2019 5th Generation Subaru Forester (SK)

[DACH]

1st Gen is SG

2nd Gen is SH

3rd Gen is SJ

4th Gen is likely SK unless they skip the "K"

 

 

Anyway it's a pity they are not making the 2.0 Turbo XT. Although it's selling like hot cakes in SG due to it's price point, I never catch any XT when I was driving overseas in Japan, Thailand and even Australia. Mostly saw the FNA. I guess there is really some truth to the XT not selling well. Overseas review indicated that the XT is too expensive and cuts into the price other better models.

 

But I do hope they will at least sell a Turbo version in the future. I thought a 1.5 or 1.6 Turbo with same power but higher torque would be more fun to drive than a 2.5 NA and of course, the 2.0NA.

 

I am hoping for a 1.8l Turbo or at least 1.6l Turbo, 1.5l may be a bit underpowered for the car even with turbo.

[Carhorn]

1st Gen is SG

2nd Gen is SH

3rd Gen is SJ

4th Gen is likely SK unless they skip the "K"

 

 

Anyway it's a pity they are not making the 2.0 Turbo XT. Although it's selling like hot cakes in SG due to it's price point, I never catch any XT when I was driving overseas in Japan, Thailand and even Australia. Mostly saw the FNA. I guess there is really some truth to the XT not selling well. Overseas review indicated that the XT is too expensive and cuts into the price other better models.

 

But I do hope they will at least sell a Turbo version in the future. I thought a 1.5 or 1.6 Turbo with same power but higher torque would be more fun to drive than a 2.5 NA and of course, the 2.0NA.

Some corrections if u dun mind

 

SF is the 1st gen Forester

Then

SG

SH

SJ (Current EOL)

SK (2019)

 

5th gen for the new forester

[Hamburger]

no turbo no talk.

 

power and torque even pales when compared to a 1.4T kodiaq.

 

Jap are living in the cave.

[Pocus]

Some corrections if u dun mind

 

SF is the 1st gen Forester

Then

SG

SH

SJ (Current EOL)

SK (2019)

 

5th gen for the new forester

Nice info.. thks for correcting me!

[richard_crl032]

no turbo no talk.

 

power and torque even pales when compared to a 1.4T kodiaq.

 

Jap are living in the cave.

Hi Hamburger,

 

Booked M6 2.0 for wife yesterday despite non turbo and known sluggish of 2.0 NA for "big" car.

 

Spoke to many nice conti bros who owns audi and vw that are higher #1 and #2 tier of lower end Seat or Skoda and advised betta dun touch if planning for 10 yrs ownership and no wish for quirky maintenance regime.

 

Indeed found and can affirm that the sweet spot for driveability is 1.5 to 1 6 turbo charged ones compared to 2.0 NA and even desperate to test drove arguably weird looking mitsubishi eclipse 1.5T cos very little availability namely, civic 1.5T and CRV but overall consideration concluded on the m6 2.0 executive with AED, BSM etc. safety aids and Bose multi speaker system instead even against preferred SUV of CX5 whose interior and noiser ride nailed the coffin a viable ride for wife.

 

Tested various 1.0T to 1.5T to 2.0NA including A3, Q2, V40 etc. and M6 is the only ride that wife preferred that made me wanting to think of how to further upgrade fxt's interior .. plush and nice nice this one.

 

Cheers.

 

Richard

[richard_crl032]

I am hoping for a 1.8l Turbo or at least 1.6l Turbo, 1.5l may be a bit underpowered for the car even with turbo.

Hi Dach/Pocus,

 

Wait out for reported next hybrid version then.

 

High torque of hybrid's motor would be nice and can wacked but yet lower FC ... seen many prius grab drivers going ballistic .. they are not slow when pushed and not 7-8km/l like fxt when wacked.

 

One caveat is that performance is known to drop and not claimable since battery performance will deterioriate like our handphone.

 

Cheers.

 

Richard

Edited August 19, 2018 by richard_crl032

[Hamburger]

Hi Hamburger,

 

Booked M6 2.0 for wife yesterday despite non turbo and known sluggish of 2.0 NA for "big" car.

 

Spoke to many nice conti bros who owns audi and vw that are higher #1 and #2 tier of lower end Seat or Skoda and advised betta dun touch if planning for 10 yrs ownership and no wish for quirky maintenance regime.

 

Indeed found and can affirm that the sweet spot for driveability is 1.5 to 1 6 turbo charged ones compared to 2.0 NA and even desperate to test drove arguably weird looking mitsubishi eclipse 1.5T cos very little availability namely, civic 1.5T and CRV but overall consideration concluded on the m6 2.0 executive with AED, BSM etc. safety aids and Bose multi speaker system instead even against preferred SUV of CX5 whose interior and noiser ride nailed the coffin a viable ride for wife.

 

Tested various 1.0T to 1.5T to 2.0NA including A3, Q2, V40 etc. and M6 is the only ride that wife preferred that made me wanting to think of how to further upgrade fxt's interior .. plush and nice nice this one.

 

Cheers.

 

Richard

 

congrats to your purchase and madza does have the executive look that your missus is looking for.

 

on the part where you were advised on conti's maintenance,  dont mind me saying but many conti owners are quite noobs about conti car and i do not agreed with them.  i have owned beemer, merc, saab, mini and vw and i would say otherwise about it.

 

again, congrats on your new purchase.

before i am flamed, let me say that i have also own subaru, nissan, mitsubishi,toyota and honda. 

 

Most are reliable but kind of boring if you ask me.

[richard_crl032]

congrats to your purchase and madza does have the executive look that your missus is looking for.

 

on the part where you were advised on conti's maintenance, dont mind me saying but many conti owners are quite noobs about conti car and i do not agreed with them. i have owned beemer, merc, saab, mini and vw and i would say otherwise about it.

 

again, congrats on your new purchase.

 

before i am flamed, let me say that i have also own subaru, nissan, mitsubishi,toyota and honda.

 

Most are reliable but kind of boring if you ask me.

Hi Hamburger,

 

Thanks man !

 

From personal experience, previous e200 masyerpiece w124 merc indeed fine although gearbox also up load approaching 10 yrs like her sunny and what my estima started to exhibit.jus5 before scrap. Spare parts due to commonality with taxi was in fact much cheaper than honda odyssey, accord, concerto owned and toyota's estima but that was then but that conti was quite boring.

 

Guess the infamous dry clutch issues made an big impact in what singaporean thinks of current conti but boring but reliable Jap seems to be inviting after the bad and "exciting" experience with even quasi-conti nissan uk's qashqai 1.2 turbo despite added precaution in maintenance.

 

Conti indeed cool and higher performance but only beyond a price point and more complex to do so without doubt and needing TLC aka $ .. luckily CO dun need but instead the preferred safety gadgets at very attractive prices.

 

As such, lower end of conti A3 and Q2 is too much to pay for so little and little excitement even for 1.4l Q2 despite initial wish for one .. v40 t4 at sgd120k and 6.9 sec would have been great if not for the small little rear window blocked but 2 rather large rear headrest and wife is not comfortable with and I agrees.

 

Thanks again and but guess back to forester 2019 topic of this thread which I really hope at least hybrid brings some excitement else will fall until "boring" jap cars since the demise of fxt :(

 

Cheers.

 

Richard

Edited August 20, 2018 by richard_crl032

[S2s1]

Hi ecube,

 

Indeed ... seems Australia outside MI Asia is also only getting the 2.0L despite 90% being 2.5L for 2014 sj version but with same mentioned hybrid version being next as per launch in Taiwan by MI ... quite different from the only 2.5l launched in the US.

 

However, eyesight is already 5k from previous Impreza of same new 2.0L one.

 

My bey is that new one will be 110k at least even with current COE.

 

Cheers.

 

Richard

Just came back from self drive trip from West Australia. Most of the petrol stations in small towns only offer ULP (91). So I think it is crucial the SUV can take 91, if not cannot sell. (My guess)

[titaniclexus]

Hi Hamburger,

 

Booked M6 2.0 for wife yesterday despite non turbo and known sluggish of 2.0 NA for "big" car.

 

Spoke to many nice conti bros who owns audi and vw that are higher #1 and #2 tier of lower end Seat or Skoda and advised betta dun touch if planning for 10 yrs ownership and no wish for quirky maintenance regime.

 

Indeed found and can affirm that the sweet spot for driveability is 1.5 to 1 6 turbo charged ones compared to 2.0 NA and even desperate to test drove arguably weird looking mitsubishi eclipse 1.5T cos very little availability namely, civic 1.5T and CRV but overall consideration concluded on the m6 2.0 executive with AED, BSM etc. safety aids and Bose multi speaker system instead even against preferred SUV of CX5 whose interior and noiser ride nailed the coffin a viable ride for wife.

 

Tested various 1.0T to 1.5T to 2.0NA including A3, Q2, V40 etc. and M6 is the only ride that wife preferred that made me wanting to think of how to further upgrade fxt's interior .. plush and nice nice this one.

 

Cheers.

 

Richard

 

Wow.... go go for M6 no more SUV drive for your wife ah?

 

Bro, your FXT already sound proof and interior oso super liao... still want to further upgrade ah? If got rear passenger STI seat can go go.... or maybe go for STI dashboard?

 

[richard_crl032]

Wow.... go go for M6 no more SUV drive for your wife ah?

 

Bro, your FXT already sound proof and interior oso super liao... still want to further upgrade ah? If got rear passenger STI seat can go go.... or maybe go for STI dashboard?

 

 

Hi Titanic,

 

Say and dream only ... keke !

 

But the soft leather wrapped raised center console faking BMW and soft plastic in the Mazda 6 are really quite nice ... even the fake leather dashboard is much betta than the harrier's.

 

Already re-leathered the rear seat with same sti red trim and did consider STI read theme in dash but unless someone can possibly hack into Subaru's software to selected Saab like red display on our colored LCD display which is basically white colored theme, it is a futile attempt.

 

Indeed no viable SUV for CO who now accepts this mazda6 sedan instead but it is quite big internally which help quite a bit against other tested 1.0 to 2.0L ride since it is more of the category of 2.0-2.5.  I also offer her to take over my fxt since I really like the interior and guess  back to just staying way behind taxi uncles then ... lol !!

 

Cheers,

 

Richard

 

Richard

[Stratovarius]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3eiKh8Clzo

 

Interested in how the new platform performs with 40% more rigid than the outgoing model.

 

 

[Lala81]

See the exterior already want to yawn. Maybe it will still do OK in USA but doubt will do well in any other market.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3eiKh8Clzo

 

Interested in how the new platform performs with 40% more rigid than the outgoing model.

 

all the new toyota, honda etc etc platforms are much more rigid also lah. 

TNGA vs the old toyotas. The hondas are also more stiffer.

 

I think it's just on par keeping up with the competition.

The only Subaru that is a bit interesting is the Ascent, not available here.

Edited August 20, 2018 by Lala81

[richard_crl032]

See the exterior already want to yawn. Maybe it will still do OK in USA but doubt will do well in any other market.

 

all the new toyota, honda etc etc platforms are much more rigid also lah. 

TNGA vs the old toyotas. The hondas are also more stiffer.

 

I think it's just on par keeping up with the competition.

The only Subaru that is a bit interesting is the Ascent, not available here.

 

Hi Lala,

 

For subaru owners, AWD will still be attractive especially with the low cost of ownership albeit lower OMV which is only 10 years' later.

 

Just in case this recent local short review is missed:

 

http://www.sgcarmart.com/news/events_features.php?AID=3579&GASRC=sgcm

 

Cheers,

 

Richard

[MQX87511]

I am hoping for a 1.8l Turbo or at least 1.6l Turbo, 1.5l may be a bit underpowered for the car even with turbo.

some oversea reviews mentioned that Japan might launch forester 2.0L turbo one year later for those high TC demand Asian countries like Singapore, China, Malaysia, Taiwan  etc, equipped WRX 2.0 engine with 264hp/370Nm,  don't know how true it is,  

Edited August 20, 2018 by MQX87511

[richard_crl032]

some oversea reviews mentioned that Japan might launch forester 2.0L turbo one year later for those high TC demand Asian countries like Singapore, China, Malaysia, Taiwan etc, equipped WRX 2.0 engine with 264hp/370Nm, don't know how true it is,

Hi MQX,

 

Many such review but I have my doubt ... just wishful thinking and betta not, elae my fxt cannot be a collector item at appreciated price ..keke !

 

If it is released, no go for me still unless MI or Subaru Japan resolves this solar film issue.

 

Cheers.

 

Richard

Edited August 20, 2018 by richard_crl032

[richard_crl032]

See the exterior already want to yawn. Maybe it will still do OK in USA but doubt will do well in any other market.

 

 

all the new toyota, honda etc etc platforms are much more rigid also lah.

TNGA vs the old toyotas. The hondas are also more stiffer.

 

I think it's just on par keeping up with the competition.

The only Subaru that is a bit interesting is the Ascent, not available here.

Hi Lala,

 

Indeed often marketing ploys for new release since they have to say something despite needing to recoup their development cost and not overprice themselves out of the market .. usually incremental and not noticably new breakthru. Same about FL version with reportedly better insulation and accoustic glass .. no lexus for sure.

 

Only new engine type like hybrid or bigger capacity make significant difference on rides or modded to sti parts at much higher cost makes significant differences .. but let's await bros getting the 2019 forester soon to hopefullybshare here soon and perhaps I will also go test drive when available and compare with my souped up fxt .. keke !

 

Cheers.

 

Richard

Edited August 21, 2018 by richard_crl032

[richard_crl032]

no turbo no talk.

 

power and torque even pales when compared to a 1.4T kodiaq.

 

Jap are living in the cave.

 

Hi Hamburger,

 

Ordered the mazda6 2.0 last Sunday and was googling for more info to find this review on latest turbo mazda6, honda accord and Camry:

 

<<https://youtu.be/TDdrtYzisOc>>

 

<<https://youtu.be/JQVumCGwdt0>>

 

Wow wow wow !

 

Think then Japs are not living in the cave but just that we are deprived of such choice for our little red dot for city living car owners.

 

Cheers,

 

Richard

Edited August 21, 2018 by richard_crl032