I will get in line here to tout the Subaru's. My experience is with the 2002 models but since you seem to run your vehicle til it is done I think either would be a great replacement for your Blazer & you would benefit from the Heavy Duty nature of all Subaru's.As for difference between the two I would say Size & MPG basically

 

I generally plan on longer ownership for my vehicles. That Forester is really starting to become the leader of the pack at this point.

Question: Is the 2.5L turbo a nice little upgrade or does it make for more maintenance issues and therefore more trouble than it's worth?

 

My Forester XT is a 2004 model, the first year they were offered with turbos in the US. Mine has spent precisely zero days in the shop, other than a quick 1-hour visit to tighten hose clamps to prevent coolant evaporation when it was brand new. I change my oil/filter myself. SO easy.

Subaru has had some issues with some of the new 2.5L turbos lately (I think they issued a brief stop-sale order on the newly redesigned Forester XT shortly after it was released) but you should buy with confidence at this point.

If you want the most car for the money, it is pretty much impossible to beat Subaru.

 

The major differences between the Outback and Forester is that the Outback is a slightly more upscale product, more comfort-oriented, has nicer trim inside, slightly better ride quality (especially with the new 60-series tires), and, IMO, is more satisfying to drive on a daily basis. The Forester is more utilitarian, starts out at lower price, has a turbo option, unlike the Outback, if you want more power (with premuim gas), and, with the 2.5L four, has a conventional 4-speed automatic instead of the new (and unproven) CVT that the Outback (now) uses on the 4. The H-6 Outback models use a conventional 5-speed automatic. Both the Outback and non-turbo Forester have a manual-transmission option.....MT turbo Foresters and all turbo Outbacks are now gone.

My only (possible) hesitation, among the two models, would be some misgivings about the new CVT in the 4-cylinder Outback...it is new and unproven, although (supposedly) it comes from the same supplier that makes the nice Nissan CVT's. Subaru's standard transmission warranty is 5/60, but Subaru is usually pretty good about extending warranties on problematic components , as they did with some former head-gasket and rear-wheel-bearing issues.

If, for any reason, you don't go for a Subaru, the Kia Rondo, if you don't need or want the AWD traction, is also worth considering. It is a rather dull-driving vehicle, with somewhat sluggish handling, but sells at a GOOD price, and should fill your daily driving needs, if you don't load it up too heavy.

 

highlander hybrid?

 

Yes, a good vehicle, Mike, but that's a lot of money compared to an entry-level Forester or Rondo. Toyota also needs some time to get possible QC problems ironed out.

 

If you can stand the look of the Forester, that would be my pick. Awesome value. If you can swing another $5K, go for the Outback.

 

I think in terms of the turbo being the difference between a point A to point B set of wheels & hey this things got spunk! I would guess that Subaru has been making turbo engines long enough to make them last, but you might want to double check on that. Also I believe Subaru's have less markup to MSRP than most company's so don't be tempted by huge incentives by competitors.
Turbo more power go Turbo!

 

The turbo, however, requires premium fuel, so that runs up the fuel costs. I don't think you can use regular and just lose a couple of HP, like in some other vehicles, were premium is only "recommended", not required. Also, Subaru dropped the MT turbo with the new Forester, so it is limited to the 4-speed automatic.

 

Wow. Thanks everyone. This input has been very helpful thus far. The Subarus really seem to be standing out as an excellent choice.

Glad to hear you've had such a positive experience with your Subie. They really do seem to have a good following. Two years ago the Legacy just barely lost out to the much more expensive IS350 that I ended up with. But I've been looking at them for years now and it finally seems like it might just be the right match this time around.

This really makes me reconsider the Outback. Originally I'd been leaning towards it over the Forester because I figured higher-level platform = better car. The better ride quality might be enough to sway me towards the Outback over the Forester.

I really like the current Highlander and RAV4. I did previously dismiss the Hybrid Highlander and the Venza because they felt too "pricey". As I get a better feel of the actual costs of other vehicles, I will undoubtedly revisit these offerings from Toyota.

I can handle the looks of either, I think. Although something tells me that once I start seriously looking at what trim level/options I want, I will probably start bumping the budget to include those things. That may even open up the options to other cars I'd previously considered "too expensive" or "not a good enough deal to consider".

That's what I'm thinking. If the vehicle I end up with is more engaging and comfortable, it would definitely make my daily routes much more bearable. On the few times that I've run the Lexus out there like that, I've always noticed how much "easier" it felt going all over town and stopping every ten minutes.

I think I could live with the extra fuel costs if I do in fact end up with the Turbo engine. In fact, considering the Forester XT has led me to look over at the 3.6-level Outbacks. Do you have any input on that engine since you've already given me such great information on the 4-cylinder ones?

 

Sorry to resurrect an old and dying thread. I will be closing up shop this weekend and going out for some test drives and in-person assessments of the candidates.

Honda
I will look at the Fit. Other than the 117hp engine, it really seems to add up pretty well for what I'm looking for. I will probably glance around at the Pilot and Element as well, but I kind of doubt I'll do more than that.

Mazda
Mazda 3 & 5. I would have loved the Mazdaspeed 3, but I don't want to drive a stick in heavy traffic.

Nissan
Versa and possibly the Rogue. Versa is the only one that "feels" like it's a good value price-wise.

Toyota
Prius, Tacoma, Venza, RAV4, possibly the Highlander. Apparently I won't even be able to look at most of these so we'll see.

Subaru
From my initial research, it really seems the winner is going to come out of this dealership. The Outback and Forester really leap out as being fantastic values. The AWD will be nice compared to most of the crossovers around (I really don't like FWD), and I hope that Subaru's suspension is rather tough so that it can handle the rough roads I need to travel on.

Only question is which? Forester seems like a great value. Outback looks to offer more of the creature comforts that I'd like to have. 170hp is a decent standard engine, I think. But I'm really leaning towards either the turbo Forester (XT) or the 3.6 Outback. I think the extra juice under the hood would do me good.

Question:
Since I started off looking at base models (~$20K+), I've kind of climbed the options ladder with Subaru and have come closer to $30K+ for the one I'm likely to want. Anything else I should consider that I may have previously dismissed for being too close to the $30K mark?

Thanks again all.