Trade my 2017 Forester for a 2018 4Runner?

[njfastlife]

The 4Runner has been my dream vehicle for awhile however for whatever reason I bought a Subaru Forester two years ago that i am just not fond of. the main issue is the comfort of the driver's seat. i am in discomfort after 20+ minutes that doesn't go away no matter how much i adjust.

additionally the CVT is bothersome, the infotainment is awful and the car is just incredibly sluggish.

it's not a BAD vehicle by any stretch, but not one i can see myself driving into the ground either.

that said, let's talk finances. i was lucky enough to have a trade in gifted to me to purchase this vehicle (my first new car purchase ever).

i got ~$4K for my trade and left the dealership paying $27K out the door, not including the trade in that i used as a downpayment.

i financed the balance for 72 months at 0% and currently owe ~$15K.

the vehicle is in great shape and has 22K miles. I would hope for ~$21k on trade.

i KNOW that trading in so soon is an absolutely awful idea but i do wonder if perhaps i am not as bad off as many others who do so seeing as how i am not underwater and am only contemplating switching into another vehicle that will retain value, relatively speaking.

i await your feedback

 

[epjfsa]

Many people, including myself, find the seats in the 4runner to be of questionable comfort. 4runner might only be a slight upgrade, so hopefully you didn't justify the trade just for seats. They're passable and never leave me in any pain, but you may put up with a stiff back.

The 5spd in the 4runner is an ancient dinosaur transmission. The only benefit over CVT is reliability and feeling more familiar. It can take much more punishment, too -- the guys on TFL Car (or truck?) showed how subaru's CVT just gives up if the car gets stuck. That won't happen with the 4runner.

You can try to run the 4runner into the ground, but it will keep going with attention to maintenance.

In 2015, I cross-shopped Forester's with 4cyl Tacomas. I just couldn't find a manual Forester that I liked enough to buy over the Tacoma. After we moved, I found the length of the Tacoma to be inconvenient for where I have to drive and park, and for various other reasons, traded it in for the 4runner. I took about a $2k loss, but I'm better off in the end because the plan all along was to keep the Tacoma forever. Plan is the same for the 4runner, which is what I should have bought to begin with.

 

[rsimi72]

The 4Runner has been my dream vehicle for awhile however for whatever reason I bought a Subaru Forester two years ago that i am just not fond of. the main issue is the comfort of the driver's seat. i am in discomfort after 20+ minutes that doesn't go away no matter how much i adjust.

additionally the CVT is bothersome, the infotainment is awful and the car is just incredibly sluggish.

it's not a BAD vehicle by any stretch, but not one i can see myself driving into the ground either.

that said, let's talk finances. i was lucky enough to have a trade in gifted to me to purchase this vehicle (my first new car purchase ever).

i got ~$4K for my trade and left the dealership paying $27K out the door, not including the trade in that i used as a downpayment.

i financed the balance for 72 months at 0% and currently owe ~$15K.

the vehicle is in great shape and has 22K miles. I would hope for ~$21k on trade.

i KNOW that trading in so soon is an absolutely awful idea but i do wonder if perhaps i am not as bad off as many others who do so seeing as how i am not underwater and am only contemplating switching into another vehicle that will retain value, relatively speaking.

i await your feedback

We have both. I drive the 4Runner and my wife drives a 2016 Forester. She loves the Forester. It’s perfect for her. I love it for her but my biggest complaint by far are the front seats. They are too small, too short, too flat. I can suffer through a long ride. I’ve tried all positions and just hate the front seats. My wife is 5-2 and likes the seats. But she’s little and fits the little seats. The 4Runner front seats may not be perfect but they are a huge upgrade from the Forester in my experience and opinion. If your main reason for switching is the seats then I think you’ll be happy. That’s my experience. I have a love/hate relationship with the CVT transmission. Love it on hills (no constant downshifts). Good mpg. I hate it in traffic. It’s jerky taking off and while initially spooling up if that’s the right word. I would not describe the Forester as sluggish. I might call the 4Runner sluggish. Neither vehicles are race cars. You will feel the increased size and weight of the 4Runner. The Forester has been reliable and practical. It’s amazing in the snow. But the front seats are terrible. The 4Runner loses on mpg and parking and handling. But it’s so much more comfortable. Good luck. If you spend a lot of time daily in the driver’s seat I think it’s a reasonable move.

 

[msp]

The 4Runner has been my dream vehicle for awhile however for whatever reason I bought a Subaru Forester two years ago that i am just not fond of. the main issue is the comfort of the driver's seat. i am in discomfort after 20+ minutes that doesn't go away no matter how much i adjust.

additionally the CVT is bothersome, the infotainment is awful and the car is just incredibly sluggish.

it's not a BAD vehicle by any stretch, but not one i can see myself driving into the ground either.

that said, let's talk finances. i was lucky enough to have a trade in gifted to me to purchase this vehicle (my first new car purchase ever).

i got ~$4K for my trade and left the dealership paying $27K out the door, not including the trade in that i used as a downpayment.

i financed the balance for 72 months at 0% and currently owe ~$15K.

the vehicle is in great shape and has 22K miles. I would hope for ~$21k on trade.

i KNOW that trading in so soon is an absolutely awful idea but i do wonder if perhaps i am not as bad off as many others who do so seeing as how i am not underwater and am only contemplating switching into another vehicle that will retain value, relatively speaking.

i await your feedback

If you plan to sit while you're driving, it's time for you to get a 4Runner. I didn't like the seats in the 2013 Trail. The seats in the 2018 Off-Road are very comfortable. Maybe it's because I've gained 30 pounds since then...lol. Taking a small financial hit to make driving enjoyable again doesn't sound like a bad idea.

 

[ride16734]

I traded 2017 forester xt touring for 2018 4runner.

Infotainment is same entune platform from forester to 4runner except 4runner has smaller screen. So it might actually be a downgrade. I had hk audio on forester which sounds much better than my current stock speakers on the 4runner.

For me 4runner seats are more comfortable compared to foresters seats.
I averaged 25mpg with forester but now I get 16-17mpg on the 4 runner. I was expecting that. Had 2 STI’s and it was my 3rd Subaru. Had eyesight, blind spot, lane keep assist, and heated steering wheel. Weird thing is, I don’t miss all that tech stuff from Subaru.

I have had every generation except 1st gen 4 runner, any maybe I am just used to driving 4runner. Then again most comfortable seat for me is my LS.
I do miss having 0% financing on my forester tho.

I got 29,500 for my forester when I traded her in.

 

[sn_85]

Uncomfortable seats, poor transmission, crappy infotainment...sounds like a 4Runner LOL. I kid, I kid

What I'd suggest is for you to do an extended test drive in the 4Runner. If you get uncomfortable after 20 minutes then test drive a 4Runner for 30 minutes (or more). Mess around with all the settings and see how you like it. I find the 4Runner seats to be good but not great. Not plush but not uncomfortable. I'd rate them like a 7/10. I've driven 14 hours straight in them without issue. However each person is going to be different and depending on whether you have a history of back issues your experience may be different.

And while trading in a vehicle is not a smart financial thing to do, if the Subaru gives you back pain after 20 minutes and you hate the transmission, infotainment as much as you do then trade it. A hard lesson to learn but sometimes that happens. I'd also look into a used GX460 if you want something more plush. An early year model like 10-13 is pretty affordable now.

 

[epjfsa]

Uncomfortable seats, poor transmission, crappy infotainment...sounds like a 4Runner LOL. I kid, I kid

What I'd suggest is for you to do an extended test drive in the 4Runner. If you get uncomfortable after 20 minutes then test drive a 4Runner for 30 minutes (or more). Mess around with all the settings and see how you like it. I find the 4Runner seats to be good but not great. Not plush but not uncomfortable. I'd rate them like a 7/10. I've driven 14 hours straight in them without issue. However each person is going to be different and depending on whether you have a history of back issues your experience may be different.

And while trading in a vehicle is not a smart financial thing to do, if the Subaru gives you back pain after 20 minutes and you hate the transmission, infotainment as much as you do then trade it. A hard lesson to learn but sometimes that happens. I'd also look into a used GX460 if you want something more plush. An early year model like 10-13 is pretty affordable now.

Agreed. If the seats and transmission are unbearable, don't keep the car. Stereo and power can be addressed.

OP - you didn't mention this, but worth mentioning that the 4runner is rated 10 mpg lower than the Subaru. That could be a few hundred dollars every month over the Subaru if you drive a relatively normal number of miles at today's gas prices.

 

[NolanVoid]

I have ZERO regrets for getting my 4Runner. I've wanted one since I was 16. I did the Jeep thing, and this is way better.

 

[rushrunner]

Limited seats are real leather. Very very comfy. Vented too

 

[Pastor passum]

Like you said, trading so soon isn't the best idea but...life's to short to drive something you're not happy with. My experience is similar to yours in that I traded in a perfectly good Subaru CrossTrek that just wasn't me. I did keep it 3 years though and actually did very well on trade in value.
I'm not new to 4-Runners, this is my third one. My Subaru had all the nanny stuff, Eyesight, and I really don't miss it although adaptive cruise in heavy traffic can be a stress reliever. If you've test driven the 4-Runner and it checks all or most of the boxes, go for it and good luck.

 

[wcjeep]

There are a few rental companies with 4Runner's in the fleet. Renting one for the day is cheap compared to trade in loss.

Subaru CVT was a no go for me. 4Runner transmission and Radio is not high tech. It is well built. My previous Jeep Cherokee had a high tech 9spd transmission. It was garbage. Just read the GM Colorado 6spd might be problematic.

Test drive the various 4Runner versions. w/KDSS. Pro. Limited. The one thing I really miss from the previous vehicle was heated steering wheel.

 

[thennen]

Agree with wcjeep. If you’re at the decision point, rent one for even a few days or longer to see what it’s like living with a 4Runner. I personally love them, and any minor trade-offs are worth the ridiculous number of miles you typically get from a T4R - to me, anyway. Best wishes!

 

[hilodaze]

You won't be disappointed. My previous vehicle was a 2015 Forester XT. Much happier with the 2015 4runner.

The 4Runner has been my dream vehicle for awhile however for whatever reason I bought a Subaru Forester two years ago that i am just not fond of. the main issue is the comfort of the driver's seat. i am in discomfort after 20+ minutes that doesn't go away no matter how much i adjust.

additionally the CVT is bothersome, the infotainment is awful and the car is just incredibly sluggish.

it's not a BAD vehicle by any stretch, but not one i can see myself driving into the ground either.

that said, let's talk finances. i was lucky enough to have a trade in gifted to me to purchase this vehicle (my first new car purchase ever).

i got ~$4K for my trade and left the dealership paying $27K out the door, not including the trade in that i used as a downpayment.

i financed the balance for 72 months at 0% and currently owe ~$15K.

the vehicle is in great shape and has 22K miles. I would hope for ~$21k on trade.

i KNOW that trading in so soon is an absolutely awful idea but i do wonder if perhaps i am not as bad off as many others who do so seeing as how i am not underwater and am only contemplating switching into another vehicle that will retain value, relatively speaking.

i await your feedback

 

[fx3s]

I had both a 5th gen 4runner OR from 2010-2017 and a Forester. I sold the 4runner because someone offered $29k. Bought a Forester manual and drove that for 9 months and just sold it to get back into a 5th gen 4runner.

For me the Forester was uncomfortable and the cargo space was too small. It was fine, and great in the snow, but after a short time I realized I didn't like driving it and would take my wife's car out more often. That never happened in the 4runner.

Going back to a 4runner...FWIW.

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

 

[fx3s]

Also, everything a Forester can do, the 4runner did better and more comfortably...except gas mileage.

That being said, the Forester is $10-20k less and arguably a better bang for the buck. I have many friends that have foresters and will never change.

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

 

[lukeskywalker]

Had my mind set on a 2014 Forester XT. Drove it. Felt...oh...ok...kinda...good. Then I remembered it feeling flimsy and a bit between a car and suv. I was gonna buy it cause the deal was ok.

Then I test drove a 4runner for shits and giggles, and didn't even look back.

The 4runner is just a pure, solid machine. The XT felt weak and flimsy, yet zippy.

 

[JayceeP]

Sounds like it’s a matter of get what you want. I’m nearly 6’4s I find it comfortable enough and the driver seat leg room is fine. Only thing I wish my Limited had is a little more headroom and a bit more 2nd more legroom. Also, the 3rd row chews up vertical storage space but is a nice thing to have the 1 or 2 times per year that I need it.

It has plenty of power. I bought it 5.5 years ago and have 105,000km on it. I’ve only replaced brakes and tires. It drives just like the day I bought it. No regrets.

 

[SCMountaineer]

I say get what you want. At least you aren't "upside down" on the Forester. if it makes you feel any better, I traded in a car that was three weeks old and had 400 miles on it to get my 4Runner. (But that's a whole other story.)