Forester Wilderness Edition (merged thread)

zachavm said:

Overall it seems people are pretty underwhelmed by the power again.

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I think this is a bit exaggerated in the reveiws.

Both my wife's '17, and my '21 do well enough at getting out of their own way. Yeah, it isn't turbo levels, but for something that can get 36 mpg highway, the power is very adequate. I doubt too many XT's achieve near 36 or better. The Wilderness trim likely won't either, but then it isn't exactly marketed for speed or total on road efficiency either.

Given the lackluster XT sales, a lot of the media is complaining about something lost, that only a small percentage bought.

But to the point: All I can say is test drive a regular Forester if one is available at a local dealer, and see for yourself how well it puts power down, and if it is something you can live with.

It seems you are already set on getting one, so I guess it isn't really a deciding factor, but at least you'll have a real world base line, not some reviewer's need to find some fault.

Black21Limited said:

I think this is a bit exaggerated in the reveiws.

Both my wife's '17, and my '21 do well enough at getting out of their own way. Yeah, it isn't turbo levels, but for something that can get 36 mpg highway, the power is very adequate. I doubt too many XT's achieve near 36 or better.

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The Forester is more than just adequate by many standards.

I always laugh when folks call the Forester underpowered. I go back to a Motor Trend comparison from 2013 of the Forester (Touring), the RAV4, the Ford Escape and the Mazda CX5. The Escape had the 1.6 eco-boost turbo and the others 3 had the normally aspirated 2.5 motor. The Mazda was about 1 second faster through most of the speed points (0 to 30, 40, 50, etc.). The Escape was quick to about 30 or 40 but lost the edge and the RAV4 and Forester were in a few 10ths of a second or tied in most speeds up to 80 and the Ford was behind by 1 or 2 seconds

They also had some good comments about the mid-range power and delivery at speed - especially in typical driving maneuvers. They never really said that the Forester was underpowered. The Forester seemed to know what to do to use and get the best amount of available power to the pavement.

And then there's that the other thing - the turbo motor. Sure, yes, many will lament the loss of the XT and a turbo from the Forester line up. But look at the sales of the turbo engine models over on the Kia lot or the Hyundai lot or even at the Mazda lot. Much like the XT sales, the difference in sales of the non-turbo to the turbo models is massive. Part of that can be linked to what the dealers actually order for their sales lots, but part of it is consumer demand. And then you've got to consider the prices.

Usually you have to get the top-line trim levels to get the turbo motors and at some of those price points, you could be in a BMW or Mercedes compact SUV. For many of those upper price points, that logo on the grill and the trunk is more important than the power level or the MPG to most buyers.

I've never felt that my 2014 Forester is underpowered or slow. In my day-to-day travels, I can easily keep up with (or in front of) most traffic, I can get up to 70 or 80 MPH for a run up or down the freeway without drama and I'm at that speed as I get down the ramp to the freeway. Are there times I could have used a bit more oomph? Sure. But I'm not driving the Baja 1000 race or trying to go flying over that gulley off-road. Extra HP doesn't help in those conditions. Does more torque help? Yes. But higher HP doesn't really help much off-road.

... ah well, it was only a matter of time...

Kia is getting into the Wilderness act ... from a press release on the next generation (2023) Kia Sportage...

Sportage All-Wheel Drive X-Line and X-Pro
In developing a reputation for building rugged and capable SUVs, Sportage is available in the X-Line and all-new Sportage X-Pro trims. Both come standard with AWD and a unique tread-like stitching pattern on unique and easy to clean SynTex synthetic leather seats.

Sportage X-Line blends sporty and rugged looking exterior features:

• Unique front and rear bumpers with a satin chrome surround create a tougher image, complemented by side garnish
• Side mirrors, roof rack and window surrounds finished in gloss black for a sportier look
• Raised roof rack rails to support adventure ready accessories
• Exclusive 19-inch wheels

Sportage X-Pro has off-road hardware to match its design elements, so it doesn’t just look like a trail-ready vehicle – it is.

• B.F. Goodrich all-terrain tires
• 17-inch matte black off-road wheels
• LED fog lights and available LED Projector headlights (standard on X-Pro Prestige) to illuminate the trail ahead if your adventure takes you into the night
• Heated windshield and wiper washer nozzle
• Multi-terrain drive modes with Normal, Sport, Smart, and Snow modes
• Available two-tone roof
• Ventilated front seats (X-Pro Prestige)
• 8-way power front passenger seat (X-Pro Prestige)