has to be better than the POS jeep compass i drove
Interesting comparison. I feel like the interior of the outback is a decent upgrade from the forester, but I realize that is pretty subjective. It also seemed to me like the act seat had more room in the outback ( I could see how the slightly shorter greenhouse could make it "feel" more cramped though. Also, doesn't the outback get slightly better gas mileage?
I'm more of a wagon guy, so looks wise I like the outback a lot more than than the forester. That being said, I wouldn't be buying either of them if looks were high on my list.
Used Honda Element?
I stopped on my way home & took the 2.4L auto 4x4 out for a spin. Thoughts:
Cons:
1. C-pillars are ridiculously bad. Just terrible visibility. Fortunately they put in enormous side-view mirrors, so that helps make it up for it a lot.
2. There is an extremely long delay in acceleration, when you want to goose it. Feels like a full 3 seconds. My base-model Civic is somewhat slow & I kind of have to plan ahead to pass, go up a hill, or merge on the highway, but the Jeep feels twice as long as this. I suppose you could get used to it, but it's really noticeable. It has enough punch to go though.
3. I didn't get to take it out on the highway (rush hour traffic near the dealership), but it seemed a little wiggle when I gave it the gas. Not like torque steer, but more like a small whole-body shimmy. It was strange.
Pros:
1. Great frontal visibility
2. Better-than-expected prices. I took out a well-equipped automatic 4x4 and they offered $24k. The 4x4 2.4L auto on the website starts at $26k base & about $29k for what I wanted, so I was really happy with their pricing, especially since even Truecar was $27.3k.
3. Nice roominess, felt even bigger than a Kia Soul
4. Has some sort of automatic adjusting suspension. Worked REALLY well. I took it over some crummy backroads I had been on before that jittered my teeth in the Soul & it was surprisingly smooth. It's a good 600+ pounds more than the Soul too, so that helps. Also going up steep/bumpy driveways was flawless.
5. Steering was great for electric. The Soul felt a bit like a video game, kind of disconnected, but they put in a good steering feel to the wheel. Feels really solid.
6. Sunvisor extenders. A small thing, but one of my favorite features.
$24k still seems too expensive for what it is, but then again, it's an AWD/4WD system that gets an advertised 29 MPG on the highway & is easy to park, which is really nice. I was really happy with the size. It basically feels like a better Kia Soul.
As far as competitors...I checked out an Impreza wagon awhile back, not too bad but felt pretty low to the ground. Not a fan of the Crosstrek myself. My wife has a Forester, which is pretty nice, but I was actually a lot more comfortable in the Jeep. Truecar says I can get a base Forester for $23.5k or a base Outback for $25.3. The Outback adds a lot of rear storage capability, which would be awesome, although it's bigger than I like. But the resale would be better than the Jeep, as well as the reliability. Plus, optional EyeSight for radar cruise, which is just the best feature ever.
There are two brands of vehicle I will avoid at all cost. VW (you can include Audi since they're pretty much the same vehicles) and Jeep.
the chrysler 200 i drove was so bad. I have no idea how they can make a car with the sensation where you press the gas pedal and not have the engine respond until nearly a second later. and i'm not talking about lack of power from the engine (which there was, but this wasn't that type of sensation.. the car doesnt rev, or do anything), but this felt like more of a computer input lag or something like that.
There are two brands of vehicle I will avoid at all cost. VW (you can include Audi since they're pretty much the same vehicles) and Jeep.
I would avoid any chrysler products like the plague. they are the absolute worst when compared to other vehicles i've driven in the rental lots. Ford is usually leaps and bounds better than any other american product.
the chrysler 200 i drove was so bad. I have no idea how they can make a car with the sensation where you press the gas pedal and not have the engine respond until nearly a second later. and i'm not talking about lack of power from the engine (which there was, but this wasn't that type of sensation.. the car doesnt rev, or do anything), but this felt like more of a computer input lag or something like that.
You're right. Make that three vehicles I would never buy in a million years:
VW/Audi
Jeep
Chrysler
Enjoyed the Fiat Spider that I owned. True, it wasn't reliable in the same way as the Miata that I later owned ... Nonetheless, the Spider had a character that appealed to me.
Life is too short to drive boring cars...
Uno
Unless you drive 300 miles a week just commuting. Then it's okay to drive boring cars that get great gas mileage.
FWIW Edmunds has a long term test in progress of the Jeep Renegade http://www.edmunds.com/jeep/renegade/2015/long-term-road-test/
3 weeks ago the wife and I purchased a 2015 Renegade Latitude 4x4. So far we love it! Last weekend I drove down to Las Vegas from Salt Lake City with the cruise control set to a few above speed limit most of the way (around 83-84 through Utah) and pulled a trip average of 27.3mpg by fillup, computer read 27.1.
It's a quirky car, but it's fun and we like it a lot. Room enough for a couple car seats and luggage for the family. Plenty of power, and surprisingly that pedal lag took a day to get used to and since then I hardly notice it.
Fit and finish is great. No squeaks, noises, or concerns with any fabrics or plastics and I don't see any reason you expect otherwise in the foreseeable future.
Anyway, I hope a little feedback from an owner is a little helpful for you.
Unless you drive 300 miles a week just commuting. Then it's okay to drive boring cars that get great gas mileage.
Put me in the same boat that won't touch Jeep. I had a 2014 Grand Cherokee with severe electrical issues (among other smaller things) and was glad to be rid of it. It's actually sad because when it worked it was a great vehicle. Great in the snow, well designed interior and features, but it was just so unreliable even within 2 years of having it. Add on to that just abysmal customer service and I won't make that mistake again.
When we bought our 4Runner, I was REALLY tempted to buy the GC. Looks better (to my eye), drives way better, and had newer tech inside. I just couldn't get past the empirical and anecdotal evidence that Jeep reliability is bad. I've had a number of friends and relatives who have had GC's or Cherokees over the years and all of them have had lots of issues. I kept thinking that since this latest entry was based on a Daimler design, maybe it would be different. Glad I stayed away. We have already put 50K miles on our 2013 4Runner and it still feels like new and with zero problems/trips to the dealer. Granted, I don't expect anything less from a modern car...but from anecdotal stories from friends/neighbors...my car has far outperformed recent GC's.