Quote Originally Posted by Guilder View Post
1. XV has a more comfortable ride compared to Forester's bumpiness especially felt in the rear (wife felt dizzy).
This is true. I've driven the Forester several times. The XT, with its thinner tires, actually rides better, though it's still stiff... I guess the extra weight ties it down better.

Far as I can figure, the sidewalls on the taller tires on the 2.0i amplify the stiffness of the suspension. (ergo, it's not simply a tire pressure thing... I had a 2.0i for a week, and it wasn't the most comfortable car to ride in the back of.)

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You can address the stiffness by spending a little more after the purchase on Bilstein shocks. It won't change the stiffness of the springs, no, but it'll make the ride more controlled, and hopefully more comfortable for rear seat passengers.

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The XV is more practical... in my experience, it's about 0.5 - 1 km/l better in traffic. It's easier to drive, and doesn't feel "tippy" when cornering, like the Forester 2.0i does. Ergo... it drives just like a car.

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I was going to say "I believe the Forester will retain more secondhand value over the next five years", but looking through the ads... that's a wash... Secondhand Fozzie and XV values are roughly similar.

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All you're getting extra with the Fozzie is cargo space and somewhat better flood wading and off-road capability. Up to you whether that's worth spending extra on the car and some more extra past that to fix the ride.