Sudden Temptation (Volvo...)

[LRNAD90]

What engine do you have in the Subie? auto or standard? The wife and I are really considering this but when I talked to a few people, they complained about the poor gas mileage.
thanks,
Roger

Hey Roger,

It is a 2005 2.5i Wagon, so it has the 2.5 liter boxer 4 cylinder, rated at 168 hp/ 166 lb-ft torque. Ours is a Manual, which I think makes a huge difference in economy for the Subaru's (IMHO), and I think it moves the vehicle along respectably (cruises great at 80+ if you want to). It is rated 23/28 by the EPA. Heck, it even has 1125 lbs of cargo capacity (only 25 lbs short of a Hummer H3's capacity) and is rated to tow 3,000 lbs!

Anyway, back on topic. The Outback is my wife's daily driver, and she spends most of the drive time on in town and country roads, with an occasional short freeway hop. The trip computer consistently shows 24-25 mpg every time I fill it up. I haven't done an actual calculation, and have based our mileage on the trip computer, but they are generally within 1 mpg in modern cars (from my experience anyway).

It is also the family truckster come vacation time. We drive out to the beach and other similar locals alot in the summer. This is fairly level highway running, and I've averaged as high as 31.2 mpg on one 180 mile leg (trip computer again, but I probably only averaged 60-65 mph on that trip). I usually average around 27-28 when making these trips fully packed for a weeks vacation and this is running around 70-75 mph with the A/C on, and three people onboard.

Did I mention how wonderfully surefooted it is in any weather, its five star crash ratings and standard side and curtain airbags for the family? Its been a great car, and surprisingly fun to drive (though I might have a different opinion if it was saddled with an automatic gearbox).

For a 3,400 lbs, AWD (real AWD, not a when one wheel slips AWD) wagon, I think the mileage is pretty respectable (but I use to drive a somewhat built Discovery that got 12-14 mpg in daily commuting). Its no micro car, or Hybrid when it comes to mpg, but pretty respectable for the size car in IMHO. Hope that helps, sorry about the novel.

P.S. -- Oh yeah, to Michaels point above, one year I had a bunch of stuff packed on the roof (Stroller, pack-n-play, beach chairs), and it definitely took a hunk out of the mpgs!

 

[hrjaw]

Scott,
thanks for the info. From your info and that of what Bill (Suparu on this site), everything I have heard is pretty consistent. We are stuck in that my wife cannot drive a standard. but we like the looks of the Subie and from what everyone has mentioned, it is a very good car for the money. right now we both drive lifted jeeps, so anything is better than what we get for gas mileage. I think she needs to drive it to determine if it is really what she wants.
thanks again,
Roger:beer:

 

[sacto_patrol]

What about the VW Passat wagon in AWD.
Haven't heard anything about the AWD system on these vehicles. But MPG seems promising.

 

[rynosurf]

How about an XC with portal axles?

http://www.v70xc.com/paris_dakar_2003/index.php

 

[efuentes]

How about an XC with portal axles?

http://www.v70xc.com/paris_dakar_2003/index.php

That this is about as bad *** as it gets, I used to dream about Volvo portal axles :sombrero:

 

[hrjaw]

What about the VW Passat wagon in AWD.
Haven't heard anything about the AWD system on these vehicles. But MPG seems promising.

I drove my fathers 2002 passat last weekend (he never goes over 50 anymore) from R.I. to N.Y. and back. We averaged about 32-33 m.p.g. at an approx speed of 70 m.p.h. His is the sedan with the 1.8. I thought the gas mileage was pretty good but the 1.8 is a bit buzzy for me and the turbo lag (compared to my Saab 9000 cse) just drove me crazy. it was not smooth at all but after driving for the day got accustomed to it. He says that he gets about 24-26 in the city. I assume the wagon would get a bit less. oh and it is an automatic.
Roger

 

[Toby2]

Well my volvo's going well, its the 2.4T V70 producing 200bhp. It will cruise at 145mph on the german autobahns, at normal driving returns 27mpg and I've put over 200k miles on it. Came out of a Range Rover 4.6 P38 and this is more comfortable for every day. In terms of the XC70 version, lots of the guys use them on the shoots over here, they are quite a good compromise for a car like vehicle that can still get across the fields. Don't know if you can get the diesel version in the states but it runs at about 43 - 45mpg. Personally don't like the look of the Foresters but my mate has one and I think the key difference is it has a low gear box. He hammers his round the fields and it goes really well. Another option could be the Audi Allroad, don't know if its available in the states but same concept as the Volvo XC70 and always gets a good write up.

 

[jayshapiro]

How about the XC90?

Interesting thread...

I'm sort of in a weird position on this one. My daily driver is a lifted 4.0L Jeep Wrangler (measured in "fpg - feet per gallon") but I used to have a crew cab longbed Tacoma. My wife drives a Volvo XC90 AWD, but her last car was a Forrester. We still have a Land Cruiser 90, converted to a camper and waiting for it's next trip... someday.

Here's my brief thoughts:

TACOMA - Probably my favourite amongst them. Great driver, good mileage, you can't beat the practicality of the longbed. Put a Flippac on the back, and it's almost perfect. Interior is pure Toyota car, and very liveable. I'd buy another one no question.

JEEP - Amazing fun, especially with the top down and doors off, but I don't understand how people travel long distances in them. I've done 8hr trips in ours and with its 33" tires, it's Loud, gas guzzling & bouncy. Maybe the 4dr would do, with the rear seats ripped out and a tent off the back, or a flippac type hard top. Don't get me wrong, I love my (now 2nd) Jeep - but I'd never voluntarily travel across a continent in one.

LAND CRUISER - Like you said in the very first post of this thread - probably overkill for 80% of the roads we take it on. However, unbelievably reliable, solid and easy to fix. The 90 has lots of room, and just enough refinement to be very pleasant. The 2.7L non-turbo diesel is fairly miserly, but you won't get any speeding tickets. Ours has been all across Asia...slowly.

FORRESTER - Pass. We had a 2007 - 2.0L for about 6 months and then got rid of it. I used to love Subaru's, my very first car was a 4x4 GL - built like a tank. Somewhere along the way though Subaru lost their 'tankness' and I thought the Forrester was just flimsy and underpowered. Maybe the bigger engine would be better, but I wouldn't want to do any serious touring with it, and I don't know how it would actually hold up offroad. I've been in an Outback and it seemed more solid, but I wouldn't get a Forrester again, unless the new one is much better / different.

VOLVO XC90 - I expected to hate the Volvo, I think I even wanted to hate it. My wife chose it for the safety, 7 seats, yadda, yadda. However actually, I've come to really love it. The "T6" engine goes like stink on the highway and actually runs pretty ok mpg. (the traffic flows at almost 200km/hr here!) There is a Diesel version that I haven't driven, but might be an option for a long-range Expedition Vehicle. I know the XC90 is much bigger than the XC70 you were thinking about, but the additional 'sleeping' room in the back, and the higher ground clearance might both be welcome changes. The ability to fold all the seats down and get a truly flat floor, without major sructural changes is nice too. It means you could convert it back to a usably family vehicle again within an hour.

Not sure what it is like where you are, but there are a ton of used ones on the market here (mostly Black!?), we got a really good deal on our 2005. So far it has been reliable, and the service centre is absolutely amazing compared to my JEEP or the TOYOTA. At Volvo they actually treat you like an adult, they always volunteer to give me a ride or taxi voucher to get back to work, they actually call with updates, etc. Again, don't get me wrong, I love my JEEP, but boy do Chrysler have a thing or two they could learn about service from Volvo.

We didn't have the Subaru long enough to need serious service, so I can't really comment on the experience with them.


Just my 3 cents worth. (<--- Have you seen the price of oil, everything's going up...)

Jay.

 

[LilKJ]

On of my friends sports a AWD TDI Passat with a little lift on it and some tiny little AT's... It's a sweet rig for that kind of stuff.

 

[4Rescue]

The wife has a 2007 Volvo XC. That thing is a gas guzzling, poor handling, rough running, brake eating, crappy 4 wheel drive system turd.

Get a Subaru.

Yep... Girlfirend had one... the thing was just an AWFUL automobile from a reliability standpoint. The AWD worked well going up to Mt. Hood, but I personaly would buy a Scooby.

Volvo's are not what they used to be. and by used to be I mean the 242-D/GL wagons of the (now distant) past which were truly an amazingly reliable vehicle.

Cheers

Dave

 

[dieselcruiserhead]

The one you posted (the ~ '97 era) is one of my favorite eras of Volvo of all time. One step up from the 850, but still has that older boxy styling. I have been persuing one of those for ages as an alternate DDer (had a European car as a daily driver and some sort of Toyota as a fun vehicle for years). They handle great, good in snow, excellent interior, very safe of course. My first car that I really learned anything about cars from was a '83 245 Wagon... Changing the clutch was my first major mechanical project and when I did that I was no longer afraid of complicated mechanics

Cheers, Andre

 

[dieselcruiserhead]

The one you posted (the ~ '97 era) is one of my favorite eras of Volvo of all time. One step up from the 850, but still has that older boxy styling. I have been persuing one of those for ages as an alternate DDer (had a European car as a daily driver and some sort of Toyota as a fun vehicle for years). They handle great, good in snow, excellent interior, very safe of course. My first car that I really learned anything about cars from was a '83 245 Wagon... Changing the clutch was my first major mechanical project and when I did that I was no longer afraid of complicated mechanics

Cheers, Andre

 

[jeffryscott]

Here is my recently acquired daily driver. $642 plus tax from a car lot, 1986, 105K (a bit more, not sure as with nearly all Volvos an odometer gear broke) and loads of room. I am truly amazed at how good a runner she is for being 22 and understand the cult of Volvo better. Too bad the new ones have the reputation that they do.

 

[hrjaw]

Here is my recently acquired daily driver. $642 plus tax from a car lot, 1986, 105K (a bit more, not sure as with nearly all Volvos an odometer gear broke) and loads of room. I am truly amazed at how good a runner she is for being 22 and understand the cult of Volvo better. Too bad the new ones have the reputation that they do.

the 240 series volvo's are built like a tank!. take good care of her and she will last you a long long time. the only drawback is the gas mileage is just ok.

 

[flywgn]

We've been extremely happy with Diana's XC70. Trip mileage is in excess of 30mpg, town is 25mpg. Good on tires (Michlelins on now, Continentals came on it), good on brakes (Here driver is most important, but the front rotors lasted over 80K miles.), comfortable and solid car. We recommend it. We've owned it longer than any other vehicle.

We've taken it on some rather primitive roads, and in one case (back country dirt road near Sedona, AZ) surprised a group of tourists who had hired off-road rides.

DISCLAIMER: I'm 71, raced sports cars in late 50s (MG TC, Jag XK 140, AC Bristol, Stanguellini FJ to name a few), have owned an embarrassing number of vehicles including such marques as Sunbeam, Rover (not the Landy types), MG, Mercedes 220SE, Ford, Chevrolet, BMW 325, Peugeot (504 stn wgn was perhaps the most comfortable touring vehicle but it didn't have enough power to get out of its own way.), VW Westy, and the list goes on. Too long.

Some more info HERE.

Allen R