. I suspect the percentage of Fozzies driven off pavement has been declining steadily.

I never drive off pavement (occasional maintained dirt road, but no more than that) and I would not want my Forester lowered.  Ground clearance is extremely useful for snow and the random crap you come across in the middle of the road with no way to swerve around (seems to happen to me regularly for some reason like this morning in fact). 

But I do acknowledge that a Forester lowered can look darn good:

[Noto]

Ha, o think that thing looks hilarious.

... I'd never lower my fozzie.

[rrocket]

Looks like a Matrix IMO kitted out like that.

[lebowski]

But I do acknowledge that a Forester lowered can look darn good:

  now that there is my [expletive]

I'd maybe ease up on the drop - if that's a 3-inch drop, make mine 2.5 inches. Everything else is perfect IMO, including the low-pro box 

[Mike]

From my trip to STI in Japan in October. I want

[dirtyjeffer]

From my trip to STI in Japan in October. I want

looks neat, but it's the wrong hand drive for me.

[Jaeger]

From my trip to STI in Japan in October. I want

That's cool right there.

[Noto]

looks neat, but it's the wrong hand drive for me.

You'll learn quickly to adapt

[dirtyjeffer]

looks neat, but it's the wrong hand drive for me.

You'll learn quickly to adapt

when the wife and i went to the UK this past summer for vacation, there was certainly an option to rent a vehicle...i quickly turned down that option, and after seeing how busy many of the cities were, i am glad i did...not a place i'd like to "learn" how drive on the wrong side of the car, on the wrong side of the road.

[Solstice2006]

looks neat, but it's the wrong hand drive for me.

You'll learn quickly to adapt

when the wife and i went to the UK this past summer for vacation, there was certainly an option to rent a vehicle...i quickly turned down that option, and after seeing how busy many of the cities were, i am glad i did...not a place i'd like to "learn" how drive on the wrong side of the car, on the wrong side of the road.

Wrong side?

[lebowski]

looks neat, but it's the wrong hand drive for me.

You'll learn quickly to adapt

when the wife and i went to the UK this past summer for vacation, there was certainly an option to rent a vehicle...i quickly turned down that option, and after seeing how busy many of the cities were, i am glad i did...not a place i'd like to "learn" how drive on the wrong side of the car, on the wrong side of the road.

Very quick story: a few years ago we were in Scotland and we rented a car. We learned pretty quickly that one  can rent a stickshift car, in a right-hand-drive country, and without GPS, but one should not do all 3. We ended up being fine, but had quite a few near-misses. Roundabouts were particularly fun!

[PlanB]

looks neat, but it's the wrong hand drive for me.

You'll learn quickly to adapt

My buddy got his hands on an imported right side drive manual Land Cruiser for his 'work' vehicle on his property in the country.  I drove it, and adapted somewhat - but it certainly wasn't 'quick' . 

As for those STi Foresters in the land of the rising sun - talk about forbidden fruit!  STi Forester and/or even better yet, an RS4 Avant would be my dream vehicle!   

[JG20]

I lived in Japan for 2 years.  It doesn't take long to adapt to RHD.  The hardest part to remember are the turn signals and windshield wiper stalks, which are reversed.  Did a lot of unneeded windshield wiping, long after I got used to driving on the opposite side.  Then, did the same thing when I came back home.  I also had a manual car over there.

[dirtyjeffer]

looks neat, but it's the wrong hand drive for me.

You'll learn quickly to adapt

when the wife and i went to the UK this past summer for vacation, there was certainly an option to rent a vehicle...i quickly turned down that option, and after seeing how busy many of the cities were, i am glad i did...not a place i'd like to "learn" how drive on the wrong side of the car, on the wrong side of the road.

Wrong side?

it's a joke...it's the opposite side we use here, hence the "wrong side".

[Solstice2006]

looks neat, but it's the wrong hand drive for me.

You'll learn quickly to adapt

when the wife and i went to the UK this past summer for vacation, there was certainly an option to rent a vehicle...i quickly turned down that option, and after seeing how busy many of the cities were, i am glad i did...not a place i'd like to "learn" how drive on the wrong side of the car, on the wrong side of the road.

Wrong side?

it's a joke...it's the opposite side we use here, hence the "wrong side".

That's what I was trying to do.  Joke.

[Noto]

New review from Aussieland (geographically true, unlike culturally that we have here ) of the Fozzie vs the Tiggie:

http://www.caradvice.com.au/524281/volkswagen-tiguan-162tsi-highline-r-line-v-subaru-forester-xt-premium-comparison/