2014 Subaru Forester- 1500 lb towing - Fiberglass RV
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Old 02-18-2013, 06:12 PM   #1
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2014 Subaru Forester- 1500 lb towing

New engine, better gas mileage- big drop in towing capacity. 6 speed manual available still, though.

Glad I bought mine when I did.
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Old 02-18-2013, 06:45 PM   #2
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Not the first manufacture to drop back on tow cap recently. Starting to wonder if we are starting to hear/see on the 2014 models the fall out of the agreement to have there cars/trucks under go the new SAE standard, “Performance Requirements for Determining Tow-Vehicle Gross Combination Weight Rating and Trailer Weight Rating,” If thats the case its not a bad thing.
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Old 02-18-2013, 07:05 PM   #3
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If the result of the SAE standard (?) is larger less fuel efficient tow vehicles, it will drive another nail in the RV coffin in North America. If a rule conscious continent like Europe can tow with small fuel efficient vehicles....

Anyone notice how the price of gas has skyrocketed in the last couple of months? Another nail.....

I guess many will be looking for older tow vehicles with their higher ratings....
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Old 02-18-2013, 07:29 PM   #4
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It will kill towable RVs.. give a boost to MHs where no one seems to care about fuel efficiency as the assumption is you don't drive them often enough to worry.

What I read said nothing about brakes or no brakes- just a flat 1500 for all models. I'm going to write a little letter of complaint (though I know it won't do any good and most of the Foresters I see do not have hitches so I don't think most people will care.)
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Old 02-18-2013, 10:35 PM   #5
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The motor home drivers and 5th wheelers care. I know many who are not traveling. A good friend said at present prices it costs over $2000 to drive back and forth to NE and on top of that $400 a month driving around while in FL because his only vehicle is his big diesel truck.

This is big bucks to a retired person.

The up side is there are a lot of used big rigs available at very good prices, very often less than the cost of a used fiberglass trailer.

Ginny and I are now 70 and feel we should not to wait travel doubting tfavel costs will get better.
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Old 02-18-2013, 10:43 PM   #6
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I don't mean the drivers of MHs don't care- I mean the government doesn't. I don't think MH manufacturers are given incentives to make lightweight, fuel-efficient motorhomes.
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Old 02-18-2013, 11:13 PM   #7
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Bobbie,
My simple view is not to count on government. Their goals are not mine.

They have provided billions to failed companies that failed, over 30 at last count.

Government incentives will not get us what we want.
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Old 02-19-2013, 05:17 AM   #8
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Meanwhile Subaru sells diesel versions of the Forester and the Outback in other countries, but not here. Towing capacity on those is 5000 pounds.
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Old 02-19-2013, 09:52 AM   #9
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Well the good news is that Subaru does sell the Outback which has the higher tow cap and would be a good replacement vehicle for someone looking to replace an older Forester and pull a trailer under 2500lbs.

Also its not necessary to buy an older model smaller vehicle to keep your carbon foot print down while towing due to the impressive gas mileage many of the newer slightly larger vehicles are coming out with. I know I have been looking at possible replacement vehicles and the MPG that are being advertised on a number of larger vehicles with much bigger tow caps than my Subaru, are getting *way better* MPG's and some are being sold for the same price & in many cases for less than a new Subaru. Pretty amazing turn around in a few short years in that regard.
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Old 02-19-2013, 11:09 AM   #10
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Meanwhile Subaru sells diesel versions of the Forester and the Outback in other countries, but not here. Towing capacity on those is 5000 pounds.
True, and I'm jealous.
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Old 02-19-2013, 11:10 AM   #11
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Well the good news is that Subaru does sell the Outback which has the higher tow cap and would be a good replacement vehicle for someone looking to replace an older Forester and pull a trailer under 2500lbs.

Also its not necessary to buy an older model smaller vehicle to keep your carbon foot print down while towing due to the impressive gas mileage many of the newer slightly larger vehicles are coming out with. I know I have been looking at possible replacement vehicles and the MPG that are being advertised on a number of larger vehicles with much bigger tow caps than my Subaru, are getting *way better* MPG's and some are being sold for the same price & in many cases for less than a new Subaru. Pretty amazing turn around in a few short years in that regard.
Until they redo the Outback which is surely coming.

Which vehicles?
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Old 02-19-2013, 03:26 PM   #12
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I've been keeping my eye open for a 15' B Escape. My previous '09 Forester had no problem towing the 13' Scamp/bath @ 1840# (Forester had a 2400# capacity). But when I found out that 2013 Toyota Rav4 would not be able to tow only up to 1500#, I pulled the trigger and bought a 2012 Rav4 V6/tow package (3500# towing capacity). The Subie was a fine car, but I wanted to have a capable tow vehicle if the Escape ever comes up. Subie got 20-22MPG towing Scamp. No complaints there. Even in the mountains it got 16-18 MPG. Whatever is up with Govt/auto mfgrs/RV mfgs we're gonna be screwed.

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Old 02-19-2013, 03:45 PM   #13
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I've been keeping my eye open for a 15' B Escape. My previous '09 Forester had no problem towing the 13' Scamp/bath @ 1840# (Forester had a 2400# capacity). But when I found out that 2013 Toyota Rav4 would not be able to tow only up to 1500#, I pulled the trigger and bought a 2012 Rav4 V6/tow package (3500# towing capacity). The Subie was a fine car, but I wanted to have a capable tow vehicle if the Escape ever comes up. Subie got 20-22MPG towing Scamp. No complaints there. Even in the mountains it got 16-18 MPG. Whatever is up with Govt/auto mfgrs/RV mfgs we're gonna be screwed.

Alice
I looked at the Rav4 V6 but decided I wasn't going to upgrade any time soon and if I did it would be to a 13 footer since I don't want to go overlength on the ferries. Someday in the future I'll probably have a pickup for towing and a hybrid for everything else but not until I'm permanently in one place.
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Old 02-19-2013, 03:48 PM   #14
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Yup they will redo the Outback just as all the manufactures tend to redo their line ups every 3 years or so - unfortunately I suspect they will not redo it as I would like either! :-(

Which vehicles? Well there are a few new small sized SUV's that will get way higher gas mileage than any of the Subaru's of more than a couple of years old and even the new ones but they also have bigger tow caps - two I can think of off the top of my head are the Toyota Highlander 4WD Hybrid and Lexus MDX? Although they are on the pricey side of vehicles - the Subaru Outback is starting to creep up in price at about $30,000 here in Canada for the most basic model now with many falling in the $35,000 & higher range and they dont do any where near as well on gas as the two mentioned do and they have a lower tow cap as well.

Also take a lot at some of the new 2013 and 2014 mpgs being posted for some of the trucks. Never been a big truck fan but I recently had my eyes opened when I had to drive a new Toyota Tundra 4x2 to a ski race into the Rocky Mountains and went through two big mountain passes to get there. Once I got over the shock of the cost of filling it up with gas the first time ;-) I realized on my return trip after looking at the computer on it that I was was actually getting 24 mpg for the whole trip - as good if not better than what my 07 Outback would have done on the same trip. I looked it up when I got home as I was a little surprised and discovered it was actually rated at 25 mpg highway & its base model costs about $5,000 less than a new Subaru Outback base model. Having said that though I would be the first to say that the Outback beats the Tundra hands down in driving in the snow. But for those who seem to think they have to drive a smaller vehicle in order to get better gas mileage - that argument sure seems to be flying out the window fast. I dont think even a 2010 CRV 4wd would do any better MPG wise than the Tundra did under the same road conditions - as it only has a 1 MPG better highway rating. According to Fuel Economy the 2010 Forester 4 cyl, 2.5 L, Automatic was also only rated at 26 mpg highway. As I said things seem to be changing fast in the MPG ratings on bigger vehicles so who knows what in a few years someone could buy with a high tow cap that probable would not even notice a 2000lb trailer behind it but get far better MPG's than any of our current Subaru's.
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Old 02-19-2013, 04:15 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Carol H View Post
Not the first manufacture to drop back on tow cap recently. Starting to wonder if we are starting to hear/see on the 2014 models the fall out of the agreement to have there cars/trucks under go the new SAE standard, “Performance Requirements for Determining Tow-Vehicle Gross Combination Weight Rating and Trailer Weight Rating,” If thats the case its not a bad thing.
Yeah, well...brace yourself!

If this article's got it right, it seems that everybody but Toyota is now backing out of that agreement, at least when it comes to the pickup truck players.

And just when we thought that some actual facts might come into play when towing capacity claims were being made!

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Old 02-19-2013, 04:32 PM   #16
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Here's what one site had to say about the Highlander Hybrid

"While the Toyota Highlander remains one of the most popular hybrid SUV vehicles on the road because of its quiet ride, reasonable fuel economy and spacious interior, it is only average in its towing capacity. The rated towing capacity for the Toyota Highlander is 3,500 pounds; however, many Highlander owners complain that the vehicle cannot really pull that much weight without the electric engine cutting off completely. Many people complain that when trying to pull a trailer and boat uphill, the electric engine simply shuts off and there is no way for them to get the vehicle to move except to disconnect the trailer. People have stated that weights of 2,000 or 2,500 pounds are more accurate descriptions for the towing capacity rating of the Toyota Highlander."
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Old 02-19-2013, 04:33 PM   #17
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So comparable to the 2012 or 2013 Subaru in both fuel economy and towing capacity and $10,000 more. You do get more room but not a lot more.
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Old 02-19-2013, 04:33 PM   #18
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Yup its a bit like what came first the chicken or the egg game! ;-)

I have been following the story with interest and as with everything there seems to be a few different versions of whats happening to the agreement. Toyota started using the standards as early as 2011 and GM used them on their 2013 vehicles which was suppose to be what they all did but stopped when Ford decided not to join in after all. Honda, Dodge and others where said to be using the standards last year but who knows if they still are or not now that Ford and GM have bailed....
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Old 02-19-2013, 04:43 PM   #19
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Maybe that's partly why the Forester rating is lower- except we know people pull 2400# so we know it worked at least with the old Forester.
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Old 02-19-2013, 04:52 PM   #20
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I wonder how many of us that are towing with other-than-pickups would care to subject our beloved tugs to the new tests? I know I wouldn't!

I'm pretty sure that if I put my '97 Kia through the tests/paces described at this link, she'd most likely come out of it "rated" to tow nothing except her sorry self up that grade!

As it is, I'm pleased as punch to be able to point to my 2,000 pound, probably-baseless "tow rating"!

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