2015 Forester 2.0

[razor54]

yeah.

 

found a nice lady. Jass Chan.

 

now trying to decide between forester and outback.

 

i find the turbo foresters have better drive but wifey likes the outback for the huge space and comfort. lol

 

just curious that the subbies don't come with navigation. almost all the other cars brands we test drove have this by default. i'm surprised.

If your heart have been telling you that you want a turbo, then there's only one choice. If not a 'need' to have a turbo, then the Outback is a great choice.

 

Won't go much wrong with either one...

[Turboforester]

yeah.

 

found a nice lady. Jass Chan.

 

now trying to decide between forester and outback.

 

i find the turbo foresters have better drive but wifey likes the outback for the huge space and comfort. lol

 

just curious that the subbies don't come with navigation. almost all the other cars brands we test drove have this by default. i'm surprised.

Navigation sys is subjective also.seen pple dun like the built in gps platform and use ext gps or hp gmap/ waze which is much better

[Little_prince]

Navigation sys is subjective also.seen pple dun like the built in gps platform and use ext gps or hp gmap/ waze which is much better

 

true lah.

 

but still feel a bit shortchanged mah. hahaha

 

other brands all got. 

 

subarus all seem rather stripped down.

 

don't even have their eyesight system. i read about it so much online. i'm surprised that it's not even available as an option in singapore. lol

[inlinesix]

true lah.

 

but still feel a bit shortchanged mah. hahaha

 

other brands all got. 

 

subarus all seem rather stripped down.

 

don't even have their eyesight system. i read about it so much online. i'm surprised that it's not even available as an option in singapore. lol

 

Navi needs annual update of map, which may requires $$$.

 

[Little_prince]

Navi needs annual update of map, which may requires $$$.

 

Lol true la

 

But usually map don't need to update every year la

[inlinesix]

Lol true la

 

But usually map don't need to update every year la

 

Even yearly update is still not frequent enough with the changes nowadays.  That's why i use Waze.

[TurboForest]

hmmm, camry rear legroom 38.9 inch vs forester 38 inch,

 

but surprisingly I measured twice in showroom, and feels FXT has more room..

maybe I m much too biased as really wanted the turbo

[LOOKS]

Want to take my FXT to Malaysia for a ride next week. Now need VEP to enter Malaysia. I tried to register at their website but still waiting for them to send me a link to register. As they said the actual date of implementation is in July. Without VEP registration, any problem at the checkpoint.

 

Can anyone share their experience. Thanks in advance, lah

[Muser]

just curious that the subbies don't come with navigation. almost all the other cars brands we test drove have this by default. i'm surprised.

 

Many other brands that offer nav built into their HUs rely on locally supplied-and-fitted HUs (Eurostyle in the case of Kia, and another OEM vendor that supplies both Hyundai and Nissan, if I remember right) that aren't the same as the stock HUs in overseas models. Why? To keep OMV low. So, you end up with a China-made HU that gets the job done and provides nav, but doesn't always have the best UI/UX or performance.

 

In contrast, the HU in the FXT, Outback and Legacy are the stock Japanese HUs, minus Eyesight and Starlink. Made in Japan, but shipped to Singapore separately from our cars, then installed locally. The result is lower OMV without sacrificing the "real" stock HU. I assume that adding SG navigation would require cost and effort in Japan by Subaru HU vendor Fujitsu Ten - cost and effort that's probably higher than with China-made OEM units, and therefore too much for MI.

 

So, you win some, you lose some. Up to you what's more important. FWIW, I appreciate the Japanese-made HU, which has great UI/UX, and rock-solid Siri Eyes Free and Subaru Voice Command integration. YMMV.

 

Of course, the ideal solution would be for Subaru to use the new Impreza HUs that have Carplay and Android Auto built in, but that probably won't happen until a model face-lift or refresh.

subarus all seem rather stripped down.

 

don't even have their eyesight system. i read about it so much online. i'm surprised that it's not even available as an option in singapore. lol

 

Stripped down? How so? I actually bought a Subaru because they threw in more stuff for the money compared to the competition, not less. Looking at the competition, Honda Sensing's only brought in by PI, and Hyundai's and Kia's equivalent also aren't offered by Komoco and C&C.

hmmm, camry rear legroom 38.9 inch vs forester 38 inch,

 

but surprisingly I measured twice in showroom, and feels FXT has more room..

maybe I m much too biased as really wanted the turbo

 

Depends on front seat adjustement, which is hard to get consistent across different makes/models you'd want to compare.

[mrhan1982]

Another update on xt fc. After 570km on mix traffic, I still have 1/4 tank left. The trip computer indicated another 140km to go before empty tank. So far the trip computer seems pretty accurate. Getting 11km/L is quite eat on this car unless u do like 70% or more city driving.

[Rachdanom]

Navigation sys is subjective also.seen pple dun like the built in gps platform and use ext gps or hp gmap/ waze which is much better

I at 1st felt shortchanged too then thinking deeper why pay more for something I will seldom use in Sg, and I dont drive up north. More things also mean more things that spoil. Just few bucks suction holder does the job.

[Wahtk]

Another update on xt fc. After 570km on mix traffic, I still have 1/4 tank left. The trip computer indicated another 140km to go before empty tank. So far the trip computer seems pretty accurate. Getting 11km/L is quite eat on this car unless u do like 70% or more city driving.

That is fantastic mileage, you must be doing 90% highway. BTW what petrol are you using?

[razor54]

Another update on xt fc. After 570km on mix traffic, I still have 1/4 tank left. The trip computer indicated another 140km to go before empty tank. So far the trip computer seems pretty accurate. Getting 11km/L is quite eat on this car unless u do like 70% or more city driving.

That's quite decent FC for the FXT. Mine will set the fuel light on when reached 560km. And that's on 70% highway and 30% city type of driving.

[Sarion]

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Stripped down? How so? I actually bought a Subaru because they threw in more stuff for the money compared to the competition, not less. Looking at the competition, Honda Sensing's only brought in by PI, and Hyundai's and Kia's equivalent also aren't offered by Komoco and C&C.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Stripped down compared to JDM. just like my Legacy 4th gen, JDM version already with Eyesight, traction control and keyless start, plus Bilstein suspension. Tuned with STI there means Brembo brake and STI rims plus other STI goodies, not like over here, just tune your engine map and nothing else.

 

so for current Forester, JDM XT default with Eyesight 3 will give you all the associated safety features like auto-braking, plus auto high-beam, blindspot detection, rear traffic detection when reversion out of parking lot, etc.

 

in USA, Australia, and even Japan, this option is just like $3k. not like something that we can't afford or ridiculous prices like options in some continental makes.

[Little_prince]

Many other brands that offer nav built into their HUs rely on locally supplied-and-fitted HUs (Eurostyle in the case of Kia, and another OEM vendor that supplies both Hyundai and Nissan, if I remember right) that aren't the same as the stock HUs in overseas models. Why? To keep OMV low. So, you end up with a China-made HU that gets the job done and provides nav, but doesn't always have the best UI/UX or performance.

 

In contrast, the HU in the FXT, Outback and Legacy are the stock Japanese HUs, minus Eyesight and Starlink. Made in Japan, but shipped to Singapore separately from our cars, then installed locally. The result is lower OMV without sacrificing the "real" stock HU. I assume that adding SG navigation would require cost and effort in Japan by Subaru HU vendor Fujitsu Ten - cost and effort that's probably higher than with China-made OEM units, and therefore too much for MI.

 

So, you win some, you lose some. Up to you what's more important. FWIW, I appreciate the Japanese-made HU, which has great UI/UX, and rock-solid Siri Eyes Free and Subaru Voice Command integration. YMMV.

 

Of course, the ideal solution would be for Subaru to use the new Impreza HUs that have Carplay and Android Auto built in, but that probably won't happen until a model face-lift or refresh.

 

 

Stripped down? How so? I actually bought a Subaru because they threw in more stuff for the money compared to the competition, not less. Looking at the competition, Honda Sensing's only brought in by PI, and Hyundai's and Kia's equivalent also aren't offered by Komoco and C&C.

 

 

Depends on front seat adjustement, which is hard to get consistent across different makes/models you'd want to compare.

The new facelift forester come with starlink iirc

 

www.sgcarmart.com/news/review.php?AID=1016

[Muser]

Stripped down compared to JDM. just like my Legacy 4th gen, JDM version already with Eyesight, traction control and keyless start, plus Bilstein suspension. Tuned with STI there means Brembo brake and STI rims plus other STI goodies, not like over here, just tune your engine map and nothing else.

 

so for current Forester, JDM XT default with Eyesight 3 will give you all the associated safety features like auto-braking, plus auto high-beam, blindspot detection, rear traffic detection when reversion out of parking lot, etc.

 

in USA, Australia, and even Japan, this option is just like $3k. not like something that we can't afford or ridiculous prices like options in some continental makes.

 

I hear you. Obviously, I'd like Eyesight and nav too. The full Starlink works, plus apps, would be even nicer. Let's not even get started on the 3.6l flat six engine option. Eyesight and auto-braking could save lives.

 

I thought you meant stripped down compared to other comparable offerings in the Singapore market, which was curious. But if you mean stripped down compared to JDM, that's the case with practically every Japanese make sold here, right?

 

Again, it comes down to the ARF tax regime pegged to OMV. I get your point that Eyesight wouldn't inflate OMV by as much as some other options out there. But it would still make a considerable difference to dealer margins and, therefore, selling price. ARF above $20k is 140%, after all, so your hypothetical $3k increase in OMV would translate to $4.2k in ARF. OMV is actually already creeping up for many Subaru models. When the 6th-gen Legacy was launched last year, OMV was something like $18k. It's now almost $22k, thanks in part to 2016 improvements like BSD and Siri Eyes Free. Add Eyesight and the price might not be the bargain it currently is vs Sonata, K5, Accord and Camry.

The new facelift forester come with starlink iirc

 

www.sgcarmart.com/news/review.php?AID=1016

 

Thanks for the heads up! If true, that would be pretty cool. But the picture looks like the current Legacy/Outback HU leh. Some people use "Starlink" loosely to refer to the Fujitsu Ten OEM head unit, cuz they don't know what else to call it. FXT owners, are your HUs the same as the Legacy/Outback ones? Maybe the 2016 face-lift just upgrades the HU to the Legacy/Outback one. Anyone know for sure?

Edited June 3, 2016 by Muser

[Little_prince]

I hear you. Obviously, I'd like Eyesight and nav too. The full Starlink works, plus apps, would be even nicer. Let's not even get started on the 3.6l flat six engine option. Eyesight and auto-braking could save lives.

 

I thought you meant stripped down compared to other comparable offerings in the Singapore market, which was curious. But if you mean stripped down compared to JDM, that's the case with practically every Japanese make sold here, right?

 

Again, it comes down to the ARF tax regime pegged to OMV. I get your point that Eyesight wouldn't inflate OMV by as much as some other options out there. But it would still make a considerable difference to dealer margins and, therefore, selling price. ARF above $20k is 140%, after all, so your hypothetical $3k increase in OMV would translate to $4.2k in ARF. OMV is actually already creeping up for many Subaru models. When the 6th-gen Legacy was launched last year, OMV was something like $18k. It's now almost $22k, thanks in part to 2016 improvements like BSD and Siri Eyes Free. Add Eyesight and the price might not be the bargain it currently is vs Sonata, K5, Accord and Camry.

 

Thanks for the heads up! If true, that would be pretty cool. But the picture looks like the current HU leh. Some people use "Starlink" loosely to refer to the Fujitsu Ten OEM head unit, cuz they don't know what else to call it.

 

it's rather stripped down compared to the other SUVs in it's class no? take 2 common contenders. Tucson and X trail.

 

Tucson

blind spot detection 

Sat Nav

Sun Roof

rear aircon

 

Xtrail

360 cam

Navigation

SunRoof

rear aircon

 

 

anyway just nitpicking. it's a pretty good car lah

[SJGDKK8]

I at 1st felt shortchanged too then thinking deeper why pay more for something I will seldom use in Sg, and I dont drive up north. More things also mean more things that spoil. Just few bucks suction holder does the job.

Nearly every other brand including volve XC60, Renault kadjar or Q5 their cheaper version don't come with huge moon roof, actually none. If I was in a sedan it don't matter... But in a SUV the sunroof is a must for me. My initial choice was FNA instead of FXT so to me it was kinda my rational of buying forester.

it's rather stripped down compared to the other SUVs in it's class no? take 2 common contenders. Tucson and X trail.

 

Tucson

blind spot detection

Sat Nav

Sun Roof

rear aircon

 

Xtrail

360 cam

Navigation

SunRoof

rear aircon

 

 

anyway just nitpicking. it's a pretty good car lah

Actually it is true, Subaru cars have less intelligent gadgets... When I tried Xtrail I was pretty impressed with the 360 parking view and self tilted mirror etc... But some folk like me dun really find a need for them... Maybe so...