Nissan Terra vs CRV 2.0 gas vs Subaru Forester (2020 variants)

[Speedy Bagel]

I am currently planning to purchase an SUV/CUV with price range 1.6-1.9M. I previously drove a Montero 2009 which has seen better days. We are a family of 3, and my son is still a toddler. But I will be using the car mostly without any passenger via city driving and once a week highway driving. I am not a car expert and my level of car maintenance expertise is close to nil, so reliability is also an important factor in my decision making. Any input is highly appreciated. Feel free to correct me of any misinformation I may give...aethetics is subjective though. Help me cause wife is getting impatient with my slow decision making... Sorry for the lengthy post.

I prefer the exterior of the Terra among all the three. Ride comfort is great but the CUVs has better ride comfort in my test drive. Ride height is great and the aircon is topnotch, which is great for our tropical climate and the sweaty person in me. When this car came out I really wanted this car solely for looks and the road presence. But the interior is a bit uninspiring for my taste especially the dash board and the gear lever. The 360 camera view is great for the tight spaces as well but among the three this is the most expensive.

I prefer the ride comfort and interior of the CRV. Since I will be driving mostly alone, the good ride comfort is heaven-sent (however the car available for test drive was 2018). The feel of the steering wheel and the over all look of the dash and the smart storage spaces in the cabin is great. I prefer the gas variant eventhough the diesel is the favorite among the consumers. I just prefer the large cabin space of the gas variant and the gear shift lever instead of the buttons. The diesel may have the better fuel consumption, but my wife prefers the quiet engine of the gas as well (maybe she is looking forward to get this from me later on). The gas variant may be the cheapest among the three choices but maybe this can be offset by the gas prices and higher fuel consumption. Among the exterior, this is the one I least preferred, not that it looks bad. Pressing issues I read are the engine mount noise problem. The oil dilution is it a problem for our CRV variants here.

I prefer the safety features of the Subaru Forester and the looks as well. The passive and active features really is appealing especially to us breadwinners. Ride comfort is great but I feel the CRV is a bit better. The exterior exudes a certain vibe that I really like. The interior looks premium but can be intimidating due to the plethora of buttons. Maybe this will pass in time and by studying the manual. Issues I read was the head gasket problem and the issues of recall internationally due to engine failure of the 2.5 liter boxer engine (though what we have is the 2.0 liter here). I am also concerned with maintenance since the service center nearest is around 45mins away. I am also not familiar with the reliability of the boxer engine and cvt engine of Subaru.

So help me. My time is nearly up. Thanks!

And if asking if why Montero is not included among my choices...my wife abhors the new look of the Montero. For me, the rear has improved but I prefer the front of the 2019 model.

[suysuy]

Convince mo nalang wifey mo mag terra and to accept diesel engines hehe.

Mag crv nalang ako if gasoline. Although gas din ang subaru, CVT ata yung transmission nyan which is a turn off for me.

Bakit walang fortuner na gas sa options mo? May gasoline engine ang fortuner yung 2.7. That if you want road presence and the quietness of a gasoline engine


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[Egan101]

Mag crv nalang ako if gasoline. Although gas din ang subaru, CVT ata yung transmission nyan which is a turn off for me.



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The CRV gas model also comes with a CVT tranny like the Forester. However, the Subaru CVT is tuned for AWD applications.

Honda uses CVT among its popular gas-fed models like the City, Jazz, Civic, Mobilio, BRV, HRV, and CRV. Even the Accord 1.5 Turbo uses a CVT tranny. Only the CRV diesel uses a different tranny - 9speed AT.

*Speedy Bagel - Have you considered a diesel-powered CUV? The Tucson CRDI, Sportage CRDI, and Sorento CRDI are also within your budget.

[suysuy]

The CRV gas model also comes with a CVT tranny like the Forester. However, the Subaru CVT is tuned for AWD applications.

Honda uses CVT among its popular gas-fed models like the City, Jazz, Civic, Mobilio, BRV, HRV, and CRV. Even the Accord 1.5 Turbo uses a CVT tranny. Only the CRV diesel uses a different tranny - 9speed AT.

*Speedy Bagel - Have you considered a diesel-powered CUV? The Tucson CRDI, Sportage CRDI, and Sorento CRDI are also within your budget.

I see. Cvt din pala. Last cvt vehicle i owned was the honda city 2006 model. Kaya siguro may stigma pa sakin ang cvt.

I agree baka possible mag consider si TS ng CUV ng hyundai and kia. Our sorento and sta fe are very quiet diesels. The only diesel thats quieter is our peugeot 3008.

Asian sourced 3008 is actually within the TSs budget.

3008 Gas 1.89m
3008 Diesel 2m

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[travajante]

I see. Cvt din pala. Last cvt vehicle i owned was the honda city 2006 model. Kaya siguro may stigma pa sakin ang cvt.

I agree baka possible mag consider si TS ng CUV ng hyundai and kia. Our sorento and sta fe are very quiet diesels. The only diesel thats quieter is our peugeot 3008.

Asian sourced 3008 is actually within the TSs budget.

3008 Gas 1.89m
3008 Diesel 2m

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But Peugeot [emoji16]

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[Speedy Bagel]

*Speedy Bagel - Have you considered a diesel-powered CUV? The Tucson CRDI, Sportage CRDI, and Sorento CRDI are also within your budget.

Not much a fan of the looks of the sportage. The Tucson however seems another great option. Might have to check some reviews first.

[Egan101]

*Speedy Bagel - I don't have neither the CRV gas 2.0L nor the new Forester but I have the previous gen Forester (2013-2018, SJ platform) in XT trim. I have no issues with it during my nearly 4 years of ownership.

I guess the ladies would veer more on the CRV with its curvy shape and softer looks. Guys would like more the Forester with its boxy and tool-like approach. Both are very good CUVs and are always on the top list of buyers. Another option would be the CX5 but its interior space is not within the league of the CRV or Forester but it drives better, more closely to a compact car.

[sachiel]

If your wife wants the CRV, then that is your decision already. For me, it's either Terra or CRV. We have bad experience with Subaru lately regarding repairs so I may stay clear of Subaru for the meantime.

[Speedy Bagel]

Convince mo nalang wifey mo mag terra and to accept diesel engines hehe.

Mag crv nalang ako if gasoline. Although gas din ang subaru, CVT ata yung transmission nyan which is a turn off for me.

Bakit walang fortuner na gas sa options mo? May gasoline engine ang fortuner yung 2.7. That if you want road presence and the quietness of a gasoline engine


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Actually yung wife ko medyo biased. Ung crv gas yung gusto. Fortuner looks great, maybe I will visit the nearest dealership discreetly. Hehe.

[StockEngine]

Actually yung wife ko medyo biased. Ung crv gas yung gusto. Fortuner looks great, maybe I will visit the nearest dealership discreetly. Hehe.

Fort will need a suspension upgrade but it's not expensive and plenty of options..

[Speedy Bagel]

*Egan101 "I guess the ladies would veer more on the CRV." So far it seems true, but a couple of my male colleagues prefer it as well. Thanks as well for your insights regarding the Forester. I prefer the higher ride height of the SUV/CUV over the sedan and station wagon.

*jut703 "While I prefer the diesel CRV over the gas, I'd still get a gas CRV vs a Terra or Forester."
Leaning towards the crv, logically it's more practical for my case. It's just that everytime I see the terra makes me want to buy it instead.

*JohnM. Mazda also seems a promising choice. It looks premium on the exterior and interior. Seems reliable enough. But my wife had a bad experience with Mazdas before.

[jut703]

*Egan101 "I guess the ladies would veer more on the CRV." So far it seems true, but a couple of my male colleagues prefer it as well. Thanks as well for your insights regarding the Forester. I prefer the higher ride height of the SUV/CUV over the sedan and station wagon.

*jut703 "While I prefer the diesel CRV over the gas, I'd still get a gas CRV vs a Terra or Forester."
Leaning towards the crv, logically it's more practical for my case. It's just that everytime I see the terra makes me want to buy it instead.

*JohnM. Mazda also seems a promising choice. It looks premium on the exterior and interior. Seems reliable enough. But my wife had a bad experience with Mazdas before.

Better to buy a car you're happy with than a car which just ticks the right boxes but doesn't bring joy to you.

Now if you like the Terra more while your wife prefers the CRV, then just weigh whose happiness matters more.

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[jut703]

Have a gas CRV. Engine mount issues seem exclusive to the heavier diesels. The usual EPS problem also plagues the gas version though - common problem that's covered under warranty.

Ride is definitely better than the Terra. Performance is also good as long as you don't look for gut-wrenching acceleration. Very smooth engine and transmission for puttering around town under 3000 rpm. FC is about average for a 2.0L gas engine, I get around 7.5 km/L in moderate traffic and 14 km/L on the highway.

The price savings vs a similar-spec Terra will take about 3-5 years to recover. While I prefer the diesel CRV over the gas, I'd still get a gas CRV vs a Terra or Forester.

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[Egan101]

If I have to choice one now between the three, I guess I would pick the CRV. This is coming from a Forester owner. Hehehe

The new Forester looks a bit soft on the edges and it does not come with a turbo engine option.

Question - is the crossover the car you really need? Is there a specific requirement that can only be addressed by a crossover? Have you considered a wagon or a midsize sedan?


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[JohnM]

From my test drives:

The CRV is a pair of well-worn loafers: soft and comfy.

Subies are like Merrell sandals: rugged and grippy.

Mazdas are like running shoes: they absorb impact and encourage the user to go further.

Never ako nangarap ng PPV.

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[Egan101]

From my test drives:

The CRV is a pair of well-worn loafers: soft and comfy.

Subies are like Merrell sandals: rugged and grippy.

Mazdas are like running shoes: they absorb impact and encourage the user to go further.

Never ako nangarap ng PPV.

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I will let you test drive my FXT if you let me try your Mazda. Turbo Subies like to be pushed to its limits and they sure do deliver.


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[JohnM]

I will let you test drive my FXT if you let me try your Mazda. Turbo Subies like to be pushed to its limits and they sure do deliver.


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1.5 NA lang Mazda ko bai but it loves redlines. Kahit birit mo sya under speed limit ka pa rin. Our 2.0 NA boxer is a lot faster but sounds rougher.

Kay archer ka humiram haha

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[Lakwatsero]

It's hard to recommend a PPV if you don't need 3 rows. Top heavy, very prone to rollovers. Drives like a truck. No matter what they do, it won't ride or drive even close to a crossover.

I was in your position a few years ago, Forester XT, CR-V, CX-5. CX-5 won out in the end. It just drives so much better than the others. The 2.5 AWD is available for close to your budget, fuel consumption is acceptable, could average 8-8.5km/l city with a light foot. Worth a look imo.

Speaking from experience, Mazda has exceptional after sales especially Mazda Makati. Drivetrain is solid, 2012 model owners in our club have reported minimal issues with their vehicle even after 8 years.
Mazda nowadays are pure Japanese, no involvement from Ford whatsoever, so expect Japanese quality.

[Wh1stl3r]

I have both a diesel CR-V (1.6V) and a Terra (4x2 VL).

Pros for the CR-V
ride quality on road (specially corrugated surfaces)
better handling
fuel economy (but gas version will drink more fuel no doubt)
better L and R rear seats
lighter steering
more upscale interior

Pros for the Terra
better front seats
brakes a lot better
more power gives more confidence on the highway
a lot more cargo space
ride quality offroad (much more suspension travel)
cheaper PMS

If you don't need the extra space, or go offroad I'd get the CR-V. A lot easier to use given the smaller, Metro Manila friendlier dimensions. You may want to consider the diesel version as it has more torque and for me a better match for the body vs the 2.0L gas engine.

[ale828]

you know the saying " Happy wife Happy Life"

it seems the Honda CRV will be your choice.
You might not be 100% as happy as your wife at least you won't get nagged and complained upon if you picked the Terra.
Try to get some add on to the CRV to make it more masculine. The Mugen or modulo kit for the CRV is quite nice. A good looking 18" aftermarket rim will also make it appear more rugged.