I've been looking for a replacement vehicle for several years now. I am retired and love to fish so I need a vehicle that will tow my boat and, hopefully last a long time. Also, I am 6'4" tall and want something that has the head and leg room to be comfortable. I currently drive a 2003 GMC Envoy and love it. Lots of room in front seats, ideal size and plenty of towing power plus it's a truck based SUV. The boss says that an actual truck is out of the question so I have been looking at mid-size SUV's, but the 4Runner is the only option in this category. I looked closely at the Grand Cherokee and it seemed like a perfect match, but the reliability reviews were so poor I changed my mind. I had never considered a Subaru until I read about the Ascent. On paper, it has everything I am looking for. But I don't want to be the test market for an all new vehicle. So I am going to depend on this forum to decide for me if this is the right SUV for me.
Looking At Ascent
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The Ascent is built on the Subaru global platform which, in plain terms, is a car-based frame compared to the 4Runner which is a truck based frame.
The Ascent drives a lot smaller than the truck-frame SUV's.
Subaru, from what I've seen, tends to OVERBUILD things in their first year or two of production. If you are truly concerned about a new model vehicle, you can shop around for an extended warranty through Subaru - you can get them from any dealer, not exclusively the one you're buying from - and find a plan that works for you. I'm hoping to get one for around an 8 or 10 year and 100k mile warranty, with a small deductible to protect me from any type of "major" problem. Anything weird that should happen should do so in that time period.
First and foremost, go find one to test drive. If you don't like it, the conversation stops.
The Ascent drives a lot smaller than the truck-frame SUV's.
Subaru, from what I've seen, tends to OVERBUILD things in their first year or two of production. If you are truly concerned about a new model vehicle, you can shop around for an extended warranty through Subaru - you can get them from any dealer, not exclusively the one you're buying from - and find a plan that works for you. I'm hoping to get one for around an 8 or 10 year and 100k mile warranty, with a small deductible to protect me from any type of "major" problem. Anything weird that should happen should do so in that time period.
First and foremost, go find one to test drive. If you don't like it, the conversation stops.
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As someone who looked at the 4Runner it really feels like you are stepping back in time as it has older electronics, engine, and transmission. These aren't bad as they are proven reliable but they also are inefficient.
As I was coming from a Nissan Xterra I'm used to the Body on Frame driving feel and the 4Runner felt more planted than the Xterra but the engine on the 4Runner felt like it didn't have the punch. Overall I did like the 4Runner but did not feel like it was worth the price they wanted (~43K for a limited) where I bought the Ascent Tourning for around that same price.
As I was coming from a Nissan Xterra I'm used to the Body on Frame driving feel and the 4Runner felt more planted than the Xterra but the engine on the 4Runner felt like it didn't have the punch. Overall I did like the 4Runner but did not feel like it was worth the price they wanted (~43K for a limited) where I bought the Ascent Tourning for around that same price.
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