bmw x1 f48 vs 2017 subaru forester xt touring

hbordon727 · 01-15-2017, 07:52 PM

hi guys, im the proud owner of a 2016 bmw x1 fully loaded (well i lease). my wife wanted a x1 also but took a test drive on a new 2017 subaru forester xt touring and she fell in love. so she ended up getting the subaru instead. my question is this, is that turbo xt forester a totally inferior car or is it comparable to the x1? i like it so much that i think i will consider getting one too when my lease is up. any subaru people here that have experience with a turbo forester xt? thank you guys

quasitime · 01-15-2017, 11:50 PM

I'm looking at some of the same vehicles. What do you and your wife like so much about the Forester? I'm really curious.

Tjalle · 01-16-2017, 12:43 AM

I don't know specifically about the Forester xt Touring, but I have a general knowledge of Subaru.

If anything, Subaru has a genuin reputation for sturdy vehicles, good quality and reliability and very high customer satisfaction.

At the same time their boxer engines, interior finish/styling has been lacking refinement, much inferior to BMW.

That said, if you are happy with vehicle, you are unlikely to have nasty surprises.

What I have seen on this and X3/X4 threads, indicates that, if anything, BMW has somewhat more quality issues.

KansasWaldo · 01-16-2017, 01:17 PM

I actually owned a Forester XT at one point and now own a 2016 X1 xDrive28i. For me, the Subaru just didn't feel as engaging on the road. A less refined interior, below average fuel economy, and dated electronics ultimately led me to get rid of the vehicle after about a year. This was with a 2015 model, and I know the 2017s did get some improvements in these areas.

The X1, on the other hand, feels much more lively. I'm getting a little better than the advertised fuel economy for city/hwy, and I love the technology in the car. To me, it's a night and day difference between the two. I haven't owned a German car before, so I cannot speak for the reliability yet. We shall see as ownership continues.

mustardman · 01-16-2017, 10:20 PM

I just took delivery of my 2017 X1 (xDrive28i) here in Canada. Coming from a 2006 Subaru Outback, I test drove both the new 2017 Outback and the Forester XT (although I don't remember if it was 2016 or 2017). I didn't really like either Subaru. The interior had too much plastic, and the steering which I loved in my '06 Outback has become all loose and spongey in the modern Subarus (thanks to electric steering in all these new cars).

Although the F48 X1 has electric steering, BMW has managed to maintain a stiffness that I like, that still gives me a sense of what's happening with my wheels and that I'm connected with them. I knew from the first few minutes of the test drive that this was the kind of steering I'm used to, none of this loosy-goosy business in almost every new car nowadays.

The Forester XT has more horsepower, but it didn't feel as sprightly as the X1 and there was definitely more turbo lag. I will say the visibility in the Forester was phenomenal. No blind spots, lots of glass, thin A pillars, large rear window. Blind spot indicator as well. It lends a very confident, commanding view of the road. Subarus are amazing for visibility...the Forester, Outback, and Legacy are consistently the highest rated vehicles in terms of visibility.

dubjj · 01-19-2017, 10:50 PM

The reliability is pretty high. These are only a few of the many on the road. You get what you pay for my man. Stick with the X1.

Pristineship · 01-19-2017, 11:56 PM

Every single person was trying to talk me out of getting a X1 - because it is just a rebadged MINI, because it is FWD, because it has Aisin box and not the ZF and so on.
And the car is great. I would love to get a 340i/440i in 2018, but if the lease terms will again be so much better for X1 I wouldn't hesitate too much to getting a new X1 again, or maybe X2 (but so far no sight of the rumored 3 door model X2 which would be perfect for me)

Tjalle · 01-20-2017, 12:23 AM

Pristineship - hold on, X2 is coming!

Tjalle · 01-20-2017, 12:30 AM

hbordon727. You should know that for "real BMW freaks", nothing is OK unless it has a naturally aspirated inline6, manual gearbox and rides on the ground.

For them, and even for some X3/X4 owners, X1 is a no-go because of FWD.

In other words, if you and your wife are happy with her Subaru, go for it.

01-15-2017, 07:52 PM	#1
hbordon727 New Member 14 Rep 26 Posts Drives: 2016 bmw x1 f48 28i xdrive Join Date: Oct 2016 Location: St Petersburg, fl iTrader: (0)	bmw x1 f48 vs 2017 subaru forester xt touring hi guys, im the proud owner of a 2016 bmw x1 fully loaded (well i lease). my wife wanted a x1 also but took a test drive on a new 2017 subaru forester xt touring and she fell in love. so she ended up getting the subaru instead. my question is this, is that turbo xt forester a totally inferior car or is it comparable to the x1? i like it so much that i think i will consider getting one too when my lease is up. any subaru people here that have experience with a turbo forester xt? thank you guys
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01-15-2017, 11:50 PM	#2
quasitime Private First Class 8 Rep 126 Posts Drives: 2007 335i 6MT Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Portland iTrader: (2)	I'm looking at some of the same vehicles. What do you and your wife like so much about the Forester? I'm really curious.
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01-16-2017, 12:43 AM	#3
Tjalle Major 183 Rep 1,259 Posts Drives: X4 35i Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Sweden iTrader: (0)	I don't know specifically about the Forester xt Touring, but I have a general knowledge of Subaru. If anything, Subaru has a genuin reputation for sturdy vehicles, good quality and reliability and very high customer satisfaction. At the same time their boxer engines, interior finish/styling has been lacking refinement, much inferior to BMW. That said, if you are happy with vehicle, you are unlikely to have nasty surprises. What I have seen on this and X3/X4 threads, indicates that, if anything, BMW has somewhat more quality issues.
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01-16-2017, 01:17 PM	#4
KansasWaldo New Member 6 Rep 26 Posts Drives: F48 X1 xDrive28i Join Date: Dec 2016 Location: Kansas iTrader: (0) Garage List 2016 BMW X1 xDrive28i [0.00]	I actually owned a Forester XT at one point and now own a 2016 X1 xDrive28i. For me, the Subaru just didn't feel as engaging on the road. A less refined interior, below average fuel economy, and dated electronics ultimately led me to get rid of the vehicle after about a year. This was with a 2015 model, and I know the 2017s did get some improvements in these areas. The X1, on the other hand, feels much more lively. I'm getting a little better than the advertised fuel economy for city/hwy, and I love the technology in the car. To me, it's a night and day difference between the two. I haven't owned a German car before, so I cannot speak for the reliability yet. We shall see as ownership continues.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

01-16-2017, 10:20 PM	#5
mustardman New Member 15 Rep 14 Posts Drives: 2017 X1 Join Date: Dec 2016 Location: Toronto iTrader: (0)	I just took delivery of my 2017 X1 (xDrive28i) here in Canada. Coming from a 2006 Subaru Outback, I test drove both the new 2017 Outback and the Forester XT (although I don't remember if it was 2016 or 2017). I didn't really like either Subaru. The interior had too much plastic, and the steering which I loved in my '06 Outback has become all loose and spongey in the modern Subarus (thanks to electric steering in all these new cars). Although the F48 X1 has electric steering, BMW has managed to maintain a stiffness that I like, that still gives me a sense of what's happening with my wheels and that I'm connected with them. I knew from the first few minutes of the test drive that this was the kind of steering I'm used to, none of this loosy-goosy business in almost every new car nowadays. The Forester XT has more horsepower, but it didn't feel as sprightly as the X1 and there was definitely more turbo lag. I will say the visibility in the Forester was phenomenal. No blind spots, lots of glass, thin A pillars, large rear window. Blind spot indicator as well. It lends a very confident, commanding view of the road. Subarus are amazing for visibility...the Forester, Outback, and Legacy are consistently the highest rated vehicles in terms of visibility.
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01-19-2017, 10:50 PM	#6
dubjj New Member 5 Rep 5 Posts Drives: X1 2016 black on black Join Date: Jan 2017 Location: Flint iTrader: (0)	The reliability is pretty high. These are only a few of the many on the road. You get what you pay for my man. Stick with the X1.
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01-19-2017, 11:56 PM	#7
Pristineship Private First Class 48 Rep 146 Posts Drives: F48 X1 X line sDrive 20i Join Date: Jul 2016 Location: Slovakia iTrader: (0)	Every single person was trying to talk me out of getting a X1 - because it is just a rebadged MINI, because it is FWD, because it has Aisin box and not the ZF and so on. And the car is great. I would love to get a 340i/440i in 2018, but if the lease terms will again be so much better for X1 I wouldn't hesitate too much to getting a new X1 again, or maybe X2 (but so far no sight of the rumored 3 door model X2 which would be perfect for me)
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01-20-2017, 12:23 AM	#8
Tjalle Major 183 Rep 1,259 Posts Drives: X4 35i Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Sweden iTrader: (0)	Pristineship - hold on, X2 is coming!
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01-20-2017, 12:30 AM	#9
Tjalle Major 183 Rep 1,259 Posts Drives: X4 35i Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Sweden iTrader: (0)	hbordon727. You should know that for "real BMW freaks", nothing is OK unless it has a naturally aspirated inline6, manual gearbox and rides on the ground. For them, and even for some X3/X4 owners, X1 is a no-go because of FWD. In other words, if you and your wife are happy with her Subaru, go for it.
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