Im in market for new vehicle…i use my car for work and drive 500-800 miles weekly throughout the cold winters of wisconsin. I curently have a 2016 highlander and love it so far only regular maintenance has been required i bought in 2017 with 16k on it im now at 128k… was think of going with subaro ascent or forester. Test drove a few very nice and extremely comfortable. Any opinions on the subaru vs toyota with the high mileage i do for work? Not a car guy so any help is appreciated
If you are buying new ( not just new to you ) either one will have a warranty so just choose which one you like.
At 26000 miles or more a year I would want something that got better MPG .
We get a lot more Subaru awd and oil burning problems here than Toyota, I think.
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I like the Highlander much better. I test drove on and decided to go another route because I didn’t want all that lane assist stuff. And I’ve read about some transmission problems and the one I test drove had a bad shift back and forth from 1rst and 2nd. Got scared and ran cause I drive or tow my cars to the boneyard when I’m done with them. Still much better than the Subaru. Opinion. If you are going to keep it 10 years or less, I don’t think it matters what you get. Just get the one your the most happy with. If you are going to keep it forever, I think the Subaru will be more costly to maintain.
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My friend, who has had enough suffering with his oil-burning Rav-4, is about to trade it in on a Subaru. He is doing that after seeing my very positive experiences–including no oil consumption–with three Subarus.
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Just my personal opinion, but I like the Subaru better; and a I say this as someone who has worked for 3 Subaru dealers and held Subaru Master Tech status.
Every oil burner Subaru I’ve ever seen had several common denominators. Extended oil changes or failure to check the motor oil level and keep it topped off as needed if low at all. As a long time mechanic for various makes I’ve heard the why is my (fill in make and model) with low miles burning oil… I just tell them to consider the above sentences. Most of the time there is much denial along with
“I change the oil every 3k miles and check it once a week”. With no proof to back it up of course…
I recently discovered my sister in TX only has the oil changed every 10k miles on her 2017 Accord and she never raises the hood to check the oil level. She relies on the automotive Gods to keep things right. Big mistake on all points considering TX heat, dust, and humidity. Keep this up and you can forget the “lifetime” part of your wish; and she’s only in her late 50s with 71k miles on the car already.
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Need the space of these vehicles for work purposes otherwise mpg would be higher priority but work pays for gas so not as much issue
Your employer should also pay for wear and tear on the vehicle since most of it is on their time. Whichever you choose, it might make sense to put a low mileage tow or three year old one, like you did last time. At 128,000 miles, I expect your Highlander is good for another two or three years.
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I get paid mileage and wear n tear and company gas card so that is all good
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If you trade cars every 4 years it doesn’t matter. Get the one you like better.
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I’ve had no issues what-so-ever with my 2014 Highlander - now at over 150k miles. Runs and drives like new.
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The same can be said of my 2011 Outback. That is just one of the reasons why my friend is getting rid of his oil-burning Rav-4, and trading it in on a new Subaru.
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They’re both reliable vehicles…so no what one is picked it should be fine. It comes down to personal preference.
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Too bad the Ascent now comes with a turbo-4 instead of the 6. It may be ok, but the regular 4 has had issues, as one of our regular posters @GorehamJ has related from Forester experience.
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Given your high-mileage driving, and my lack of enthusiasm for Subaru’s quality and Toyota’s current Highlander, I’d look closely at the Kia Telluride and Hyundai Palisade. 100K drivetrain warranty and these are nicer vehicles. A smidge larger than the Ascent and Highlander.
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I wouldnt get the Subaru just from the fact they use a CVT . Still not convinced you can get the same reliability and longevity of say a Toyota automatic .
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a CVT wouldn’t scare me away from a Subaru. Nissan? Jeep? Sure, but I don’t recall seeing people with lots of issues from their CVTs from Subaru (or Toyota for that matter)
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What’s wrong with Honda? Pretty reliable also.
I vote for answer choice “C”–none of the above. In general, the quality of new vehicles has really declined, and the amount of unnecessary “high tech” features has increased within the past few years. You have a 3 year old Highlander with only 128,000 miles, which could easily go another 100,000 miles or more with just the normal recommended maintenance. Why are you looking to waste money on an unnecessary vehicle purchase now?
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If the OP has the money and wants to “treat” himself, how are you–or anyone else–able to decide that the purchase is “unnecessary”? Only the person making the purchase decision can decide what is necessary, and what is not.
What one person considers to be necessary–or to be an improvement over what he currently has–is his/her own opinion. None of the “high tech” features on any of my cars has ever failed/broken, and I find the phobia regarding high tech devices to be unwarranted.
My 2011 Outback currently has ~106k on the odometer, and could likely go another 100k w/o any major repairs, but as I enter my later years, I am not about to pinch pennies and deprive myself of something if I want it, and if I can afford it. Because I can afford it, I will likely buy my next Outback in a few months, and I am looking forward to its increased amount of technology.
You may wish to differ, as is your right.
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