I had a 2013 Xterra Pro4X, 6-speed manual that I loved. I had a roof leak issue that was resolved by the dealer to less than stellar standards (the leak was caused by a pinched grommet around the electrical to the roof lights). It was a great SUV. It rode well, handled decently, and was pleasant to drive. I put 34,000…

I loved my ‘13 Pro4X. Manual transmission was alright, was comfortable (though the materials were cheap), and it rode great. It was more than capable enough for me. Gas mileage was poor, but that’s to be expected with an SUV shaped like a brick that was designed in 2005.

I’m just pissed it wasn’t announced he was filming here so we could have watched...

Do you know what it costs to get a set of bumpers chromed by a quality place? A shit ton. Hell, even re-pop chrome bumpers for this thing ain’t cheap.

I’ve always felt mixed about the Dart. Yes, I admit that nearly every competitor is objectively better than it, but I wouldn’t call the Dart a bad car. It speaks more to how good and competitive that market slot has become.

But the Outback is only 0.3" shorter in height than the Forester, yet larger in every other dimension. It even has identical min clearance height.

2-door sedan, or coupe?

That Outback is a crossover. It is dimensionally closer to nearly any other accepted crossover than it is to any other accepted wagon. The Outback stopped be a wagon last generation. Hell, compare it’s dimensions to a Grand Cherokee, compared to any other wagon sold in the US.

There is some debate about rustproofing like Ziebart and Krown. Some studies show it works great. Some studies say it clogs drain holes along with trapping water in other areas.

GM does not yet have the rapid-DC charging network of Tesla

Which don’t matter if it can’t be perceived (or isn’t cared about) by the consumer. One could say that sedans are have the downside of having less glass than a crossover, but no one gives a shit about that metric. Just like the buyers of Outbacks, RAV4s, and Equinox owners don’t give a shit that they drive worse than…

You would be hard pressed to find a consumer to back that statement up.

It used to be a wagon, not so much today. Seriously, it is within 0.2" of a Grand Cherokee in length, 3" in height, 0.1" in more ground clearance, and has more passenger volume. Hell, it’s half an inch taller than a CX-5. The Forester stands a measly 0.3" taller than the Outback.

And I’m disputing that the ride and handling are poor enough that it would be considered a downside.

That’s about as much pony car as a Dorito is “potato” chip.

How do you define ride? I’d wager that most consumers would say the RAV4 has a better ride, because it’d be a lot more compliant for various road surfaces compared to the Camry. On the highway, they ride virtually the same. Smooth city road, the same. Unpaved construction site, RAV4 wins. That smoothish dirt road to…

Apparently it’s not required to have words in comments?

People feel more comfortable when driving at roughly the same height at which they walk. That is, their eyes are at roughly the same height while driving as they would be while walking. It’s not primarily about being able to see around/over everyone else (though, that is a common argument). It’s about being…

You really gonna argue poorer handling when comparing a RAV4 to a Camry? Neither car is bought for handling and neither are known to have good handling.

Because you can totally load a 55" flatscreen into your Legacy? You can fit a waterheater in the trunk of your Camry? You can fit the two retrievers, two kids, and everybody’s luggage in your Accord, without resorting to some sort of rooftop carrier?