Subaru Lineartronic® Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) Explanation:

Here is a visual on how a CVT works:

2014 Subaru Forester Review:

    As you all know I own a 2013 Subaru Crosstrek. But what I did't tell you is about a day after I bought my car, my parents went down to Braintree, and bought their 2014 Forester from Quirk Works Subaru as well. Now my parents are in their upper 50's and enjoyed the features such as heated seats, review camera for the price they paid.  Their Forester is a Dark Gray Metallic with the Premium trim package. For those who are new to the way Subaru sets their packages up on the Forester, it goes like this: 2.5i, Premium, Limited,  Touring then the 2.0 XT Premium and XT Touring. The difference between the Base and premium is that the base has no roof racks, HD radio or reverse camera.  Price between the two is about $2,000 just for the trim package and on both the CVT is additional 1000 for the base and an additional $1,500 for the premium. Now as you step up to the Limited and above, the only transmission you can get is the CVT. These packages are adequate for someone who take trips to the farm or the beach and do not really have any intentions of going up and down steep grades as neither have Subaru's (Electronic Decent Control) as you would on the 2.5i Limited, 2.5i Touring, 2.0XT Premium, 2.0XT Touring packages. Now with that being said there is a Subaru for anyone in your family. I love my Crosstrek but it wasn't the right fit for my parents as they wanted something a little bit bigger than what I have, but not something as big as a Navigator or an Escalade. They knew that they wanted heated seats and a few extras, without paying a premium price. That is what I think Subaru does best, delivering a well packaged vehicle for a reasonable price point. Prices on Subaru's lineup starts at 17,895 with the Impreza and can range up to 34,095 with their flagship SUV, the Tribeca. This is the same process that my parents used when settling on their forester. of course you could buy a Mazda,  pay more, and get stuck in the snow, or a Honda and pay the price of a Tribeca (or a Cadillac SRX) after you add the AWD.

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Why a Subaru vs something else?

       I bought a Subaru XV Crosstrek Premium 2.0i 5-Speed over something else because of one thing: value and functionality. It has the same ground clearance of a Jeep Grand Cherokee, with a lesser sticker price and better fuel economy. Although, it's not a full size SUV like the Jeep, it has about the same off road capabilities and get you to a cabin in the woods if you so choose. Subaru has a wide array of accessories for the XV like it does for its whole lineup. It is based on the Subaru Impreza sport chassis and shares the same 2.0 Boxer engine, but has a suspension that is based off of the new Forester.  Now there are other vehicles that the XV competes with such as the Suzuki SX-4 and the Mitsubishi Outlander Sport. The Suzuki is smaller and with a base MSRP of  $16,999 may cost about $4000 less than the XV, but  according to someone I know who owned one, until it hydroplaned and got totaled was that it is very light. With a MSRP of $21,995, the XV's price is about mid range when comparing it to a Mitsubishi Outlander Sport CVT ES ($22,070) and a Suzuki SX4. The  Outlander sport come with AWD standard and would have to go up a package in order to get it as an option. The Mitsubishi only comes in white or gray and Like the Crosstrek, the CR-V comes in an assortment of colors. With that being said the XV is a versatile crossover at a mid-range price and can take you whereever you would like and with confidence.

Pro's:

• Has the ride height of the Grand Cherokee, with out the sticker price. 
• With up to 33 MPG Highway and 25 when cruising the city, The XV has the best fuel economy in its class.
• The Crosstrek, like all Subaru vehicles (except BR-Z) come standard with all wheel drive. 
• It has some of the best safety features out there.

Cons: 

• The Crosstrek is very popular, so finding the color you want with the options you would like will take sometime. 
• The CVT is somewhat whiny
• It's not the quietest cabin and could use a little more insulation.

Overall

Whether you are traveling though the backwoods or your local shopping center, you will be at home with the 2013+ Subaru Crosstrek.