Been vacationing on the Oregon coast this past week and have come to believe that modern Subarus are under powered. When getting in a line of vehicles being led by a couple RV's going well below the speed limit these Subarus don't seem to have the guts to make decisive passes when you finally get to a passing lane. It is frustrating to be stranded behind these vehicles doing 40-45 mph because the Subaru's in question can't get motivating fast enough to make the passes in the designated space allowed. I have seen this time and again and the Oregon coast seems like a mecca for subarus. Maybe the cars are fast enough for the passing but the demographic prefers to have dozens of vehicles behind them at their mercy thus valiantly blocking the passing lane while the RV's who have a legitimate reason for going slow continue leading the pack once the passing lane shuts down because the Subaru(s) in question cannot or will not allow backed up traffic around them. Are new subies really that gutless or are their owners really that clueless?
Oregon highway 101 and Subarus.
- Thread starter sloinker
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Subaru owners will tell you they are just fine.
I'm here to say that the Crosstrek is about the slowest new car I've ever driven.
My rental Crosstrek burned out the CVT, as full throttle and 5200 RPM up a long mountain grade overheated the drive belt-chain.
I'm here to say that the Crosstrek is about the slowest new car I've ever driven.
My rental Crosstrek burned out the CVT, as full throttle and 5200 RPM up a long mountain grade overheated the drive belt-chain.
That is typical for Oregon 101 in the summer. The best thing to do is enjoy the drive and don't worry about it. The biggest problems are usually the construction zones repairing winter damage.
If you are in a hurry, 101 is not the route for you.
If you are in a hurry, 101 is not the route for you.
gathermewool
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There will always be left-lane campers. Add a higher proportion of a certain vehicle make and it's easy to make inaccurate assumptions. Is that possible in this case?
The problem here is that Oregon 101 passing lanes are pretty short. When summer tourist traffic is in high gear you will be lucky to have 2-3 cars make the pass before the lane runs out.
Another road clogger is traffic entering from side roads. In many cases the only way to get onto the highway is for vehicles to make a gap for you. If you are turning left then it's fruitless in some cases.
It is not a highway for the impatient.
Another road clogger is traffic entering from side roads. In many cases the only way to get onto the highway is for vehicles to make a gap for you. If you are turning left then it's fruitless in some cases.
It is not a highway for the impatient.
Originally Posted by PimTac
That is typical for Oregon 101 in the summer. The best thing to do is enjoy the drive and don't worry about it. The biggest problems are usually the construction zones repairing winter damage.
If you are in a hurry, 101 is not the route for you.
ðŸ‘Uhm yeah... that's the best part of that drive.
That is typical for Oregon 101 in the summer. The best thing to do is enjoy the drive and don't worry about it. The biggest problems are usually the construction zones repairing winter damage.
If you are in a hurry, 101 is not the route for you.
ðŸ‘Uhm yeah... that's the best part of that drive.
Camped and vacationed the Oregon coast dozens of times. This slow Subaru phenomenon is something new. I'm not generally an aggressive driver and only really want to drive at the speed limit. The traffic on the coast is and has been for decades, horrific. I spent a couple days last week in the Tacoma/South king county area and that traffic mess is worse than ever. Glad I reside in Wyoming now. No traffic and hot women behind every tree.
Originally Posted by PimTac
The problem here is that Oregon 101 passing lanes are pretty short. When summer tourist traffic is in high gear you will be lucky to have 2-3 cars make the pass before the lane runs out.
Another road clogger is traffic entering from side roads. In many cases the only way to get onto the highway is for vehicles to make a gap for you. If you are turning left then it's fruitless in some cases.
It is not a highway for the impatient.
A lot of people lose their lives on that stretch of road due to driver impatience.
Sorry OP, not gonna get much empathy coming from me on this one.
The problem here is that Oregon 101 passing lanes are pretty short. When summer tourist traffic is in high gear you will be lucky to have 2-3 cars make the pass before the lane runs out.
Another road clogger is traffic entering from side roads. In many cases the only way to get onto the highway is for vehicles to make a gap for you. If you are turning left then it's fruitless in some cases.
It is not a highway for the impatient.
A lot of people lose their lives on that stretch of road due to driver impatience.
Sorry OP, not gonna get much empathy coming from me on this one.
It's not just Oregon, but in CA I've had to downshift my friend's 2012 Forester into 3rd to get it to move up hills at a decent clip. Subaru really needs to bump the power on the "lifted/bigger" variants of the Impreza(Crosstrek/Forester) and Legacy(Outback). OTOH, another friend's Outback 3.0R has no problem getting up to speed. In the city, they are fine. But still, you can still pass a Prius or VW bus/Vanagon(or Westy) in a Subaru, especially if the VW bus still has the wasserboxer.
Bringing back the Outback XT for 2020 is a step in the right direction but 6-8 years too late. I'm thinking the Forester needs to be made standard with the FA20DIT tuned for 230hp with regular, the Crosstrek needs the latest FB25DI.
Bringing back the Outback XT for 2020 is a step in the right direction but 6-8 years too late. I'm thinking the Forester needs to be made standard with the FA20DIT tuned for 230hp with regular, the Crosstrek needs the latest FB25DI.
My daughter's 2.0l Impreza sedan is hardly peppy...I would imagine the Crosstrek with the same engine must be a little heavier and have even less performance. The Impreza isn't the biggest dog I ever drove by a longshot, though!
The Forester with the 2.5l (only option at the moment with the XT gone) is a little better than the Impreza, but still hardly a burner.
The Ascent with the 2.4l DIT is supposed to be decent for a vehicle its size as far as performance goes.
The Legacy's V6 option was a 3.0l last time I drove one, it is 3.6l now and I think they are supposed to scoot pretty good. My wife test drove a 2.5l Legacy recently and said it was powerful enough for her, but she drives like Grandma Moses. I would imagine the Outbacks are slower with the same engines. Seems like the V6s are pretty scarce right now with the redesign/2.0l turbo coming up.
I would guess there probably weren't any WRXs or STIs (or older FXTs) holding up traffic for the OPer!
Plenty happy with the passing power of my FXT...some guy in an A4 seemed to be enjoying holding up the lines a few days ago and, of course, he tried to keep me from getting by him when I finally had a chance to pass him. Stabbed at the downshift paddle and poured it on good, gave him a little wave as I zipped by....not one fingered, I actually smiled at him!
The Forester with the 2.5l (only option at the moment with the XT gone) is a little better than the Impreza, but still hardly a burner.
The Ascent with the 2.4l DIT is supposed to be decent for a vehicle its size as far as performance goes.
The Legacy's V6 option was a 3.0l last time I drove one, it is 3.6l now and I think they are supposed to scoot pretty good. My wife test drove a 2.5l Legacy recently and said it was powerful enough for her, but she drives like Grandma Moses. I would imagine the Outbacks are slower with the same engines. Seems like the V6s are pretty scarce right now with the redesign/2.0l turbo coming up.
I would guess there probably weren't any WRXs or STIs (or older FXTs) holding up traffic for the OPer!
Plenty happy with the passing power of my FXT...some guy in an A4 seemed to be enjoying holding up the lines a few days ago and, of course, he tried to keep me from getting by him when I finally had a chance to pass him. Stabbed at the downshift paddle and poured it on good, gave him a little wave as I zipped by....not one fingered, I actually smiled at him!
Originally Posted by nthach
It's not just Oregon, but in CA I've had to downshift my friend's 2012 Forester into 3rd to get it to move up hills at a decent clip. Subaru really needs to bump the power on the "lifted/bigger" variants of the Impreza(Crosstrek/Forester) and Legacy(Outback). OTOH, another friend's Outback 3.0R has no problem getting up to speed. In the city, they are fine. But still, you can still pass a Prius or VW bus/Vanagon(or Westy) in a Subaru, especially if the VW bus still has the wasserboxer.
Bringing back the Outback XT for 2020 is a step in the right direction but 6-8 years too late. I'm thinking the Forester needs to be made standard with the FA20DIT tuned for 230hp with regular, the Crosstrek needs the latest FB25DI.
I am hoping the FXT comes back with a variant of the 2.4l DIT before long!
It's not just Oregon, but in CA I've had to downshift my friend's 2012 Forester into 3rd to get it to move up hills at a decent clip. Subaru really needs to bump the power on the "lifted/bigger" variants of the Impreza(Crosstrek/Forester) and Legacy(Outback). OTOH, another friend's Outback 3.0R has no problem getting up to speed. In the city, they are fine. But still, you can still pass a Prius or VW bus/Vanagon(or Westy) in a Subaru, especially if the VW bus still has the wasserboxer.
Bringing back the Outback XT for 2020 is a step in the right direction but 6-8 years too late. I'm thinking the Forester needs to be made standard with the FA20DIT tuned for 230hp with regular, the Crosstrek needs the latest FB25DI.
I am hoping the FXT comes back with a variant of the 2.4l DIT before long!
Originally Posted by sloinker
Camped and vacationed the Oregon coast dozens of times. This slow Subaru phenomenon is something new. I'm not generally an aggressive driver and only really want to drive at the speed limit. The traffic on the coast is and has been for decades, horrific. I spent a couple days last week in the Tacoma/South king county area and that traffic mess is worse than ever. Glad I reside in Wyoming now. No traffic and hot women behind every tree.
Agree. The Tacoma area is just horrific. After twenty years of construction with several more years to go, I tend to avoid it. The speed has been lowered to 50mph as it should be but the accidents keep happening. They really screwed the pooch on I-5 through Tacoma.
A 10 or 15 mile backup is nothing these days. A few weeks ago I was stuck in around 60 miles of backup.
The benefit on Oregon 101 is that you can view the Pacific Ocean and enjoy the fresh ocean air.
Camped and vacationed the Oregon coast dozens of times. This slow Subaru phenomenon is something new. I'm not generally an aggressive driver and only really want to drive at the speed limit. The traffic on the coast is and has been for decades, horrific. I spent a couple days last week in the Tacoma/South king county area and that traffic mess is worse than ever. Glad I reside in Wyoming now. No traffic and hot women behind every tree.
Agree. The Tacoma area is just horrific. After twenty years of construction with several more years to go, I tend to avoid it. The speed has been lowered to 50mph as it should be but the accidents keep happening. They really screwed the pooch on I-5 through Tacoma.
A 10 or 15 mile backup is nothing these days. A few weeks ago I was stuck in around 60 miles of backup.
The benefit on Oregon 101 is that you can view the Pacific Ocean and enjoy the fresh ocean air.
As a former Subaru Impreza owner and someone who considered buying a Crosstrek a few years ago, I can attest that newer Subarus, especially the Crosstrek, are terribly under-powered when compared to other cars on the market. 150-ish horsepower connected to a CVT in a car that size is absurd.
I bet all those Subies are pretty sporty compared to the '92 Loyale wagon with the 3 speed auto I used to drive. If I wanted to get a 0-60 time, I had to pack a lunch. Even worse if I turned on the A/C!
On the other hand, I've had a few "manly" 4x4 puckups, and none of them could handle snow like that little Loyale! Push the 4wd button on the shifter and it turned into a billy goat!
On the other hand, I've had a few "manly" 4x4 puckups, and none of them could handle snow like that little Loyale! Push the 4wd button on the shifter and it turned into a billy goat!
In the summer those Subarus just can't get out of the way, but in the winter they have all slid off the road and people complain about that.
Seems like those Subarus are just a pain in the butt.
Seems like those Subarus are just a pain in the butt.
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Originally Posted by sloinker
Been vacationing on the Oregon coast this past week and have come to believe that modern Subarus are under powered. When getting in a line of vehicles being led by a couple RV's going well below the speed limit these Subarus don't seem to have the guts to make decisive passes when you finally get to a passing lane. It is frustrating to be stranded behind these vehicles doing 40-45 mph because the Subaru's in question can't get motivating fast enough to make the passes in the designated space allowed. I have seen this time and again and the Oregon coast seems like a mecca for subarus. Maybe the cars are fast enough for the passing but the demographic prefers to have dozens of vehicles behind them at their mercy thus valiantly blocking the passing lane while the RV's who have a legitimate reason for going slow continue leading the pack once the passing lane shuts down because the Subaru(s) in question cannot or will not allow backed up traffic around them. Are new subies really that gutless or are their owners really that clueless?
Yeah? Come here to high country around 10-11,000ft and get stuck behind ANY Subaru with exception of XT or 3.6 (and that heavily depends on driver inside). It is painful. The worst thing, average driver of Subaru thinks he/she owns the road.
Been vacationing on the Oregon coast this past week and have come to believe that modern Subarus are under powered. When getting in a line of vehicles being led by a couple RV's going well below the speed limit these Subarus don't seem to have the guts to make decisive passes when you finally get to a passing lane. It is frustrating to be stranded behind these vehicles doing 40-45 mph because the Subaru's in question can't get motivating fast enough to make the passes in the designated space allowed. I have seen this time and again and the Oregon coast seems like a mecca for subarus. Maybe the cars are fast enough for the passing but the demographic prefers to have dozens of vehicles behind them at their mercy thus valiantly blocking the passing lane while the RV's who have a legitimate reason for going slow continue leading the pack once the passing lane shuts down because the Subaru(s) in question cannot or will not allow backed up traffic around them. Are new subies really that gutless or are their owners really that clueless?
Yeah? Come here to high country around 10-11,000ft and get stuck behind ANY Subaru with exception of XT or 3.6 (and that heavily depends on driver inside). It is painful. The worst thing, average driver of Subaru thinks he/she owns the road.
Originally Posted by sloinker
Glad I reside in Wyoming now. No traffic and hot women behind every tree.
Both trees in Wyoming?
Glad I reside in Wyoming now. No traffic and hot women behind every tree.
Both trees in Wyoming?
Originally Posted by Cujet
Subaru owners will tell you they are just fine.
I'm here to say that the Crosstrek is about the slowest new car I've ever driven.
My rental Crosstrek burned out the CVT, as full throttle and 5200 RPM up a long mountain grade overheated the drive belt-chain.
Curious - did you try manual mode to hold it in a "gear"?
Subaru owners will tell you they are just fine.
I'm here to say that the Crosstrek is about the slowest new car I've ever driven.
My rental Crosstrek burned out the CVT, as full throttle and 5200 RPM up a long mountain grade overheated the drive belt-chain.
Curious - did you try manual mode to hold it in a "gear"?
Originally Posted by Bottom_Feeder
150-ish horsepower connected to a CVT in a car that size is absurd.
You'd think an Impreza would be faster than a Civic or a Corolla, especially since Hondas aren't known for torque.
150-ish horsepower connected to a CVT in a car that size is absurd.
You'd think an Impreza would be faster than a Civic or a Corolla, especially since Hondas aren't known for torque.
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