Makes sense when fuel is that high. But, as someone has already posted, it isn’t just 0-60, although that matters. It’s whether the vehicle is engaging to drive, or not. I had more fun with my smallish, fairly low hp cars and hatchbacks with slick manuals than some newer, hulking but high hp vehicles. But, I have to laugh a bit when companies like Subaru ( and many others) dress up a base model with some cheap colored plastic, different paint, and a few additional lights and blacked out wheels and sell it up priced as the “Sport” model. Meanwhile it’s no sportier to drive than the base, but more profit for the seller.
Of course this is just my personal preference, but the worst combination for killing all driving fun is pairing a small engine with a CVT. There is just no way to make that engaging. The combo usually results in a lot of engine noise, no real sense of movement, and no play possibilities at all. It’s just cheap, basic transport. Or in the case of some Subaru models, not particularly cheap, but still the same outcome. I am talking Impreza and Crosstrek, even Legacy and Outback, with the base engines, really. Point A to Point B. That’s fine, if that is what you want or what your budget demands. I’ve been there.
I like a happy medium, with a peppy, normally aspirated engine (could be a 4 or a small 6) paired with a six or eight speed automatic. Most unfortunately, Subaru doesn’t sell any of those. Seven or eight years ago I would have said a slick manual, but not these days. I would forego the turbo. Unfortunately with Subaru, as well as many other makers, you either get the base doggy engine or maybe a turbo option, with the usual turbo lag, slow warmup issues, and often a thirst for premium. One prominent outlier is the 3.6r Outback or the Legacy, which are quite different, even great to drive in the Subaru family.
Plus all of that additional turbo mechanical stuff to break, as the just previous poster has lamented.
EJ
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