HEY. THAT'S GOING TOO FAR. :lol:
Okay, okay... so I do go get groceries in it... then I sling it around the mud on the way home. I have the best of both worlds. :raspberry:
The way Lone Ranger looked at it is most accurate. The Foz is more economy oriented, the Outback is slightly more 'luxurious', though I would not really call it that. It's a Subaru... we don't do luxury that well.
My '00 Outback base model, stock for stock, is quieter, more comfortable (front seats in particular... I have STI sized side bolsters :rock: ), smoother riding, and has much thicker sheet metal (I'm not kidding) than my parents' loaded '05 Forester XS L.L. Bean Edition. The Foz is noticeably lighter (400lb difference in our cars) and handles as such. It's more squirrely on the highway, and gets tossed around in the breeze more. The Outback is much more planted, has wider rubber, and is more predictable and better composed at highway speeds. It lacks in approach, departure, and breakover angles, so the Foz will do better offroad. Foz is a bit easier to park, but the Outback isn't hard or anything. Foz is more nimble, loose, and tossable, the Outback is more planted, but will still make you grin ear to ear in the twisties.
Again, this is comparing an '00 to an '05... I don't know how the new models stack up side by side. The new outback m/t is a 6spd, the Forester a 5spd. The 3.6L H6 is one sweet engine, too, even mated to the 5spd auto (5EAT). Forester XT is only offered in 4spd auto (4EAT). So, in both cars, the upgraded engine is only available in A/T. :icon_frown: